Unreported News, Commentary, Resources and Discussion of Bible Prophecy
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We will work alongside and in the yoke with Jesus, to do the Father's will, in bringing the world to repentance and salvation
You are right, the commands of Jesus are not hard to obey, if we are in love with Him. But if we actually are in love with the world, the flesh, and the devil, then Jesus' yoke will be heavy, and His commandments grievous.
NT commandments are different than the “precepts of man.”
That's why Jesus warned about those who would add to or devise rules and regulations that were above and beyond those contained in scripture. That's why He warned about false teachers and false prophets who would teach doctrine under the guise of being biblical, but in fact is merely a precept of their imagination. Those who teach oppressive, false commands sneak in unaware to curtail the liberty believers have in Christ Jesus. Their purpose is to bring bondage and sanction penalties.
The Bible's commandments to us are not a new Law. They they describe a way of life.
I'm not trying to be difficult in my question, but without some clarification, how are we to know what to obey?
It's not keeping rules, its loving others, but these imperatives help me to know when I am and am not living love.
I hope that helps clarify.....
.....but in a nutshell, I think these things describe the sorts of things Love does, and we are to live love.
I called them "imperatives", and, you saw right through me. I was simply avoiding the word "command". But while they are in a command voice, I think there is the presupposition that we are not being compelled to do them, as though this were our new Law.
Abiding in His Word wrote:I suggest that if we find ourselves feeling unworthy, guilty, shamed, depressed or oppressed, frustrated, etc. rather than full of joy, peace, and righteousness, we are operating under a performance-based, works-focused gospel in which commands, rules, rituals, and regulations are emphasized in direct contrast to grace, mercy, and love as well as the priesthood of all believers.
2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner...
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence (faith) stedfast unto the end;
However, if a christian refuses to acknowledge a sin that the Holy Spirit is nudging him about, the feeling of guilt can become systemic, spreading into depression and defeatedness.
I have known Christians who refused to acknowledge open sin ....
who battled depression for years, until they deliberately turned their backs on the truth.
Suddenly, they felt complete relief! Of course, this was not because they got right with God!
Nor was it because they finally came to the truth! It was because they had stomped on their conscience until it stopped screaming at them.
Strangely, these folks feel at peace with God. What a deception!
I maintain that as long as we are human, we will sometimes disobey God, and at that point, we will need to repent.
I maintain that as long as we are human, we will sometimes disobey God, and at that point, we will need to repent.
.....sorrowing over the lost time, lost opportunities....
Its good if we can take away a renewed determination to avoid such.
Abiding in His Word wrote: Under the new covenant, sins and lawless deeds are remembered no more. If God doesn't remember them, we are free to live apart from guilt, shame, and regret.
Now, who was being legalistic?
Was it not the one passing judgment on the one who has a more tender conscience?
Abiding in His Word wrote:There may be a believer who has need of the Holy Spirit's work in 10 areas of their life. While the Holy Spirit is working on #5 (which He determines is the most important) we are annoyed that the believer isn't seeing that #2 sin. Then when the #5 sin is gone, the Holy Spirit begins on #1 while we are focusing on #3!In closing, I feel strongly that we cannot judge the work taking place in another's life as if there is none being accomplished. Nor can we compare our conscience, standard, or expectations to another's. Faith in Him enables us to be assured that just as He was able to change our hardened hearts, He is able and willing to change others as well.
It is the temptation to look at others and say to oneself, I am better than them because I do such and such.
So, Woody... what did you do to help that poor fellow?
Sometimes, Christians follow the bible precedent of not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing.
Frequently, this may lead to incorrect judgements about anothers behaviour. Some Christians do not do their acts in front of others; they do them in secret where God sees not men. You have know idea how these people behave when you are not looking.
So, you'd rather not feed a hungry person because you are worried about who might be watching you?
I think the point Keith was making (and I agree with) is that you can't assume that some aren't giving and doing acts of kindness just because you don't see them doing so. Some acts are done openly and others quietly.
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