I think I'm on to something...but I do need some help...
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Correct. He did say that we are to love ALL people. He also told us to follow the ten commandments. Why is that so hard to do? Why NOT follow them? Why not hold ourselves to a higher moral standard out of the love for our creator?
The way it was described to me was do a little each day. Do what you can and do it out of ove for God, not out of obligation. I absolutly believe we need to take God seriously because he was serious about us on the cross. If obeying the ten commandments is Gods love language then so be it! If doing x, y, and z is the best way for me to show Gpd I love him then I'll do it. God plainly outlines how we are to love him but mainstream christianity has watered this down
The way it was described to me was do a little each day. Do what you can and do it out of ove for God, not out of obligation. I absolutly believe we need to take God seriously because he was serious about us on the cross. If obeying the ten commandments is Gods love language then so be it! If doing x, y, and z is the best way for me to show Gpd I love him then I'll do it. God plainly outlines how we are to love him but mainstream christianity has watered this down
Some notes I took from a friend's sermon.........
The 10 Commandments as a Promise of New Possibilities.
It must have been a strange feeling for Moses to return to the place where God had spoken to him out of the burning bush. On his first visit, a flock of sheep had surrounded him. Now, two million people surrounded him. God called him back up Mount Sinai to give him the commandments by which His people are to live. The Law of God was never a ladder for unsaved people to climb to heaven. It was always a pattern of life for God's people who had been saved from judgment by the blood of the Lamb.
A New Dimension of God's Grace
God was not saying, "I'm giving you these commandments, so that by keeping them you may become My people." He was saying, "I am giving you these commandments because you are My people." The message of the Law to us today is NOT that we must keep the laws in order to be saved, but rather that, because we are saved, we should keep these laws. The Law tells us how people who belong to God ought to live.
This is important, because some people have the idea that the Old Testament is a book of law, and the New Testament is a book of grace, and that the OT has nothing to do with us because we're not under law, we're under grace. That is a complete misunderstanding of the Bible. The whole Bible is a book of grace. God has one plan from beginning to end, and it all fits together. God promised a Redeemer on the very day that sin entered the world. God has always saved His people by grace and through faith. We've seen this in the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, and the Exodus. There is one God, and there is one story.
Get a Glimpse of the Glory of God
In the NT, sin is defined as "fall(ing) short of the glory of God" and as "break(ing) the law" (Rom.3:23; 1 John 3:4). Put these two truths together, and we make an interesting discovery. The Law is an expression of God's glory. Every one of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:3-17) reflects some aspect of the character of God. When God declared, "You shall have no other gods before me" (v. 3), it was because: He is the only God. There is no one like Him. He said not to misuse His name because: His Name is above every name. The reason we should honor our father and mother is that: all fatherhood derives from God, and all authority, even within family life, derives from Him. Why should we not commit adultery? Because God is faithful. Why should we not steal? Because God is trustworthy. Why should we not lie? Because God is truth. Why should we not covet? Because God is at peace, and content in Himself.
The Ten Commandments are not an arbitrary set of rules. They are a direct reflection of the character of God. So as you think and meditate about the Law, let it lead you to worship and to the realization that the greatest challenge for God's people is to reflect God's character in the world. When we obey His law, we reflect something of His glory.
The Greatest Battles of Your Heart
A second reason for God giving these Ten Commandments is that they speak to the ten most significant struggles of human experience. Parents know all about this. They always give rules to their children to target areas of struggle. They give instructions like, "Eat your dinner!" or "Do your homework!" or "Clean your room!"… to help kids overcome their struggles. When God gave the Ten Commandments, He spoke directly to the primary struggles that all of us experience. Take a moment to read Exodus 20:3-17. These are the battle of our lives, are they not? The Law is like a light. It shines into our souls, and when we look at what God says to us, we have to admit that He is speaking directly to the primary battles of our own heart. This should drive us to God like nothing else.
The apostle Paul wrote that the Law is a good thing, just like X-rays are a good thing - even if they may bring us bad news. Through the Law of God, I discover that I'm a person who finds it difficult to let God be God, and I am a person who is naturally more interested in myself than in the interests of other people. The Law announces my need of Jesus Christ.
