I’m not into Joel Osteen’s preaching or his wife’s commentary. But this is an opening for this paper “Why Commandments?”
http://www.bswett.com/1978-05Commandments.html
It far eclipses what Mrs. Osteen said; it begins:
“Why does God give commandments to human beings? If God is omnipotent, why doesn’t He just make us do what He wants? The quick answer is, “Because He gave us free will.” But why did God give us free will? The flip-side of free will is free won’t—which means that we have the power to disobey God. That’s an awful lot of power. There are times when I think things would go a lot smoother on this pretty little blue-and-white planet if we didn’t have that power, but we do, and it’s obvious that we do.
and concludes: “Conclusion: God gives us commandments because He loves us. As Moses said in his farewell address to the children of Israel, “I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live.” (Deut. 30:15, 19) That is the central theme of God’s commandments. They are not for someone else’s benefit. They are not given to us to impose on others. They are given to each of us for our own benefit, but no one can make us obey them, not even God Himself.”
Please read the “red meat” in between these two pieces of bread I’ve posted.
This actually is very very old stuff going back to St. Augustine.
If we love our neighbor as ourselves, we don’t do good for yourselves.
We do good for the benefit of others and when others see those good works, they will glorify our Father, who is in heaven.
God created good works in advance for us to do. Those good works are for the benefit of others, to bring them to Christ. This is love, that one lays down his life for his friend.
It’s not about us. It’s about winning a lost and dying world to Christ.
Thanks for your post # 108 and the link to “Why Commandments?”
Wise words and spot on about the commandments. This is why the law is good. Every commandment ever utter from God has been for our benefit and well being.
I’ll ignore the “free will” stuff. :O)
The leadin for a Calvinism vs Arminianism Labor Day Love Match!