Charlene van Hook

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The Spirit of Prophecy quotes above are quite clear....can you comment on them please
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As I am sharing my thoughts that were against the most teaching of Christian churches and doctrines, I must comment on EGW writings without offending her writings.

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These men tell us that the commandments of God were done away at the death of Christ. Shall we believe them, these men who claim to be sanctified, while they refuse to obey God? They say the Lord has told them that they need not keep the ten commandments; but has the Lord told them this? -- No; God does not lie. {SW, August 14, 1906 par. 1}

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God did told men to keep and obey His law. But that command was spoken and given ONLY to the Jews. It was not spoken to us, the Gentiles. The law was designated for the Jews that was chosen among other nations and tribes to proclaim God great love and mercy through the offspring of Abraham who will redeem the world from sin and it wages. If it was for the Gentiles too, then it was proclaimed to them as well since Sinai.

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only (who has the law)? Is he not also of the Gentiles (who has not the law)? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision (the Jews who has the law) by faith, and uncircumcision (the Gentiles who has not the law) through faith” – Romans 3:28-30.

Either those who has the law and those who has not will be justified by faith. If justification is by the law, then God is the God of the Jews only because they have the law and the Gentiles not.

If God justify both parties by faith, the law has no meanings for the Gentiles, why should he command them to keep and obey it? He is the God for the Jews who has the law but he is also the God for the Gentiles who has not the law, that means the law was specified and given only for the Jews. But through obedience to the law no Jews have been justified, why? Because they all fall short of the glory of God and could not fulfil the demand of the law that was based on LOVE that seeks no self. Why they can fulfil it? Because their nature is love for self that is against the nature of God “love agape” which is the spirit of the law. This is the sin they inherit from Adam, sin of self-love, that dominates all men and were a part of us because this sin is in us, it is our sinful nature (Romans 7:14-23).

Men self-love nature falls short of God’s glory, his agape love, a love that seeks no self in it.

So if the law could not justify the Jews for a reward of eternal life, why should it be given to the Gentiles? Since Christ has died for all to redeem those under the law (Jews) and those who are not under the law (Gentiles) he had made all men just and righteous once and for all (Romans 5:18,19; Hebrew 10:10,14). Obedience to the law has lost it meaning and value, righteousness obtained as a free gift and justification is now by faith only.

For this reason the functions of the law was designated for a time period only, “until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come” (Galatians 3:19). For the Jews the law comes to an end at the cross (Luke 16:16) and for the Gentiles it was never exist because it was never been given to them.

In His love

James S.

The law that was engraved on stone tablets (the 10 commandments) was a law that kills and serving it only leads to condemnation and death (2 Corinthians 3:6-9; Romans 7:9-11). This law that was nailed to the cross (Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14), comes to an end in Christ, no more used as a supervisor to lead people to Christ (Galatians 3:23-25), but it’s principle remains till eternity because it is based on God’s nature of agape love.

“But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in the newness of the spirit and not in the oldness of the letter” – Romans 7:6.

Clear and unmistakable!

The Gentiles and the Jews since the cross must serve God in the newness of the spirit, a spirit of a reborn believer that was sealed and filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), bearing fruit of the Spirit that fulfils the demands of the law (Galatians 5:22,23). “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” – Romans 8:4.

“Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” – Romans 10:4.

In Christ by faith, the ministration of the law ended for those who believe, so that righteousness might be given as a free gift instead of condemnation and death through obedience to the law that could never justify its law keepers.

Christ himself has made an end to the law as a way to earn life by obedience for justification, as this will never happen, but only condemn those who keep it with death penalty because their sin of self-love was exposed and become exceeding sinful (Romans 7:5,9-13).

Christ has released men from the wages of sin, death eternal, and gives them a new life. He promised those who believe him and will live for him, that His Spirit will lead them to all righteousness and holy life by releasing them from the grip and the power of sin. So, why should he ordered the Gentiles and new born believers to keep the law, that by being under it will only empower sin to become stronger and exceeding sinful, that will locked them under prisoner of sin, under dominion of sin and at the end, death eternal as it wages.

“For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” – Romans 6:14.
“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” – 1 Corinthians 15:56.

In His love

James S.

