Thanks bro. I agree that Jesus set us free from the curse of the law, being made a curse for sin, but I also believe that "he that saith I know Him and keepeth not His commandments is a liar and the Truth is not in him". My conclusion is that we are saved by grace, but judged by our works because our works prove whether we know Jesus or not. Therefore, a man who has Jesus living out His life in him while He is seated on the throne of his heart does not sin, and should he sin, he can find forgiveness through sorrow and repentance of it - but a man who claims to know Jesus but refuses to keep His commandments is evidencing by his works of sin that He is not enthroned in his heart, and therefore knows not Jesus and is not bound for heaven. I believe this is the balance that is Bible truth, unlike a one-sided Gospel that says obedience is optional.
Thanks...I pretty much agree...but I find that some of us (and I suppose myself in some areas) lose balance in what the word is teaching as a whole (the whole counsel of the word of God on a subject matter). I think you would agree (based on what you just posted) that certain matters appear to some to be differing matters (almost as opposites) but they are not...they are antitheses (two aspects of the one thing....like day and night)...we see these theological divisions in area like Grace VERSUS law, faith VERSUS works, predestination VERSUS free will...
There should be no VERSUS as in each case they are one...ours is not the 10 commandments written in stone, these were a covenant with the children of Jacob, and were given to drive man to Christ (His redemptive provision)...in them comes the realization of sin in us driving us to need grace, to turn to God, fall on our face seeking mercy....now WE who have attained Christ are no longer under the ordinances written in stone but by the Spirit in us do naturally that which pleases God. We, in this New Covenant, do not "not murder" because we are told it is evil or fear being punished, we who are genuinely saved simply by nature do not do it...(this is what it means to have His will written in our hearts)...we now BY NATURE do that which is right with God (and I am not saying always perfectly yet....but when He appears we shall be like Him)....we who are already transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light (sealed by the Spirit until the day of redemption) are no longer the sons of Adam but the sons of God.
We do not purposely disobey God but we understand His will differently because more and more His will IS our spirit-man's will...I do not only not murder but I do not stay angry in fact I pray for those who despitefully use me and say all manner of bad things about me...I cast down even lustful thoughts and actively put off these thoughts and put on His thoughts...I do not care for the poor and give, etc., because I am obligated to by law, I do it because my heart breaks for them and I grieve doing whatever I can when I can...and I was a most selfish self indulgent self glorifying person once...my NATURE has been changed...I am no longer a mere man (a temporal fleshly being) I have eternal life...the life of God in Christ dwells in me (I am a partaker of the divine nature)....God is not UNDER the 10 commandments, He is the embodiment of them....He is the Spirit of them.
In His love
Paul
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