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If there was no law we would not need grace. We do not obey to be saved, we obey because we are saved.
Really? Have you read this tread?And I don't think you heard anyone saying we should ignore any laws in the first place.
As you have noted - a great many Christian denominations affirm all Ten of the Ten commandments as being included in the moral law of God written on the heart under the New Covenant. Taking that POV for a moment - then it means one cannot use Gal 3 to obliterate the command to "not take God's name in vain" or the Sabbath commandment.
I believe according to an early testimony of the ancient Christians which clearly link the moral commandments ( like the 10 commandments, Matthew 19:16-19, Romans 13:8-10 etc.). An early church manual from about 100 AD testifies to it. It is titled the Didache:
Didache. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (translation Roberts-Donaldson).
Very informative, thanks.
What does the "esoteric" interpretation mean?
With the growing number of churches that are teaching God’s laws are a thing of the past citing arguments like “we are not under the law we are under grace” or “Gods laws are only for the Jews ” I thought I would create a post to examine what does the Bible teach us about the laws of God. If we remove God's laws what are we really teaching and what are we removing from our lives?
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
According to scripture we should test ourselves to ensure we are in the faith.
My pastor preached a beautiful sermon on this topic so I wanted to share here.
What happens if we remove Gods laws? Is God’s character in Gods laws? If we remove His laws are we removing God?
God is Good:
Luke 18:19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God
God’s law is Good:
Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
God is Holy:
Isaiah 5:16 But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment,
And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
God’s law is Holy:
Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
God is Just:
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.
God’s laws are Just: Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
God is Perfect:
Mathew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
God’s law is Perfect:
Psalms 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
God is Love
1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God's law is Love:
Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
God is Righteous
Exodus 9:27 2 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.
God’s laws are Righteous
Psalms 19:9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.
God is Truth:
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
God’s law is Truth:
Psalms 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Psalms 119:151 You are near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are truth.
God is Pure:
1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
God’s laws are Pure:
Psalms 19:8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
God is Spiritual:
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
God’s law is Spiritual:
Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
God is Unchangeable:
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
God’s laws are Unchangeable:
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
God is Eternal
Genesis 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
God’s laws are Eternal
Psalms 111:7,8 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness
Considering God’s character is reflected in Gods laws, when we remove God’s law what else are we removing?
Yes, we are saved by grace (God’s gift) but what else does the Word of God tell us?
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
2 John 1:6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
1 John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Mathew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Mathew 19:17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Revelations 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
God's commandments are found in Exodus 20 written in our hearts and mind in the new covenant Hebrews 10:16.
God bless
Yes, the context of the second warning given in Heb 4:1-13 is the entire book of Hebrews.How unfortunate then that this is the topic of Hebrews 4, 7,8,9,10 and yet you quote Heb 4 without having any interest in it - while addressing the entire book of Hebrews in the quote at the top of this post.
Looks like you are talking about the entire book of Hebrews -- hence my response above.
It's like in other NT letters; e.g., where "Gnosticism" is not specifically mentioned in the letter but content and history inform of its context.Hint there is no "return to Judaism" text in all of Hebrew.
As for Jewish Christians - Acts 21 makes it clear as to what they were being told --
Acts 21: . 20 And when they heard about them, they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; 21 and
Yes, when it didn't violate his allegiance to Christ, Paul became all things to all men so that by all possible means, he might save some.they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. 22 So what is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 Therefore, do as we tell you: we have four men who have a vow upon themselves; 24 take them along and purify yourself together with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and then everyone will know that there is nothing to what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also conform, keeping the Law.
Nor does any debate appear in Romans, or Ephesians, or Philippians, or. . .No such debate of that form appears at all in the entire book of Hebrews.
Primary text does not mean only text on the topic.In reality. But we can see it in Acts 21 for those who want to see the primary text on that topic.
If you're referring to 6:4-6, it says much about falling away from Christ and being hardened beyond repentance, as are those in Ro 11:25, because departing is to crucify the Son of God all over again and subject him to public shame. (Heb 6:5-6)]Hebrews 6 does not say one single thing about the supposed danger of being a Jew or of believing the OT is still scripture even for Christians.
Heb 6 says - about Gospel "basics"
Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.
It is not contrasting Christianity with Judaism or OT with NT - it is talking about accepting Gospel basics and continuing on from that foundation of Christ as the Messiah and topics of repentance.
