Hi Alex. Good to hear from you again. First of all, I would like to apologize for my misreading your “is it futile to want to try and live by the Laws and Commands that we were given?” You asked a question and I mistakenly took it as a statement. Nevertheless, the answer remains the same, Yes, it is futile to want to try and live by the laws and the commands that we are given. If any of us were able to keep all the commandments (Ten Commandments) 100% for every single day of our lives, we would have had no need for Christ. Christ could never and can never fulfill the law for those who claim to keep the Ten Commandments 100% every single day, hour, minute, and second of their lives. Imagine you having been caught speeding in a zone that says 80 while you sped along at 100. The officer stops you and gives writes out a ticket for speeding. You decide not to pay and consequently, you are summoned to appear in court. In court, you argue that in the past you have always obeyed the law and that this was the very first time you disobeyed it. What do you think the judge would say? Well, he would say that all the times you obeyed in the past do not make up for or nullify your one-time disobedience. The law is the law and you must pay up, or go to jail.

In your comment, you mentioned five of the ten laws. What about the others? What about “Thou shalt not commit adultery?” You may never have literally committed adultery in your life, but do take serious cognizance of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28). You see, our core problem is the heart which the Bible says is “deceitful above all things and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We do not even know our own hearts. Even our best works (for trying to live by the Laws and Commands) are as filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6). The word for filthy is “ayd” and means “the menstrual flux (as periodical); by implication (in plural) soiling: – filthy.) We do not have the means, the power, or even the effort to live by the Laws and Commands. I think this is enough for now. I will answer, God willing, your pork-abstinence for your health’s sake later. God bless.

I’m so bad at using these comment sections. So please forgive my boomer-ness. 😄

I believe I may have misspoken once or twice in my original point/comment.
When I said that I felt that I had faith in my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…what I was meaning to say is that I feel Him in me and that I have faith in Him! I have complete faith in Him! Again forgive my lack of eloquence when it comes to word choice. 😊

Firstly I’d like to point out that you quoted me as saying “it is futile…” I didn’t say this. I posed a question, not a statement. I asked, “Is it futile…?” And I would agree with trying to abide and live by all of the 613 laws given in the Old Testament but are you saying that we aren’t still expected to live by the 10 Commandments? One would imagine that we are to still live by those…!? Not to worship false gods, love thy neighbour, do not kill, do not steal, do not covet etc. These may seem obvious to most but you did mention commands in your reply. I just want to be certain about what we are discussing.

Secondly, I would say that the single most important thing to me is my faith in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for me (us) on the cross and nothing will ever supercede this. Ever! So would the fact that I gave up Pork (didn’t really give up other unclean foods as didn’t really eat many others) be an insult to the Lord? It definitely was not done for this reason, or with this intent. I only did it as I genuinely thought it was what was good to do. I’ve done it for long enough now that I doubt I’d be that inclined to eat it again. I mainly only eat fish, chicken and turkey now with pulses, rice etc. Well that and fruit and veg. (I mainly changed these eating habits to not only look after my heart health but believed it was a good thing to eat similarly to the early Christians. Not because the food was clean or unclean, mainly for health reasons.) 😊 I certainly didn’t do it for “kosher” reasons.
Maybe in hindsight it was the wrong thing, but I genuinely didn’t realise that at the time. I’ve only properly come to my faith in Christ since, maaaaybe April this year. I’m still learning so I hope the Lord will forgive me for misinterpreting the scriptures as I read them. My trust and faith is most definitely in Him, works and laws have never come before Him that I can think of and if they have I have every intention to change this!!

The more I research and study, the more I think/believe you’re right and that I’m possibly being deceived…I don’t know if the person in question is doing it intentionally or not however. 😔

But I am grateful, thank you. I also hope that I’ve put this message on your page correctly. If not please guide me how to reply correctly. 😄

P.S. I really do find this a little clunky to use, although it could just be my clunky old brain. 😂 Also if it’s easier you’ll find me on good ol’ Facebook under this same name if it’s easier/faster to converse there.

Hi Alex. Thank you for your comment. The best way to gain a better understanding is to read Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Here he distinctly says that law and grace are entirely incompatible. We may not mix the two. Anyone who chooses to follow the law has no claim to grace and vice versa. In fact, those who claim to follow the law are cursed. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” (Gal 3:10, 13).

It is as you said, ” it is futile to want to try and live by the Laws and Commands . . .” Indeed, it is a slap in Jesus Christ’s face because it suggests that his death on the cross was not sufficient to save us and, therefore, we need to add the law to gain eternal life or to be sanctified. This is precisely why Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Mat 7:13-14). Jesus plus anything else (such as being baptized and speaking in tongues) is another gospel because it widens (broadens) the strait gate.

Therefore remember, feelings have nothing to do with faith. If you believe that Jesus shed his blood for you and to cleanse you from all your sins, you are saved. You already have eternal life.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)

Make some time to study the epistle to the Galatians and ask Jesus to give you the wisdom to understand. Gofer it, and God bless.

One last thing. You wrote:

I’ve heard opposing viewpoints. Some say that Jesus Christ didn’t put away the Laws when he came to fulfill them.

Those who say this don’t know what they are saying. It is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. How can it be that Jesus fulfilled the law but still demands of us to follow it the perfect way He followed it? Of course, Jesus didn’t put away the law. That’s precisely why He fulfilled it on our behalf. God sees those who are in Christ (saved) as having fulfilled the law. In Him we are new creations, the old things have passed away (2 Cor 5:17). indeed, Jesus is the end of the law. (Romans 10:4).

