JESUS and the APOSTLES OBEYED GOD'S LAW and the SABBATH!

[LoveGodsWord]

You really hit the nail on the head with that statement. Thanks. (bold emphasis mine)

Acts 15:10, 19 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” ...
19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.

You are confused here brother. Acts 15 is talking about the SHADOW law of CIRCUMCISION as a requirement for salvation from the MOSAIC BOOK of the OLD COVENANT *EXODUS 24:7. This is the CONTEXT and topic of discussion as shown in ACTS 15:1-2. CIRCUMCSION is not one of God's 10 Commandments from God's ETERNAL LAW that give us the KNOWLEDGE of what SIN is when broken. Let's look at the scriptures and CONTEXT...

ACTS 15:1:21
[1], And certain men who came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, EXCEPT YOU BE CIRCUMCISED AFTER THE MANNER OF MOSES YOU CANNOT BE SAVED.

NOTE: ACTS 15:1 is the question that needs to be answered and the topic of conversation and CONTEXT of the chapter of ACTS 15. Here we have Jewish believers coming to Paul and Barnabas saying if the new GENTILES believers are not circumcised and made proselytes then they cannot be saved. This is the chapter context and issue of contention.

[2], When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, THEY DETERMINED THAT PAUL AND BARNABAS AND CERTAIN OF THEM SHOULD GO UP TO JERUSALEM UNTO THE APOSLTLES AND ELDERS ABOUT THIS QUESTION.

NOTE: ACTS 15:2 Which question? Weather your salvation depends on being CIRCUMCISED.
They then travelled to Jerusalem about this question to determine if new gentile believers needed to be CIRCUMCISED in order to be saved. Once they got to Jerusalem, the question was then asked and the discussion continued with the Pharasees stating their case first..

[5], But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

NOTE: KEEP in mind here the question was never over if gentile believers should obey God's 10 Commandments but to keep the Shadow laws of Moses, in this case CIRCUMCISION as a means of salvation. CIRCUMCIONS is from the law of MOSES not God’s 10 Commandments written by God on two tables of stone.

[6], And the apostles and elders came together TO CONSIDER THIS MATTER.

NOTE: Again the topic of discussion and chapter CONTEXT that is being considered is the question stated in ACTS 15:1 which was IS CIRCUMCISION A REQUIREMENT OF SALVATION?

[7], And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
[8], And God, who knows the hearts, bore them witness, giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us;

NOTE: After much discussion between the Apostles, Peter then rose up showing that God gave the gentile believers the Holy Spirit being UNCIRCUMCISED.

[9], And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
[10], Now therefore why test God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
[11], But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

NOTE: They came to the conclusion then that salvation is not by being circumcised but be what circumcision pointed to. A new heart by faith. This is made plain latter in other scripture written by PAUL here...

ROMANS 2 [25] For circumcision verily profits, if you keep the law: but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. [26], Therefore if the uncircumcision keeps the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27], And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfils the law, judge you, who by the letter and circumcision do transgress the law? [28], FOR HE IS NOT A JEW, WHO IS ONE; NEITHER IS THAT CIRCUMCISION, WHICH IS OF THE OUTWARD FLESH: [29], BUT HE IS A JEW WHICH IS ONE INWARDLY; AND CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OF THE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT IN THE LETTER; WHOSE PRAISE IS NOT OF MEN BUT OF GOD.

If ACTS 15 was talking about the 10 Commandments then Pauls writings in to the CORINTHIANS do not make any sense.

1 CORITHIANS 7 [19] CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

[12], Then all the multitude kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring what miracles and wonders God had done among the Gentiles by them.
[13], And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
[14], Simeon has declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
[15], And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
[16], After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
[17], That the rest of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, says the Lord, who does all these things.
[18], Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.
[19], THEREFORE MY JUDGMENT IS THAT WE TROUBLE NOT THEM WHO FROM THE GENTILES ARE TURNED TO GOD:
[20], BUT WRITE UNTO THEM THAT THEY ABSTAIN FROM THE DEFILEMENT OF IDOLS, FORNICATION AND THINGS STRANGLED AND FROM BLOOD.

NOTE: JAMES conclusion is that new Gentile believers should not be troubled with CIRCUMCISION as a requirement of salvation which was the matter being considered and the question being discussion as shown in *ACTS 15:1-2; ACTS 15:6 but asks them to abstain from idols, fornication and from things strangled and from blood.

