Bringing Man Back, to LawKeeping

[Silver Surfer]

Ecclesiates  12:13   "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the [whole duty] of man".    
Read that again...But this time, remember that it is Christ, that says this....after all, the Bible is...God's word, right ?

The one thing the modern Christian world ignores, or is ignorant of, is...the commandments of God, from Genesis to Revelation.

The whole Bible, is about bringing man back into keeping the Law of God...through the power of God, working in the life, of the believer.

Genesis 3:4.....man breaks the commandments of God.
Revelation 22:14.....man keeping the commandments of God allowed into heaven.

And, in between Genesis and Revelation...is the story of God (Christ) working in men's lives, helping man to keep the Law of God.

To the Biblically UNeducated person, this sounds like legalism.

But, to the person who knows their Bible, Jesus Christ as well as all the disciples, taught obedience to God's law, not as a means of obtaining salvation, but because they were saved.

Only the 'saved' person can keep God's Law....and that is, the evidence, that they are saved.
[colo=blue]  Revelation" 14:12   Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus".[/color]
And, aren't the 'saints'....Christians ?  

[Shammu]

Only the 'saved' person can keep God's Law....and that is, the evidence, that they are saved.
[colo=blue]  Revelation" 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus".
And, aren't the 'saints'....Christians ?

Please note S S, that Revelations 14:12 Is dealing witrh the mark of the beast, and the seal from God. The Bible is straightforward that the mark of the beast is definitely final:

Revelation 14:9-11 "if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

In the very next verse, God made it positively clear about what Christians should be doing when the lost are taking the mark of the beast and thus sealing their doom forever:

Revelation 14:12 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."

It is obvious that having the mark of the beast is not keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.  The Scripture leaves no room for any doubt as to the fate of anyone who takes it. But everyone should understand this, once the choice is made, it is eternal!

Resting in the hands, of the Lord.
Bob

2 Kings 17:13 "Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets."

[nChrist]

Hello Silver Surfer,

Matthew 22:36 ASV  Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?
Matthew 22:37 ASV  And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Matthew 22:38 ASV  This is the great and first commandment.
Matthew 22:39 ASV  And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
Matthew 22:40 ASV  On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets.

Brother, the Teacher here is Jesus Christ. I highly recommend a study of Galatians. Many wonderful changes took place after the CROSS.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Galatians 2:16 NASB  nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

Galatians 2:21 NASB  "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

[Shammu]

Silver Surfer,

Against this historical background, we can see that to uphold the whole of God's Word as the standard for the Church and for the Nations is, in these days, to swim against the tide. But to do so is to be faithful to the clear teaching of Scripture. Our age is strangely at odds with historical Christianity, and painful theological debates will continue as we wrestle with this significant issue.

If a fear of accusations of legalism prevents us from proclaming that God's Word needs to be applied to modern Christians, we have surely reached a sad state of affairs. May there be a restoration in these days of the fulness of the gospel of grace which provides both the pardon for sin (imputed in justification), and the power to overcome sin (imparted in sanctification). May we not be afraid of law as it helps us to see sin, gives us direction for godly living, and points us to Christ for the good news of His salvation.

Today the cry is commonly heard that one group or another is legalistic. Those who hold to the continuing validity of the Old Testament are frequently described in those terms. But is it necessarily true that a conviction concerning the place of the law - a belief that "the law is good, if one uses it lawfully" (1Tim 1: - is tantamount to legalism, and contrary to the Biblical doctrine of grace?

Salvation is by grace alone. Many great men of God have laid down their lives for this conviction. None can do anything to merit the Lord's favour by works of law-keeping. Throughout church history there have been those who have sought to earn their salvation, starting with the Judaizers of whom Paul wrote in Galatians. But they all stand condemned before the clear teaching of Scripture.

Justification is entirely of God's grace. Even the faith, which we exercise to appropriate that grace, is a gift from God. It is nothing of which we can boast, as if we contributed it as a work meriting God's favour (Eph 2:8,9).

C.H Spurgeon, a great preacher of the gospel of grace, summed it up in his usual pithy way: "I found out that I could not be saved by good works for two very good reasons: first, I had not got any, and secondly, if I had any, they could not save me."

Our desire to please God in this way is not burdensome. It is a delight (Ps 19:7-11) and an expression of our love for him (1Jn 5:1-5). Having been saved at such cost by His grace, why would we not want to live in a way that is pleasing to Him in every detail, especially when His grace has provided us all that we need for life and godliness?

Trusting in works to merit salvation. This was the error of the Jews, and to some measure continues to be the case in, for example, Roman Catholicism. Demanding adherence to man-made rules which are not found in Scripture - which is the case in strict religious circles which forbid such things as drinking, dancing, or attending movies.

In Matt 19:16-17, Jesus was speaking to a Lawyer who was self-righteous since he wanted to put Jesus to the test (Luke 10:25).  He asked what he must do in order to obtain eternal life and Jesus responded with the requirements of keeping the commandments.  If a person keeps all of the commandments, it would seem that they could obtain eternal life.  However, nobody can keep all of the commandments.  Therefore, Jesus' comments to this man show this man that justification can only be by faith since no one can keep all of the commandments.  This is why it says in Eph. 2:8 that we are saved by grace through faith.

The Law cannot save us because we are incapable of keeping it Matt 19:16-17.  Therefore, salvation is by faith through grace.

Resting in the hands, of Jesus.
Bob

Psalm 116:6 The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He helped and saved me.

[Soldier4Christ]

A Bible study of Galatians is a wonderful study. It shows us the true meaning and difference between living in faith and living under the law.

Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians because they had done just that. They attempted to bring man back to the keeping of the law and circumcision. Paul chastised the Galatians for doing so but did so in great love as he called them his children. The Galatians did not abandon the teachings of faith but taught the law in addition to this as a requirement of continued salvation. Paul goes into great detail in this lengthy letter explaining the errors of this teaching.

Gal 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Gal 6:13  For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

[nChrist]

AMEN BROTHERS!

I give thanks that men do NOT depend upon their own righteousness for Salvation. The Holy Bible makes it perfectly clear that the righteousness of man is as filthy rags. History in the Holy Bible makes it blunt what God thought about the Pharisees and others who went about trying to establish their own righteousness.

This is the reason why the message of THE CROSS is so precious! My faith is in JESUS CHRIST and HIS Righteousness! Only the Blood of JESUS on the Cross makes it possible for my sins to be forgiven. The perfect Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross is complete, and the work of atonement, redemption, sanctification, and SALVATION is GOD'S ALONE, note mine! There is absolutely nothing that I can add to the perfect and completed work of JESUS!

All I can really do is give thanks that JESUS paid it all for me. My heart overflows with joy and appreciation that JESUS rescued me and SAVED me from the curse of sin and death. YES! - the law of Faith in Jesus Christ has indeed set me free from the curse of sin and death.

From a thankful heart, I want to serve HIM, praise HIM, and worship HIM all the remaining days of this short life. I pray that GOD will guide and lead me to do only the things that will bring glory to HIM and only HIM.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Corinthians 2:2-5 NASB  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

Romans 5:8-9 NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Colossians 1:13-14 NASB  For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

John 10:8-10 NASB  "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Galatians 3:22-26 NASB  But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.