It talks of going to more advanced topics - which are then presented in Heb 7,8,9,10
Heb 5 ends with the reprimand for being stuck at the basic Christian doctrine level.
11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become poor listeners. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.
So then in Heb 6 - since we are addressing those who get stuck on the "Gospel basics" and not moving on to more mature topics - Paul says this -
4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
So that is the starting point - Gospel basics fully accepting the written word of God.
But being stuck there is to be in danger of falling away rather than pressing on to love more truth.
I can't imagine a better description of apostasy than that. And that was the concern of the writer of Hebrews,6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
The nature of the rest is spiritual, it is rest in Christ.7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.
The text says nothing about "falling away" being defined as believing the written word of God. IN fact in Heb 3 Paul quotes the OT text as "The Holy Spirit says" -- it is upheld not down graded.
Heb 4 the Sabbath rest of David's day "remains"... for the people of God
Heb 10:4-11 the animal sacrifices laws "taken away"
In Heb 4 only "some" in David's day and "some" in Moses' day did not enter. -- But others did enter so we have the Heb 11 "giants of faith" in the OT held up as examples for the Hebrews in the NT ... in fact as examples for all Christians in the NT.
The law is perfect, man is not, consequently we must look to God/Christ for salvation. Not the Law and not ourselves. This is true from Adam to now.With the growing number of churches that are teaching God’s laws are a thing of the past citing arguments like “we are not under the law we are under grace” or “Gods laws are only for the Jews ” I thought I would create a post to examine what does the Bible teach us about the laws of God. If we remove God's laws what are we really teaching and what are we removing from our lives?
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
According to scripture we should test ourselves to ensure we are in the faith.
My pastor preached a beautiful sermon on this topic so I wanted to share here.
What happens if we remove Gods laws? Is God’s character in Gods laws? If we remove His laws are we removing God?
God is Good:
Luke 18:19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God
God’s law is Good:
Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
God is Holy:
Isaiah 5:16 But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment,
And God who is holy shall be hallowed in righteousness.
God’s law is Holy:
Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
God is Just:
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.
God’s laws are Just: Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
God is Perfect:
Mathew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
God’s law is Perfect:
Psalms 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
God is Love
1 John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
God's law is Love:
Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
God is Righteous
Exodus 9:27 2 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.
God’s laws are Righteous
Psalms 19:9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous.
God is Truth:
Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
God’s law is Truth:
Psalms 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Psalms 119:151 You are near, O LORD, And all Your commandments are truth.
God is Pure:
1 John 3:3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
God’s laws are Pure:
Psalms 19:8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
God is Spiritual:
John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
God’s law is Spiritual:
Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
God is Unchangeable:
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
God’s laws are Unchangeable:
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
God is Eternal
Genesis 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
God’s laws are Eternal
Psalms 111:7,8 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, And are done in truth and uprightness
Considering God’s character is reflected in Gods laws, when we remove God’s law what else are we removing?
Yes, we are saved by grace (God’s gift) but what else does the Word of God tell us?
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
2 John 1:6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
1 John 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Mathew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Mathew 19:17 So He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
Revelations 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
God's commandments are found in Exodus 20 written in our hearts and mind in the new covenant Hebrews 10:16.
God bless
And yet it's been held by many theologians that,The law is perfect, man is not, consequently we must look to God/Christ for salvation. Not the Law and not ourselves. This is true from Adam to now.
Really? Have you read this tread?
So to summarize for now, the original deception and lie of the enemy, Satan the Devil, was that by knowing these "letter of the law rules and written down on stone or paper parchment treated like stone, etc, specific rules or laws or specific codes of conduct", etc, that you would actually become "much, much more truly righteous than you were before", etc, when "nothing could ever be further from the real true truth", etc, but and/or because, the commandments that they already had from the very beginning already, and that they already knew and full knowledge of from within already, already, etc, in their hearts already, etc, were actually the ones that were actually already "way, way more truly righteous already", etc...Look, I am not against the commandments, "any of them", in their right context, etc...
And in fact, I work very hard at trying to find the way to "truly", and please notice I said "truly", etc, truly truly obey and keep them, etc, and keep and obey them all perfectly and all of the time if I can, etc, and I will never give up on that search, etc...