I’m so bad at using these comment sections. So please forgive my boomer-ness. 😄

I believe I may have misspoken once or twice in my original point/comment.
When I said that I felt that I had faith in my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…what I was meaning to say is that I feel Him in me and that I have faith in Him! I have complete faith in Him! Again forgive my lack of eloquence when it comes to word choice. 😊

Firstly I’d like to point out that you quoted me as saying “it is futile…” I didn’t say this. I posed a question, not a statement. I asked, “Is it futile…?” And I would agree with trying to abide and live by all of the 613 laws given in the Old Testament but are you saying that we aren’t still expected to live by the 10 Commandments? One would imagine that we are to still live by those…!? Not to worship false gods, love thy neighbour, do not kill, do not steal, do not covet etc. These may seem obvious to most but you did mention commands in your reply. I just want to be certain about what we are discussing.

Secondly, I would say that the single most important thing to me is my faith in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for me (us) on the cross and nothing will ever supercede this. Ever! So would the fact that I gave up Pork (didn’t really give up other unclean foods as didn’t really eat many others) be an insult to the Lord? It definitely was not done for this reason, or with this intent. I only did it as I genuinely thought it was what was good to do. I’ve done it for long enough now that I doubt I’d be that inclined to eat it again. I mainly only eat fish, chicken and turkey now with pulses, rice etc. Well that and fruit and veg. (I mainly changed these eating habits to not only look after my heart health but believed it was a good thing to eat similarly to the early Christians. Not because the food was clean or unclean, mainly for health reasons.) 😊 I certainly didn’t do it for “kosher” reasons.
Maybe in hindsight it was the wrong thing, but I genuinely didn’t realise that at the time. I’ve only properly come to my faith in Christ since, maaaaybe April this year. I’m still learning so I hope the Lord will forgive me for misinterpreting the scriptures as I read them. My trust and faith is most definitely in Him, works and laws have never come before Him that I can think of and if they have I have every intention to change this!!

The more I research and study, the more I think/believe you’re right and that I’m possibly being deceived…I don’t know if the person in question is doing it intentionally or not however. 😔

But I am grateful, thank you. I also hope that I’ve put this message on your page correctly. If not please guide me how to reply correctly. 😄

P.S. I really do find this a little clunky to use, although it could just be my clunky old brain. 😂 Also if it’s easier you’ll find me on good ol’ Facebook under this same name if it’s easier/faster to converse there.

Hello again Tom,

It’s an absolute pleasure to chat to you. 😊

I appreciate and accept your apology completely. 👍

I think I understand what you’re saying. We couldn’t even hope to live by all of God’s Laws and Commands, every day even if we wanted to. But I believe He also wants us to obey His commands as it says in many verses all the way up to Revelation. Just because we will fail repeatedly doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try…right? I don’t believe for a second think that any human can be perfect as Christ Jesus was and will be are to abide by all of the Commands all the time. But they are a guideline in how to live, surely. It’s one thing to fail when trying to live a life by the commands and another to willfully ignore the commands because we don’t think we can attain any of them often enough? Or am I misunderstanding what you mean? I genuinely don’t want to misinterpret you. 😊

I understand your speeding analogy. And wouldn’t this be where repentance comes in? When we fall on our knees before the Lord and express our sincere regret for our past sins, desire to live our life for Him and ask for forgiveness for those past sins. (Apologies for my lack of ability to describe repentance.) We accept that we are a sinner but that we know that Christ Jesus died for our sins. Does your speeding analogy imply that we can keep knowingly speeding even when we know that it’s wrong?

I only mentioned 5 of the 10 Commandments because I was trying to keep the reply short. 😊 I did also write etc, meaning that I was implying all of the 10. 😁

I do agree with you on the point that the human heart, mind and especially the tongue are famously sinful and probably impossible to fully control. I simply cannot disagree with you. And I know that we will still repeatedly sin even when we try to not sin. But does this mean we shouldn’t try to avoid sin? I’m by no means implying that we are anything but dead to sin but surely this doesn’t mean we can sin without consequence because of the Blood of Christ?! And if that’s the case are we then still not trying to abide by God’s commands??

P.S. I’m so glad I’ve had this conversation but it’s quite clunky. 😊😁 Also I hope it makes sense as it’s tough to do on a mobile while trying to read what you wrote at the same time. 😄

God bless you too!

You said “Jesus is the light of the world. Do i need a Menorah? No. As a Christian I do not but I wanted one’

So you know it’s wrong but yet you did it anyhow. You may as well get yourself a little plastic ark of the covenant too while your at it, as you collect all your little symbols (idols) together.

Laurie,

If you want to use a Menorah as a symbol of Jesus, then I would like to suggest that you buy many oxen, lambs, rams, goats etc. and sacrifice them every single day to God on an altar at you home because they too are symbols of Jesus. If you want to go back to the Old Testament you must be prepared to include every single OT symbol that pointed to Jesus. If you don’t, you are being downright dishonest and selective.

Dear Dennis

You said “Seems Menorah compliments the ministry of Christ & the finished work of the cross perfectly.”

So you need Jesus Christ and a Menorah in your house and a Cross to hang around your neck to compliment your salvation? I just need Jesus Christ and what He did for me, thank you :thumbsup: