The ten commandments

[Jacob]

It is sad to see that even in churches there are many people who
believe that the way to reach heaven is through keeping the ten
commandments. Some say it openly, and others sort of assume at the back
of their mind that the standard of behaviour taught through the ten
commandments will ensure them a place in heaven. Of course this
standard is higher than that of many people in the world today. But
that is not the basis on which God decides whether we qualify for
heaven.

Behind this assumption is the notion that entry into heaven is based on
our behaviour (or performance). The new testament refers to it as
salvation by 'works' in contrast to salvation by grace through faith
(Ep.2:8,9). The Bible makes it very clear that no one can be saved
through works (Ro.3:20). None of us can get into heaven by being good
enough because all of us have sinned (Ro.3:23).

On the top of that, Jesus came and made it clear that God's standards
are actually much higher than the ten commandments. If we think we
haven't killed anyone, Jesus says that even getting angry with someone
is serious enough to deserve hell (Mt.5:21,22). If we look down on
adulterers Jesus points out that looking at a woman with desire is
essentially the same (Mt.5:27,28). If we get the trend and look at each
of the rest of the ten commandments we will see that the real standards
of God are much higher than the ten commandments. So much for trying to
keep the commandments and get to heaven.

So where is the man who thinks he has kept all the commandments? Liar!
(1Jn.1:8,10).

God's way of salvation has been designed in such a way that no one will
be able to boast before Him (1Co.1:27-29). On the contrary we are
accepted when we go to God as sinners deserving no mercy. With no good
works or performance record to earn our way, when we go there casting
ourselves before His mercy, He receives us warmly! He tells us that our
sins have been punished in full, when they were laid on Jesus as He
hung on the cross (Ro.5:8). This is grace.

Why is it difficult for us to let go of our sense of righteousness and
cling to God's mercy? We think we are not like those people, and we
think we deserve some recognition for our faithfulness, self-denial,
etc. We can't bear to think that we are considered 'equal' to all those
filthy sinners!

Can we imagine how sinful we would appear to a holy God who cannot even
bear to look at sin? (Job.15:15). Remember how God turned His face away
when Jesus hung on the cross with our sins upon Him? (Mt.27:46). When
Jesus died all those sins were paid for, and He rose from the dead
without those sins on Him any more. God now looks at us who have been
washed through faith in Jesus just as though we had not sinned. This is
acceptance, by grace, through faith.

Let us never forget the basis of our acceptance with God and not get
confused with keeping commandments or any other good works.

http://www.c-n-c.org

[l***@hotmail.com]

Post by Jacob
It is sad to see that even in churches there are many people who
believe that the way to reach heaven is through keeping the ten
commandments.

Yes, it is a heresy to allign merit with grace. However, on cannot
be truly saved unless one has first, through the knowledge of and
failure to keep, the commandments of God. I think a greater failure
of the Church in this generation is that it has made salvation too
easy. Often there is no recognition, let alone acknowledgement of,
sin. After all, it is that which accounts for our need of "saving."
We
are being saved from the righteous wrath of God, not for no reason,
but by the reason that we are sinners by action and by nature. The
repentance of sin is the first cognizant step in coming to God. We
must first turn away from in order to turn toward.

[Jacob]

Yes, there is need to recognize first of all that we have sinned and
have been disobedient to His commandments. There is very little
preaching these days about sin and repentance, I agree. There are also
rewards, even though we don't want to keep the commandments for the
sake of getting rewards but because we love Jesus.

But what I have posted is only one side of the truth. When we write
something like this, it becomes necessary to focus on one thing at a
time for the idea to get across. If we try to balance it all in a
theological sense it may be that the point we are trying to convey gets
buried in the process.

Jacob

[Gordon]

Post by Jacob
It is sad to see that even in churches there are many people who
believe that the way to reach heaven is through keeping the ten
commandments. Some say it openly, and others sort of assume at the back
of their mind that the standard of behaviour taught through the ten
commandments will ensure them a place in heaven. Of course this
standard is higher than that of many people in the world today. But
that is not the basis on which God decides whether we qualify for
heaven.
Behind this assumption is the notion that entry into heaven is based on
our behaviour (or performance). The new testament refers to it as
salvation by 'works' in contrast to salvation by grace through faith

...

Post by Jacob
On the top of that, Jesus came and made it clear that God's standards
are actually much higher than the ten commandments. If we think we

...

Post by Jacob
So where is the man who thinks he has kept all the commandments? Liar!
(1Jn.1:8,10).

...

Post by Jacob
Why is it difficult for us to let go of our sense of righteousness and
cling to God's mercy? We think we are not like those people, and we

...

But, there is that other incentive...rewards. When Jesus returns
in all the glory of the Father He will bring his rewards with him
and everyone will be rewarded according to their WORKS. And it
seems rational to conclude that the quality of our WORKS is
closely related to the extent to which we keep His commandments.

There will be a social gradient in Heaven. Some who are called
great on earth will be least in Heaven and some who are called
least on earth will be great in Heaven.

So, those who will be content with salvation and social stature
at the lowest level can go ahead and skip over the works here in
this life.

Gordon

[Carol]

Post by Gordon
But, there is that other incentive...rewards. When Jesus returns
in all the glory of the Father He will bring his rewards with him
and everyone will be rewarded according to their WORKS. And it
seems rational to conclude that the quality of our WORKS is
closely related to the extent to which we keep His commandments.

But what commandments was Jesus talking about? His commandments -
spoken to His people today as they have been from the beginning of
this world. If you do not have a commandment spoken to you by Christ,
then you have nothing to cast faith in, nothing to obey and no works
that will please God.

Don't His sheep hear His voice? Aren't the sons of God led by the
Spirit of God? What were Abraham's works? Weren't they simply to hear
and to follow God as a friend? Has God changed? No. Is Abraham STILL
the father of true faith? Yes! Why? Because he was a friend of God's.
Wasn't Jesus Christ spoken of as "the Lamb slain at the foundation of
the world"? Yep! There is one salvation today, there has always been
one salvation from Abel onward until God is done with this world and
it all burns.

That salvation is that God loved us enough to separate a portion of
Himself to die for us. That paid for the sin of Adam. Our sin today is
that we despise the blood of Jesus Christ. We go around looking for
other ways to be made safe from the wrath of God, because we hate Him.
Heh, we cannot love Him unless He gives us that love to start with. We
cannot even see Him unless He opens our eyes. We cannot hear Him
unless He opens our ears and softens our hearts. Without His works, we
are sinners, entirely separate from God, found in union with the
prince of this world and fully deserving the wrath of God.

I know that when Christ first spoke to me, I was in that state. And,
if I am not in that state today, it is by the mercy of God, because I
am sure nothing special. At times I am able, because God has made it
possible, to hear and to obey God and it is wonderful to sit with Him
in fellowship. At other times, I struggle for that place and ask the
Lord to make me nothing, so that He can create a new person within me.
Well, I could go on and on, but this is long already. :)

~ Carol

[l***@hotmail.com]

Post by Carol
I know that when Christ first spoke to me, I was in that state. And,
if I am not in that state today, it is by the mercy of God, because I
am sure nothing special. At times I am able, because God has made it
possible, to hear and to obey God and it is wonderful to sit with Him
in fellowship. At other times, I struggle for that place and ask the
Lord to make me nothing, so that He can create a new person within me.
Well, I could go on and on, but this is long already. :)

You are an illustration why Paul told the women to go home and be
instructed by their husbands.

2 Cor. 11:3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his
craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and
purity of devotion to Christ.