Ten Commandments

[GODSown1]

Hi all,
       Im so sorry if this Question has been asked, probably over & over again lol!, But! any how just in case it hasnt, id Love ur guyz views on the ten Commandments, Do we have to still Obey them??, I hope its not a silly Question, Thanx! alL!
        muchLOVE!! Pera

[Chris R]

Hi Pera,

There is a mountain of truths written on the website www.bibletruths.com

Read all you can, as many times as you can, your questions are not easily answered in a forum, as the answer would take many pages to explain, Ray has answered these questions many times in his writings, you just have to read them.

Peace

Chris R

[Kat]

Hi GODSown1,

Here is an email from at covers your question I believe.

http://bible-truths.com/email8.htm#holy ------------------

[Ray Replies]


Dear Byron:

Thank you for your comments and/or questions.

You are not distinguishing between things that differ as the Scriptures admonish us.

It seems hardly anyone knows that "fulfill means." Jesus said that he "fulfilled" the LAW, yet it is taught today in the Church that it YET needs to be fulfilled BY US. What is that?  I have never heard a minister yet put the parts of Christ declaration together:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law OR THE PROPHETS: I am not come to destroy, [the law AND THE PROPHETS], but to fulfill [the law AND THE PROPHETS]" (Matt. 5:17).

Now then, did Jesus Christ "fulfill" all of the prophecies concerning Him? Well if He did, then does there REMAIN any that He DID NOT FULFILL? Then why doesn't anyone, it seems, believe that He also and in the very same way fulfilled "the law?"

We are now under a NEW COVENANT [and Hebrews 8 tells us that this NEW covenant is NOT IN ACCORD with the OLD covenant.

The Pharisees kept the old testament law of Moses with its ten commandments. But Jesus said that WE, Believers, must FAR EXCEED the righteousness of the Pharisees. Jesus gave us NEW COMMANDMENTS that are far superior to the old law. Christ's laws are SPIRITUAL laws. The Old Covenant which really IS "the ten commandments" (See Deut. 4:13) was an administration of DEATH. The laws were of the letter (death) not of the spirit (life). See II Cor. 3.

Under the Old Covenant you were to HATE YOUR ENEMIES. Under the New we are to LOVE OUR ENEMIES. Love your enemies is not a slight modification of hating your enemies.  Not lusting after a woman is not a slight modification of not committing physical intercourse with a married woman. NOT SWEARING is not a slight modification of swearing!  Etc. Can you see this? Under the old covenant one was to love his neighbor as himself. Under the new we are to esteem our neighbor HIGHER than ourselves. Do you see the difference?

Things that were "holy" and have run their course, are NO LONGER Holy. All Israel was Holy. Physical Israel is no longer holy. Sacrifices were HOLY unto the Lord; they no longer are. Tithing was just as specific a law as sacrificing. Tithes were of farm products NOT MONEY. It was paid to the Levites. There are no Levites today. It was kept in storehouses. There are no storehouses today. Go to the nominal Christian church and as for food from their storehouse to feed some poor that you are aware of. They will in all probability TURN YOU AWAY, even though their bank accounts are filled with MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of dollars, often times. There is NO TEMPLE at which the Levites and Priests officiate today. And if you liken the Church today as God's nation of priests as Peter tells us, then we ALL should be receiving tithes, NOT PAYING TITHES!

Byron, Paul NEVER, EVER taught, or collected tithes from the Gentile congregations. Can you not see that?  Why did he work with his own hands if he were collecting millions and millions and millions from the HUNDREDS of congregations he founded? Seriously, these are questions that need answering. Paul never taught tithing and he never collected tithes, so why should anyone else who claims to be a minister of Jesus Christ??

Now it is not wrong to support a church or pay a salary to a pastor, but it cannot be in the form of MONEY FROM A VOID LAW OF PRODUCE TITHING.

You are right, we should not CONTINUE TO SIN, and teaching and collecting tithe money from believers IS A GROSS SIN!!!

God be with you,

Ray
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mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[YellowStone]

Kat, thanks for posting Ray's wonderful response.

Pera,
You might find Christs own words enlightning. You asked:

Im so sorry if this Question has been asked, probably over & over again lol!, But! any how just in case it hasnt, id Love ur guyz views on the ten Commandments, Do we have to still Obey them??, I hope its not a silly Question, Thanx! alL!


