Obedience is not Legalism, it is.....

Who
who
teaches that we can do what we want ,? I mean literally teaches those exact words ?Like literally " you can do what you want ? if that's not what you meant , why did you say it that way ?

Great lets keep it at that .

That isn't enough! Salvation is JUST THE BEGINNING. Believers need to grow and mature in their walk with Jesus! They need to become fruitful members of the family of God. Any branch that does not produce fruit will be pruned, right?

anyway............it is ALL ABOUT Sanctification; which more than a few here do not understand

OBEDIENCE is not LEGALISM

There are far too many people who believe that being obedient to the Commandments of Jesus equates to Leagelism, and/or one trying to do works to receive Salvation. Both of these views are so very wrong.

Obedience is now, always has been, and always will be required by God. To believe that one can live in disobedience to God and still receive eternal life borders on insanity in my opinion.
Far too many Scriptures reveal the Truth that obedience is required by God for any sane person to argue against or ignore. No true believer can live in disobedience to God. Any person who is living in disobedience to God has a serious issue facing them come the day of Judgement.

John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Acts 5:29 - Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

1 Peter 1:14 - As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

John 14:31 - But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

1 John 3:24 - And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Luke 6:46 - And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

John 8:51 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

Romans 2:6
who will render to each person according to his deeds:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

1 Peter 1:17
If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Psalms 62:12
And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord,
For You recompense a man according to his work.

Colossians 3:25
For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

1 Corinthians 3:8
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Given all these Scriptures, it is easy to say "are you not trying to earn salvation through works?" Yes, that is an easy question to ask, but it is asked out of ignorance.

Obedience and good works are NOT to earn Salvation: they are a FRUIT of Salvation. It is because of our Salvation, and adoption into the family of God, and having become heirs of the Promise that we are obedient and seek to do the good works that He HAS PURPOSED us for.

When people understand this, then possibly people can walk in obedience to Jesus/God, and not according to the flesh. And, NO, doing this in the heart won't cut it. Our deeds and words are required to be in obedience to God!
Salvation is just the FIRST STEP in our life with Jesus, not the end. Sanctification and Justification are a process that one must continue to seek throughout their life walk with Jesus. John 3:16 says "believeth" and this is translated to be a "continuous act" of believing. Not a one time thing. This is complimented by the words of Jesus when He said:

Matthew 24:13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

I simply feel sorry for those who believe they only have to repent and confess their sinfilled lives and accept Jesus as Lord of their lives ONE TIME; and, after that, they can just go on living. Believing that they never again have to worry about any sin/disobedience they commit. They will surely be rudely surprised come the day they stand before He who will judge.

Again:
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

OBEDIENCE IS NOT LEGALISM....IT IS LOVE!

WE CAN NOT JUST "LEAVE IT AT THAT"

Ephesians, Chapter 2:
8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This is Biblical Truth! Any who doubt this, do so in error IMO. However, there are people who want "to just leave it at that," and we can not. We can not leave it at that, because this is not the end of this passage of Scripture.

10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Without verse 10, the preceding two are not complete, and that makes them not the complete Truth of Scripture.

I know this because of what the Apostles not only taught; but what they did! How they lived their lives after their salvation. I can not find one of the Apostles who, after their salvation. left it at that. Not one!

PENTECOST:

Acts, Chapter 1:
13) And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. 14) These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

Acts, Chapter 2:
1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5) And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7) And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

And, after this, all the Apostles and all their helpers went forth preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus, and baptizing new believers! God help all of us if they had "just left it at that."

STEPHEN: He surely did not "just leave it at that" did he? Read Acts, Chapter 7:

55) But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. 56) And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of 57) Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58) And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59) And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60) And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

THE APOSTLE PAUL:

We have a greater account of the actions of the Apostle Paul after his salvation than possibly any other Apostle. I can not begin to imagine what state our world would be in had the Apostle Paul, after his conversion/salvation had said: "Ok, now I'm saved by grace through faith, I'll just leave it at that." IMO, we would ALL be lost, with no hope! The Apostle Paul (full of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit) set out on a LIFETIME of obedient service to Jesus/God! I doubt if any here have even come close to accomplishing what Paul did in his obedient service for the Kingdom of God, or brought so many new believers into the family of God! Nor have any here even begun to suffer what the Apostle suffered at the hands of the unbelieving/disobedient sinfilled men who persecuted him for being obedient to Jesus/God.
I remember his last thoughts about his life....

2 Timothy, Chapter 4:
1) I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2) Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5) But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6) For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8) Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

People can hem and haw, and doubt, and deny, but the Truth is that God has called all He has blessed with His saving grace FOR A PURPOSE. And we are charged by Him to fulfill that purpose. We can not do this by saying "let's just leave it at that." It does not work that way in Gods Kingdom. Jesus said He would spew out of His mouth such as these. He also said (and Paul revealed this in his words to Timothy):

Matthew, Chapter 24:
13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Salvation is surely by grace through faith, and that a gift from God! But salvation IS NOT the end of it all! It is ONLY the beginning. This is shown in all that Jesus taught about being born again. Becoming a new creature. Becoming like a little child. A new creature/little child is not full of wisdom and knowledge, or mature in their understanding of things. They "sup on milk" because they are unable to feast on the Truth of the Word of God, and understand it all.

