[HarleyD]

All of your arguments against keeping the whole of the Torah are predicated on the idea that I believe that by keeping them, I am somehow trying to earn my salvation. Since I have repeatedly repudiated this idea, it amounts to a baseless strawman, and if carried too far, falls into the realm of slander.

It has been my experience on this site that what people believe and what people say they believe are usually two different things. What I am merely pointing out is that 1) no one can live by the law; 2) if you break one law you're guilty of breaking all the law (see rich, young ruler); and 3) doing the "work of God" is nothing more than believing on the Lord Jesus. God writes His laws upon our hearts to MAKE us obey.

Psalms 37:23 - The steps from man are indeed order by the Lord

Psalms 119:174 - "Thy law is my delight" - the signs of a redeemed man

Nehemiah 1:5 - "That keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him" (Well, we know what happened to the old covenant, now don't we?)

John 14:21 - Yep, we keep His commandments...didn't John also write that His commandments are not burdensom to us? Apparently Christian naturally keep the commandments-even those who eat a ham sandwich.

Duet 11:13-15 - Sure, they were admonished to keep the commandments. There was a great many wonderful things promised to those who kept God's commandments. Trouble is, it didn't work, did it? We are by nature children of wrath.

There is either God's will or our will. One is good. One is bad. Our will is not, by nature, to do the will of God.

As far as slander goes, I believe it is you who accused the Reformers as preaching people should not follow God's commands and the rewards of the Calvinists would be diminished.

[Buggman]

What I am merely pointing out is that 1) no one can live by the law; 2) if you break one law you're guilty of breaking all the law (see rich, young ruler); and 3) doing the "work of God" is nothing more than believing on the Lord Jesus. God writes His laws upon our hearts to MAKE us obey

Yes, yes, and yes. We would both agree that a person who is truly redeemed will do good works as a result of that faith, and that faith without works is dead. We're just disagreeing on what those works are.

I would also disagree if you mean to indicate an instantaneous, perfect change in a person, or that having the Torah written in our hearts automatically means that we know everything God wants us to do. What it means is that we have the earnest desire to do God's will as a result of receiving His Spirit. It takes time to learn and grow.

My argument is not that the Gentiles are more incapable intrinsically of doing God's will than the Jews. Rather, I'm arguing that the Jews acknowledged that the Gentiles were not starting off having been trained all their lives to study and follow the Scriptures, and therefore shouldn't be shunned while they were still learning and growing. Again, consider the difference between a person who was raised in the Church, but just fell away for a few years before personally repenting and receving the Lord, and a person who has never read the Bible and has spent their whole lives in a homosexual lifestyle. Which one will probably need more time to "ramp up" to a congregations standard of righteous living? Which one has more hurdles to overcome?

Now, by acknowledging the gay man's extra hurdles, am I condescending to him or saying that he is less capable, in the long run, of living a Christian life than the man who was raised by his parents to do so and never fell far from the tree? Or by acknowledging the extra hurdles, loving him anyway, and giving the Spirit time to grow him while instructing him on what the Bible says he's supposed to do and rebuking him with love when he stumbles, am I showing him the love and grace my Lord Yeshua has shown to me?

I have been the recipient of that same grace, so I look down on no man in that regard.

Our will is not, by nature, to do the will of God.

Then by definition, I am not following my own (natural) will in my desire to keep the Torah; it must be from God.

As far as slander goes, I believe it is you who accused the Reformers as preaching people should not follow God's commands and the rewards of the Calvinists would be diminished.

You have yet to show where I've misquoted or misunderstood you, despite repeated invitations to do so. Beyond that, all I've done is quote the Lord's own warning on the subject. You have four options that I can see:

1) Show where I have misunderstood you and explain what you really meant.

2) Admit that I've quoted your argument fairly, but demonstrate that your argument is correct.

3) Admit that I've quoted your argument fairly and that it is incorrect, and repent of it.

4) Shoot the messenger.

So far, you seem to be going for option #4. However, that doesn't help you: Since the Lord is the one who said that the Torah had not passed away, and that breaking the least of its commandments and teaching others to do the same lessened one's position in the Kingdom, unless you can provide a solid alternate exegesis of His words, then your beef is with Him, not with me.