Christ said the following:

Mat 22:36  Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?
Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39  And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The last sentence holds the key; we are to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and love thy neighbour as thyself. However, we can only TRULY do this by following the ten commandments of the law. If we fail in any of the 10, we fail also in Loving God truthfully as well as our neighborm family, friends, etc.


I hope this helps

Your brother in Christ,
Darren

[GODSown1]

Hi all Thanks, But! lol!
                         What is this saying then, well more to the point what is JESUS saying here (MATT 5: 17, 19), v 17 "Do Not think that I have came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did Not come to destroy But! to fulfill" (to the fullest), v 19 "Whoever therefore breaks one of the Least of these commandments, and Teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven: But! whoever does and Teaches them, he shall be called the great in the Kingdom of Heaven. And of coz not to mention the 4th Commandment, GOD (JESUS) wrote the 10 commandments with His own finger, TwiCe!!. (COL 1: 15-17), well 4give me if Im not getting it, its just that to Me GOD is everything & what He commands. & I havnt found really anything yet that JESUS says that kwashes! The 10 Commandments. Thanks all, Please if U think U can Help more Please do! lol!
   muchLOVE!! Pera

[Kat]

Hi GODSown1,

Here is an excerpt from Ray's #11 paper.
It does not mention Matt. 5:17 in particular, but it does explain that the Law(10 commandments) is not done away, but those that obey the spiritual laws that Christ taught must go way beyond the 10 commandments.

http://bible-truths.com/lake11.html --------------------------

CHRIST AFTER THE FLESH VERSUS CHRIST AFTER THE SPIRIT

"Wherefore henceforth know we no man after [according to] the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, YET NOW HENCEFORTH KNOW WE HIM NO MORE [after the flesh]" (II Cor. 5:1).

"Therefore if any man be IN Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW" (II Cor. 5:17)!

How many Christians believe that "IN Christ" we are a NEW creation and that ALL the old things have passed away and that ALL things are become NEW? How many pastors teach the NEW Covenant?

Christians sing: "Give me that OLD TIME religion—it's good enough for me."

There was an OLD covenant, and now there is a NEW covenant. Do you know what the NEW COVENANT is? Theologians teach that the New covenant is keeping the OLD covenant, BETTER! That is unscriptural nonsense! They teach that we are to keep the law of Moses, BETTER, and we will fulfill the NEW testament.

Is the New Covenant patterned according to the Old Covenant? Let's read it:

"For finding fault with them, He says, Behold, the days come says the Lord, when I will make a NEW covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah [he is a JEW who is circumcised in his heart and spirit, Rom. 2:29]: NOT ACCORDING TO THE COVENANT that I made with their fathers..." (Heb. 8:8-9).

So then, is the NEW covenant "according" or "NOT according" to the Old covenant?

Then why does the Church continue making the Old Covenant binding on Christians?

Christendom is attempting to believe in the New Covenant, while at the same time trying to live in the Old Covenant. This can't be done. In fact, Jesus sternly warned against attempting to do such a contradictory and damaging endeavor:

"And He [Jesus] spoke also a parable unto them [the Pharisees]: No man puts a piece of new garment upon an old: if otherwise, then both the new makes a rent [tear], and the piece that was taken out of the new agrees not with the old ['NOT according with the covenant which I made with their fathers (the OLD Covenant, Heb. 8:9)]. And no man puts new wine into old bottles [wineskins]; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish [be RUINED]. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desires new; for he says, The OLD is better" (Luke 5:36-29).

This is a parable! Jesus is speaking of the Old and New Covenants. We cannot, we dare not, try to put the old with the new. BOTH WILL BE RUINED! Why don't we believe Jesus? We can't put the Old and the New together. And true to Jesus' words, when people come into a knowledge of the New Covenant, they PREFER THE OLD BETTER!

Did you also notice that when we put these two covenants in their proper places (the Old is for babes to bring them to Christ, while the new is for those maturing into Sonship), that they are BOTH PRESERVED? Yes, both are preserved, but only if we don't MIX THEM. Could anything be clearer.

The "Chosen" live by the New Covenant: The "Called" try to live by the New and the Old Covenants. They have never learned this simple lesson: "No servant can serve TWO masters..." (Luke 16:13). The two covenants are not even in "according" with one another—they are not to be "unequally yoked together," seeing that they are not equal. If you want to be a New Testament Christian, then you need to learn and know what the New Testament is all about.

