We are told to follow Christ but how?

Studyman said:

I responded to your replies directly and honestly as they spoke to me. Just as you did when you replied to my statements.

"Animal Sacrifices were implemented by God for Atonement of transgressions of HIS Law."

To which you replied;

"I don't know Chinese, so I purchase English Bibles only. Meaning, the Bible is useless if it has no language in common with me. If virtue-related words such as love, justice, merit, honesty, guilt, sin, kindness, mercy (etc) mean something different to God than to me, I have no hope."

So I have to be consistent. I must hold God to MY definition of justice, for example. In MY definition, true justice can (and often does) allow for voluntary atonement. Animal sacrifice is not a valid example of atonement since they did not volunteer.

Which to me, in my definitions, shows a religious philosophy which reduces God down to the level equal with you. A common but fatal exercise first shown in the story of Eve.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat"


And again;

I posted a Biblical Reference to Zacharias.

"And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."

to which you replied;

"Baloney. You mean to tell me they went out and tried to slaughter 7 nations like Moses and Joshua did? Again, God's specific will varies for EACH INDIVIDUAL. Hence the letter of the law will not suffice, we need the Voice."

In both cases you are projecting disbelief, not in my definition, but in the Written Word itself.

Now you are free to take your toys and go home if you want. But in my definition of "Fair, reasonable Biblical Debate" my responses were perfectly acceptable.

How is it you have come to the place where only your "definitions" count? Where only your ridicule and frankness is acceptable. Definitions that you not only hold me to, but God Himself?

You are free to believe as you wish, but me challenging your religious philosophy based on what the Word's of the Holy Scriptures say, is not cruel, or unfair, or lacking in love.

If challenging the religious philosophies of man is cruel, then Jesus Himself is a Cruel man.

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ChristServant said:

If all that Christ did in His life was to follow GOD's commandments to the full and fulfil all things as many suggest, how do I do the things He said to do without becoming legalistic and why are somethings okay to follow what He says and not others, who decides?

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Tolworth John said:

It is very very simple.

You in your life demonstrate your love for Jesus by your obedience to his commands.
What were his commands, again very simple.
The ten commandments, which he summed up in the OT as:-
Love the Lord your God with All your strength, mind and spirit and to Love your neighbour as you love your self.

If you obey Jesus's commands it is not legalistic, that is when you insist that others obey them.

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Tolworth John said:

It is very very simple.

You in your life demonstrate your love for Jesus by your obedience to his commands.
What were his commands, again very simple.
The ten commandments, which he summed up in the OT as:-
Love the Lord your God with All your strength, mind and spirit and to Love your neighbour as you love your self.

If you obey Jesus's commands it is not legalistic, that is when you insist that others obey them.

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chad kincham said:

Jesus never listed the ten commands as what we follow today.

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chad kincham said:

Jesus never listed the ten commands as what we follow today.

He said to keep His commands, which are identical to Paul’s writing that the love commands fulfill all the law:

Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

Paul:

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Notice Paul does not restate the fourth command, neither does Jesus - because their is no required day to keep in the new covenant.

Jesus never restates the fourth command, at any time:

Mat 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang **ALL** the law and the prophets.

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Tolworth John said:

No you are right he quoted the Old Testament about Loving the Lord your God with all one is and to Love ones neighbour as oneself.

They are the summary of All Of Jesus's commands to Israel and to the world.

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Studyman said:

Yes.

isn’t Jesus the same God who gave His Instructions to Israel and the world? Was it not Him who defined good and evil in the first place? Wasn’t the God who wrote His Law with His Finger the same God who came to earth as a man? Wasn’t He “before Abraham”?

If Jesus says He and His Father are one, then wouldn’t His Commandments be the Father’s Commandments also?

Great topic.

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