"God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

I was just watching a street preaching video where the preacher says, "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep. God gives you commandments you can keep, that you refuse to keep. So, your issue isn't ability, young man, but willingness." He justifies this statement by saying God called Noah perfect, and He called Job perfect. This preacher doesn't even realize the bondage he is putting people under that eat up his message and convert to Christianity. Not only bondage, but guilt and condemnation.

Is this statement something a good portion of people within Christianity actually believe?

Define "good portion." Is that like a side of relish or a family pack of French fries for dinner? lol

I've met some folks like that through the years, but I prefer the realistic believers. The ones willing to say we don't, but we should. The ones after "we should," but in going after it they keep noticing where they fall short in deeper and deeper ways. The kind that first stops shoplifting when saved, but then later realizes they have to stop stealing pens and paper from work. And then later, they realize they have to stop stealing the employer's time. ("One quick personal call is no big deal." "Fifteen minutes playing online when I should be working is no big deal.")

And mostly the ones who are aware all that is brought to us through understanding the law as it relates to grace -- to God -- and that God is the one directing us more and more into loving him and others properly.

So are those folks a "big portion?" More like a little giardiniera on the side with Thanksgiving dinner. They're there, but in the proper proportions -- very, very small portion.

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Do you believe you must work to keep your salvation?

Do you believe saved is an ongoing operation?

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Nope. It was a simple question that requires a simple yes or no answer.

Are you in any way responsible for maintaining your salvation through your own efforts?

"Maintaining" implies personal ownership. We never bought nor owned our salvation. That's on God. And he keeps it by keeping those he saved.

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Least. Stop bringing people to a sense of obligation and again burdening them with the yoke of the law

and start explain to people why they never could and never would keep the law completely... i.e sinful nature. (for which the law was always meant to show you)

Translation: "Least, Start agreeing with me."

If only you'd get over yourself and actually listen to what Least is saying, because Least ain't saying that.

(And, since folks don't get when I'm angry or being funny, let me clarify. THAT was annoyed. Not all the way up to angry, but not funny either.)

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

he did but the important statement is 'if you love me'

don't you think a person who loves God will delight in keeping his law as the psalmist says because that person has been born again and has a new nature inside of them.
i.e he keeps the law out of hhhhmmmmm oh right joy and desire, rather than hhhhmmmm oh right obligation and condemnation

So, let's bring this back down to earth. Here you are scolding people, when Jesus said the law can be cut down to love God fully and love others. So, why are you now NOT keeping the law? I really am assuming you are a believer, since why would you be doing this if you aren't, but even now you aren't keeping the law joyfully or by obligation. So, back at you -- have you become unyoked through salvation, or are you just having one of those moments we all have -- intentionally ignoring the law?

Jesus lightened the yoke. He didn't remove it.

This comes back to, we can but we don't -- both before and after salvation. Agreed?

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

its as simple as saying:

I obey Christ because i have his favour in my life (that would be called grace)

verses

I obey Christ because i want his favour in my life (that would be called.... self righteousness)

Not that simple, since we just proved we don't always obey when saved either.

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Galatians 6:2
"Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ."

If only we'd bear one another's burdens.

 

[KennethC]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

We need to stop discussing topics on the LAW all together because all it does is cause strife, false allegations getting tossed around, and people getting banned.

The topic is heated one that the bible even says to ignore because people will always focus to much on the carnal written physical ordinances instead of realizing the moral/Spiritual aspect that still has meaning in our lives as God writes them in our heart and mind.

God's moral law has always existed since even Adam and Eve, as they were even given do's and don'ts in the Garden of Eden. They disobeyed and suffered the consequence for the disobedience, but today people want to toss out the obedience from the faith in Jesus out of love for Him.

Any time obedience gets mentioned they quickly jump back to false understanding of that means being under the law.

Following what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is not placing people under the law, as those teachings and commands are the foundation of faith in Him that we are to follow before we can move on to understanding the meat of the word.

Even Jesus told the original 11 Apostles/disciples He had more to tell them, but could not because they were still struggling to accept and do what He had said so far. Only if you can accept and follow what He said can you move on to the meat from the epistles given by the Apostles !!!

 

[eternally-gratefull]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Not that simple, since we just proved we don't always obey when saved either.

Agree, we do not have perfect love, thats why,

However, a person not born of god. Ca they love (gods way) or is this impossible for them..

 

[JaumeJ]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Answering to the title of this OP. Thank you, you have opened the door wide for so many.

 

[BenFTW]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Answering to the title of this OP. Thank you, you have opened the door wide for so many.

I am not sure what you're getting at. If you are referring to the path being narrow, it is only narrow because there is but one Way. Jesus Christ. Not a matter of striving but rest.

The idea that "God didn't give us commandments we couldn't keep and so just do it", is in itself self-righteous. Such a perspective fails to see that we can't. We don't. We need Jesus. As another pointed out here, if we could we wouldn't need Jesus, and as scripture says, "Christ died in vain." if that were the case. It isn't.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

We need to stop discussing topics on the LAW all together because all it does is cause strife, false allegations getting tossed around, and people getting banned.

The topic is heated one that the bible even says to ignore because people will always focus to much on the carnal written physical ordinances instead of realizing the moral/Spiritual aspect that still has meaning in our lives as God writes them in our heart and mind.

God's moral law has always existed since even Adam and Eve, as they were even given do's and don'ts in the Garden of Eden. They disobeyed and suffered the consequence for the disobedience, but today people want to toss out the obedience from the faith in Jesus out of love for Him.

Any time obedience gets mentioned they quickly jump back to false understanding of that means being under the law.

Following what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is not placing people under the law, as those teachings and commands are the foundation of faith in Him that we are to follow before we can move on to understanding the meat of the word.