I know Love is the way, etc, the true way, etc, and without Love none of it ever works, or means anything, cause it's not really ever true or genuine to begin with, etc, and I also know it not primarily through my own will only, or only what I "force myself to strenuously obey and/or do only" either, etc, so I am continuing my search, etc...
Then also, if you know anything at all about "true justice" at all, etc, or truly obeying and doing what is always truly righteous always at all, etc, you know that no letter of any kind of any kind of law, the written down letter or form of it, etc, is ever an "absolute" always and in every single case always, etc...
Now the letter of a law, or in this case, "the law", etc, or "laws", etc, or God's written down commandments, etc, as an example, "The Ten, etc, these are not always absolutes always either, and there are even times, even in the OT, where people actually clearly disobeyed them, but were considered very much extremely righteous still by God, mainly for actually finding that "exception to then normal rules", etc, and then credited for being wise and cunning enough to know the difference, etc...
The letter of the laws, like the ten commandments, etc, are useful in teaching us the very basics between "good and evil", etc, but isn't that the exact tree we were told specifically not to ever eat from ever, etc...?
You don't need, or shouldn't need, rules, or a written down set rules of certain laws or codes, for which an endless, and I do mean, "endless", etc, set of other rules or laws need to be endlessly added to it, etc, over time, etc, anyway, let's just say it "fails", etc, OK, and we were told not to ever eat from it, etc, and you shouldn't need a written down set of rules of laws depicting (endlessly over enough time, etc) what is the difference between (in time "all") all of what is all good, or else all evil, etc, or specific right and wrong, etc, BECAUSE, etc, because these things, along with all their "exceptions" from which true righteousness and true justice comes, etc, can be much more fully, and much more truly and more accurately known only from "within", etc, by a righteousness that will always exceed that of the, or any set of fully written down set of rules of laws or codes always, etc...
We know what is right or else wrong already, etc, and that was part of the original lie and deception in the Garden, etc, that "they didn't" "already know" "that" already, etc... This is why the "law that was always from the beginning", etc, can only ever fully truly be known, or only ever fully truly expressed, from what is already known, etc, or can be expressed, etc, only from what is already known within, etc, in your hearts, etc, if your hearts are good and truly holy/born again already, etc...
And that is part of the problem right there, the world greatly confuses this, and we have a lot of people with either very, very corrupt, and just have very bad and evil or wicked hearts, or else, if not that exactly, just really, really confused hearts already, etc, and for this reason many people stumble and look to the letter of laws for guidance and help, etc, but don't let it deceive you into believing that it, number one, actually makes you more righteous, etc, cause it is actually the opposite, etc, actually makes you less righteous, etc, or that it makes you know any "more" than you already have or already know or have from within already, etc, or that God is keeping something from you that you didn't already have already "in full" already, etc, cause that was the original lie of Satan the Devil, etc, and was the number one main cause of the fall, that lie, etc, and was the number one original deception of the serpent, that became Satan the Devil later on, in the Garden, etc...
"God is keeping the knowledge of good and evil from you", etc... "Liar", etc... They already knew it, and already knew it (all) better than they ever would or ever could already, etc... "Liar, Liar, pants on fire", etc, etc, etc...
The introduction of the letter of the law actually only made it much more worse, etc...
But it also had to come when it came, etc...
Anyway, I will try to provide scripture later, as there is "plenty", etc, but I'm just going to say this much for now, etc, OK...
God Bless!
Luke 15:7- "“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."the keeping of the "law" saves NO ONE! It is ONLY by true "REPENTANCE and FAITH" (Mark 1:15), in the Lord Jesus Christ, that can actually save any sinner!
Luke 15:7- "“I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."
This was directed specifically at people by Jesus who thought they were righteous in and of their own selves, and most especially by their own self will and efforts in obedience to the letter of the law OT law covenant, or commandments, etc...
God Bless!
Oh, you are very correct, and I am with you all the way, repentance is for everyone most absolutely, etc, but I was just giving you only the context, targeted audience, or who Jesus was only speaking to at that specific moment only, in only that specific verse I quoted only, etc, but repentance is most definitely always for all, and everybody always most definitely, etc...Who says that these words of Jesus are only for some select group? What about
Luke 13:3, 5, "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish"
Luke 24:47, "and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem"
Acts 2:38, "And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"
Acts 3:19, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out"
Acts 17:30, "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent"
Acts 20:21, "testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ"
These verses are for every single human being!
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