Lobo, would you mind addressing the rest of my post? Then I would be better able to answer your questions. Thank you.

Mike.

From your last post to me, I got the impression that you believe in:

1. Salvation (Christ’ redemption) is a gift
2. Qualification for heaven is also a gift.

So, both salvation and justification is a gift.

I completely agree with you; Christ imputed righteousness and his imparted righteousness is all gifts to us, by believing it we accept those gifts.

Now, what is my part in all this?

Believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and live by the Spirit, or believing the Gospel of Christ and live by the law?

What I understand and believe is that with living by the Spirit, I would have fruits of the Spirit and a justification by faith at the end that qualifies me for heaven. On the contrary by living for self I would have deeds of the flesh that disqualifies me for heaven.

My part to seek a place in heaven is just FAITH in Christ and God would do the rest.

That’s why Christ said ’if you have faith as big as the seed of ……… (I forgot the name), you may move one mountain from its place to another place.” But is there any one on earth that has moved a mountain from its place to another place? What I knew that Joshua has prayed with faith that the sun may stay still and it happened.

Therefore, even though my part is only faith, but not many really understand what faith is and how to live with faith in order to be justified for heaven.

In this relation, I didn’t see that by obeying the law, I have true faith. Why? Because I can’t help stop thinking that my righteousness is at least spoiled with “selfish motives.” I must keep the law, I must keep the Sabbath holy, I must not eat unclean foods, I must not have covetous desire, etc; all these gives me a feeling of bondage, I am OBLIGE to do these all.

I really think and believe that true faith gives freedom and joy and happiness. There should be no pressures such as obligation, responsibility, covetous desires even for a holly living or righteous behavior.

Therefore, being under the law’s jurisdiction I feel obliged to do it, where keeping the Sabbath holy as according to the law is bondage. I feel that by sacrificing my job and all other business activity or even my favorite TV show on Sabbath day in order I may keep the Sabbath holy as according to the law is not showing my love to God but showing my fear for breaking the law.

While I must admit that the other nine commandments don’t give me the feeling of bondage, for it is all connected with love.

That is my problem, do you know the solution?

So, I still study and search the bible, is it really true that Christians after the cross are obliged to keep and obey the law of the Ten Commandments? Is it really automatically whenever a man accept Jesus Christ by faith and baptized he comes under the law’s jurisdiction with the obligation to keep and obey it all?


In His love

James S.

James,
What was annuled by the grace of God? It couldn't have been just 1 commandment out of the 10 since the Holy SPirit would not lead someone to believe a lie, so there must be something.. These differences are found in the New Testament of Jesus Christ and the Old Testament of Jesus Christ.

Can you tell me what those differences are?

God Bless & Shabbat Shalom,
Will

James, I very much enjoyed reading your last post. Thank you. I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that we must avoid making not sinning or righteous behaviour the central focus of our walk with Christ. A sin-centered faith is a works oriented religion, which denies the Lord who bought them.

Neither should we make the law of God the focus of our attention. Anything that takes His place in our hearts and minds is an enemy of the soul. This can include Bible study and prayer if we make them more important than Jesus Himself. There was a time in my walk when I spent more time studying the Bible and praying than I did fellowshipping with Jesus as with a friend. Sounds strange, but it its true.

I can relate to the problem you're having with keeping the sabbath and not getting caught up and over burdened with the do's and don'ts. It can make sabbath keeping seem like we are trying to work our way to heaven or to earn God's favor. And that stinks, big time.

But I have also wrestled in the past with this same problem regarding the other commandments. Sometimes resisting certain kinds of temptations can seem like I'm trying to merit salvation by works of self-righteousness.

For example, I used to find it hard to resist the urge to retaliate when a trucker pulled out in front of me on a hill to pass another slow moving truck. I was tempted to get in front of him and slow way down just to screw up his momentum. Of course, I would decide against it because Jesus said, Vengeance in mine.

But what a warped way of thinking, eh! Over the years, and praise the Lord, I have learned to appreciate truckers and their need to keep up their speed on hills. My perspective changed so that now I am no longer disturbed when a trucker pulls out in front of me, in fact, I even flash my headlights to let him know it's okay.

I mention this personal issue to illustrate what Jesus did to set me free. I am convinced getting impatient or upset with people is wrong and unchristlike whether I can justify their actions or not. In other words, I do not feel like I need to understand their behaviour in order to resist getting mad at them.