THE OLD COVENANT VERSUS THE NEW COVENANT

Here is the most concise Scriptural description of the Old and New Testament that I can give you:

"For the Law was given by Moses [that would be the OLD Covenant], but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ [that would be the NEW Covenant]" (John 1:17).

Law is good, but grace and truth is better. Grace and truth is a much more demanding and much higher calling. If you aspire to be among the "chosen" you must learn what the New Covenant really is.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR THE MOSAIC LAW?

Can boys become men on their mother's milk? Neither can men become spiritually mature on things of childhood. Paul said when he was a child, he thought and acted as a child, but when he became a man, he said he put away childish things. The Christian Church today refuses to put away childish things. Here is the purpose for the Law of Moses in the Church:

"Wherefore the law was [it was not past tense for Paul] our schoolmaster [Gk: tutor or guardian] to BRING US UNTO CHRIST, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come [faith HAS now come] we are NO LONGER under a schoolmaster [the law of Moses]" (Gal. 3:24-25).

How is it that all the educated theologians with all their PhD's can't understand this simple analogy. The law—the law of Moses, was our "schoolmaster." It WAS, it isn't any more. Why not? Because mature adults are no longer children. We have all had schoolmaster in our youth. We were under them, subject to them, disciplined by them, taught by them. I am now 62 years old. Am I still under my grade school teachers? Of course not. Do I, however, try to remember the things I learned from my teacher? Why yes, of course. But as a man I am now subject to higher authorities. A person will never acquire a college degree if he never gets out of grade school.
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mercy, peace, and love
Kat

[GODSown1]

Thanks Kat,
               I think I just need to Pray more & meditate as much as I can more on this, because one thing I do know is I want to do Right by GOD as much as I can, Because why I keep sayn this is (MATT 5: 17, 19), & there are plenty more scriptures in which JESUS sys, "Keep my 'FATHERS'(GOD) commands".
                much muchLOVE!! Pera

ps. Or are them scriptures stating "All to Keep the FATHERS commands", just dont mean what they say?? Well I think thats how Ray answers most questions on scripture lol!

[GODSown1]

um! Hi again,
                What about the Sabbath?? GOD said to remember it & Keep it Holy, generation after generation after generation ( isnt this morealess saying forever?) or ages upon ages? hmm...
                muchLOVE!! Pera

[Falconn003]

Pera

There seems to be a growing trend, where your questions are being answered by the excerts out of L. Ray Smith papers, written for the very same purpose to answer these questions and many more that will take form in your thoughts. 

A litttle more effort on your part to read these articles will do you a spiritual wealth of good, should you ever read them, you will not be disappointed. 

Rodger

[GODSown1]

huh??
        oH!! Im so sorry! I thort that this wot this Forum rm was all about asking Questions, 'my Bad', And funny thing was it was Mr L.Ray. Smith whom sent me here, so Im stumped!, so wot if I cant stand reading huh??
        muchLOVE!!!!! Pera

ps, Sometimes I wonder about how sum pple in this room DONT!! practice wot they PreaCH!!!

[Redbird]

Pera,

Please don't take offense to this, but your questions are loaded questions....long mysteries of the bible.
Ray is a gifted writer, which most of us are not.  I bet some of us do not like to read also, but like Falconn said, Ray's writings are WORTH THE READ, even if it takes awhile.  "Ya know, Rome wasn't built in a day!"  So be patient.

Peace to you,
Lisa

[Falconn003]

                   http://www.bible-truths.com/ 

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"my bad" i thought you said you read this?

Much luv in return
Rodger

PS.   Preaching is a no no , and so is the practise of it.

[GODSown1]

hey Rog
          What do U mean Preaching is a No No?? ur loosing me again, ill jus let u no Im new in here, & I came in coz of Ray, U might have to read Y Im in here & wher Ive cum frm, Stop assuming We all no it all, dis is Y I ask questions, bcoz I wanna no
          GOD be with U

[Robin]

Romans 3
19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Romans 5
19For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6
1What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
19I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8:2-4
2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

[Victoria]

Hi all,
       Im so sorry if this Question has been asked, probably over & over again lol!, But! any how just in case it hasnt, id Love ur guyz views on the ten Commandments, Do we have to still Obey them??, I hope its not a silly Question, Thanx! alL!
        muchLOVE!! Pera

The commandment (law of God)  of God never changes will always remain the same.  The commandment (law of men)  of men will change anyday or any minute.  That makes it different between two. 

