Posted on 03/18/2017 7:11:14 AM PDT by metmom
Should We Still Keep The Commandments?
If you are skeptical because of past experiences with religion, understand that religion is not the answer—a relationship with Christ is. There is a clear difference.
Religion says, “I have to follow rules.” A relationship with Christ says, “I want to follow His plan for my life.”
Religion says, “I have to go to church.” A relationship with Christ says, “I want to position myself to learn more, worship Him and benefit from fellowship.”
Religion offers a set of rituals; a relationship with Jesus offers a guiding light.
Religion is man’s attempt to find God; relationship assures us of His presence.
Many lose sight of purpose because they have “religion” and not a true relationship with Christ. They may know Scripture but they often do not apply it to their lives. As a result, their relationship with God is cold and distant.
A fatal statement, yet so common is, “I know what God’s Word says, but…” For example: I know that I shouldn’t watch certain movies or television programs, but I enjoy then. I know that I shouldn’t date her, but she’s very attractive. I know that I shouldn’t go there, but everyone is doing it. I know what the Bible says, but it doesn’t apply now. I know that I need to go to church, pray, and read God’s Word, but I’m too busy.
(Excerpt) Read more at westsidechristianfellowship.org ...
We disagree. I believe you are putting new wine into old wineskins. I’ll also point out that most sworn sabbatarians don’t come close keeping the Hebrew sabbath. That being said, I won’t argue over any of it because when I was first confronted with the idea that believers are not subject to the Ten Commandments I found it repugnant and wanted to argue. The word antinomian immediately came to mind. But then I grew silent because Proverbs 18:13 also came to mind. I realized that just because it went against what I’d been taught didn’t mean it was wrong, so I decided to at least study how other believers had arrived at that conclusion.
So instead of me trying to explain why I believe as I do I would point you to both a short video and a free e-book called The Essential Sabbath. I’ll link them below. There are many other resources out there on this, but I spent some time with Pastor Gay when he was in preaching in the States last year (and he’s coming back later this year), so I’m am familiar with his free material.
http://www.davidhjgay.com/mobi-books-downloads/
Soli Deo Gloria
Interested readers. Paul said Christians are dead to the law and discharged from it. Bipolar Bob says “Those who are saved are not under (the condemnation) of the Law.” I agree that Christians are not under the condemnation of the law, because that’s what the Bible says. Why don’t you believe what Paul says when we says we’re not under the law, even quoting from the ten commandments, and discharged from it?
You evidently don’t believe or obey Dt. 5.15 either: “remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm: therefore Jehovah thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.”
To quote you: No, you choose not to obey Gods Commandment. I understand that it is easier not to do that. It makes going along with the world a lot easier instead of being peculiar.
When you quote: “Exodus 20:8 starts off with “REMEMBER the Sabbath” as if people would forget or people like you who wish to forget. God changes no,” other readers are going to notice that you don’t “remember” Dt. 5.15 in your sabbath-keeping, either.
Here’s something else to remember, Bob: “He who slings mud loses ground.”
Acts 15:1-29 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.”
The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. And after there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,
“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’
Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”
I do believe it. I have said I believe it. If you do not follow Gods Law that is between you and God. Tell me when did the Sabbath come into being? Was it not at Creation? The Sabbath was to commemorate Creation. The Sabbath points to God as The Creator. Did Adam not keep the Sabbath? Did Jesus keep the Sabbath? Did His Disciples keep it? Are you greater than these?
Matthew 24:20 "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter or on the Sabbath day." This was an event years after the crucifixion.
I have slung no mud just Bible verses.
Galatians 2:19
"Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.
4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh,[a] the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Romans 7:1-6
Thanks be to God that the believer is necronomian!
Being a born-again Christian, who believes in Jesus Christ, does not mean that I must give up my FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.
My relationship with Christ, causes me to worship, pray, go to church, fellowship with other believers, etc. Simply because I have the right to choose to do those things.
But, “religion” forces you to attend church; even when there is no desire in your heart to do so. And, most of the time, when forced to do something that your heart does not agree with, you gain very little. I’ve known people who were forced to attend church their whole life .. but, they were so resistant to the idea, they gained nothing.
The key is to lead people to Christ. Get them involved in a small Bible study group .. and allow them to grow in their faith .. then, you keep inviting them to certain events; but the true benefit comes to the believer when they choose - of their own free will - to attend church.
It’s interesting that people consider *keeping the Sabbath* as attending church.
Yet the Sabbath was a day of rest and while many people go to church on Sunday, do they keep it as a day of rest?
I don’t find any Scriptural support that going to church is *keeping the Sabbath*.
However, I do agree with you on that there’s a world of difference between doing something because you have to and because you want to.
Doing it out of duty or obligation, or because you are threatened with hell-fire and brimstone, is NOT what God intended for us. That is not the kind of relationship God wants as a loving, heavenly Father.
A simple read of the OT shows that.
The Jews kept the law on the outside, but God said their sacrifices were a stench to Him. He’s after the heart, not the outward actions.
Someone can do all the outward stuff perfectly and still be as far from God as the worst heathen.
"And THIS is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment." 1 John 3:23
“There’s a world of difference between obeying the Law because you have to and because you want to.”
Not really....I’ll take a man who refrains from murder, theft, lying, rape, adultery, etc., etc., etc. because he FEARS God’s wrath rather than LOVES God’s Law.
The truly great difference is between the man who fears God and one who does not.
Indeed. That is the difference in Moses Law and the New Covenant. To keep the law to achieve Heaven is a heavy yoke indeed. To know God is to love God. The closer we are to God the easier it is to follow His Law. We yearn to please Him.
Paul said "I die daily". He died to his human desire for flesh and money and ease and worldly acceptance.
Mark for later
I don't know whether you are being facetious or satirical or are that deficient in the knowledge of the Bible.
Psalm 19:7 "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple." The defect is not in the law but in the way/reason man keeps the law.
The pharisees kept the letter of the law and yet Jesus had some really harsh words for them.
The people you describe make life here more comfortable, but it’s about more than just having a nice, comfy, safe life here.
And God doesn’t feel that way.
Read some of the OT prophets about those who are outwardly religious and law keeping and what HE thinks about that.
Does it say just some of the commandments or just the ones we like?
YES!
Yes, every one of them.
They are NOT suggestions.
Love, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness, self-control: against such things there is no law.
Without trying to be legalistic, that this question is being asked is exactly why Western Societies are falling like a rock and will burn soon.
We stopped honoring God, we stopped following His edicts, and we stopped praying & confessing our sins.
“””But that isn’t the topic of the thread.””””
Really? My point was directly to the title: “should We Still Keep the Commandments?”
I gave a reason why we should. How could that be off topic?
And if we walk in love, in Christ, that will happen automatically.
The problem I see with that question coming up, is that it heads straight into legalism.
When we get to the point of demanding law keeping for every aspect of our lives, then people are always looking for an out and get into such fine hair splitting over what we are to do that it goes into bondage.
We then become so obsessed with law keeping that we don’t even bother with walking in love towards those around us.
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