Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. "Romans 10: 4 for Chirst is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes."
Also,: Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Therefore, if we think that the keeping of a certain day, is righteousness before God, we have fallen from grace, and have returned to following the law. The law was made for our schoolmaster that we may come to know our sins, and be brought to repentance and be justified by faith alone, through the imputed righteousness of Jesus to the sinner. It is not talking about a righteousness before our fellow men, but our righteousness before God. There is only one righteousness that is acceptable in our justification before the father, and that is in Jesus alone.
Even Martin Luther states that there is no righteousness in the keeping of a day, it is done only for keeping order to keep a day of worship. So we need not to command for anyone to keep a particular day, Friday, Saturday or Sunday as a holy day. Any time we spend with God is holy time. The scriptures state:
Romans 14: "One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord, he doth not regard it."
There are no commands in the New Testament to order people to keep any day holy, and worship on one day alone. It is heresy!!! I do believe that pastors today are promoting the "Sabbath" and attending church because their pockets are getting empty.
A few thoughts on the sabbath...The fourth commandment is REMEMBER the sabbath day to keep it holy.Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work ,but the seventh day is the SABBATH OF THE LORD THY GOD etc -therefore it is not our day ,but His. this commandment along with nine others was engraven in stone by Gods own finger If we are to disregard the fourth ,why not the second ,as the Church of Rome does? and also commit the gross iniquities forbidden in the other commandments.Surely the Sovereign God has the right to command that one day in seven be kept for His own service,and what are we that we find this day an irritation and an inconvenience.John14v21He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,he it is that loveth me .So ,let us keep the TEN commandments ,not as a Pharasaic duty,but out of LOVE to Him who loved us so greatly that He gave himself for us.
A few thoughts on the sabbath...The fourth commandment is REMEMBER the sabbath day to keep it holy.Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work ,but the seventh day is the SABBATH OF THE LORD THY GOD etc -therefore it is not our day ,but His. this commandment along with nine others was engraven in stone by Gods own finger If we are to disregard the fourth ,why not the second ,as the Church of Rome does? and also commit the gross iniquities forbidden in the other commandments.Surely the Sovereign God has the right to command that one day in seven be kept for His own service,and what are we that we find this day an irritation and an inconvenience.John14v21He that hath my commandments and keepeth them,he it is that loveth me .So ,let us keep the TEN commandments ,not as a Pharasaic duty,but out of LOVE to Him who loved us so greatly that He gave himself for us.
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Marwell, thanks for your reply, but your quoting from the Old Testament. I quoted from the New Testament the words of scripture. There is no righteousness in the keeping of a day holy before God. In Hebrews it states: "We who have believed have entered into rest." The Jewish Sabbath was a foreshadOWing of the true rest God offers to his people when they believe in Jesus, and also of our eternal rest in the New Earth. God's work was completed before the foundation of the earth, and those that believe the gospel rest in Jesus for their salvation as it is complete, and sufficient. Our works add nothing to this righteousness, which is of faith, and imputed to the repentant sinner.
FOR WE WHICH HAVE BELIEVED DO ENTER INTO REST.
HEBREWS 4: 1: Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2: For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. ]3: For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4: For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. 5: And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6: Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: 7: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 8: For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 9: There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10: For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11: Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13: Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14: Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
All the scriptures have been fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus is our rest before God!! We have been reconciled to God the Father and purchased by the blood, righteousness and death of Jesus. It is finished and sufficient. Nowhere in the New Testament does it state or are we commanded to keep a day holy. Besides if you go with the 10 commandments, you must be speaking of Saturday, the 7th day of the week, not Sunday. It makes no difference which day you keep, or if you do not, as it does not pertain to our salvation. We are not justified, or accepted of God because of the day we keep or if we don't keep any day. We are accepted in Jesus, we are not accepted because of our works, but because of God's great mercy and great grace given to us freely in Jesus, by faith alone, that God may receive all the glory alone.
Just as I quoted from Romans 14, in essence, what ever time we keep for God is holy time. I think it is good that we do set aside a day together and worship, but there is no commandment in the New Testament for a specific day. Today is the day of our salvation to accept the rest from our works, and the mercy and grace of God given to us freely in Jesus.
Just as Martin Luther said, it is for convenience that we all pick a certain day, but it does not add to our righteousness before God. Our rest and our righteousness remain in Jesus at the right hand of God. Otherwise, you have fallen from grace and remain in unbelief, if you command that people are to rest and keep one certain day to worship God. You have returned to legalism!! Salvation is a free gift of God, and it is not of any of our works, but the work of God alone in Jesus for sinful, lost, hopeless, dying men and women through faith alone in His Son.
Romans 1: 15: So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
We walk by faith and not by sight. God's word is true and He is not a God that He should lie!! We can trust in Him, as we walk by faith in this sinful world. We are accepted in the Beloved and our salvation is sure and complete in Jesus.
Marvill, please note: John 14:21: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my love to him." Now Marvill not wishing to be unkind but you remind me of the Pharisee lawyer who asked Jesus a question tempting Him, and saying, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" - Matthew chapter 22: verses 35-40. Are you a Christian or a Pharisee? I agree with RaynaRenee since she proves her points from the Words of God and from that in what Jesus teaches us that love Him and follow Him. sincerely Joe.