The Law is like a teacher to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). When you learn what the Law has to teach, you will, if you've learned the lesson properly, come to Jesus Christ. if the Law does not bring you to Jesus, then you have missed the greatest purpose God intended for it. This is the point of Jesus' statement to the Pharisees, "You diligently study the Scriptures...yet you refuse to come to me" (John 5:39-40). The first reason you need Jesus Christ is NOT that you'll have richer, fuller, and more satisfying life. It is that you are a sinner in nature and practice, and the X-ray of God's Law shows it, even if you feel no pain!
Laying Track for the Train
God's ultimate purpose is to restore in us the true refection of His glory. Since God's glory is expressed in His Law. That means that the purpose of the gospel is to bring us to the position where we begin to live according to the Law of God. This transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit, and is spoken of in the Old and New Testament. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you... I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
The Law of God is like the rails for a train. The rails give direction, but the train will not go anywhere unless there is power in the engine. It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to give God's people power to move in the direction that is laid out in God's law. The Christian life is not a matter of believing in Jesus and then trying your best to live according to God's Law. The Holy Spirit resides in your life and He will make the difference between a battle in which you are destined for defeat, and a battle in which there will be ultimate victory.
Delighting in the Law
If you have understood the Law of God, it should cause you to fall down in worship, because the Law shows us who God is and what He is like. It will make you cling to Jesus Christ because you will be absolutely clear about why you need Him. It gives you direction for a new life in the power of the Holy Spirit that is no longer a list of impossible demands, but a description of new possibilities!
The 10 Commandments as a Promise of New Possibilities.
It must have been a strange feeling for Moses to return to the place where God had spoken to him out of the burning bush. On his first visit, a flock of sheep had surrounded him. Now, two million people surrounded him. God called him back up Mount Sinai to give him the commandments by which His people are to live. The Law of God was never a ladder for unsaved people to climb to heaven. It was always a pattern of life for God's people who had been saved from judgment by the blood of the Lamb.
A New Dimension of God's Grace
God was not saying, "I'm giving you these commandments, so that by keeping them you may become My people." He was saying, "I am giving you these commandments because you are My people." The message of the Law to us today is NOT that we must keep the laws in order to be saved, but rather that, because we are saved, we should keep these laws. The Law tells us how people who belong to God ought to live.
This is important, because some people have the idea that the Old Testament is a book of law, and the New Testament is a book of grace, and that the OT has nothing to do with us because we're not under law, we're under grace. That is a complete misunderstanding of the Bible. The whole Bible is a book of grace. God has one plan from beginning to end, and it all fits together. God promised a Redeemer on the very day that sin entered the world. God has always saved His people by grace and through faith. We've seen this in the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah, and the Exodus. There is one God, and there is one story.
Get a Glimpse of the Glory of God
In the NT, sin is defined as "fall(ing) short of the glory of God" and as "break(ing) the law" (Rom.3:23; 1 John 3:4). Put these two truths together, and we make an interesting discovery. The Law is an expression of God's glory. Every one of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:3-17) reflects some aspect of the character of God. When God declared, "You shall have no other gods before me" (v. 3), it was because: He is the only God. There is no one like Him. He said not to misuse His name because: His Name is above every name. The reason we should honor our father and mother is that: all fatherhood derives from God, and all authority, even within family life, derives from Him. Why should we not commit adultery? Because God is faithful. Why should we not steal? Because God is trustworthy. Why should we not lie? Because God is truth. Why should we not covet? Because God is at peace, and content in Himself.
The Ten Commandments are not an arbitrary set of rules. They are a direct reflection of the character of God. So as you think and meditate about the Law, let it lead you to worship and to the realization that the greatest challenge for God's people is to reflect God's character in the world. When we obey His law, we reflect something of His glory.
The Greatest Battles of Your Heart
A second reason for God giving these Ten Commandments is that they speak to the ten most significant struggles of human experience. Parents know all about this. They always give rules to their children to target areas of struggle. They give instructions like, "Eat your dinner!" or "Do your homework!" or "Clean your room!"… to help kids overcome their struggles. When God gave the Ten Commandments, He spoke directly to the primary struggles that all of us experience. Take a moment to read Exodus 20:3-17. These are the battle of our lives, are they not? The Law is like a light. It shines into our souls, and when we look at what God says to us, we have to admit that He is speaking directly to the primary battles of our own heart. This should drive us to God like nothing else.
The apostle Paul wrote that the Law is a good thing, just like X-rays are a good thing - even if they may bring us bad news. Through the Law of God, I discover that I'm a person who finds it difficult to let God be God, and I am a person who is naturally more interested in myself than in the interests of other people. The Law announces my need of Jesus Christ.