EGW said “Shall we believe them, these men who claim to be sanctified, while they refuse to obey God? Sanctification is done by the Spirit (1 Peter 1:2) and those who live after the Spirit will be in harmony with the principle of the law as love that is fruit of the Spirit fills his heart, and this love fulfils the demands of the law.

Refusing to obey the law doesn’t mean breaking the law. Those who are led by the Spirit refuse to obey the law because it was never commanded to them to keep it! The Spirit in them that will lead them to all righteousness and holy life, they will be sanctified by the Spirit and don’t need the law at all. But whether there is a law to obey or not, as long a man refuse to be led by the Spirit, he will have deeds that breaks either the principle of the law and or the letter of the law. Only when Christ’s believer lives by faith and according to the Spirit will he have love as fruit of the spirit that fulfils the demands of the law both in the letter and in the spirit. He had done what the law demands! But not the other way around, through obedience to the law, no one might fulfil the spirit of the law even though his deeds is according to the letter.

EGW said “John gives the definition of sin. "Whosoever committeth sin," he says, "transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." John gives the definition of sin. "Whosoever committeth sin," he says, "transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." And this was after the crucifixion of Christ, when, we are told, the law was abolished. When type met antitype in the death of Christ, the sacrificial offerings ceased. The ceremonial law was done away. But by the crucifixion the law of ten commandments was established. The gospel has not abrogated the law, nor detracted one tittle from its claims. It still demands holiness in every part.
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But one important thing she overlooked is that whoever keeps the law no matter how sincere his obedience is, could never obtain justification by the law. On the contrary they come under the law condemnation with death penalty as the wages of sin, because men’s self-love nature that is a sin against God’s agape nature could never fulfil the law demands. The only thing where the law demands is fulfilled and satisfied is when a man is led by the Spirit, when he serves the Spirit and not the flesh.

And keeping the law is a part of serving the flesh, because “the law is not of faith” and “whatever is not of faith is sin.” Fruit of faith is fruit of the Spirit, but without faith there is only deeds of the flesh, acts that were based on our self-love nature, the sin that dominates us. Obedience to the law comes from our own desire that were under dominion of sin and will only bore deeds of the flesh, no wonder all what the law could do is exposing their sin and condemns them with death. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

The theory that the 10 Cs still exist and binding after the cross and only the ceremonial law that was crucified was a big mistake, it leads people away from faith and focused on their works and effort to live according the demands of the law.

Christ didn’t come and die for nothing, he came to redeem men from death as the wages of sin and release them from the power of sin through his Spirit. But how could he work in us if obedience to the law only empowers sin to become stronger? This is contrary to each other, the Spirit doesn’t cooperate with the flesh desire, he doesn’t empowers sin but he will make a death to sin. And sin will never die as long a man keep and obey the law, as it is written “the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”

In His love

James S.

This just and holy law is the standard by which all will be judged in the last day. We need to ask ourselves the question, Are we making void the law of God, or are we standing in vindication of it? We should carefully examine our thoughts and words. {SW, August 14, 1906 par. 5}

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Is this true? Is the 10 Commandments the standard law of judgment for all men at the last day?

Let’s study what the bible said.

“For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judge by the law” – Romans 2:12.

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves” – Romans 2:14.

From these verses only we know that the 10 commandments is not the law that will judge all men, because the Gentiles who have not the law will not be judge by this commandment. The 10 Cs will only judge them who were under it, who keep and obey the law.

Romans 4:15 – “Because the law worketh wrath; for where no law is, there is no transgression.”

For the Gentiles who have not the law, if they commit a sin or evil acts, they will not be judge by the law (10 Cs) because since they are not under the law, the law can not judge them and condemn them.

Romans 5:13 – “For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

That is logic and common sense! If there is no law, there is no transgression and if people made sin, their sin is not imputed because there is not a law that might judge them.

One more verse; “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law;” – Romans 3:19.

Clear and unmistakable, that the law of the 10 commandments is only for those who use it, who keep and obey it. For them the law will be a standard of judgment. But it is not a law that will judge other people who has not the law, who never hear about the law and who didn’t use it because it was nailed to the cross.

This is enough to counter EGW statement above that has no Scriptural basic.

In His love

James S.