[21], FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME HAS IN EVERY CITY THEM THAT PREACH HIM, BEING READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH.

NOTE: The reason why JAMES sends this letter to the new Gentile believers is that they would continue learning God's WORD EVERY SABBATH.

CONCLUSION So the conclusion of the matter with CONTEXT added back in is fould in v19-20 We are not to trouble the new gentile believers with CIRCUMCISION as a means of salvation. They are new converts that will learn more about GOD'S WORD when? EVERY SABBATH. In the meantime you should abstain from anything offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication.
NOPE nothing written about the 10 Commandments being abolished in this chapter. Here is what PAUL says of the matter here...

1 CORITHIANS 7 [19] CIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, AND UNCIRCUMCISION IS NOTHING, BUT THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.

Yep you may need to revisit your thinking of ACTS 15. CIRCUMCISION is not the 10 Commandments. It is from the Shadow laws of the MOSAIC BOOK of the COVENANT.

Sorry brother God's WORD disagrees with you.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

If JESUS and the Apostles who are our examples all obeyed God's LAW including God's 4th commandment Sabbath and there is no scripture in all of God's WORD that says God's 4th Commandment has been abolished then who should we believe and follow; God or man *ROMANS 3:4; ACTS 5:29?

 

[ace of hearts]

If JESUS and the Apostles who are aor examples all obeyed God's LAW including God's 4th commandment Sabbath and there is no scripture in all of God's WORD that says God's 4th Commandment has been abolished then who should we believe and follow; God or man *ROMANS 3:4; ACTS 5:29?

Jesus and the Apostles are Jews. Jesus was obligated to the law as a Jew. So of course He kept the sabbath. Jesus didn't call gentiles to Judaism. Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets. That contract is completed and finished. A or rather the New Covenant (contract) is what is now valid per Jesus, God Himself.The Apostles Peter and Paul were living like gentiles. The letter from the Apostles includes no requirement to keep the law of Moses. In fact the Apostles said to not bother gentiles with the law in Acts 15. The reason was provided that even they didn't or couldn't keep the law and called it a burden. Even the Jews called the law a curse in Nehemiah.

 

[Saint Steven]

Jesus and the Apostles are Jews. Jesus was obligated to the law as a Jew. So of course He kept the sabbath. Jesus didn't call gentiles to Judaism. Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets. That contract is completed and finished. A or rather the New Covenant (contract) is what is now valid per Jesus, God Himself.The Apostles Peter and Paul were living like gentiles. The letter from the Apostles includes no requirement to keep the law of Moses. In fact the Apostles said to not bother gentiles with the law in Acts 15. The reason was provided that even they didn't or couldn't keep the law and called it a burden. Even the Jews called the law a curse in Nehemiah.

I see Jesus deconstructing the law throughout the Gospel accounts.
In fact he treats the law as hearsay in the Sermon on the Mount.
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder..." - Matt.5:21

And he wasn't known as a Sabbath-keeper. On the contrary.

John 9:16
Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

John 5:18
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Jesus and the Apostles are Jews. Jesus was obligated to the law as a Jew. So of course He kept the sabbath. Jesus didn't call gentiles to Judaism. Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets. That contract is completed and finished. A or rather the New Covenant (contract) is what is now valid per Jesus, God Himself.The Apostles Peter and Paul were living like gentiles. The letter from the Apostles includes no requirement to keep the law of Moses. In fact the Apostles said to not bother gentiles with the law in Acts 15. The reason was provided that even they didn't or couldn't keep the law and called it a burden. Even the Jews called the law a curse in Nehemiah.

In the NEW COVENANT God's ISRAEL are all those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW God's WORD. If we are not a part of God's ISRAEL then we have no part in the NEW COVENANT which is to God's ISRAEL which is only a name given by God to his people *HEBREWS 8:10-12. Gentiles are now grafted in *ROMANS 11:13-23.

ROMANS 2:28-29 [28], For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:[29], But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

I see Jesus deconstructing the law throughout the Gospel accounts. In fact he treats the law as hearsay in the Sermon on the Mount. "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder..." - Matt.5:21 And he wasn't known as a Sabbath-keeper. On the contrary. John 9:16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. John 5:18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

In the days of Jesus the religious teachers of the day had placed so many man made traditions around Sabbath keeping that it had become a burden to the people. It was though in their eyes MANKIND was made for the Sabbath. It was so bad in fact that these religious teachers were constantly looking for ways to accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-2; 10; Mark 3:2'; Luke 6:1-2).