Even Jesus told the original 11 Apostles/disciples He had more to tell them, but could not because they were still struggling to accept and do what He had said so far. Only if you can accept and follow what He said can you move on to the meat from the epistles given by the Apostles !!!

The only ones who keep bringing up law are law keepers, who are so fixated on the law of Moses they can't talk about the more excellent glories of Christ. So if you don't like the controversy that gets stirred up every time someone tries to bring others under bondage to the law, don't bring law keeping up.

 

[PeterJens]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

The street preacher is right. The commandments were not that difficult. Until it becomes personal.

The point being made is people can agree in universal morality, what care and love is. But we as humans fail to even live up to this common morality.

Now if Jesus cannot bring righteousness and purity into individual human lives today, surely the gospel is a lie. You end up saying pie in the sky when you die, but on earth just a label based on a series of ceremonies. Ok Jesus rose again from the dead, and he puts some nice morals up, but all I have to do to buy a ticket is join the church, ok, count me in.

No christian testimony says this, it is always about change, realisation of sin and moving forward into righteousness empowered by love working in the heart.

Now it is a road, and walking does not guarantee failing, but you know where you are each day.
People are very keen to say, you are not perfect so there is no progress or ultimate goals, so my failure does not matter.

The reality is Jesus expected us to be perfect, he talked to his disciples that they were clean already.

 

[Gr8grace]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Answering to the title of this OP. Thank you, you have opened the door wide for so many.

The street preachers way is the wide way. Its a subjective way. Which is very, very wide.

All of us will agree that we can't follow all of the commands and have broken many before and after salvation. So we can all subjectively, say , " I did well enough, and most certainly did better than that guy." Everybody could and would justify themselves. W I D E.

Its a narrow path when it is by Grace through faith alone in Christ alone and NOTHING added.

 

[atwhatcost]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

I am not sure what you're getting at. If you are referring to the path being narrow, it is only narrow because there is but one Way. Jesus Christ. Not a matter of striving but rest.

The idea that "God didn't give us commandments we couldn't keep and so just do it", is in itself self-righteous. Such a perspective fails to see that we can't. We don't. We need Jesus. As another pointed out here, if we could we wouldn't need Jesus, and as scripture says, "Christ died in vain." if that were the case. It isn't.

In my best JarJar Binks voice, "Excuuuuuse me."

Um, I'm the sarcastic one. I'm pretty sure Jaume isn't. So if he's thanking you, he's really thanking you.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

The street preacher is right. The commandments were not that difficult. Until it becomes personal.

Yeah that's what Peter said.

So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way those also are.” Acts 15:10-11​

???

Oh sorry, my SARC LOCK key was on...

 

[KennethC]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

The only ones who keep bringing up law are law keepers, who are so fixated on the law of Moses they can't talk about the more excellent glories of Christ. So if you don't like the controversy that gets stirred up every time someone tries to bring others under bondage to the law, don't bring law keeping up.

You are a pure example of false allegations getting thrown around as nobody and I repeat nobody of lately has tried to put others under the law.

Second this thread was not started by a law keeper, so again your point is mute trying to say only law keepers bring up the law.

Again what Jesus taught in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is not putting people under the law, they are the teachings for the New Covenant under grace that He gave to the original 11 Apostles that He then commissioned them to take and tell all other believers to observe/obey !!!

 

[KennethC]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Yeah that's what Peter said.

So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way those also are.” Acts 15:10-11​

???

Oh sorry, my SARC LOCK key was on...

Well we need to first stop using scriptures that address the written ordinances of the Mosaic laws to have it include the moral law of God as well. There is a difference !!!

 

[PeterJens]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

Did Jesus expect us to be perfect?

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matt 5:48

Now if this is impossible Jesus would not have said it. Think a little.

Is Jesus saying:-
Dear followers I will ask you to do something that is impossible because I like joking with you? No.

He is saying our understanding of perfection is wrong, our standards are in the wrong place.
We as a community gloss over such words because they are so hard. But there is the problem.
We only attain to what Jesus calls us to be trying and working it through.

Perfect in Jesus's terms is spiritually acceptable, walking without sin, being honest, open, straightforward people. It is not a state you arrive at and then it is level, it is a walk with Jesus. But too many have not even taken one step and believe they are washed clean, perfect in the eyes of God, powerful to overcome sin in their lives.

Being perfect is not saying you will not sin in the future, or have problems, it is walking righteously now.
It is in reality always now, and the future still to come. The problem is people want to say perfect is a guarantee tomorrow will be victorious as today but on one can say that, so they feel you cannot say you are walking perfectly.

A tight rope walker maybe a perfect performer but he can still fall, and only aims to cross the rope, he cannot guarantee it.

 

[KennethC]

Re: "God doesn't give you commandments you can't keep." says street preacher.

I am not sure what you're getting at. If you are referring to the path being narrow, it is only narrow because there is but one Way. Jesus Christ. Not a matter of striving but rest.

The idea that "God didn't give us commandments we couldn't keep and so just do it", is in itself self-righteous. Such a perspective fails to see that we can't. We don't. We need Jesus. As another pointed out here, if we could we wouldn't need Jesus, and as scripture says, "Christ died in vain." if that were the case. It isn't.

I think you will find out by closely reading the epistles from Paul, Peter, and John you will find out the narrow path through Jesus Christ that leads to salvation includes following His teachings and commands.

As the Apostles clearly said if anybody teaches other then what our Lord Jesus had already taught, they are bringing a different gospel, doctrine, and preaching a different Jesus. Believing in the Lord Jesus for salvation means you also have love and trust in doing as He said for all of us to do.

What He said in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John was not just for the original 11 !!!