Yes, Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) and we are exhorted to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Believers are no longer slaves of sin, but slaves of righteousness and only genuine believers obey the Lord.
We believe IN HIM by trusting IN HIM for salvation (John 3:18; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31 etc..) and doing what He instructs us afterwards is works and we are saved through faith, not works (Romans 4:4-6; Ephesians 2:8,9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5 etc..). Doing is a manifestation of our belief, not to be confused with belief itself.
Amen! Yet I'm still hearing some double talk in other statements that you make.
Yet you deny him by breaking his commandments to follow the teachings and traditions of man (Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 15:3-9)?
Undeserved indeed and we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
Genuine believers believe the Messiah, yet others, like the unbelieving Jews (Romans 10:1-4) did not believe Him and many people today misinterpret Jesus and believe in law keeping as the means of their salvation, rather than believing/trusting in Jesus Christ as the ALL-sufficient means of their salvation (Romans 1:16; 10:16; 2 Corinthians 4:3,4).
I have not met anyone here that believe or claim they have their salvation by keeping God's Law. Who is saying this to you? If no one is saying this to you and agree that we are not saved by the works of the law then you have no argument. If you have no argument why are you arguing?
1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. BTY the word "keep" is from the Greek word "tereo."
Strong's Concordance
téreó: to watch over, to guard
Original Word: τηρέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: téreó
Phonetic Spelling: (tay-reh'-o)
Short Definition: I keep, guard, observe
Definition: I keep, guard, observe, watch over.
HELPS Word-studies
5083 tēréō (from tēros, "a guard") – properly, maintain (preserve); (figuratively) spiritually guard (watch), keep intact.
The problem is when men turn keeping the commandments into a legalistic prescription for receiving eternal life and define the word "keep" as sinless, perfect obedience to all of His commandments 100% of the time. Then salvation is no longer based on faith in Christ, but is based on the merits of man's performance/works.
Ditto... I have not met anyone here that believe or claim they have their salvation by keeping God's Law. Who is saying this to you? If no one is saying this to you and agree that we are not saved by the works of the law then you have no argument. If you have no argument why are you arguing? Strawmen?
Also, keeping Sabbath day with all it's rules and regulations (Exodus 16:23; 31:12-18; 35:3; Leviticus 23:32; Jeremiah 17:21; 19:30; 23:2-3; Numbers 15:32-36; 28:1-10; 29:39-40; I Chronicles. 23:30-31; II Chronicles 31:2-4; Isaiah 1:13) was part of a covenant with Israel that is not binding on Christians under the New Covenant. (Colossians 2:16,17) Yet there are those who are obsessed with the Sabbath day and basically turn the gospel into "keep the Sabbath day or perish" which is clearly a "different" gospel.
The scriptures you quoted are not binding on Christian as they were part of the Mosaic law but the 4th commandment of God's Law is one of the 10 and is the standard of the Old and New Covenants and the Judgement to come and is indeed binding on all just as all the other commandments (
James 2:8-12).
Did you know that under the Mosaic law (laws of Moses) besides the 4th commandment of the weekly Sabbath there were other New Moon and special annual Sabbaths that could fall on any day of the week? these were also Holy convocations that were connected to the Jewish annual festivals that no work was allowed and meat and drink sin offering's were required as part of these annual fests. This is what Col 2:14-17; Eph 2 and Romans 14 are all referring to.
Let's use the scriptures interpret scripture.............................
These are just a few scriptures liked here:
Yet there are those who are obsessed with the Sabbath day and basically turn the gospel into "keep the Sabbath day or perish" which is clearly a "different" gospel.
Friend not at all. It is our duty of love to help our fellow man enter into God's Kingdom. None living a life of known unrepentant sin will enter into God's Kingdom (
Hebrews 10:26-27; James 2:8-12) You must be born again to love him as he first loved us and love is the fulfilling of God's Law in those who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit of him who loves all (
Romans 8:1-4; 1 John 4:7)
What is the different Gospel?
The different Gospel tries to separate God's Law (10 commandments) from Grace and faith that works by love to produce the fruit of following God's Word (obedience).............
Because it is only through the Law of God (10 commandments) that any of us have a knowledge of what sin is ( 1John 3:4; Rom 3:20; 24 ). If we do away with God's Law we have no knowledge of sin. If we have no knowledge of sin we have no need of a savior. If we have no need of a savior we have no salvation. If we have no salvation we are lost. "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 2:12 ).
God's Law shows us that we are sinners in need of a savior. God's Law was given to us that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God ( Rom 3:19 ). It shows us that we are sinners and cannot save ourselves from this disease that we have within us so that we can by Faith lay hold of the promises of God's Words s o that Jesus can save us from our sins. Jesus did not come to save the righteous (those that think they do not need saving) but sinners (those that know their need of saving) ( Matt 9:12-13; Mark 2:17; Luke 5:32 ) God's Law has always been part of the true Gospel of Christ. The counterfeit Gospel does not have it. God's forever Law (the 10 commandments) is the foundation of both the Ol d and the New Covenant and the very foundation and basis of the true Gospel of Christ. It will be the basis of the judgement where we will all be accountable to God.
The Law of God is the only way of showing us who we truly are, sinners in need of a Saviour and in this condition we can see for the first time Him who loved us and washed us in His own blood and by faith only lay hold of the promises of God’s Word. ( 2Pet 1:4 ) It is here as we believe God that he changes us from living a life of breaking God's Law to a life of walking with him. It is through the operation of God through Love because he firs t loved us that we follow Jesus not for salvation but because of love. Love is the fulfilling of God's Law in us who walk not after the flesh (carnal sinful mind) but after the spirit and why Jesus says to his followers, "If you love me keep the commandments" (John 14:15 ).
People cannot see that this is the operation of God in the believer and assume God's people believe they are saved by their works, when in fact Jesus is saving us from our sins to walk in newness of life in fulfillment of His new Covenant promise (Heb 8:10-12). Gods Sheep hear His Voice salvation is from sin and sin is the transgression of God's Law (1 John 3:4) whosoever is living in sin has neither seen him nor known him (1John 3:6)
Faith works by love and love is the fulfilling of God's Law in those who believe. If your faith does not have the fruit of obedience then you are still in your sins and need to be born of God to love as he first loved us (1 John 3:3-9; James 2:8-12; Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 4:7). Those that are still in their sins have neither seen him or known him (1 John 3:6). Likewise the wolves in sheep's clothing are exposed as it is written; He that says, I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4).
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:7-8).
This includes the 4th commandment which is one of the ten...............
In the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead (Acts 17:30-31).
May God bless you as you seek him through His Word.....