The reason why Christ came and died was because before he came the Israelites were sinning a lot and broke the old covenant with god. So Christ came and died to wash away their passed sins and make a new covenant with Israel and god. Christ never died so you can continue in sin, that's why Paul said this, Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.
1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Christ said keep the commandments all over the new testament, And now we know what sin is let's not transgress it.
The Bible says this...
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but
sin is not imputed when there is no law.
Rom 5:14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
Clearly sin can be more than simply a transgression of the Law of Moses for sin reigned from Adam to Moses BEFORE the Law was given and this sin is described as "not after the similitude of Adam's transgression."
Adam's transgression was they he disobeyed a direct commandment of God.
When Cain sinned by murdering his brother was he disobeying a direct commandment of God? Did God command Cain "thou shalt not kill" ?
Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Gen 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
I don't think so. I think Cain had the "light of conscience" and thus new to "doest well" but he didn't rule over the sin that lay at the door and thus yielded to temptation and transgressed.
Paul writes...
Rom 2:6
Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11 For
there is no respect of persons with God.
Rom 2:12 For
as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but
the doers of the law shall be justified.
Rom 2:14 For when
the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
Rom 2:16
In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
The "righteousness of the law" is written upon the hearts of men and this law is made manifest to all people via the "light of conscience." This is why we have no excuse and why God will judge the secrets of men. God looks at the HEART.
The condemnation spoken of in the Bible is the "rejection of light."
Joh 3:19 And
this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20 For
every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
Joh 3:21 But
he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Doing evil is clearly to turn away from the light.
Here is another passage, written by Paul, which sheds light on mind of God in regards to unrighteousness...
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because
they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And
for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
You see it is not about obedience to the "letter of the law." It is about obedience to righteousness...
Rom 2:7 To them who
by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them
that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon
every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace,
to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11 For
there is no respect of persons with God.
This is why Paul preached FAITH as opposed to LAW KEEPING.
Rom 3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one
God, which shall justify the circumcision
by faith, and uncircumcision
through faith.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Does faith void the law? NO! It establishes the law. Does faith establish "the letter of the law" or does it establish "the spirit of the law"? Let's examine that.
Rom 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Rom 4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Here Paul is quoting David...
Psa 32:1 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Psa 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and
in whose spirit there is no guile.
Why does David speakof a "spirit without guile" and connect it to "not having iniquity imputed"? It's because David understood the root of sin and the basis of justification. David understood this...
Psa 32:5
I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Which is a parallel to this...
Pro 28:13
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
David did not hide his sin. He confessed it and forsook it and received forgiveness. Thus David did this...
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But
if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Hence...
Psa 51:2
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For
I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6 Behold,
thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Psa 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psa 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psa 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Which is why he wrote...
Psa 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
Psa 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psa 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Psa 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Psa 32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Psa 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice,
ye righteous: and shout for joy,
all ye that are upright in heart.
The issue is the HEART. Again I quote...
Rom 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law,
do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
Which is why...
2Co 3:7 But if
the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
2Co 3:8
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
2Co 3:9 For
if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth
the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
2Co 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2Co 3:11 For
if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
2Co 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
2Co 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face,
that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2Co 3:14 But
their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
That which is abolished? The vail which is done away in Christ? Surely a parallel to...
Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren,
ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead,
that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
Rom 7:6 But
now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
Which is why...
Gal 5:18 But
if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
When Jesus said "keep the commandments" it is within the context of...
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
We know this is true because Jesus taught...
Mat_23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Mat 12:2 But when
the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
Mat 12:3 But he said unto them,
Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
Mat 12:4
How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
Mat 12:5
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
Mat 12:6 But
I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:7 But
if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Mat 12:8 For
the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
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.
Which Paul clearly understood...
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore
love is the fulfilling of the law.
Rom 3:31
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Now I have a question for you.
If love is the fulfilling of the law (Rom 13:10) and we walk by a faith that works by love (Gal 5:6) and if we dead to the law by the body of Christ (Rom 7:4) whereby we serve God in newness of spirit (Rom 7:6) where being led we are not under the law (Gal 5:18) why is it that people like you promote "keeping the letter" yet
never seem to speak of "walking after the Spirit"? Maybe you do speak of that and I missed it as I only briefly perused your writings.
I went to this page...
http://christianchat.com/search.php?searchid=193042
I see a lot written about paganism, sunday worship versus Sabbath keeping, obey the commandments etc. Yet I see not a single mention of a "faith that works by love" or how "faith establishes the law" or how "those who walk after the Spirit are not under the law" or that "love fulfills the law."
Perhaps there is a veil upon your heart?
2Co 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.