What is the commandment of God?  Commandment of God is to love him.  How can we love God?  To hate evil.  Simple as it is. Meaning do good.

Grace and truth is a better covenant through Jesus Christ.  What is grace means?  Grace means sense of what is right.  Truth means quality of state being true.

Simple commandment of God......Love him means to hate evil deeds.

[hillsbororiver]

http://bible-truths.com/fools.htm

LET HIM WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE

This is the longest one, but maybe the most important, so try to get through it:

"They [the Scribes and Pharisees—RELIGIOUS leaders] say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what do you say? This they said tempting Him that they might have to accuse [Gk: charge with an offense] Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

So when they continued asking [interrogating] Him, He lifted up Himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last, and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst" (John 8:4-11).

Very few in all of Christendom have a clue as to what is really going on here. Jesus read their contemptible attitudes like a book. They wanted Jesus to give them public permission to execute this woman (by the way, since it takes "two to tango," where was the other half of this affair—the MAN?), which I doubt seriously they believed Jesus would do, seeing that Jesus was very forgiving and even openly dined with "sinners." What these religious hypocrites were hoping is that Jesus would go against the law of Moses, and then they could accuse Him of a crime against their law.

But these religious fools also had not a clue as to Whom they were dealing with. They were so incredibly stupid to think they could "make sport" of the Son of God.

But Jesus, "stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground," pretending to not even notice them. What was Jesus writing on the ground? Jesus wrote something on the ground that implicated every one of those hypocritical and evil religious leaders, beginning with the eldest. As they observed, one by one, starting with the eldest, what Jesus was writing on the ground, they couldn't get out of there fast enough. Just what did Jesus write on the ground? Just what was it that "convicted their conscience?"

Was Jesus asking them if there was even one among them who had never in his life so much as told a little white lie, that he should be the first to throw a stone and kill this woman? Get real! Nothing that inconsequential would, "CONVICT their conscience!" No, no... Jesus was the Master of sarcasm.

Oh how casually most read this scenario without realizing what is going on. It wasn't the statement that let him who is without sin cast the first stone that convicted them in their conscience. It was what Jesus was writing on the ground.

What sin did this woman commit that according to the law of Moses deserved execution? Why the sin of adultery, of course. And these Pharisees judged this woman according to the law of Moses—she was found by two or more witnesses in the very act of adultery, the penalty of which was death by stoning. Why did not Jesus allow for the plain and simple law of Moses to be carried out in this case? Did Jesus not OBEY the Laws of Moses?

Every Christian I have ever known, and all that I have ever read, confirm their dogmatic belief that Jesus obeyed and carried out the law of Moses, PERFECTLY. Oh really? And what is it they think they are reading in this scenario? Did Jesus agree with them to carry out what the Law of Moses DEMANDED in this case? Well, did He? He assuredly DID NOT!

When Jesus said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill," they think that it should really read, "...I am not come to destroy, but to OBEY." Jesus clearly did NOT obey the "Law of Moses." "Fulfill" does not mean "OBEY." Christ's conscience is not guided by carnal commandments of the flesh. Jesus lived by a far, far higher and superior SPIRITUAL law.

Jesus did NOT obey "Thou shalt... swear by His [God's] Name" (Deut. 6:13), but said, "Swear NOT at all," in direct contradiction and opposition to the Law of Moses. "Swear NOT" is not a slight modification of "Thou SHALT swear," but is rather a complete contradiction of Moses' law.

Jesus did NOT obey, "Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, SO shall it be done to him again" (Lev. 24:20), but rather contradicted the Law of Moses with "Resist NOT evil: but... turn to him the other [cheek] also" (Matt. 5:39).

Jesus did NOT obey the Law of Moses which stated: "And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword ['HATE your enemy' Matt. 5:43]" (Lev. 26:7-8). It was, in fact, a SIN not to hate and kill their enemies, (Num. 32:20-23). But Jesus completely and totally contradicted Moses' Law by dogmatically stating:

"But I say unto you, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS them that curse you, and DO GOOD to them that hate you, and PRAY for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).