Jesus rebuked these religious teachers by saying that the Sabbath was made for MAN and NOT MAN for the SABBATH (Mark 2:27 and that he was the CREATOR or LORD of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28) and it was LAWFUL to do GOOD on the SABBATH (Matt 12:12)

Jesus did God's WORK on the Sabbath and so should we everyday but God's WORK is not the work we are commanded NOT to do on God's Sabbath for it is lawful to do GOOD on the Sabbath.

Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them who were with him, but only for the priests?

Or have you not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

GOD'S 4TH COMMANDMENT

Exodus 20
8, Remember the SABBATH DAY, to KEEP IT HOLY. <Why?> Because God made it Holy for mankind and commands us to keep it as a Holy day)
9, Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:
10, But the SEVENTH DAY IS THE SABBATH of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: <WHY>
11, For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the SEVENTH DAY: wherefore the LORD BLESSED THE SABBATH, and HALLOWED IT.

Doing GOD'S WORK is NOT what the 4th Commandment is talking about please read it.

God's 4th Commandments says we are NOT to do OUR OWN WORK. Yep NO secular business or paid work, no unnecessary domestic work, no buying and selling, shopping. This can be done on the other days of the week. God has made the SEVENTH DAY a HOLY DAY and we are to REST in HIM by FAITH in the LORD of the SABBATH. This is the 4th Commandment and one of the God's 10.

.............

JESUS came to magnify the law and make it honorable. He never taught the law was heresy only the scribes and the pharisees interpretation of it.

Hope this helps.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

RIGHTOUESNESS (God's LAW - PSALMS 119:172) FROM THE INSIDE OUT

JESUS came to magnify the LAW from the INSIDE OUT quoting MATTHEW 5:17-32 (thoughts and feelings) in fulfillment of *ISAIAH 42:21. This is to show that unless our RIGHTOUESNESS EXCEEDS the RIGHTOUESNESS of the Scribes and Pharisees we can in no way enter into the KINGDOM of HEAVEN. Jesus is saying the problem runs deeper then outward observance to the 10 Commandments. EVIL begins in the HEART.

BREAKING GOD's 10 COMMANDMENTS from the heart defile a man *MATTHEW 15:18-19. JESUS is saying we can be outwardly perfect and blameless like the Scribes and Pharisee but inwardly like dead mans bones *MATTHEW 23:27-28. JESUS magnified the LAW to the INSIDE OUT. To show us that we are all sinners in need of a Saviour and that sin originates in the HEART (thoughts and feelings). That is why we have the NEW COVENANT promise and need to be BORN AGAIN by Faith in God's WORD for salvation to be free from SIN (breaking any one of God's 10 commandments) *HEBREWS 8:10-12; 1 JOHN 3:3-10.

If we are not BORN AGAIN into the NEW COVENANT promise and continue in it we will not enter the kingdom of Heaven *1 JOHN 2:3-4; 1 JOHN 2:3-4. ALL those who KNOWINGLY break any one of God's 10 commandments stand guilty before God of sin *JAMES 2:10-11. All those who KNOWINGLY CONTINUE in UNREPENTANT SIN will not enter into God's KINGDOM *HEBREWS 10:26-27 because they reject the gift of God's dear son *ROMANS 6:23. God's 4th Commandment is one of the 10 Commandments that give us the KNOWLEDGE of what sin is. There is no such thing as the 9 commandments in God's WORD. The same as there is no scripure that says God's 4th commandment is Abolished and we are now commanded to keep Sunday as a Holy day.

God bless.

 

[bbbbbbb]

In the NEW COVENANT God's ISRAEL are all those who BELIEVE and FOLLOW God's WORD. If we are not a part of God's ISRAEL then we have no part in the NEW COVENANT which is to God's ISRAEL which is only a name given by God to his people *HEBREWS 8:10-12. Gentiles are now grafted in *ROMANS 11:13-23.

ROMANS 2:28-29 [28], For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:[29], But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

How new is God' NEW COVENANT? The covenant you seem to follow is just a regurgitated version of God's Sinaitic covenant with Israel.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

How new is God' NEW COVENANT? The covenant you seem to follow is just a regurgitated version of God's Sinaitic covenant with Israel.

