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It is a tribute to the Serpent's cunning that this vital part of salvation is so often ignored by modern Bible teachers. And yet, from Genesis through Revelation, the Bible teaches that God tests His people in order to determine their faithfulness. In the book of Genesis, we see that God tested Adam and Eve.
"And the Lord God COMMANDED the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, THOU SHALT NOT EAT OF IT: for in the day that thou eatest thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE." (Genesis 2:15)
Through the experience of Adam and Eve we can gain understanding on the subject of testing. From that model we see that God tests His people by commanding certain things and then warns them of the consequences for disobedience. If the people believe God and obey Him, they pass the test. If they refuse to obey, they fail the test and will be shut off from the tree of life for eternity.
This same pattern of testing is repeated throughout the history of God's people. The 22nd chapter of Genesis begins with these words:
"After these things God tested Abraham..."
God commanded Abraham to take his only son and sacrifice him upon an altar. As Abraham raised the knife over Isaac, the angel of the Lord told him to stop and said:
"For now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me." (Gen 22:12)
God tested Abraham's faith by commanding him to sacrifice that which was most precious to him. Abraham passed the test and received God's blessing. Modern Christianity teaches that Abraham was blessed because of his faith. Nevertheless, the fact is that Abraham was not blessed for his faith, but rather for **the obedience which his faith produced.** The proof of that is seen in Genesis 22:18 when the angel of the Lord said to Abraham:
"...BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS, and have not withheld your son ... I will indeed bless you, and I will
multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven...and by your descendants shall all the nations bless themselves, **BECAUSE** YOU HAVE OBEYED MY VOICE."
That is why James used the example of Abraham when he insisted that faith without obedience is a dead faith, he said:
"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is DEAD? Was not Abraham our father justified by works WHEN he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?" (James 2:20f)
James was careful to emphasize that Abraham was justified WHEN he had offered Isaac. Yes, it is true that we are justified by our faith, but as James points out, that faith must be tested in order to receive eternal life. He wrote:
"Blessed is the man who ENDURES trial, for when he has stood the TEST he will receive the CROWN OF LIFE which God has promised to those who LOVE HIM." James l:12
That one sentence contains the three facts necessary to understand the process of testing:
1. Christians must ENDURE TESTING.
2. Those who STAND THE TEST receive the CROWN OF LIFE.
3. The crown of life is promised to those who LOVE
GOD.
The apostle John defines how to LOVE God: "For this is the love of God, that we KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS."
(1 John 5:3)
So, there it is, God's plan of testing for all who will accept the testimony of scripture...
THE CROWN OF LIFE IS PROMISED TO THOSE
WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
As we continue to look through the scriptures we will often see this concept of testing through obedience. For example, in the book of Exodus we find that God chose the Israelites and called them out of Egypt. After they had crossed the Red Sea, God gave them commandments in order to test them. All those over the age of twenty failed the test and died in the wilderness -except Joshua and Caleb - who through their faith were obedient.
After forty years in the wilderness, as they were about to enter the land of Canaan, Moses said to the new generation of Israelites: "And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, TESTING YOU to know what was in your heart, whether you would KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, or not." (Deuteronomy 8:2)
Repeatedly, we see God testing His people in order to know what is in their hearts, and that test is whether we will keep His commandments or not.
JESUS WAS TESTED!
In the New Testament we find this same principle of testing. For example...
"Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil." (Matt 4:1)
In that lonely desert, Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would only bow down and worship him. While most of us will never be offered kingdoms for our disobedience, Satan does offer us worldly pleasures and rewards if we will follow him and commit sin by disobeying the commandments of God.
Just as God allowed Satan to test Jesus and Job, God also allows Satan to test us in this world. One can easily understand this concept if one sees the world system with all its pleasures and rewards as the means by which we are tested.
The scriptures say that "...the whole world is in the power of the evil one." (1 John 5:19) and that Satan is "...the god of this world." (2 Cor 4:4). As we go through our time on earth, the world system under the power of Satan is like an obstacle course for the Christian. Satan uses all his power over the pleasures of this world in order to draw us into disobedience.
The good news is that even though we may be tempted to the limit of our strength, God does not permit Satan to test us beyond our ability to resist. Paul wrote:
"God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Since we cannot be tested beyond our God-given ability to obey, if we disobey, our choice proves what is in our hearts. If we love God "with all our heart, all our mind and all our strength" we will choose to keep His commandments. If we love the world more than God we will choose to break God's commandments. It is just that simple.
