Quote:
Originally Posted by mhans123
I have been doing my fair share of research about the Bible lately in order to get a better understanding and just now I had a thought pop into my head so I thought I'd post it here. If God gave Moses the Ten Commandments as specific instructions to follow and rules to live by, why not do the same thing with the Bible? Wouldn't it be easier to understand?
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The Ten Commandments defines SIN.
The rest of the Bible tells us how God provides mankind with the means of redemption from SIN - what is described in the New Testament as salvation.
The Bible does not pretend to be a historic document,
not a record of geologic development or tectonic plate movement,
not a record of prehistoric life or dinosaurs,
and not even a document about astronomy or the care and feeding of dogs and cats.
The Bible is about the fall and redemption of man.
That's it and that's all.
The Ten Commandments defines SIN.
It's purpose is to convince us of SIN in ourselves.
Having been convinced we are SINNERS and that we need God's forgiveness the rest of the LAW, contained in Torah (the first 5 books of the Bible), describes the basis of forgiveness. God is not a spiritual vending machine. Torah isn't a set of optional rules.
They are LAWs. Laws govern and bless and imprison and kill.
There are spiritual laws and principles that act upon humanity - whether humanity wants to admit it or not. (Mostly we deny it.)
The Ten Commandments is only the beginning of the process - the beginning of understanding of the whole LAW. Jewish tradition describes the obligation of God's Oracle people to 613 laws (or 720 depending upon additional Talmudic interpretations). The New Testament, especially the book of Romans, tells all of us, including gentiles, how to live lives pleasing to God.
The Ten Commandments defines SIN.
Apart from the LAW it is impossible to be saved. Post modern Christians deny LAW. Jews deny GRACE, which is kin to LAW. We are both wrong in that we twist LAW & GRACE to justify our SIN.
If there is no sacrifice for SIN, according to the LAW, then all we've got is a dead guy on a stick.
The Jewish holiday of
Shavout is an observance of God's giving the LAW (10 commandments) to Moses.
Pentacost is the observance of the gift of GRACE, embodied in the Holy Spirit.
BOTH fall on the same calendar day. Is this a coincidence or there a meaning that has escaped us all?
LAW is a gift of GRACE through which we would not know we are SINNERS. The LAW provides for forgiveness and GRACE is given to enable us to live BY THE LAW. The Holy Spirit isn't given so that we can be spiritually inebriated on Sunday morning.
GRACE enables us to please God according to the LAW - a thing the Bible says is impossible to do for humans.
Redemption begins with repentance and repentance is defined by the LAW.
God does not hear the prayer of SINNERS. (John 9:31)
God DOES hear the prayer of confession & repentance. (1 John 1:9)
Therefore it is time for all of us to CONFESS our SIN and REPENT of it.
that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
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