Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhoni
Galatians isn't the only book where we are told as Christians/Christ followers to not take back the yoke of the law with its regulations and rules because it makes the grace of God to no effect. This is also contained in Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, and today I read in Colossians Chapter 2:13: When you who were dead in your sins and in the circumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulatians, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authoritities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabboth day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported, and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules; Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility, and their harsh treatment of the body, butt they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
I would like to discuss this issue without name calling, judgments about my character or anyone else's. Let's look together at the word of God. It is too easy when one has no answer to throw stones and someone you consider lesser than yourself. We are all levelled at the foot of the cross.
In God's grip,
Rhoni
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The point in Paul's Letters is often missed by both sides. Paul is not saying "don't do works". He is saying those that say they are justified by the works of the law are fallen from grace. This does not mean you can't keep the law, but it certainly means you don't HAVE to keep the law. However one has to define works. Works is often defined in scriptures as those ordinances under the law. We are told to obey the gospel, but not the law of Moses.
The Gospel message goes behind "Jesus died and rose again", That is a simple gospel statement, but clearly the Apostles elaborated on that.
Doing things or abstaining from things...if those are to be considered works are still things we MUST do AS Christians...not things we MUST do in order to become Christians.
Maintaining salvation? If one is to maintain salvation they are to maintain healthy faith, not a list of dos and don'ts. The dos and don'ts are really more of an indicator of a healthy faith. Yes if you lied you sinned. Not lying is not what saves you..or not sinning is not what saves you. Jesus saves us, by faith IN Jesus. Not sinning can't save you, but sinning willfully without repentance can reverse that, because you are willfully grieving the Spirit of God.
A Person who is walking by faith is grieved with sin and repents. A person who is not saved or on his way to not being saved, does not care anymore and will continue to sin without any thought of repentence