THE RICH YOUNG RULER'S CHOICE
Did Jesus teach that we must keep the Ten Commandments in order to receive eternal life? Nothing could be clearer than His words to the Rich Young Ruler who asked Jesus "What good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" Jesus answered him by saying:
"If you would enter life, keep the commandments...You
shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness etc."
Matt 19:17f)
Jesus was not tricking that man, our Lord meant just what He said! When Jesus commanded the man to "sell all and give to the poor", He exposed the covetousness in the Rich Young Ruler's heart. The young man chose not to obey and failed the test.
OVERCOMERS RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE
In His letters to the seven churches, Jesus refers to the
testing of our faith several times. The constant theme is
that the one who conquers or overcomes (Greek nikao) is the one who receives the reward. In some letters the reward promised has to do with eternal life, for example:
EPHESUS (Rev 2:7) "...To him who CONQUERS (nikao) I will grant to eat of the tree of LIFE, which is in the paradise of God."
SMYRNA (Rev 2:10) "...Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of LIFE...He who CONQUERS (nikao) shall not be hurt by the second death."
Remember that in James 1:12, the "crown of life" was the reward promised to those who love God (i.e. keep His commandments.)
SARDIS (Rev 3:5) "He who CONQUERS (nikao) shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of LIFE."
The reader might well ask: "Does the word "conquer" have anything to do with the believer overcoming the world system controlled by Satan and his angels? The answer to that question is found in the 1st Epistle of John. In the fifth chapter, John uses the same Greek word "nikao" (to conquer or overcome) three times in describing the victory of the believer over the world. Not only did he use the same word "nikao" - he tied it directly to keeping the commandments of God...
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments...for whatsoever is born of God OVERCOMETH (nikao) the world: and this is the victory that OVERCOMETH (nikao) the world, even our faith. Who is he that OVERCOMETH (nikao) the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God."
(1 John 5:3-5)
God allows Satan and his world system to test our faith. Those who pass the test by keeping the commandments of God are those who "conquer" the world, and according to Jesus, those who conquer will be granted "to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God". With those verses in mind, it is easy to understand what Jesus meant when He told the Sadducees that only those who are "accounted worthy" will be the sons of God. Jesus said:
"The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are ACCOUNTED WORTHY to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they CANNOT DIE any more, because they are equal to angels and are SONS OF GOD, being sons of the resurrection." Luke 20:34
Only those who are "accounted worthy" will become the sons of God and receive eternal life. That simple truth is far different than what is being taught in the churches of today, who say that those who just "believe" will have eternal life. Listen to these sobering words of Jesus as he promises life and sonship to those who conquer sin - and death in the lake of fire to those who do not...
"...To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the
water of LIFE without payment. He who CONQUERS
(nikao) shall have this heritage and I will be his God and
he shall be MY SON. BUT as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolators, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second DEATH." Rev 21:6-8)
I pray that those words of Jesus will strike fear and dread into the hearts of readers who have been told that they are sons of God simply because they have "believed". Only those believers whose faith has been tested by the "fiery trials" will inherit eternal life. Peter had much to say about these trials, he wrote:
"...though now for a little while you may have to suffer
various trials, so that the GENUINENESS OF YOUR
FAITH, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ...As the outcome of your faith you obtain the SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS." (1 Peter 1:6-9)
Only "genuine" faith, tested by fire, will result in the salvation of our souls. The authentic faith that saves is a faith that suffers with Christ by ceasing from sin. Peter wrote: "Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever
has suffered in the flesh HAS CEASED FROM SIN,"
(1 Peter 4:1)
Ceasing from sin causes the fiery trials which test our faith. As we struggle against Satan we share in the sufferings of Christ who overcame the Devil so that we might also be able to overcome. This battle against sin is the common heritage of all who follow Christ. Peter said: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you TO PROVE YOU, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed."
(1 Peter 4:12-13)
If we want to be glorified with Christ then we must suffer with Him. That is why Paul said that we were:
"...heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, PROVIDED WE SUFFER with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." (Rom 8:17)
Did you see the phrase "provided we suffer"? Suffering with Christ is the condition for becoming heirs of God! Perhaps many of you have read that verse in Romans without really understanding that to suffer with Christ means ceasing from sin. Thus, if you have not ceased from sin, you have not suffered with Christ, and if you have not suffered with Christ, you will not be glorified with Him.
