|
|
Plain
Laws of the New Testament The Context
The plan of God is to end evil and suffering forever (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 34; Matthew 13:37-43; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Galatians 6:7-8; 1 Timothy 1:5; Revelation 21-22). The ultimate purpose of God in all His present dealings with man is to bring him back to the place where he was before the fall (beloved fellowship) and free him of all possibility of failing in the future. There are 1,050 commands in the New Testament’s instruction for
which Christians are to obediently yield. They cover every phase of a
person's life in his relationship to God and his fellowmen, now and
hereafter. If obediently yielded to, they will bring rich rewards
here and forever; if not yielded, they will bring consequences. They
are not to be confused with the 10 commandments which were abolished along
with the law of Moses; (see the book of Galatians or Eighty-six Old and New
Covenant Contrasts). God’s Love In His
Commandments
Psalm
119:127-128:
Because I love your commands more than
gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I
hate every wrong path. What’s your attitude towards God’s commands? Do you fear them? Do you resent them? Do you try to get away from them? Remember, God gave His commands to us not to create problems for us but to solve them, not to harm us but to help us. God’s love is in His commands. They are given to save us from ourselves, to save us from evil, to show us the way out of our difficulties and our problems. The psalmist had learned that, that’s why he said to God, “I love your commands more that gold, more than pure gold.” What is more precious than gold? Nothing in this created world. But God’s commands are infinitely more precious and the psalmist had learned that. Instead of running from God’s commands, resenting them, obeying them reluctantly, he said, “I love your commands more than pure gold.” And then he said, “Because I consider all Your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.” You see, when we love God’s commands and obey them; automatically they reveal to us what is wrong. They show us how to distinguish between good and evil, between what is beneficial and what is harmful. And when we are walking in the light of God’s commands, they keep us from everything harmful, from everything hurtful, from every wrong path. A Response to God’s Love Obedience to His instruction is in response to
God’s Love (John If you’re having trouble
obediently yielding to God’s instruction, pray for Him to help you accept His
love (1
John “And
God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that
you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for
every good work.” - 2 Cor.
9:8; See also Romans 5:5 God’s “Grace” Defined (“chairo” original Greek word): “God’s divine influence upon a person’s heart [spirit] and its reflection in the person’s life.” God’s grace is the power of God's love, affecting the person from the inside-out (versus “the law,” from the outside-in; see Hebrews 8). And grace is always associated in the Bible with the big-heartedness, love, compassion, mercy, and kindness of one individual to another, whether it be person to person or God to person. Grace from God is His power coming to a person out of God’s pure kindness and unmerited favor to enable the person to do with ease what s/he could never accomplish on his or her own. (See also John 15:5.) And please note that anyone may: -
Receive grace in vain (2 Cor. 6:1). -
Frustrate it in his or her life (Galatians -
Fall from it (Galatians 1:6-8; Galatians 5:4). -
Fail of the grace of God (Hebrews -
Turn it into lasciviousness (Jude 1:4). -
Sin in spite of it (Romans 6:1). -
Continue or discontinue in it (Acts -
Minister it to others (1 Peter -
Grow or not grow in it (2 Peter - Receive or
reject it (John The Righteous Requirement of The Law Romans 8:4 teaches, “He [Jesus] condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” "Don't
misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to destroy the law of Moses or
the writings of the prophets. No, I came to fulfill them. I assure you, until heaven and earth
disappear, even the smallest detail of God's law will remain until its
purpose is achieved. So if you break the smallest
commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the God
blesses by His grace the sinner when s/he humbles himself and calls upon God
for mercy. And this cannot be done until the sinner turns to God and permits
the grace of God to be manifest to him or her. When we, as confessed sinners,
choose to accept the work of Y’shua the Messiah
(Jesus the Christ) and accept Him as our personal Savior, God is free to
forgive at that moment because the Christ has already paid the debt for us.
At that moment an extraordinary exchange takes
place: By faith (trusting), we are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor.