Quoted from: Amazing Grace
Page 134
Chap. 126
Terms of the Covenant

That law of ten precepts of the greatest love that can be presented to man is the voice of God from heaven speaking to the soul in promise, "This do, and you will not come under the dominion and control of Satan." There is not a negative in that law, although it may appear thus. It is DO and Live.

The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been--just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents--perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness. If eternal life were granted on any condition short of this, then the happiness of the whole universe would be imperiled. The way would be open for sin, with all its train of woe and misery, to be immortalized.

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“This do, and you will not come under dominion and control of Satan.”

That is true, but instead to come under dominion and control of Satan, all law keepers will come under dominion of sin that is in them and dominated them, the sin of self-love. Due to this condition; “Now we know that what things so ever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin” – Romans 3:19,20.

Romans 6:14 – “For sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace” (KJV). Romans 6:14 – “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” (NIV).

Law keepers will come under dominion of sin, their sin of self-love, because their deeds how sincere it is, was based on their self-love nature. Those who are under the law obligation to keep and obey it, will come under God’s judgment because of their guilt, their sin of self-love that was exposed and revealed through their obedience.

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“The condition of eternal life is now just what it always has been--just what it was in Paradise before the fall of our first parents--perfect obedience to the law of God, perfect righteousness.”
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The condition to maintain eternal life in Paradise before the fall is very much different and in contrary to the condition to maintain salvation after the fall.

Before the fall, men was created in God’s image and after his likeness, they were created with love agape as their nature. Perfect obedience is just a choice of their own because of their love for God and want to serve him earnestly, it is not a standard of God’s law as it may show God as a tyrant. What He wants from His creatures since their creation is to love each other and to love God their Creator. Love that seeks no self is the law in heaven and in Eden and forever till eternity.

But since the fall, faith in God is the standard to earn and maintain salvation. There is no place for obedience as a standard to earn and maintains eternal life, as no one can obey and fulfil the demands of God’s holy law. The law was given to Israel at Sinai that demands perfect obedience for a reward of eternal life (Leviticus 18:4,5), but God’s know that no one could obey. So, no one will be justified by their deeds of the law, on the contrary all become guilty before God and condemned with death sentence. For this reason Christ must come and die to redeem humanity.

Perfect obedience and perfect righteousness was never a part of earning and maintaining salvation after the fall. All men were saved by the grace of God because of their lack in righteousness and obedience, how could they do it if their nature is in contrary with the holy law of God that was based on his character? Men were saved and earn their eternal life solely on the mercy and grace of God through Christ works of redemption. All what he ask from us is “our faith” to believe in Christ and accepts his works.

In His love

James Saptenno

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Christ does not lessen the claims of the law. In unmistakable language He presents obedience to it as the condition of eternal life--the same condition that was required of Adam before his fall. . . . The requirement under the covenant of grace is just as broad as the requirement made in Eden--harmony with God's law, which is holy, just, and good.

The standard of character presented in the Old Testament is the same that is presented in the New Testament. This standard is not one to which we cannot attain.
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The law was never given as a part to earn and maintain salvation through perfect obedience and perfect righteousness according to the law, as that is impossible.

The command is: Obey and live, disobey and die!

But the fact is: Obey and die!

“Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandments came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment, that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceive me, and through the commandment put me to death” – Romans 7:9-11 (NIV).

“Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin (Romans 2:9; 3:19), so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe” – Galatians 3:21,22 (NIV).

Perfect obedience to the law and perfect righteousness demanded from Christ believers as preached today was a great apostasy, leading men away from Christ.

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” – Romans 10:4 (KJV).
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” – Galatians 3:23-26 (KJV).

Once you come to believe Christ and want to live by faith, you come to an end of keeping and obeying the law, because if you maintain this, you will be lead astray from Christ all the way back to nowhere. In Christ is the standpoint to live by faith, to live according to the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit. It is a way of life to the gate of heaven and eternity. A newborn believer, Christ has crucified for you the old customs where you were raised with, now you serve with the newness of the spirit, a spirit filled with His Spirit that gives life, and no longer in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6) that will only lead to condemnation and death (2 Corinthians 3:6-9).

In His love

James S.

Romans 4
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Justification by faith accommodates sins confessed, forsaken and pardoned. The imputed death and righteousness of Jesus covers our past pardoned sins. It is entirely of faith. It is not a combination of faith and works.