The Apostle Paul also taught this:

1 Corinthians, Chapter 3:
1) And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2) I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Now, people can (if they choose) to deny the need to be obedient to Jesus/God, and to do what He has purposed them to do, and to "run the race, fight the good fight" and to "endure" this life walk with Jesus that we have begin with our salvation, but if they do deny this, they do so at their own peril.

Obedience is key to our sanctification through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. It is He that prepares, teaches and equips us with the tools/faith/understanding and power to be obedient to Jesus/God and do what we were purposed to do. Our acting in obedience to the directions of the Holy Spirit is what sanctifies us. Our belief/faith in Jesus/God is a life long belief, and our service/obedience to Him must be a life long service, just as it was for the Apostle Paul, and the other Apostles. Regardless of the dangers we face, the persecutions we suffer, we must stand fast and KEEP THE FAITH!

Obedience comes naturally as our relationship with him becomes deeper if Jesus is in our heart the law is also written on our heart but love fulfills the whole law this is common knowledge but as simple as this is as I am sure you have seen there are some who love to use grace as an excuse to do as they please and thus if you tell them about obedience they get into attack mode however you also have those who are so into obedience that it becomes their religion

Then there are debates on how to understand grace which I rest in yes I try to be obedient but if I fall I know I am in his love and grace this however seems to be complicated to people who have seen to many full gracers and you cannot explain to them what your saying on the other hand if you are to invested in being without sin as I know several people who believe we can be sinless you are then blind to your own sins and folly

I mean it isn't a hard concept Jesus madfe it pretty simple

To recieve Jesus and the Holy Spirit we do ' leave it at that ' . Any thing else then a person won't recieve Jesus . Christians need to wake up and realise for some its a matter of days before they are killed after receiving Jesus through persecution. They are fully saved . Not on their way. Not partially saved . They don't have part of the Holy Sprit , partial eternal life, partial regeneration etc .

OBEDIENCE is not LEGALISM

There are far too many people who believe that being obedient to the Commandments of Jesus equates to Leagelism, and/or one trying to do works to receive Salvation. Both of these views are so very wrong.

Obedience is now, always has been, and always will be required by God. To believe that one can live in disobedience to God and still receive eternal life borders on insanity in my opinion.
Far too many Scriptures reveal the Truth that obedience is required by God for any sane person to argue against or ignore. No true believer can live in disobedience to God. Any person who is living in disobedience to God has a serious issue facing them come the day of Judgement.

John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Acts 5:29 - Then Peter and the [other] apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

1 Peter 1:14 - As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:

1 John 5:3 - For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

John 14:31 - But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

1 John 3:24 - And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Luke 6:46 - And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

John 8:51 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

Romans 2:6
who will render to each person according to his deeds:

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

1 Peter 1:17
If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Psalms 62:12
And lovingkindness is Yours, O Lord,
For You recompense a man according to his work.

Colossians 3:25
For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

1 Corinthians 3:8
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Given all these Scriptures, it is easy to say "are you not trying to earn salvation through works?" Yes, that is an easy question to ask, but it is asked out of ignorance.

Obedience and good works are NOT to earn Salvation: they are a FRUIT of Salvation. It is because of our Salvation, and adoption into the family of God, and having become heirs of the Promise that we are obedient and seek to do the good works that He HAS PURPOSED us for.

When people understand this, then possibly people can walk in obedience to Jesus/God, and not according to the flesh. And, NO, doing this in the heart won't cut it. Our deeds and words are required to be in obedience to God!
Salvation is just the FIRST STEP in our life with Jesus, not the end. Sanctification and Justification are a process that one must continue to seek throughout their life walk with Jesus. John 3:16 says "believeth" and this is translated to be a "continuous act" of believing. Not a one time thing. This is complimented by the words of Jesus when He said:

Matthew 24:13) But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

I simply feel sorry for those who believe they only have to repent and confess their sinfilled lives and accept Jesus as Lord of their lives ONE TIME; and, after that, they can just go on living. Believing that they never again have to worry about any sin/disobedience they commit. They will surely be rudely surprised come the day they stand before He who will judge.

Again:
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

OBEDIENCE IS NOT LEGALISM....IT IS LOVE!

How come some get to pick and choose?
i didnt have a choice whatsoever in believing. Everything I possess was imputed in me. i couldn't and can't CHOOSE to believe.
Huh???

Did you choose to say that ?

Yes, but I didn't have a choice when God gave me his Spirit

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

You had a choice to listen to the person telling you the Gospel .

Romans 8:13

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Ephesians 5:3-5
3But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.



The next few verses are important. Romans 6: 12-13 tells us that we have a responsibility to obey because of the what God has already done (Rom 6:8-11)...and as the verses above imply we have to put these sins to death (Colossians 3:5).

Romans 6:12-14

12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.


Romans 6:16-19

16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.


God is very clear that he requires obedience from His children..It's not legalism. The flip side of the coin is that God himself has empowered you to do it.

We all need to put to death sin that remains in us. Do you need to daily work at that Yes, yes and Yes. Please remember what I said above -God's children need to obey - that's the clue. I am not referring here to works righteousness. As I am/we are already Declared righteouss (Romans 5:1) and adopted as Sons an heirs (Eph 1:5; Romans 8:17).

And just to push one point further I am not advocating legalism... If your delight and joy is in the Lord and His will then you will be obedient. Read my signature below.