Contrary to all the ridiculous unscriptural theories of theologians, "LOVE YOUR ENEMIES" is not just a slight modification of the law which said to "HATE and kill your enemies."

Jesus did NOT "keep the Sabbath" (Matt. 12:3-8; John 5:8-11), but rather justified doing what was "NOT legal" and which did "profane the Sabbath" (Matt. 12:4-5) by stating that He was "LORD of the Sabbath" (Ver. 8). Jesus taught in the synagogues on the Sabbath; He did not keep, observe, or obey the Sabbath.

Jesus apparently did NOT "go up to the Feast" (John 7:8) at the beginning of the Feast as commanded by Moses, but rather sent His disciples and went up later. Nor is there any indication He took an offering as commanded in the Law (Deut. 16:16).

Jesus did NOT even pay the "temple tax" which was commanded by Moses for all males twenty and over to pay (Matt. 17:24 & 26).

And as already noted, Jesus did NOT keep the law of Moses with respect "the adulteress shall surely be put to DEATH" by stoning, but rather totally contradicted it by forgiving the sin of this adulteress.

NO one will be saved by keeping the ten commandments and the Law of Moses. The rich young ruler kept the Ten Commandments (Mark 10:20). The Scribes and Pharisees kept the Law of Moses (Acts 15:5). But none of them will be saved by obeying that inferior law only:

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall EXCEED the righteousness [keeping the Ten Commandments, and the whole Law of Moses] of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).

Under Christ's New Covenant, we cannot "break one of these least commands" which Jesus instituted high above the carnal elements of the Law of Moses, (Matt. 5:19). Under Christ's New Covenant, one must be spiritually converted before he will ever be saved or see the Kingdom of God.

And so, Jesus could have stated the following: "He that is without the sin of adultery in his own life, let HIM cast the first stone!" Jesus clearly outlined their own sins of adultery by writing it on the ground. Paul clearly states that, "...wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you that judge do the SAME things" (Rom. 2:1). These Pharisees were guilty of "adultery" themselves.

Jesus said "without sin," but then he wrote their gross sins on the ground out of sight from the crowd, but so each of them could see it as they filed by one by one, and then got out of there as fast as they could. What man, but the SON of man could ever come up with something this profound and "in your face" on the spur of the moment, as Jesus did with these Scribes and Pharisees? Absolutely amazing.

Before we leave this episode of our Lord's ministry, let's consider something that one or two might have missed.

Let me reset the scene once more for you:

The Religious (church) Leaders catch a woman in the act of adultery (gee, I wonder how they accomplished that?).

They bring the sinner before Jesus and ask Him to assist them in the carrying out of the Law of Moses, which law, virtually all Christians in the world will tell you, Jesus "fulfilled" by keeping it perfectly.

And so in this scenario these Religious Leaders of the Church are once more asking Jesus to "keep the Law of Moses perfectly," by telling them they should indeed, carry out the law of Moses perfectly with the woman caught in the very act of adultery, which carried a penalty of death by stoning. Are you all with me so far?

Now here's one of God's commandments regarding this sin:

"And the man that commits adultery with another man's wife, even he that commits adultery with his neighbor's wife, THE ADULTERER AND THE ADULTERESS shall surely BE PUT TO DEATH [by stoning]" (Lev. 20:10).

An aside: Just who were the "two witnesses" (remember it took two witnesses in Israel in all capital offenses in order for them to be carried out), and who was the "adulterer?" Think about it. I believe I know, but I'll keep that to myself for now.

Did Jesus do what the Law demanded or did Jesus break the Law of Moses because He was instituting a NEW and DIFFERENT Covenant based on much higher SPIRITUAL laws? Here's what Jesus actually did, and you can read it in your Bibles, but I doubt that but a few will actually believe what Jesus did.

First, Jesus REBUKED the religious leaders of the church who were trying to uphold and carry out the Law of Moses.

Second, Jesus EXONERATED the adulteress for her sin and from the punishment according to the Law of Moses.

And as my detractors will insist that I can't possibly know what Jesus wrote on the ground, they will totally miss the implications of this New Teaching of Jesus and His sarcastic, in their face, reprimand toward these hypocrites who loved blood and violence.