Sanctification by faith, on the other hand, is the combination of faith and works. It is the imparted righteousness of Jesus. The Holy Spirit empowers born again believers to imitate the sinless example of Jesus.

Galatians 6
6 Faith which worketh by love.

Romans 13
10 Love is the fulfilling of the law.

James,

What you're proposing is a curious mix of truth and error. For example, you wrote:

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People may keep and obey the whole Ten perfectly but without love.

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That's just not possible. No human being can keep the Ten Commandments without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit; and one of the fruits of the Spirit is love. So if a person is keeping the Commandments, that person will have the Spirit living in him/her, and so will have the fruit of love. No two ways about it. Keeping the Ten Commandments perfectly but without love is just a complete contradiction in terms.

The Ten Commandments are a transcript of God's very character, put in human language; and God's character is love personified. So it can be said that the Ten Commandments are a transcript of love. If we love God, we will keep the first Four, and if we love our fellow man, we will keep the latter Six. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40.

The letter of the law kills, simply because "the wages of sin is death". Romans 6:23. Since sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4), Paul's statement could well be stated "the wages of the transgression of the law is death". That's why the law kills. It points out sin, and demands the death of the transgressor. Jesus paid that death penalty for us, and gives us the Spirit so that we may keep that Law from henceforth. ("Go, and sin no more" - John 8:11) Being "under the law" means being under its condemnation. Being "not under the law, but under grace" means being no longer condemned by that Law; but it doesn't mean freedom from keeping the Law! As Paul says, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Romans 3:31.

You speak of being spiritual; well, Paul clearly says that a spiritual person will be subject to the law of God, in no uncertain terms. "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Romans 8:6-9.

Notice the opposite counterpoints -- the carnal and the spiritual. Paul plainly says that the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, and cannot please God. The opposite of that, then, is the spiritual mind that pleases God, and is subject to the law of God. The language here is too plain to be misunderstood.

Speaking of the New Covenant in Hebrews 10:16, Paul quotes Jeremiah 31:31-33 when he writes, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." To which law was Jeremiah referring when he originally wrote the quoted passage in Old Testament times? Why, the Ten Commandments, of course. Paul says that this same Law is what the Holy Spirit wants to write in the hearts and minds of New Testament believers. Instead of writing them on stone, God wants to write them in our souls, that we might enabled to be obedient.

You also wrote,

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"Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" – Romans 10:4.

In Christ by faith, the ministration of the law ended for those who believe, so that righteousness might be given as a free gift instead of condemnation and death through obedience to the law that could never justify its law keepers.

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That's a misinterpretation of the word "end", in the verse quoted. It doesn't mean "termination", or "cessation of existence". It means purpose or objective; the law points to Christ and His righteousness. If, as you say, the ministration of the law ended with Christ, how do you explain the passage in Hebrews above that speaks of God writing that Law in the hearts and minds of New Testament believers? The whole thing falls into a shambles if we are to accept what you're saying here. What has changed is the method of ministration, not the law itself. Instead of an external arrangement, where the law is written on tables of stone, in the New Covenant the law is written "not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:3.

Also you said this:

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Christ himself has made an end to the law as a way to earn life by obedience for justification.

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Not true, simply because the law never has been a way to earn life by obedience. A faulty premise leads to a faulty conclusion, I'm afraid. There has only been one way to receive eternal life throughout the ages, and that's the same way we can receive it now: through faith in the only begotten Son of God, and appropriating His merits to ourselves through that faith. Nobody has ever earned salvation by obedience to the law, and never will. That's the whole thrust of the book of Romans. Look at Hebrews 11 -- all of those Old Testament saints did what they did through *faith*. From Adam on down, every saint who has ever served God did it through the operation of faith. No one ever 'earned' one iota of salvation by keeping the law -- that's just not possible. Once we sin even once, we deserve nothing but death. The whole of salvation is a gift; but that doesn't mean we don't have a part to play.

I could go on, but this grows lengthy. Suffice it to say that keeping the law is the duty of every Spirit-filled Christian. You're correct in saying that the underlying motive must be a heart filled with love; that much is most certainly true. But love doesn't cancel the concrete claims of the Law of God, which is the standard by which all will be judged. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Ecclesiastes 12:13. "Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14.

Thank you John for a very well done and I might add spiritual post.