The Law is like a teacher to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). When you learn what the Law has to teach, you will, if you've learned the lesson properly, come to Jesus Christ. if the Law does not bring you to Jesus, then you have missed the greatest purpose God intended for it. This is the point of Jesus' statement to the Pharisees, "You diligently study the Scriptures...yet you refuse to come to me" (John 5:39-40). The first reason you need Jesus Christ is NOT that you'll have richer, fuller, and more satisfying life. It is that you are a sinner in nature and practice, and the X-ray of God's Law shows it, even if you feel no pain!
Laying Track for the Train
God's ultimate purpose is to restore in us the true refection of His glory. Since God's glory is expressed in His Law. That means that the purpose of the gospel is to bring us to the position where we begin to live according to the Law of God. This transformation is the work of the Holy Spirit, and is spoken of in the Old and New Testament. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you... I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
The Law of God is like the rails for a train. The rails give direction, but the train will not go anywhere unless there is power in the engine. It is the special work of the Holy Spirit to give God's people power to move in the direction that is laid out in God's law. The Christian life is not a matter of believing in Jesus and then trying your best to live according to God's Law. The Holy Spirit resides in your life and He will make the difference between a battle in which you are destined for defeat, and a battle in which there will be ultimate victory.
Delighting in the Law
If you have understood the Law of God, it should cause you to fall down in worship, because the Law shows us who God is and what He is like. It will make you cling to Jesus Christ because you will be absolutely clear about why you need Him. It gives you direction for a new life in the power of the Holy Spirit that is no longer a list of impossible demands, but a description of new possibilities!
You are using the words, but I feel you still don't get it.
No, we are NEVER going to be able to truly keep the Commandments. Never. So, if keeping them is what is going to ensure us Salvation, it stands to reason that we will NEVER be saved by that criteria.
There is something else that "saves" us. What do you suppose that is?
No, we are NEVER going to be able to truly keep the Commandments. Never. So, if keeping them is what is going to ensure us Salvation, it stands to reason that we will NEVER be saved by that criteria.
There is something else that "saves" us. What do you suppose that is?
B
Just a little at a few people. Not you. It seems that on this site if someone is "feast" observant, there are a select few who act as that's condemnable and attempt to sway the "observer's" train of thought on the subject. And it get's annoying after a while. If someone is lerning something and it's helping their walk, then I would assume as believers we should be supportive, as long as it's not contradicting scripture. Following/observing the feasts does not contrradict scripture.
You do know the Ten Commandments are what Paul termed the ministry of death don't you? 2Cor3:7 The only law written on stone was the Ten Commandments. When Paul tried to keep the Ten Commandments in order to attain Heaven he simply became a worse sinner(Rom7:7-11)
A christian has within them the law God desires them to keep, it is placed in their most inward parts. Could I keep the Ten Commandments? No! I found what Paul did. The tenth one condemned me.
The strange thing is though, when you accept Christ is your only right standing before the Father, not trying to obey the law, you end up sinning less. However, most refuse to accept it:
For sin shall not be your master, for you are not under law(of righteousness) but under grace(through faith in Christ) Rom6:14
A christian has within them the law God desires them to keep, it is placed in their most inward parts. Could I keep the Ten Commandments? No! I found what Paul did. The tenth one condemned me.
The strange thing is though, when you accept Christ is your only right standing before the Father, not trying to obey the law, you end up sinning less. However, most refuse to accept it:
For sin shall not be your master, for you are not under law(of righteousness) but under grace(through faith in Christ) Rom6:14
The answer is growing in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The answer is and always will be in Christ!
Prayer is a good thing as we get to talk with our Lord about everything but prayer by itself is not the answer as a lot of religions "pray"..... I love to pray! Prayer is wonderful and we GET to do it constantly! I like the way brother Andrew talks about "practicing the presence of God "...
You are in good hands JF!
The answer is and always will be in Christ!
Prayer is a good thing as we get to talk with our Lord about everything but prayer by itself is not the answer as a lot of religions "pray"..... I love to pray! Prayer is wonderful and we GET to do it constantly! I like the way brother Andrew talks about "practicing the presence of God "...
You are in good hands JF!
As *James57* alluded to, concentrating on NOT sinning honestly does have us sinning even more. This is a fact taught in motorcycle riding courses.... Do not look at where you DON"T want to go (i.e. the guard railing in a curve), but rather, look at where you want to go..... a point down the road, on through the end of the curve. The Bible puts it this way: "Keep your eyes on Jesus, not looking back, nor to the right or to the left." (paraphrased a bit)
So I found something interesting and I took some notes on it.
