Thank you Blade for remaining civil, allowing for proper and mature discussion. You have brought up a very important point to be made. I am often accused of believing and teaching a "works based salvation". Which is COMPLETELY FALSE! The Bible is explicit in Ephesians 2:8 that Salvation is by faith alone in The Messiah, not of works. In fact if I were to teach that it was my own good works that save me then that would be self-righteousness and not the righteousness of Christ, that is the righteousness of the law, being that Jesus was sinless. That same self-righteousness is seen as nothing than a "dirty rag"(Menstrual rag) in the sight of The Holy Father.
Let me make it as clear as possible, with scripture.
We are saved by grace through faith, not of our works so that anyone may boast of their own righteous deeds. (Eph 2:8-10)
After salvation comes training in righteousness, resulting in good works.(James 2:14-26; 2 Timothy 3:16)
Good works are the fruit of one that has salvation.
We don't stop sinning to be saved, we stop sinning because we are saved.
I don't keep the law to earn God's favor, I keep the law because I have HIS favor.( John 14:26)
I don't *HAVE* to, I *GET* to honor the Father's commandments. (1 John 39)
The Messiah, Yeshua(Jesus), had this to say when it came to keeping the commandments:
"If you love Me, keep my commandments." - John 14:15
I keep the commandments/instructions/law of God because I love HIM.
Now there are those who say Jesus is referring to His own 2 laws/comandments: 1. Love the LORD your GOD with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength. 2. Love you neighbor as yourself.
See Matthew 22:37 and Luke 10:27
They are teaching that Jesus brought His own doctrine, which directly contradicts what He said in John 7:16
"
Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me."
Jesus did not come to bring His own new doctrine, but His Father's.
Jesus is quoting His Father's Doctrine in Matthew 22 and Luke 10, He is quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5
Matthew 22:40 "The Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments"
What is Jesus saying? Not that these are the only commandments that matter, but that the entire law is based on 2 things: Loving GOD and Loving your neighbor.
If you love your neighbor you won't murder him, steal from him, sleep with his wife, lie to him etc.
Just the same, if you love GOD you will honor HIS commandments, "For this is the love GOD that you would keep HIS commandments." As this is the whole duty of man. (1 John 5:3 ; Ecclesiastes 12:13)
Hi Redeemed2015:
You said: "Over the past 4 years I have made dramatic changes to my life in order to match scripture and what God has commanded me to do in HIS word. I accept HIS Truth over my own falsehood. As a result I now keep the Levitical Dietary Instructions, keep the Sabbath, and Keep the Feasts,as well as all other Biblical Commandments by which I am obligated to obey. Why? Because God has commanded HIS people to do so."
And Then You Said: No, I have not. I encountered the love of the Father through HIS son the Messiah, Yeshua(Jesus) by realizing my sin against HIM and repenting. I love HIM because HE first loved me.
Yet, it is my understanding of the Bible that once you accept Jesus Christ as your savior and receive the Holy Spirit and keep up your continuing repentance of your sins (unless you are as sin free as Jesus Christ) there is nothing else that is a pre-requisite for getting into heaven.
Now, before I have a lot of people taking pokes at me, let me say this:
If you want to keep the " Levitical Dietary Instructions", "keep the Sabbath","Keep the Feasts", "Immersion Baptism" in your life there is no problem as long as you do not make it a necessity to get to heaven. To me that would calling Jesus Christ a liar.
John 11:26 KJV “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
For when you accept Jesus Christ, you get a part of him (Holy Spirit) to share your mortal body with you.
I think you will find in all cases (if your heart heart and soul has truly accepted Jesus Christ), you will be able to "live in Christ" as well.