God's law

Hi there all!

Maybe we could enter into some discussion about whether or not we still have to obey God's law. I take the position that we still have to obey God's law. I also believe that if you disobey God then you must ask for forgiveness or you will be punished in the end. This does not mean that you have to remember every sin and ask forgiveness for it but if a sin is committed then you must repent or you will perish.

This position I believe to be indicated by the following scriptures:

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Romans 13:8-10

I would emphasize the part where he says "owe no man anything, but to love one another". The term owe denotes obligation. We are obligated to love which is "fulfilling of the law".

"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Romans 2:13

It might be objected to this verse that it is talking about being justified by the law. I argue that it is not talking about being justified by law because it says "doers of the law shall be justified". Justified from what? From sin, and if you have already sinned then it is impossible for you to be justified by the law.

"If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." James 2:8-13

I argue that this verse is the plainest teaching in the Bible on the subject. If you fulfill the law ye do well but if you do not fulfill the law and refuse to show mercy then He will have judgment without mercy. It is as plain as the noon day sun. I do see it fit here to refute an anticipated objection to my interpretaion of James. It is this,

"James is not suggesting that we are justified by the law because then he would be contradicting Paul "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight". James is talking about being justified in the sight of men for he says "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." See? James is talking about being justified in the sight of men."

I don't know that anyone will put forth this argument however I will answer it anyway. James is not suggesting that anyone is justified by the law and neither am I. I am simply using the plain meaning of this text to say that obedience to God's law is a [b]condition[/b] of salvation. If you are obligated to obey God's commandments then you are still liable to God's punishment for disobedience. Is this not the plain meaning of the second chapter of James?

I will show that you are condemned every time that you sin from the following scriptures:

"Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Romans 14:22-23

The plain meaning of this text is that if you violate your conscience (God's law written upon your heart) then you are condemned and must repent if you expect to get to heaven and for the same reasons that any sinner would repent.

"Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire." Matt 18:8-9

The KJV word "offend" means to entice to sin. If there is something in your life that entices you to sin then cut it off and cast it away from you. I see that this verse teaches something very important about sin. It teaches that if you continue to sin then you will be cast into Hell regardless of your salvation experience (either supposed or real).

"And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12:47-48

Who will argue with the meaning of this text? If you know God's will and you do not do it then you are going to Hell and must repent!!! Are there those who will argue that it is not God's will that we obey His commandments? Please look at the earlier verses on this post.

Randy

I agree with a lot of this. However, it seems in the New Testament we are no longer under the law, in the sense that there are a bunch of ordinances that we must obey. We are under the Spirit. This is a much higher calling, and demands far more obedience than simply following a list of rules. It demands that every minute of your life is surrendered to the will of the Father (like Jesus' was), and that you listen to His voice every moment and obey. In light of this, the law, following a bunch of rules, looks rather easy. But, even though walking in the Spirit and surrendering our will is a much more difficult task than simply having a bunch of do's and donts, it is met with much more grace to enable us to constantly fulfill the will of God, listen to His guidance and be carried about as He wishes. It is also a far more blessed life.

It is no wonder that God is so angry with those who subject themselves to the law again, and forget the Spirit. How much of a burden, how aweful, how dead it is to submit yourself to a list of right and wrong. But how great, how wonderful, how full of Life it is to constantly be filled with God, walking with Him, being filled with Christ through the Spirit, and being one with the Father through Christ. Constantly hearing His voice and obeying it, doing and doing but out of an act of worship not obligation. Receiving His love and light continually. This is what we are called to. This is the difference between the law and grace.

There are some excellent sermons on "The Law Of Christ" by a brother named Charles Leiter. Paul Washer who has recently become somewhat popular here I see with his sermon that stunned 5000 youth at a Southern Baptist conference calls Charles Leiter his mentor.

Follow this link: [url=http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=25]Heartcry Missionary[/url] and listen to The Law Of Christ Parts 1-3. They will be a blessing.

In Christ,
Jeremy Hulsey

JFEdger,

I am glad to see that you pretty much agree with me. I think that this is an important point. There are many that I can see that totally reject the idea that we must obey God's law in order to get to heaven. There is one point which was implied in your post. The [b]manner[/b] of obedience is where I think the Pharisees and legalists stray from God's plan of salvation. The person who truly obeys God has his eye on Him and says "thy will, Lord, be done and not mine". The legalist has his eye on God's law and says "I can do this". And hence:

"But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 9:31-33

"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:3-4

The manner in which we obey God is where people err who are in bondage to sin.

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1st John 5:4-5

God bless you all, Randy