The Bible makes it plain that True Christians are to keep God�s commandments. The Apostle John wrote: "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked" (1 John 2:3�6).
But how can True Christians walk "just as He walked"? If Jesus Christ had to come and give His life because all have violated God�s law, how can anyone keep that law? Again, perhaps the most concise explanation was given by the Apostle Paul. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ LIVETH in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, KJV).
A True Christian does not obey the law on his own, but through the power of Christ living in Him. Paul goes on to emphasize that law-keeping comes through the grace of God, and that law-keeping does NOT earn grace. "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain"(Galatians 2:21). With God�s grace, a converted Christian WILL keep the law; but without that grace, NO AMOUNT of effort will bring righteousness and salvation.
WHAT SHOULD A CHRISTIAN DO?
One can recognize a True Christian as someone striving, through Christ�s help, to live by every word of God (cf. Matthew 4:4)."Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect"(Matthew 5:48). By yielding to Jesus Christ, the fruits of the True Spirit will become more and more evident in a Christian�s life.
A True Christian is more than someone who "knows" the truth. The Gnostics believed that "knowledge" brought salvation, and some today would deny that one has to "do" anything as a True and faithful Christian. Yet Scripture gives a very different instruction: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).
True Christians are to DO as Christ did. In the "Great Commission" He instructed His followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe ALL THINGS that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19�20). True Christians are to take His message to "all the nations" and teach "all things" that He COMMANDED! They were NOT to CHANGE or alter His message so much that it is today almost unrecognizable!
Yes they did exist ,but when you come to the New Covenant, The Covenant of Love and know being alive again, the issue is For A christian to walk in the love shed abroad in their heart by the Holy Spirit.
Mr 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
You said: "And I still have to say...the Ten Commandments existed before the first covenant. They existed in heaven. They exist today. They will exist when Jesus comes back. According to some reasoning here...as long as I love my neighbor I could worship idols? Worship other God's? Take God's name in vain? Work on the Sabbath? Sorry...I don't believe that for a second. The bible is clear about idolatry, worshiping false Gods, taking God's name in vain, and keeping the seventh day holy. The law points out sin right? Idolatry is a sin. Worshiping false gods is a sin. Taking God's name in vain is a sin....and while it doesn't matter what day you go to church on...working on Sabbath would still be a sin right? Aren't we supposed to do God's will and avoid sin whenever possible?"
WALTER: The Mosaic Covenant/ The Ten Commandments were not given prior to Mt. Sinai.
Deut 5:1-3
1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
***3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers,*** but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
(KJV) [Moses them recounted the 10 Commandments in the following verses].
We see clearly from these statements that the Old Covenant, and particularly the 10 Commandments, were NOT universal laws binding on all mankind since creation, but were specific to Israel, from the days of Moses onward.
So Mark your statement is false my Friend.
Additionally since it was the JEWS who were given the Sabbath COMMANDMENT and we are not Jews...well at least I am not, then we were never commanded to keep the Sabbath. Jesus also NEVER commanded His church, His disciples to keep the Sabbath. Period!
In Mat 28:19-20 Jesus gave very specific instructions as to what is to be taught. He told His Apostles to teach ALL things whatsoever He COMMANDED THEM. In other words Mark, if Jesus did NOT command it to His Apostles then we are not to teach it. Now the burden of proof rests entirely upon your shoulders to prove conclusively where Jesus specifically and clearly COMMANDED His Apostles to KEEP the Sabbath. If you cannot demonstrate this then you have no case, no biblical grounds for your claims and beliefs in this matter.
Heb 8: 13 In that He says, "A NEW COVENANT," He has made the first OBSOLETE . Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to VANISH AWAY.
Heb 10:8-10
8 Above when he said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law";
***9 Then said he, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." HE TAKETH AWAY THE FIRST, that he may establish the second.***
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (KJV)
Acts: 21: 25 But concerning the GENTILES who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality."
dear hitman, im sorry i prolly should of gave these verses too when posted my thoughts on galatians as well..
it prolly would of been a little less confusing.. i recon i was just thinkin that with christians the first greatest commandment would be a given... but thanks for correcting me as we shouldnt take nothing for granted..
matthew 22:36-40 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37 Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
galatians 5:13-14 13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
your question here
working on Sabbath would still be a sin right?
mine words here
this is what JESUS says about it.. verse 12 especially..
matthew 12:9-13 9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"-that they might accuse Him.
11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." 13 Then He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.
Prior to Jesus* coming...No Jew worked on the Sabbath. By reading the verses posted by Cattle we can see that Jesus was clearly saying...If there is a need...then do it...an He did by healing the Gent...
Otherwise...rest/sabbath...perform no work...its purty simple...Do as I say an Do as I do...but people complicate the heck outa everything because our understandings are of the mind an not of the heart...jus my view of it...luv ya all...xo
Jesus kept the Sabbath as being a Jew. That is not an example for Christians to follow. Jesus never commanded we keep the Sabbath. For anyone to make claim that we are suppose to keep the Sabbath then they would have to prove it by showing clear scriptures where Jesus verbally COMMANDED His Apostles to keep it. You won't find such a commandment because there are none for Christians. The Mosaic Law/Covenant was completely replaced as the scriptures have clearly stated. I wonder sometimes how many of the people who post on this board really take the time to study what I write and the scriptures that I post.
8.) Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. BINGO�!!!
GOD is GOD and Jesus is GOD in the Flesh and the Holy Spirit is Jesus with in us Born Again, then they All being 3 and 1 in the same, He/They Spoke these WORDS.
Anyone can Dispute Old versus New about anything�But I will not Dispute GOD�s Spoken WORD�!!!...
Mt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Joh 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