Not at all the NEW COVENANT is not like the OLD COVENANT. No more SHADOW LAWS from the MOSIAC BOOK of the COVENANT *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26; EXODUS 24:7 that point to JESUS and God's plan of salvation under the NEW COVENANT. No more shadow laws in animal sacrifices and sin offerings; ceremonial Sanctuary laws, Levitical priesthood and feasts days. According to God's WORD in the NEW COVENANT God's ETERNAL LAW (10 Commandments) have the same role they always have and that is to give us the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; SIN and RIGHTEOUSNES *ROMANS 3:20; ROMANS 7:7; 1 JOHN 3:4; PSALMS 119:172.

God bless.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Not at all the NEW COVENANT is not like the OLD COVENANT. No more SHADOW LAWS from the MOSIAC BOOK of the COVENANT *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26; EXODUS 24:7 that point to JESUS and God's plan of salvation under the NEW COVENANT. No more shadow laws in animal sacrifices and sin offerings; ceremonial Sanctuary laws, Levitical priesthood and feasts days. According to God's WORD in the NEW COVENANT God's ETERNAL LAW (10 Commandments) have the same role they always have and that is to give us the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; SIN and RIGHTEOUSNES *ROMANS 3:20; ROMANS 7:7; 1 JOHN 3:4; PSALMS 119:172.

God bless.

Exactly as I thought - a regurgitated form of the Sinaitic covenant between God and Israel.

BTW, do you observe the dietary law as spelled out in the Pentateuch?

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Exactly as I thought - a regurgitated form of the Sinaitic covenant between God and Israel. BTW, do you observe the dietary law as spelled out in the Pentateuch?

Not at all. You were quoted scripture from the NEW COVENANT that states that God's ETERNAL LAW (10 commandments) give us the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; SIN and RIGHTOUESNESS *ROMANS 3:20; ROMANS 7:7; 1 JOHN 3:4; PSALMS 119:172. You mix up your SHADOW laws from the MOSAIC BOOK of the law *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26; EXODUS 24:7 with God's ETERNAL LAW that gives us the knowledge of what SIN is when broken. Read HEBREWS 7; HEBREWS 8; HEBREWS 9 and HEBREWS 10. For example;

HEBREWS 10:1-9
[1], FOR THE LAW HAVING A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME, AND NOT THE VERY IMAGE OF THE THINGS, CAN NEVER WITH THOSE SACRIFICES which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
[2], For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
[3], But in those SACRIFICES there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
[4], For it is not possible that THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS should take away sins.
[5], Why when he comes into the world, he said, SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS YOU WOULD NOT BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME:
[6], IN BURN'T OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAVE HAD NO PLEASURE.
[7], Then said I, See, I come in the VOLUME OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME, to do your will, O God.
[8], Above when he said, SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND BURNT OFFERINGS AND OFFERINGS FOR SIN YOU WOULD NOT, neither had pleasure therein; WHICH ARE OFFERED BY THE LAW;
[9], Then said he, See, I come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second.

NOTE; the LAW in reference here is NOT God's 10 Commandments but the law of sin offereings from the SHADOW laws of the MOSAIC BOOK of the LAW *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26 from the OLD COVENANT *EXODUS 24:7 (Please look at the attached scriptures)

God bless.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Not at all. You were quoted scripture from the NEW COVENANT that states that God's ETERNAL LAW (10 commandments) give us the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; SIN and RIGHTOUESNESS *ROMANS 3:20; ROMANS 7:7; 1 JOHN 3:4; PSALMS 119:172. You mix up your SHADOW laws from the MOSAIC BOOK of the law *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26; EXODUS 24:7 with God's ETERNAL LAW that gives us the knowledge of what SIN is when broken. Read HEBREWS 7; HEBREWS 8; HEBREWS 9 and HEBREWS 10. For example;

HEBREWS 10:1-9
[1], FOR THE LAW HAVING A SHADOW OF GOOD THINGS TO COME, AND NOT THE VERY IMAGE OF THE THINGS, CAN NEVER WITH THOSE SACRIFICES which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
[2], For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
[3], But in those SACRIFICES there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
[4], For it is not possible that THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS should take away sins.
[5], Why when he comes into the world, he said, SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS YOU WOULD NOT BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME:
[6], IN BURN'T OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN YOU HAVE HAD NO PLEASURE.
[7], Then said I, See, I come in the VOLUME OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME, to do your will, O God.
[8], Above when he said, SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND BURNT OFFERINGS AND OFFERINGS FOR SIN YOU WOULD NOT, neither had pleasure therein; WHICH ARE OFFERED BY THE LAW;
[9], Then said he, See, I come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second.