Just as with His sermon on the mount to His disciples, Jesus contradicted the Law of Moses. The Law said one thing, but Jesus said another. The Law of Moses said, "Don't COMMIT adultery," whereas the Law of Jesus said, "DON'T EVEN THINK IT!" Giant improvement over the carnal Law of Moses.

The only ones who will be saved are those who obey EVERYTHING that Jesus taught and commanded:

"And why call ye Me, Lord Lord, and do not THE THINGS [ALL the things] WHICH I SAY?" (Luke 6:46).

And how, pray tell, does that fit into the theology of mainstream Christendom? Well of course it doesn't. Don't try to tell a Christian theologian that Christ brought a New Covenant based on a SPIRITUAL LAW (with better promises) which are "NOT in accord" with the inferior, carnal Law of Moses.

[hebrewroots98]

Pera,
Good question...hope this helps.

Keeping the sabbath (now that we are in the New Testament-which is to be SPIRITUALLY KEPT) means that we are no longer bound to keeping the sabbath in a PHYSICAL way as they did in the Old Testament.  Our new sabbath from here on and throughout eternity will now be kept in a SPIRITUAL WAY ...(new Testament is a spiritual life, not a physical life.)  In other words, WE REST EVERYDAY IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS (AND WE REST EVERY MOMENT OF EVERYDAY IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE HIS BLESSING ON OUR LIFE AND THAT WE ARE HIS PEOPLE; LETTING HIM GUIDE US DAILY BECAUSE EVERYDAY OF OUR LIFE IS DEDICATED TO SERVING HIM AND NO OTHERS .)

[DWIGHT]

Hi Pera,

In the Old Testament, the ten commmandments were on the outside.  Today, Jesus is on the inside.  Just listen to Him through His word, and you'll keep all His commandments.   God bless you brother.

In Christ,

Dwight

[skydreamers]

Hi Pera,

I can identify with your questions.  I came out of a church that is strongly centered on the 10 commandments especially on the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath.  So my journey to find the truth on these subjects has been a long hard struggle (several months) and in some respects still continues to this day.  I don't feel I have all the answers but I've left behind the understanding that my church has.  I know I have to move beyond the physical literal applications and embrace the spiritual if I'm ever going to mature in Christ.

In time God has given me more and more clarity, and thus more peace about these subjects and I trust that He will do the same for you.  That doesn't mean you should stop asking the questions!   

As with what others have said here, it took a few re-reads of Ray's articles and much prayer to even get to where I am now.  And I agree that these topics are not answered or understood in any kind of simple matter.  At least they weren't for me!  Believe me, after what I had been taught for many years, I was clinging to the physical...but God was "dragging" me to the spiritual perspective and that part of it I finally get! 

Luke 5:39 MKJV
39  Also no one having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, The old is better.

Now I can finally say I no longer "prefer" the Old, but strive to embrace the New.  Yay!

Dwight, I liked what you said:

In the Old Testament, the ten commmandments were on the outside.  Today, Jesus is on the inside.  Just listen to Him through His word, and you'll keep all His commandments. Grin

I see it kind of like this:

the Old Covenant with its carnal commandments was written by the finger of God on physical stone and  placed inside the Ark

the New Covenant with its spiritual commandments is written spiritually on our hearts by the finger of God

Carnal commandments CAN be followed by carnal people (the Pharisees proved that).  But this did not make them one bit spiritual, let alone righteous in God's eyes.  This is merely a stepping stone on the path to maturity.  These commandments were our schoolmaster which brought us to Christ.

Spiritual commandments can ONLY be followed by the spiritually minded, and only by Christ's spirit enabling us to do so from within.   

Ezekiel 11:19-20 ESV
19  And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
20  that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

2 Corinthians 3:3 ESV
3  And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Peace,

Diana

[DWIGHT]

Diana,

Excellent!  Just one more thought to add to your wonderful post.  There is nothing wrong with the schoolmaster (the law).  Ray has said that if your child goes to school and has a good teacher and your child goes on to college, that you don't throw out the old teacher just because he doesn't teach your child anymore.  No, that teacher helped your child.  So that teacher is still useful and your child will always remember what that teacher taught. 


.Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Gal. 3:24


But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Gal. 3:25

Thanks Diana,

Your brother,

Dwight