Am I a Christian or a Pharisee?I shall stand in judgement before God on that, as will all others.But as I did not say that my righteousness is by keeping the law,neither do I say that my righteousness is by the breaking of it.My righteousness is by faith in Him who fulfilled the law(every jot and tittle) who bore the curse of the broken law, who satisfied divine justice,who conquered death and the grave, and having conquered principalities and powers sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having finished the work God gave Him to do. There is no scriptural evidence that any part of the law (including the 4th commandment) was set aside by Him,but much to suggest of their continuance to the end of time and the restitution of all things. May God bless you.
Marwill, noone says the law has been set aside, but the law can no longer condemn the sinner that believes in Jesus at the right hand of God in heaven. Jesus offers his righteousness to the sinner and his death for the forgiveness of all his sins. This displays the righteousness and justice of God.
But on earth man is not capable of offering himself as a perfect sinless law keeper. We were born with a sinful nature, and we will keep it until Jesus comes and we are changed to be like Him. Until then all we do is tainted with sin in the sight of God, even the good, without the covering of the merits of Jesus on our behalf.
Our justification, sanctification, and redemption are in Jesus alone at the Father's right hand. Because we believe the gospel, we have the Holy Spirit in our lives to enlighten our eyes to our sinfulness, hour hopelessness, and also the mercy and grace of God given to us freely in Jesus. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit eternally when we believe the true gospel of Jesus.
We must trust in God's mercy and graciousness to us in this life. It is all of faith in God's word that we are accepted in the Beloved inspite of our sinful nature and our failings. Our failings are sin in God's sight because we are imperfect and can produce only tainted works. But because of Jesus standing in our place and imputing his righteousness to us, God no longer sees our sins, and the law cannot condemn us in heaven.
God's grace is glorified by His wonderful gift of salvation to sinful man in Jesus. Grace means unmerited favor. That means we did nothing for God to have a reason to save us, it was all of His will, His graciousness, and mercy. His work alone in Jesus is what has saved us for eternal life. It is complete, finished, perfect, lacking nothing, and anything man can do, cannot add anything to it for acceptance with the Father, nor can anything be taken away. Even the keeping of a certain day will not save us or make us righteous in God' sight, or add to the righteousness that is in Jesus.
What is the evidence of our faith in Jesus? Is it the keeping of a certain day? the keeping of the 10 commandments? OF course not. If one believes this, they are legalists, and are trying to become righteous, or keep righteous before God by the keeping of the law, or the keeping of a day. NO one can keep either, as we are sinful!!
What is then the evidence that we believe the gospel? I believe it is the fact that we recognize and confess that we are hopeless lost sinners without the imputed righteousness of Jesus to us. The realization that we have a sinful nature that pollutes all we do. It is by the words of our mouth. Do we testify of the work of God for us in Jesus. The acceptance of sinners in Jesus by faith alone? The realization that we are saved by the pure mercy and grace of God alone in Jesus. The belief that God is glorified by the preaching of the true gospel of Jesus, not by the preaching of the law?
That we show mercy and grace to the undeserving? Of course, no one does this perfectly, but I believe there will be some evidence of it in the life. We only have the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit in this life, and we still have the sinful nature to battle with. Do we try and honor God in this life by loving the unlovely? Offering the gospel to them freely when the opportunity arises? the fact that we don't glorify ourselves by talking about "our good works" But that we testify of Jesus and His great love for us as lost undeserving sinners, of which we all are.
Pharisees don't need the gospel, and will not appreciate it. They need to see their sinfulness, and their hopelessness without the imputed righteousness of God. They need to see all that the law demands, which extends to the motive, intents and thoughts of the person. They need to see they don't keep the law, as no one does. So there is no righteousness in the keeping of the law or of a day before God. they need to see that unless they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for their only hope, they will be lost in their sins. Pharisees make a great display of their righteousness, their "good works" , the keeping of the Sabbath, as they like to be honored of men for their "righteousness". But we are to seek the honor that comes from God only.
Do they still struggle with sin and repent daily, but place their salvation in Jesus alone? Do they praise God for His mercy and grace in the gift of His Son?
Of course they do "good works", (not sinless by God's standard) and they are not for their justification, their acceptance with Him. They do not add to the righteousness we have imputed to us, which is the righteousness of God. They are received by God through the merits of Jesus, as an offering of praise and thanksgiving for His wonderful mercy and grace given to them (the forgiven, justified sinner) freely in Jesus.
So called good works, giving, talking about good deeds, keeping a day "holy", supposedly, even love can be counterfeited, or even displayed by those that are not Christian. Only God can read the heart, and He knows the ones that are His.
Romans 3:20 "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His Sight."
Galatians 3; [23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. [24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. [26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
The attempting to keep a day holy is a DEED OF THE LAW. The scriptures state that NO FLESH shall be justified in His sight BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW. , not even by the keeping of a day.