NOTE; the LAW in reference here is NOT God's 10 Commandments but the law of sin offereings from the SHADOW laws of the MOSAIC BOOK of the LAW *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26 from the OLD COVENANT *EXODUS 24:7 (Please look at the attached scriptures)

God bless.

Excellent! That does make life much simpler. It permits one to eat anything at all given the fact that there is no restriction whatsoever on one's diet. One also need not give money to a church at all as there is no command to do so. There are few things easier than keeping the Ten Commandments.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Excellent! That does make life much simpler. It permits one to eat anything at all given the fact that there is no restriction whatsoever on one's diet. One also need not give money to a church at all as there is no command to do so. There are few things easier than keeping the Ten Commandments.

Your not reading what is written to you or the scriptures provided from God's WORD. The SHADOW LAWS are those for remission of sin and those laws that point to JESUS and God's plan of salvation under the NEW COVENANT.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Your not reading what is written to you or the scriptures provided from God's WORD. The SHADOW LAWS are those for remission of sin and those laws that point to JESUS and God's plan of salvation under the NEW COVENANT.

The plan of salvation under the NEW COVENANT is to believe in Jesus Christ, is it not?

 

[Saint Steven]

Hebrews 8:7, 13
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. ...
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Hebrews 8:7, 13
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. ...
13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Hebrews 8:7, 13
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. ...13 By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Your mixing up your shadow laws from the MOSAIC BOOK of the OLD COVENANT *DEUTERONOMY 31:24-26; EXODUS 24:7 with God's ETERNAL LAW in the NEW COVENANT that give us the KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL; SIN and RIGHTOUESNESS *ROMANS 3:20; ROMANS 7:7; 1 JOHN 3:4; PSALMS 119:172. If we do not know what the OLD COVENANT is how can we know what the NEW COVENANT is that the OLD COVENANT points to?

 

[Saint Steven]

Ah, you conflate faith with obedience. I note that you state that one must follow God's Word. That can be taken several ways, of course. The Word of God is Jesus Christ Himself (John 1:1-3). Thus, one who believes in Jesus Christ follows Jesus Christ. I think that is rather self-evident, don't you?

It seems that he believes his posts are "God's Word".

 

[LoveGodsWord]

It seems that he believes his posts are "God's Word".

Indeed the scriptures are all God's WORD. Only God's WORD is true and we should believe and follow it.

 

[bbbbbbb]

bbbbbbb
What, if any difference, do you understand between believing in Jesus Christ, God's Word, and following Jesus Christ, God's Word?
When one first comes to Christ all that is required is faith in believing in the gift of God's dear son for mankind in the sheding of His blood and sacrifice for our sins and accapting JESUS as our Saviour for our sins. At this point in time it is written when we do not know any better and are babes in Christ and in the understanding of God's WORD; in times of IGNORANCE God winks at *ACTS 17:30. One of the conditions for being a disciple of Christ is that we are to CONTINUE to grow in His WORD and to FOLLOW him who calls us in love to love another *JOHN 8:31-36; MATTHEW 11:28-30. As we ask for God's guidence and as God teaches us His WORD *JOHN 14:26, we are excpected to follow what God asks us to do. As we learn more through the Word of God relying on God to be our teacher, we will learn new things that maybe we did not understand or know before. At this point in time God expects us to BELIEVE and FOLLOW his WORD *ACTS 17:30-31; JAMES 4:17. At this point in time BELIEVING means FOLLOWING what God wants us to do. If we do not FOLLOW God when God asks us to do something then we are no longer BELIEVING God or are we continuing in His WORD. This is why the scriptures are written..

ACTS 17:30-31
[30], And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent:
[31], Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.

JAMES 4:17 [17], Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.

JAMES 3:14-26
[14], What does it profit, my brothers, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
[15], If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
[16], And one of you say to them, Depart in peace, be you warmed and filled; notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body; what does it profit?
[17], Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.
[18], Yes, a man may say, You have faith, and I have works: show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
[19], You believe that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
[20], But will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
[21], Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?
[22], See you how faith worked with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
[23], And the scripture was fulfilled which said, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
[24], You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
[25], Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
[26], For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Once we become a Christian no one is BELIEVING God if they do not FOLLOW God's WORD, when they KNOW God wants them to do something and they do not do it.

God bless.

It seems that the thread is not functioning properly and I was unable to quote your post in the normal way. I have cut and pasted it.

It seems to me that you conflate salvation with sanctification and believing with following. Am I correct in my understanding?