Which Commandments That God Demands we Obey, in Your Opinion, Are Legalistic?

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Oct 14, 2016
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#1
Is it optional for us to obey God's legalistic commandments? What would be a good reason for me to decide not to obey God's legalistic commandments?
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#2
None of God's Commandments are legalistic it's only our perception that makes it appear that way.
 
Oct 14, 2016
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#3
None of God's Commandments are legalistic it's only our perception that makes it appear that way.
Do you believe God's commandments are optional to follow? The opposite of optional commandments are legalistic commandments.
 

trofimus

Senior Member
Aug 17, 2015
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#4
Is it optional for us to obey God's legalistic commandments? What would be a good reason for me to decide not to obey God's legalistic commandments?
Its needed to know what does "covenant" mean, why do we have the old and the new one and what happens when the covenant is changed.

Then, you need to obey the current covenant.
 

Nautilus

Senior Member
Jun 29, 2012
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#5
Hmmm two commandments, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself. Neither of these seem terribly legalistic. I'm not sure what you are talking about.
 
Dec 19, 2009
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#6
Is it optional for us to obey God's legalistic commandments? What would be a good reason for me to decide not to obey God's legalistic commandments?
I’m not clear on the exact terminology, but I think you need to define commandments, statutes, and ordinances into two categories: First there are those that apply to all mankind. These would be the commandments and are easy to recognize: Thou shalt not kill, though shalt not commit adultery, etc.

Then there would be those that define religious practices: How many rams are to be sacrificed and when are the jubilees, etc. These, I believe, are meant for Jews to obey, though we can obey them, also, if we feel we need to.
 
Oct 14, 2016
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#7
I’m not clear on the exact terminology, but I think you need to define commandments, statutes, and ordinances into two categories: First there are those that apply to all mankind. These would be the commandments and are easy to recognize: Thou shalt not kill, though shalt not commit adultery, etc.

Then there would be those that define religious practices: How many rams are to be sacrificed and when are the jubilees, etc. These, I believe, are meant for Jews to obey, though we can obey them, also, if we feel we need to.
I am speaking of ALL the New Testament commandments in the Holy Bible God demands we must obey.
 

Marcelo

Senior Member
Feb 4, 2016
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#8
First of all, I don't know exactly what is legalism. Let's look the word up:


  • 1: strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code <the institutionalized legalism that restricts free choice>

According to the definition above, legalism does not come from God - it comes from us, human beings.
 
Oct 14, 2016
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#9
First of all, I don't know exactly what is legalism. Let's look the word up:


  • 1: strict, literal, or excessive conformity to the law or to a religious or moral code <the institutionalized legalism that restricts free choice>

According to the definition above, legalism does not come from God - it comes from us, human beings.
The opposite of optional commandments are legalistic commandments.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#10
Do you believe God's commandments are optional to follow? The opposite of optional commandments are legalistic commandments.
Yes they are optional as the scripture says here Joshua 24 14:15
Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

we were given free will and thus were given a choice to obey or not
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
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#11
Perhaps it would be helpful if you would give us a list of what you consider "commandments"....

according to Jesus, they were summed up in two commands.... see post #5
 
Oct 14, 2016
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#12
Perhaps it would be helpful if you would give us a list of what you consider "commandments"....

according to Jesus, they were summed up in two commands.... see post #5
Read the New Testament, it is very clear.
 
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FreeNChrist

Guest
#13
All of them.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#15
Those who go to Hell will wish they were legalistic.
I can tell there is a deeper purpose to your question in your op and I don't sense a good one from it. Would you care to explain the purpose of your thread and the question you posed?
 
Oct 14, 2016
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#16
I can tell there is a deeper purpose to your question in your op and I don't sense a good one from it. Would you care to explain the purpose of your thread and the question you posed?
Obedience, pure and simple.
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
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#17
Obedience, pure and simple.
Define what you mean by obedience. are you trying to remind people to obey God? are you wanting to debate what counts as obedience and what commands to obey?
 
Oct 14, 2016
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#18
Define what you mean by obedience. are you trying to remind people to obey God? are you wanting to debate what counts as obedience and what commands to obey?
There is no debate. All of God's commandments are not optional for us to follow.
 
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PinkDiamond

Guest
#19
Optional and legalistic are not good terms to use in this discussion. Nothing that God has instructed us to do is optional. The word optional is going to create a lot of confusion in this discussion. A better term would be applicable. The real issue or controversy is what portions of the law of Moses are still applicable for believers in the new covenant and what laws have become obsolete ( because they were fulfilled by Christ's death). Legalistic is also a bad term. It has a negative connotation attached to it. I think your point would have been better phrased as legal requirements. We use that term when dealing with contracts, laws, regulations, etc.

Christ said that he fulfilled the law and that we are to obey his moral law : love for God and love for our neighbors. If we keep his moral law then obviously we can't violate the Ten Commandments. If you truly love your neighbor you aren't going to kill him or have an affair with his wife. The Ten Commandments aren't optional. We no longer focus on these commandments because they have been swallowed up the all encompassing moral law of God. Commandments such as animal sacrifice and the laws surrounding the sacrifices are no longer applicable because Christ sacrificed himself for us. We aren't choosing that animal sacrifice is optional. We realize it is no longer applicable since Christ's death. Same goes for circumcision or other religious feasts or rituals. We are under the new covenant and these laws no longer apply.
 
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LaurenTM

Guest
#20
your question itself is legalistic

why do you assume anyone here thinks about breaking commandments?

are we to think that yet another Hebrew Roots/law keeper has joined the forums?

can you be your own High Priest or has God Almighty given us another...with no need for another one EVER?

who is the eternal High Priest who has met ALL the conditions of ALL the commandments....and who ALONE can satisfy the wrath of God?

the High Priest went once a year into the Holy of Holies...and yet feared he would be struck dead and so a rope was around his ankles so those who waited outside could pull him out if they no longer heard the bells on the hem of his priestly robes

WE can now enter into God's presence because of all that Christ has done...note that the temple curtain was torn...

FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM

God tore it!

we know we do not continue in sin...all these commandment threads are structural gamemanship...a smokescreen...to talk to Christians about how they need to keep the commandments and especially the Sabbath

constantly bringing up these law matters is a way to obfuscate the intent which is either to tell us we think we can go on sinning or to tell us that we don't understand the New Testament

did I get it right?
 
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