-God did not abolish the old covenant, he altered it. (Hebrews 8:6)
-Hebrews 8:8-9
-Hebrews 8:10
-old covenant: external
-new covenant: internal
-in our hearts and minds
Ezekiel 36:26-27
-Gods spirit enables his people to obey his laws
People who do not have the spirit cannot obey God wholeheartidly.
-Romans 8:7-8
The old covenant and new covenant differ.
-Romans 8:3-4
-1 John 3:4
-Jeremiah 31:33
-Ezekiel 36:26
Jeremiah 31:33-34 is often misunderstood as a promise of religion without law but what is actually promised is a sincere desire to determination on the part of Gods people to obey the law already given
~http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/the-ten-commandments/does-the-new-covenant-abolish-the-commandments
That is where I am getting my notes from.
-God did not abolish the old covenant, he altered it. (Hebrews 8:6)
-Hebrews 8:8-9
-Hebrews 8:10
-old covenant: external
-new covenant: internal
-in our hearts and minds
Ezekiel 36:26-27
-Gods spirit enables his people to obey his laws
People who do not have the spirit cannot obey God wholeheartidly.
-Romans 8:7-8
The old covenant and new covenant differ.
-Romans 8:3-4
-1 John 3:4
-Jeremiah 31:33
-Ezekiel 36:26
Jeremiah 31:33-34 is often misunderstood as a promise of religion without law but what is actually promised is a sincere desire to determination on the part of Gods people to obey the law already given
~http://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/the-ten-commandments/does-the-new-covenant-abolish-the-commandments
That is where I am getting my notes from.
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Jeremiah 31:33&34 is great, Heb 10:15-18 speaks of the same thing.
God transferred the law he wants you to keep from an external law to an internal law, placed on your heart and mind. So now you in your heart want to obey him, whereas the Israelites under the old covenant mostly did not. Because the law got placed on your heart and mind, you get the other part of the covenant
Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more
But many want to go back to looking to the external literal letter:
And no one after drinking the old wine wants the new, for they say ''the old is better'' Luke5:39
God transferred the law he wants you to keep from an external law to an internal law, placed on your heart and mind. So now you in your heart want to obey him, whereas the Israelites under the old covenant mostly did not. Because the law got placed on your heart and mind, you get the other part of the covenant
Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more
But many want to go back to looking to the external literal letter:
And no one after drinking the old wine wants the new, for they say ''the old is better'' Luke5:39
L
You are so focused on the Law that you don't seem to care about a relationship with Jesus. In the Old Covenant people didn't have a relationship with God, they served God. Yes individuals like Daniel prayed daily and did things to try and become close to God. With Jesus we don't have to do works to become close to God. The HS lives inside Christians and allows us to have constant contact with the Lord.
I think it is great that you want to get closer to some Jewish customs, but that is all they are. If we have the love of Christ in us then we will know we shouldn't kill people, lie, commit adultery, etc... We should be disgusted by these things because the HS is disgusted by these things. I don't need the Old Covenant to tell me what is right or wrong, HS does that for me.
I think it is great that you want to get closer to some Jewish customs, but that is all they are. If we have the love of Christ in us then we will know we shouldn't kill people, lie, commit adultery, etc... We should be disgusted by these things because the HS is disgusted by these things. I don't need the Old Covenant to tell me what is right or wrong, HS does that for me.
B
Put the feasts like this.
God set up these appointed times for one to come and meet with God.
That's what Israel did.
They went to these appointed times.
Similar to what we do with birthdays.
A birthday is an appointed time to celebrate ones birth, and by this usually friends and family come together and celebrate.
The feasts IMO are similar to this with Israel, so actually yes there is a relationship between God and His people.
If one understands the language used when God gave Moses the law to give to Israel, it's a love language of a marriage covenant. That's what the law/Torah is, it's a marriage covenant (God said if you follow these commands, I'll be your God and you'll be my people).
So how can God make a marriage covenant and not have relationship?
If you can explain that to me I'll believe that there was no relationship between God and Israel.
I didn't observe the feasts, nor did my parents up until about 8-7 years ago.
In observance of the feasts there is a lot that can be learned, and these days are truely blessed days that I have experienced the HS's presence, and it's help me and my family closer in our relationship with God. There's nothing wrong with observing the feasts at all.