As you can see, it is not just those who "believe" who will be saved, but rather, those who believe enough to suffer by putting to death the deeds of the body through obedience to God's law. That is why Paul warned the Roman believers that: "... if you live according to the flesh YOU WILL DIE, But, IF by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, YOU WILL LIVE."
"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God;
IT DOES NOT SUBMIT TO GOD'S LAW, indeed it cannot; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."
(Rom 8:7)
If anyone finds himself unable to submit to God's law, he may be certain that he does not possess the Holy Spirit of God. For it is only "...by the Spirit" that we are able to obey. Those who believe they have the Holy Spirit but cannot "put to death the deeds of the body" have been horribly deceived. Their end will be destruction in the lake of fire.
THE FINAL WORD
For those who still doubt what I am saying, please spend a few minutes in prayerful study of the very last blessing promised by Jesus as He ended the book of Revelation...
"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.
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" Rev 22:14 KJV
From the fall of Adam in the garden of Eden till the time when New Jerusalem, the holy city descends from God, the scriptures declare that only those who keep the commandments of God will eat of the tree of life.
"Here is the endurance of the saints, those who KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD **AND** the faith of Jesus." Rev 14:12
Salvation is the only subject where there can be no compromise of doctrine.
Conversion is linked with repentance. True repentance is a covenant with God to cease from all known sin completely and forever, with the mind that even if it were to cost you your life to obey, you would do it.
One must also have the understanding that if we turn back to willful sin - like the dog to his vomit - we will be lost forever.
Following are the verses in Ezekiel which prove that repentance is a one time event, and that one must cease from willful sin completely and forever in order to "live".
EZE 18:9 [He that] HATH WALKED in my statutes, and HATH KEPT my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
EZE 18:21 But if the wicked will turn from ALL his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
EZE 18:24 But WHEN the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and COMMITTETH INIQUITY, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them SHALL HE DIE.
.
EZE 18:27 Again, WHEN the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and DOETH that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Because he considereth, and TURNETH AWAY FROM ALL his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
EZE 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from ALL YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you ALL your transgressions, hereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
EZE 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked,
he shall not fall thereby IN THE DAY THAT HE TURNETH
from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness IN THE DAY THAT HE SINNETH.
EZE 33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he TURN FROM HIS SIN, and do that which is lawful and right;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, WITHOUT COMMITTING INIQUITY; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
EZE 3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous SIN NOT, and HE DOTH NOT SIN, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
The last two verses make clear what Yahweh meant in the previous verses. "Sin not...doth not sin...without committing iniquity". Those are all absolutes; sin not means "not ever".
Repentance is truly done only once, (notice the "in the day that he turneth" in 33:12 above.)
If a man commits sin, he has not truly repented in the first place, or if he has repented and turns back by committing deliberate sin "in the day that he sinneth" he shall not live.
Paul taught the same thing in Hebrew 10:26 when he said: "For if we SIN WILFULLY after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he
was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
You can see that same idea of only one true repentance in Hebrews 6:4
"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."
Donna Kupp
The Unforgiveable Sin According To The Scriptures
Jesus said that there is a sin which can never be forgiven: "But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:" Mark 3:29
What does it mean to "blaspheme against the Holy Spirit"?
In the book of Numbers, there are two kinds of sin. Sins of ignorance which can be forgiven, and presumptuous sin which cannot be forgiven.
Sins of ignorance can be forgiven because they do not involve rebellion. Presumptuous sin is always rebellion because it is sin committed with knowledge that the act is wrong.
SINS OF IGNORANCE (These were forgiven)
Numbers 15:27 And if any soul sin through IGNORANCE, ....And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that SINNETH IGNORANTLY, .... and it shall be forgiven him.
SINS OF PRESUMPTION (Not forgiven)
Numbers 15:30 BUT the soul that doeth aught
PRESUMPTUOUSLY, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth [blasphemeth] the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15:31 Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him."
What if deliberately committing sin IS to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?
In the Numbers text above where it says that presumptuous sin is to reproach the Lord, the Hebrew word for reproacheth is:
1442 gadaph, a primitive root; to hack (with words), i.e. revile: KJV-- BLASPHEME, reproach.
EVERY OTHER TIME this word is used, the KJV translates it as BLASPHEMED or BLASPHEMETH.