In Christ, it is my privilege to love everyone, the good, the bad and the ugly. I do not have to rationalize loving the unlovely or figure out a way to excuse their actions so I can justify loving them. Never again, thank you Jesus. Now I am free to love everyone because Jesus is in my heart. No more rediculous games. Just pure love, plain and simple.

Now, back to the sabbath question. In Christ, I am no longer distracted by the do's and don'ts of lawful sabbath keeping. Fellowshipping with Jesus on the sabbath is such a blessing that I don't even notice the do's and don'ts. They're not an issue for me any more. Thank you Jesus. I look forward to sharing the sabbath hours with Jesus. Things get so busy during the week that I welcome a break from them on the sabbath.

I no longer view the sabbath in terms of what I can and can't do. That just makes sabbath keeping a bummer and a sin. If we can't wait for the sabbath to end, or if we regret it when it begins, then we are guilty of breaking the whole law, not just the sabbath commandment. Remember, the ten commandments are one law, not ten.

If we hate sabbath keeping then we are in essence saying we hate spending quality time with Jesus. Because that's what sabbath keeping is all about. It's not about what we can and cannot do, rather the sabbath is a divine date with God. I love my wife and look forward to seeing her whenever we're apart for more than an hour, and that's how I feel about the sabbath.

Not that I can't spend quality time with God throughout the six working days of the week, it's just that on the sabbath I don't have to divide my time between working and fellowshipping with Jesus. I absolutely love the unspoiled time I spend with Him on the sabbath.

Does that make sense to you?

Mike.

Thanks for your post that shone bright light.

So, do you think, whenever we are free from selfish motives, all what we have in our hearts is to share this love to God and men.

Sabbath keeping is no longer a “don’t and do” but a loving sharing relationship with Jesus who loves me so much that he wants die for me in pain and humiliation in order I may live.

I think that is the best solution, freedom in obedience because the source is unselfish love.

But I really think that this kind of faith and acceptance is very personal. We must really be freed from “self” in order we may enjoy this kind of relationship where obedience is no longer a burden and obligation but an expression of love.

Yeah, Jesus gives us freedom, freedom to live, freedom to choose, freedom to love him more than self. The only problem is: Can we accept this freedom through faith? Do we have enough faith to enjoy this relationship?

Looking from this perspective I think Sabbath keeping is no longer a bondage and slavery. What do you think?

In His love.

James S.

Lobo.

You are right, but I think we feel Sabbath keeping as a bondage or slavery because we feel that we must do it perfectly in order for not breaking it.

But when we loved Jesus really, he would release us from this feeling and sense of bondage. It is a day of joy and happiness, sharing love and attention which others and with Jesus.

Thus, I think we must live with faith and love would rule our hearts where the Ten Commandments is no longer a bondage and slavery but fruits of the Spirit. No more a means to be justified, no more a means to be qualified for heaven, no more a means for self righteousness, but an expression of our faith and love.

What do you think?

In His love

James S

James,

You are right on the mark wih your last post for Jesus Himself said that if we love Him then we will display that we love Him by keeping His commandments, however, if we don't love him, then there really isn't any sense in keeping them.

James,

I agree that our intent or motives for doing something makes all the difference. But you stated “But when we loved Jesus really, he would release us from this feeling and sense of bondage. It is a day of joy and happiness, sharing love and attention which others and with Jesus.”


If that is the case, then why would we not take more than one day to common with Jesus and experience this joy?


Also, either we keep the sabbath as given in the bible or it’s not the sabbath. I don’t believe WE can decide what to do in this regard as that was not an option given in scripture.

So what I’m saving is that if you keep the sabbath as you described you are not keeping it as given in the tables of stone. And if that is the case, what does it matter what day you experience this communion with Jesus on? If we don’t keep all the rules for the actual sabbath, then we can legitimately say that Wednesday or Tuesday will be our day to commune with God, right?


So to clarify, what I’m saying is that if you remove the rules or sabbath observance requirements, it is no longer the sabbath of the ten commandments, it’s something else.


What do you think?

quote:

---

James,

You are right on the mark wih your last post for Jesus Himself said that if we love Him then we will display that we love Him by keeping His commandments, however, if we don't love him, then there really isn't any sense in keeping them.

---

Daryl, please explain that statement in light of the fact that you are not keeping all the sabbath requirements? So how can you say that pleases Jesus? Also, how can you even imply that our behavior in anyway could ever please Jesus as scripture states that that is not true?

Lobo,

I am referring specifically to the Sabbath of the 4th Commandment, and the instructions given there, nothing more and nothing less.