One of the biggest problems that humanity faces is not the recession, it’s not the HIV/AIDS pandemic but in fact it’s sin. We all fall under the umbrella of sin, regardless of your color, creed, values, ethics, etc. We are all sinners. The only way we could remove this sin from ourselves is through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God sent his only son to die for us on the cross and he bore all of our sins on that cross, and through his death we have been cleansed. Only through Jesus Christ is salvation provided. He is the one that has provided us with grace that allows us to even think about what a future on a new earth could look like. Without this grace we could not be saved, this fact remains true. So now that we know we are saved by grace, how does the commandments come into play. Do they matter? Have they been abolished? Can we still make it to heaven even if we don’t follow them to the letter. Please feel free to leave comments on how you feel about such an important topic that I feel people are just afraid to discuss. Let us know because this is definitely something we need to talk about.
Accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior is the beginning of discipleship, not the end.
Commandments and works are in my view the same thing. We show our love for the Lord by what we have the capacity to do. Love the Lord will all our heart might mind and strength. Jesus praised the widow for donating all she had the capacity to do.
To me its as if I asked my child to clean up their room, they respond No Dad…but I love you.
Hi you guys, I have been reading this and I have to say, I really like this post and all the discussion.
Ok here’s my take on this subject. Just like everything else in life, if there are no laws then there’s a problem. We are all saved by grace.
Jesus said himself that he didn’t come to abolish the laws rather to fulfill them, thus with that said, do we only need grace and not follow the law of God?
We are all guilty at some point of the laws and because of that should be dead, however, the blood of the Great, HOLY Lamb of God was shed for all us, so really there’s no need for me to kill a bull or goat to offer as a sacrifice. Jesus dying on the cross eliminates the need to do that.
There are the ceremonial laws and the moral laws. The ceremonial laws have been abolished because are all covered under the covenant grace of God; however, the moral laws remain.
Dominica, are you married? Why would you not cheat on your wife? Why would not kill someone?
Why, you ask, I say it’s because of the ceremonial laws.
Read Genesis 2:2 where it talks about the Sabbath, a sabbath that was stated, instituted from the begining of humanity, which God placed as the fourth commandment when he explicitly gave it to Moses. Is that not prior to Abraham’s time, yes indeed it is. Now go to Genesis 4:8 where Cain killed his brother Abel, did Cain not break a law by killing his brother, how was he to know he did something wrong if he wasn’t even aware that killing was wrong. Disobedience to God is breaking God’s law and again if it wasn’t for his grace then after any sin was committed we should die. The plan of salvation was there even before sin, everyone including Adam to Z is under this plan. I am very well aware of what a covenant is and there are laws certain sacrificial laws that were no longer needed once the lamb, Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. Yet, there are laws such as the ten commandments that still remain in tact and should be followed throughout our daily lives.
You state that the law was there in the beginning, which scripture says so? you need to understand the reason why the law was given… and the law was not there in the beginning there is no scripture to support this statement….
There was covenants ;; and Abraham had a covenant with God do you know what it was?
Do you know the deferent covenants ? Do you understand what a covernant is ? A covernat is a contract between 2 or more people
Do you know under what covenant we are leaving?
are we living under the Covenant of Circumcision like Abraham ?? or are we under a new set of agreement ( covenant)
From reading the scripture it states that we have a Better Covenant? What is that Covenant (agreement)
Can you tell me ?
Do you believe that sin is a trangression of God’s law. Did Abraham sin? Yes just like anyone of us. Did Abraham ever sacrifice anything? Yes he did to the point where God had asked him to sacrifice his only son. How Adam or Eve know that they had sinned because they were aware of God’s law. Thou shalt not kill isn’t something that God established the day he gave it to Moses. It was something that was always there and will always be there. Jesus did not sin, never did and never will, he is the prime example of a true follower of God’s laws. I hate to believe that there aren’t people that try to follow the laws of God. You see, God is very well aware that we are not perfect but it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t expect us to try. He knows that humans will continue to break rules now and again which is why we must seek for forgiveness. With that said are you stating that we should reject God’s law because if we do then that is simply saying that you reject God.
So are you saying that Abraham Leaved by the LAW ? if so please point me to the scripture.
Was he made Righteous because he followed the LAW ? What made him right in the sight of GOD?
From what i have seen in the scripture … The law was a tool to show us the righteousness of God. did you know of any man that keep it totally?
{Jesus was the only one that could keep it cause he was Perfect}
John you make a lot of good points, salvation is indeed found through faith in Jesus Christ but does this mean that we can live a sinful life and still think that we will be a part of God’s heavenly kingdom? Absolutely not! The laws or commandments of God are found throughout the bible and yes there were explicitly given to Moses on two tablets but it doesn’t mean that the individuals prior to Moses were not aware of what God wanted of them. They had to have known because how else could you explain why they would sacrifice certain animals in oder to seek forgiveness of their sins. If you read Hebrew 9: 1-8, you will read about the plan of salvation. Now with this said, because we are saved by grace is reason enough for us to follow all of God’s commandments. The commandments are the laws if followed will allow us to live free of sin. By us following God’s commandments tells God how we feel about him. John 14: 15 If you love me, follow my commandments. “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
How can we say we love God but yet we don’t do what he asks. Everyone is covered by God’s grace and with that we have a lot of work to do before we can get to heaven, following his commandments is a part of it. If God doesn’t change, nor does what he asks of us.
The Law was in place when Jesus came into the world : right?
What was the purpose of the Law then? What did the bible say concerning the Law? Here is what i found out in Hebrews 10.1
” For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.”
Can the Law save you ? If it could save then that was the purpose of Jesus coming?
From Hebrews and many other scriptures i realize that the Law can not save any one but It reminds us that we truly need a Saviour.
If was not for the law then we would not know what sin is.. so the law is a constant reminder that we are sinful and needs to be save.
Should i say that the Law is bad ? Certainly Not!
For it was not for the Law i would not know sin..
Can I ask you a question > Do you follow the whole Law?
if you follow all and fall short in one area you have faultier in all! Can you still Leave by the Law?
If you have to be judge accounding to the Law can you Pass the test??
…Me to I would not be able to pass the test: that is why I thank God for Grace
Because now i can put my Faith in Jesus and by so doing have my faith accredited to me as Righteousness. Just as Abraham Believed and was considered as Righteous.
Read it Romans 4:3
“For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
Did Abraham followed the Law?? study and find out .. The answer is No… Abraham was before the implementation of the LAW of Moses.
Be he was considered righteous.. Why cause he put his faith in God [ the key is FAITH]
So the Lord see me as Righteous not because i follow the Law but because i have Place my Faith in Jesus)
As a result of this he will now take me from glory to glory — changing me and transforming me into the likeness of Jesus