“As an additional note to the previous reply, what Paul was alluding to on Rm 9 is that because of God’s grace that has been since He sent Adam and Eve packing from the garden, no man can claim that God is obligated to receive them into His eternal kingdom because of their works, this way no man can boast. But this grace does in no way exempt us from serving God as God wants to be served which Yeshua exemplified for us so beautifully.”
What Romans 9 and the rest of the Bible actually teaches is that salvation is by the grace of God, who is utterly sovereign in election and justification. There’s no getting around it, which is why you won’t examine Romans 9 in detail. It does not take out serving God. It takes out the idea that by serving God we are saving ourselves. It also shows that serving God is the fruit of the Spirit, which therefore means it is God working in us, and not the man working in God.
As to the Food Laws or Feast Days or other such things, we are not bound to them. Not only that, but we are commanded not to engage in such doubtful disputations as sacred days or dietary arguments. The following scriptures well establish this:
Rom 14:1-6 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. (2) For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. (3) Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. (4) Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (5) One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. (6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
If eating or not eating are both to the Lord, how can either be wrong? Rather it is the heart of the man that is most important, and not on such minor doctrines as these.
Our liberty in Christ is such that we are not bound to such silly issues (as we are under the Law of Christ), which were symbols only of greater spiritual truths. Certainly what comes out of a man’s mouth is more important than what goes into it.
1Co 10:23-29 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (24) Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. (25) Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: (26) For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. (27) If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (28) But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: (29) Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
Why did you stop? Paul says “grace through faith”, never does Scripture ever say by grace alone. You can search the Scriptures day and night for ever and ever and you will never find the phrase “grace alone” anywhere in the bible.
But there is a place where one can find the words faith and alone in the same passage.
Jam 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.
One is not going to be saved unless one is justified before the Father. You see there is grace, deliverance, justification and salvation, in that order. Yes we may currently be delivered out of our ignorance of His truth, but we have yet to enter salvation as in crossing over from corruptible flesh to incorruptible flesh. Being saved from something and actually entering into His salvation are two completely different things.
Yes, Salvation is a free gift so suppose you were given as a gift, say a plane ticket to your favorite vacation destination. Now there is only one catch, the ticket is for a date in the future, say 10 yrs from now. How do you know you will actually get to use it unless you guard it and tend to it so it does not get lost or stolen? This is what salvation through grace is, it is a ticket to a future destination that needs guarding and tending so we do not loose it because on this ticket of salvation is the directions on how to redeem it. We are given this ticket for the future when we said “I do” to His covenant the same way we say ‘I do” to our marriage vows in the flesh. When we do not guard and tend those vows, the marriage breaks up and that is why Yeshua said to the assembly at Philadelphia, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”
If something can be taken away, then that something is not guaranteed thus the false doctrine of once saved always saved is just another heretical doctrine and teaching of man that has no foundation in God's Word, just as most of them are.