Falling short of God's law

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Jul 16, 2015
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#1
These boards have many threads about OSAS and I wanted to bring up just one thing about the topic of God's law and grace.
The thing with law and grace is really simple. We fall short of God's law and thus we need grace everyday in our life. If we think that we are not sinning the truth is we are because we are breaking God's commandments.

This is what Jesus states the greatest law to be:


Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV)

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.





Because it's not possible for us to love God in every moment of our life from all our heart and strength we fall short of God's law and need grace.
If we are good at not sinning the only thing what that is good for is towards other persons. We cannot hurt God with sinning, like it states in Job:

Job 35:6-8 (ESV)

6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness a son of man.






So if you ever wonder whether we need grace or being a better person the answer is we cannot fulfill God's love by our self but we need grace everyday in our lives. By working according to law we go further from God and grace.

Galatians 5:4 (ESV)

4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen away from grace.





Thank God for his free gift of salvation.


Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.







 
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DiscipleDave

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2012
3,095
69
48
#2
These boards have many threads about OSAS and I wanted to bring up just one thing about the topic of God's law and grace.
The thing with law and grace is really simple. We fall short of God's law and thus we need grace everyday in our life. If we think that we are not sinning the truth is we are because we are breaking God's commandments.

This is what Jesus states the greatest law to be:


Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV)

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.


Please understand this question is concerning the Laws of Moses, this man was asking Jesus What is the greatest commandment of the Moses Law, the Old Covenant. Jesus rightly answered that question. To Love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, which this commandment can be found in the Old Covenant given to the Israelite people to follow and obey.

As a Christian we are not under the Laws of Moses, we are not under the Law, we are not to follow and obey laws, regulations, statutes, ordinances, and the such that were given to the Israelite people to follow under the Old Covenant.

Please pay attention to what Apostle John plainly teaches us Christians.

1Jn 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Now this generation will teach you falsely that His Commandments are the 10 commandments, or the Laws of Moses and the such, but what does the Apostle John teach us His Commandments are?

1Jn 3:23 And this is His commandment, That we should 1) believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and 2) love one another, as He gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.


There you have it, Scriptures PLAINLY and CLEARLY tells us what His Commandments Are, you can either choose to believe the Apostle John who walked and spoke with Jesus Christ, and is witnessed has the Holy Spirit of Truth in him. or you can believe the men of this last days generation who teach His Commandments are contrary to what the Apostle John just plainly told us. Your choice.

Responding to OP
 
Jul 16, 2015
49
3
8
#3
@DiscipleDave I think we agree on the fact that we are not under the law of moses. I am merely referring to the law because because it shows we need grace since we cannot fulfil the commandment of love (which is most important).

But at the same time while we cannot fulfil the law its still pointing us to right direction, like james says:

James 2: (ESV)

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.


 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
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#4
Amen and to break one of the least of the commandments makes one guilty of the whole law....that is why eternal salvation is based upon grace, mercy and faith........and I might add.....the faith being the perfect, complete faith OF JESUS as his faith is perfect and complete!
 

Joidevivre

Senior Member
Jul 15, 2014
3,838
271
83
#5
Jesus laid a foundation for our need of His righteousness and redemption since we need to be changed from within.

The law can regulate behavior, but it can't change a heart.
 

breno785au

Senior Member
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
764
113
39
Australia
#6
Yay! Thank you Jesus! My heart has leapt for joy for what you have done for and doing in us! For if it weren't for you, surely I would be guilty!
 
Dec 12, 2013
46,515
20,395
113
#7
Yay! Thank you Jesus! My heart has leapt for joy for what you have done for and doing in us! For if it weren't for you, surely I would be guilty!
Amen to that...he took our guilt and imputed his righteousness.......
 
Mar 4, 2013
7,761
107
0
#8
These boards have many threads about OSAS and I wanted to bring up just one thing about the topic of God's law and grace.
The thing with law and grace is really simple. We fall short of God's law and thus we need grace everyday in our life. If we think that we are not sinning the truth is we are because we are breaking God's commandments.

This is what Jesus states the greatest law to be:

Matthew 22:36-40 (ESV)

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

Because it's not possible for us to love God in every moment of our life from all our heart and strength we fall short of God's law and need grace.
If we are good at not sinning the only thing what that is good for is towards other persons. We cannot hurt God with sinning, like it states in Job:

Job 35:6-8 (ESV)

6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
and your righteousness a son of man.


So if you ever wonder whether we need grace or being a better person the answer is we cannot fulfill God's love by our self but we need grace everyday in our lives. By working according to law we go further from God and grace.

Galatians 5:4 (ESV)

4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified[a] by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Thank God for his free gift of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Good OP!!
Some of the definitions of agape love are written in Deuteronomy 6:1-6 and Leviticus 19:11-18. It is clear, and these definitions hang on their summary of love. Jesus said to those who distorted the law;

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matthew 23:23

We are to shun the rituals that are minus these these attributes of God's law, and serve our Father in heaven "in Spirit and in truth" with a circumcised heart, first mentioned in Deuteronomy 10:16, and confirmed in Romans 2:29, and Colossians 2:11

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. John 7:24

We can't do it perfectly, but that's no excuse to not have the heart to want to.

 
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