Gal.3 [1] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? [2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? [3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? [4] Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. [5] He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3: [10] 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. [11] But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. [12] And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them
"The just shall live by faith"
Gal.3 [11] But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal.5 [4] Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
Gal. 6: [14] But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
James 2: [9] But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. [10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
THERE IS NO RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD BY THE ATTEMPTING TO KEEP A DAY HOLY.
If we even have a sinful thought, we stand condemned in God's sight. One small sin will send you to Hell. So how can the so called keeping of a day holy, which a sinful man cannot do, keep you righteous, or add to your righteousness before God???? If you think so, you are being righteous before God by the keeping of the law, which you cannot do, so you are lost.
There is only one way to be righteous in God's sight, and it is God that justifies, not man. That is through the imputed righteousness of God, that is given to us freely in Jesus. We read and believe this truth by faith alone, as it is in the word of God. It is our only hope!! God's mercy and graciousness to the sinner through Jesus Christ. It is an alien righteousness, outside of us, higher than the heavens, in Jesus, at God's right hand!! Once we are justified before God, and God does not make mistakes, it is forever. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption when we believe the gospel of Jesus.
GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES. YOU CAN TRUST HIM. JESUS IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE, AND NO MAN CAN COME UNTO THE FATHER BUT BY HIM.
If one cannot understand this truth, it is because they are blinded to spiritual things, and have not been born again by the Holy Spirit. One needs to pray for God to reveal Jesus unto them.
Romans 14: [4] Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. [5] One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. [6] He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Read again: Let every man be persuaded in his own mind if he wants to keep a day or not. It is not required to keep a certain day. It will not make you holy before God, and if you think you should and everyone has to keep a day to be holy before God then you are taking away from the completed gospel of Jesus, and are insulting to God's gift of Jesus to you. You have offended the Father with His unspeakable gift to you. You think His righteousness is not good enough for you to be justified before the Father. What God commands he also gives freely in Jesus, or we are all lost and condemned.
Matt.10
[16] Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Jas.1 [5] If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him
God gives us wisdom and understanding as we read the scriptures, if we ask for the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds.
We are saved alone by God's mercy and grace in Jesus, not anything in us or anything we do. Jesus is enough, and all we can do is be recipient's of God's mercy and grace. We could never repay God for all His mercy to us as undeserving sinners, but we can live for Him in this wicked world, and be ambassadors for Him. We are to teach the law condemns us but in Jesus we are forgiven, righteous, and accepted, even though we are undeserving sinners in ourselves. We can add nothing toward our salvation by our works, or the deeds of the law. We are only accounted righteous in Jesus.
Never in this life are we justified or accepted of God by anything we do. We are only accepted by God faith alone in the gift of His Son, which He gave to us freely by His mercy and grace. We are undeserving sinners, that would stand condemned in God's sight without Jesus and His righteousness imputed unto us, with the forgiveness of all our sins in Him.
Our sins have been removed from us, yesterday's, today's, and tomorrows, if Jesus is our Savior. We stand before God clothed in the beautiful robe of righteousness, which is God's righteousness, and only accounted righteous because of faith in Jesus.
II Corinthians 5:
[19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES UNTO THEM, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [20] Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. [21] For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
And where is Jesus?? Romans 8: [33] Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. [34] Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Heb.1 [1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, [2] 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; [3] 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 BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Psalm 103: [10] He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. [11] For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. [12] As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
It is as plain as day in the word of God. " Let him that readeth, understand."...
The completed sacrifice of Jesus that at the cross is sufficient for all those that come to Him, by faith alone and accept Him as their Savior. He is the only intercessor in heaven before the Father by His merits alone, which were completed at Calvary. Jesus is the fulfillment of all righteousness, and is our substitute before the Father.
If you add anything to the completed work of Jesus it is blasphemy and an insult to the Father, as one does not think His gift of Jesus to sinful man is enough, or good enough.
Jesus, plus attempting to keep a day holy Jesus, plus having to be baptized Jesus, plus the sacraments, Jesus plus our attempts to keep the commandments
We, as born sinners, with a sinful nature, can do nothing to add to the righteousness of God imputed unto the sinner, the ungodly, that accept Jesus as their only Savior.
He is at the right hand of the Father as King and King and Lord of Lords, as the Father has committed all things into His hands.
Phil.2: [5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
Rayna sounds like a dispensationalist, which is just downright error. The Law is still in full force this very day. If we do away with a verse so we can go to the shops and buy our ice-creams on the Sabbath day, then surely we can do away with a few more and go and kill a few people and after that commit adultery. We become "Antinomians" thus professing to be saved but living like the devil.
Entirely agree with Trimjon.The following from Louis Berkhof .Systematic Theology".It is pure antinomianism to maintain that Jesus Christ kept the law as a rule of life for His people, so that they need not worry about this any more. The law lays claim, and justly so, on the entire life of man in all its aspects, including his relation to the gospel of Jesus Christ.When God offers man the gospel,, the law demands that the latter shall accept this.Some would speak of this as the law in the Gospel ,but this is hardly correct.The gospel itself consists of promises and is no law; yet there is a demand of the law in connection with the gospel. The law not only demands that we accept the gospel and believe in Jesus Christ, but also that we lead a life of gratitude in harmony with its requirments"
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