For example: Ezek 20:27
" Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have BLASPHEMED (1442) in that they have committed a trespass against me.
As you can see, they "committed a trespass" and blasphemed the Lord. To sin presumptuously is to blaspheme the Lord.
Now please bear with me as I expand that idea further. When one commits "wilful sin" does one blaspheme the Holy Spirit"? I know you
are very familiar with the following passage...
Heb 10:26-29
26 For if we *sin wilfully* after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that DESPISED Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and HATH DONE DESPITE unto the Spirit of grace?"
In the Numbers passage above it is clear that to sin presumptuously (wilfully) is to blaspheme the Lord. In the Hebrews passage the wilful sin is committed against the direct teaching of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Spirit of Grace) by those who are "sanctified". Is this willful sin
blasphemy?
Notice that the phrase "hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace" is directly compared to "despising Moses' Law (verse :27 above) In the OT those who sinned presumptuously despised Moses' Law and blasphemed the Lord.
In the NT, those who are born of God and sin presumptuously despise the indwelling Spirit of Grace. The term "hath done despite" is from the Greek:
2662 katapateo-
1) to tread down, to trample underfoot, to trample on
2) metaphorically, to treat with rudeness and insult,
to spurn, to treat with insulting neglect.
If one who is born of God has truly repented of committing sin (chosen to cease from sin.) [See quote above] and then deliberately commits sin he has
despised the Holy Spirit, just as the OT Israelites despised the Law of God. It is blasphemy!
The Pe****ta Text (Aramaic) of the New Testament confirms this fact by translating Hebrews 10:29 in this way:
"How much more punishment do you think he will receive who has trodden underfoot the Son of God and has considered the blood of His covenant through which he had been sanctified as ordinary blood and has BLASPHEMED the Spirit of Grace."
Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts - Lamsa
KJ Version: "...done despite unto the Spirit of Grace"
Aramaic Text: "...blasphemed the Spirit of Grace
Only the one "born of God" - who has received the indwelling Spirit of God upon repentance - is able to blaspheme the Spirit who "writes the law on their hearts." If he does, there remains for such a one only "a
certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries."
Saturday is the true sabbath day in the ten commandments. However, the new covenant with Jesus establishes the sabbath of Jesus on Sunday, or the day he rose from the dead. Why do you think Easter is celebrated on Sunday? It isn't because most people go to Mass or service on Sunday, it is because that was the day he was resurrected from the dead.
The word Easter appears this one time in the entire Bible --and it is a mis-translation:
Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
"EASTER
PASCHA mistranslated "Easter" in Acts 12:4. A.V., denotes the Passover (R.V.. The phrase "after the Passover" signifies after the whole festival was at an end. The term Easter is not of Christian origin. It is another form of ASTARTE, one of the titles of the Chaldean goddess the queen of heaven. The festival of Pasch held by Christians in post-apostolic times was a continuation of the Jewish feast, but was not instituted by Christ, nor was it connected with Lent. From this Pasch the Pagan festival of Easter was quite distinct and was introduced into the apostate Western religion, as part of the attempt to adapt Pagan festivals to Christianity." Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words W. E. Vine
Passover is calculated from the appearance of the NEW MOON of Nisan. When Christ rose from the dead, he fulfilled this scripture*:
"Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the MORROW AFTER THE SABBATH the priest shall wave it." Leviticus 23:10-11
The phrase "morrow after the sabbath" always refers to the sabbaths of the Jewish festivals and not the weekly sabbath.
Since you asked why do you think Easter is celebrated on Sunday? I have told you why: "Easter was introduced into the apostate Western religion, as part of the attempt to adapt Pagan festivals to Christianity."
Donna Kupp
* "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept."1 Corinthians 15:20
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
dk
The Seven Deadly Deceptions Of Counterfeit Christianity freetruth.info
Yes, obey them all! They are all His laws, that we are to obey. If it's that easy to do away with one of them, how much easier would it be to do away with all of them and just live as we please? Or better yet, just pick and choose which ones are doable for you and discard the rest? Really people?
We are not under the law. We are under Grace; and, since we are under Grace, we keep everyday holy, i.e., living free from sin. Our hearts have been circumcised. Paul speaks about this in detail in Romans.
(Romans 3:28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Keeping the Sabbath, as described by God to Moses, is of the law.
Notwithstanding, we should honor the Lord in a day of worship; and, it's best if we don't have to work on Sunday. But, I will not judge a brother or sister who has to work on that day.
We are not under the law. We are under Grace; and, since we are under Grace, we keep everyday holy, i.e., living free from sin. Our hearts have been circumcised. Paul speaks about this in detail in Romans.
(Romans 3:28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Keeping the Sabbath, as described by God to Moses, is of the law.
Notwithstanding, we should honor the Lord in a day of worship; and, it's best if we don't have to work on Sunday. But, I will not judge a brother or sister who has to work on that day.
Which other one of the ten now we are not to obey? Pick one! No! We are to obey them all!! What then separates you from the sinner that obeys none of them?
Which other one of the ten now we are not to obey? Pick one! No! We are to obey them all!! What then separates you from the sinner that obeys none of them?
I believe a close study of what Jesus taught will show that He spoke on all the the other 9, and elaborated on them as to how we are to obey them. He never included the Sabbath day in His teachings. It seems strange to me that those who are so adament about it, cannot give a new testament scripture that backs up their teachings.
In the epistles we are told that some observe one day, and some all days, and that the day we observe to the Lord is up to us. ( I am paraphrasing).
I do not find any place where Christians are to have a day of rest. We are to have a day when we assemble together to observe all that we are taught to do. The early disciples did that on the first day of the week. The first day of the week is now called sunday. That was not started by the RC, it was started by the Christians following the resurrection Of Christ.
It is also written that those who keep one of the Old Law and not all of them, are guilty of all. Regardless of what is taught, the 10 commandments are part of the Mosaic Law. None of them are Law for the Christian. Christ nailed them all to His cross. He instituted the new covenent, with includes the principles of all of the ten commandments except the Sabbath.
This has been studied extensively by those who know and love the new covenant. They have taken the entire new law that is taught in the new covenant, as it is taught in the bible. In no place is the keeping of the sabbath taught.
Those who chose to worship God on saturday are free to do so, under the new law of Christ, but they are not free to bind it on others. If they are doing so because they are convinced they must keep the 10 commandments that came from Moses, they have to keep every bit of it, and by doing so, it is written that they have fallen from grace that do so.
I believe a close study of what Jesus taught will show that He spoke on all the the other 9, and elaborated on them as to how we are to obey them. He never included the Sabbath day in His teachings. It seems strange to me that those who are so adament about it, cannot give a new testament scripture that backs up their teachings.
In the epistles we are told that some observe one day, and some all days, and that the day we observe to the Lord is up to us. ( I am paraphrasing).
I do not find any place where Christians are to have a day of rest. We are to have a day when we assemble together to observe all that we are taught to do. The early disciples did that on the first day of the week. The first day of the week is now called sunday. That was not started by the RC, it was started by the Christians following the resurrection Of Christ.
It is also written that those who keep one of the Old Law and not all of them, are guilty of all. Regardless of what is taught, the 10 commandments are part of the Mosaic Law. None of them are Law for the Christian. Christ nailed them all to His cross. He instituted the new covenent, with includes the principles of all of the ten commandments except the Sabbath.
This has been studied extensively by those who know and love the new covenant. They have taken the entire new law that is taught in the new covenant, as it is taught in the bible. In no place is the keeping of the sabbath taught.
Those who chose to worship God on saturday are free to do so, under the new law of Christ, but they are not free to bind it on others. If they are doing so because they are convinced they must keep the 10 commandments that came from Moses, they have to keep every bit of it, and by doing so, it is written that they have fallen from grace that do so.
Really Marininark? He spoke on all the other 9 and never elaborated on the Sabbath? God established the Sabbath, before the other 9: He rested on the seventh day after all the worked He's been doing. God bless the seventh day and made it Holy, because He rested from all His work. (Genesis 2: 1-3). From the BEGINNING of Creation!
God never ask us to do something He Himself did'nt do. You want a New Testament Scripture that backs this teaching? What's wrong with the old one? God does'nt change. He is the same God today, yesterday, tommorrow, next week...........................!!!
Is there a new scripture for the other 9? Thou shall not steal? Lie? Covet? Honor thy mother and father..............................really?
Obey them all, or obey none of them! Or just obey what you want. Your choice! What separates us from the sinners if we shall obey only nine? For sin is sin, and disobedience is disobedience.
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The Testing Of Your Faith