The Amplified Bible best describes righteousness as being made right with God and then consistently conforming to His will in thought, word, and deed. (Rom. 12:3) In other words, when we are made right with God, we begin to think right, we begin to talk right, and we begin to act right. It is a process in which we are continually making progress. The Holy Spirit works in us from the inside-out, helping us become the fullness of what our Father wants us to be in Christ (John 1:12; Rom. 5:5; 6:14). The outworking of righteousness - which is ultimately seen in right thoughts, words, and actions - cannot begin until we accept our right standing with God through Jesus the Christ. Romans
1:5 states, “Through Him [Jesus] and for His name's sake, we
received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” Obedience to God, His Word; His
instructions is still the same requirement (Jeremiah But we are not made righteous by keeping them. We have to be made righteous through faith first in order to be able to keep them. Keeping them does not make us righteous. The Holy Spirit works in us from the inside-out, helping us become the fullness of what our Father wants us to be in Christ. (Between legalism and lawlessness lies the narrow pathway of righteousness that comes only by the Holy Spirit.) The righteous requirement of the law (God's instruction) is love; love for God, yourself, and others (Rom. 8:3-4; 13:8-10; Mt. 22:35-40; 1 Tim. 1:5-7; Gal. 5:6, 13-14; Rom. 5:5; John 14:15, 23-24: 1 John 4:18; Rom. 13:10; Phil. 1:9-11; Rom. 4:4-5; Lk. 22:31-32). The Holy Spirit works in us from the inside-out, helping us become the fullness of what our Father wants us to be in Christ: Love. ...Love for God, yourself, and others! (For an in-depth teaching on this under-taught yet crucial and central subject, be strongly encouraged to listen to “The Righteous Requirement of the Law” audio by Derek Prince.) Obeying God Under
Grace What is the difference between obeying God under the
law and obeying God under grace? Again, the ultimate purpose of both is
obedience to God, but this obedience is accomplished in different ways. To
help settle this point, let’s look at a simple
commandment given in both the Old Testament, under the law of Moses, and the
New Testament, in one of the epistles. The exact words are used, and they
apply whether we are under the law or under grace. In the Old Testament, God was speaking
through Moses to Israel, and He said, “For
I am the LORD who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You
shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:45). In context,
“being holy” means that you have to keep a set of
extremely complicated rules, which are delineated in great detail throughout
the remainder of the book of Leviticus. In this case, holiness is attained by
the methods of legalism: “Do this. Don’t do that.” The
New Testament passage is addressed to Christians who have accepted Jesus’
redemption on their behalf: “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves
to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy,
you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I
am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14–16). The quotation is taken from Leviticus, so does
that mean the Holy Spirit through Peter was telling us that we must observe
all the Old Testament rules about animal sacrifices and mildews and bodily
fluids? Obviously not. So, He must expect something different. The holiness
of the law says, “I have to keep all these rules.” The alternative response
of faith is, “I don’t follow a set of rules. I let Jesus be holy, in me and
through me.” (See also Philippians 4:13) “Blessed are they who do his commands
[instructions], that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Revelation 22:14;
Jer. 7:23; Joshua 22:2-5; Mt. 28:20; Jn. 8:51; 14:21; 1 Cor. 7:19; 2 Cor.
5:10). God’s Commands Come with
His Intention; Promise! This may be the most important feature to remember
when considering God’s instruction (commands): Because of His constant benevolent love,
mercy, goodness, and loving kindness, toward you, God is also empowering you with the capacity to carry out His
commands. God
completely, constantly loves you right now, and who you are becoming. His
commands come with His intention. God’s commands come with His promise—His
grace (His power becomes your power) for you to yield and to accomplish.
Consider God’s commands not as cold demands
but tender whispers. Be strongly encouraged to consider
God’s commands as tender, loving
whispers! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you from
within. (Philippians
4:13) Listed below are 153 commands simplified into plain
laws and warnings. Note that God’s benevolent love includes warnings for us. Plain Laws and Warnings (153) Those of Christ: 1.
If the salt has lost its savor it is good for
nothing but to be cast out (Matthew 2.
S/he who endures to the end shall be saved (Matthew
3.
Whosoever speaks a word against the Holy Ghost, it
shall not be forgiven them (Matthew 4.
The
person endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises
because of the word, immediately they stumble. (Matthew 5.
Let him or her deny themself, and take up their
cross, and follow Me (Matthew 6.
Labor for eternal life (John 7.
If you continue in My word, then are you My
disciples indeed (John 8.
Whosoever commits sin is the servant of sin (not a
son). And the servant abides not in the house forever, but a
son abides ever (John 9.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they
follow Me (note, John 10.
If a person loves Me they
will keep My words (John 11.
If a person abides not in Me, they are cast forth
as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the
fire, and they are burned (John 15:6). 12.
Continue in My love (John 15:9). 13.
If you keep My commandments you shall abide in My
love (John 14.
You are My friends, if you do whatsoever
I command you (John Those of Paul: 15.
Persuaded them to continue in the grace of God
(Acts 16.
Exhorting them to continue in the faith (Acts 17.
When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God
... therefore God gave them up to
uncleanness (Romans 18.
They who commit such things are worthy of death
(Romans 1:32; Romans 2:2-3). 19.
By patient continuance in well doing seek for
eternal life (Romans 2:7). 20.
Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves
servants to obey, his servants you are? (Romans 6:16-23). 21.
The wages of sin is death
(Romans 22.
Who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit
(Romans 8:1-4). 23.
If you live after the flesh you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify
the deeds of the body, you shall live (Romans 24.
Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you
stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He
may not spare you either. Therefore consider the
goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you,
goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise
you also will be cut off. (Romans 25.
If any person defile the 26.
The unrighteous shall not inherit the 27.
Through your knowledge the weak brother or sister
shall perish (1 Cor. 28.
I
discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached
to others, I myself should become disqualified (1
Cor. 29.
By whom you are saved, if you keep in memory what I
preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain (1 Cor. 15:2). 30.
By faith you stand (2 Cor. 31.
We labor, that whether present or absent, we may be
accepted of Him (2 Cor. 5:9). 32.
We beseech you that you receive not the grace of
God in vain (2 Cor. 6:1). 33.
I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled
Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). 34.
Christ is in you, except you be reprobate
(castaway)-as in 1 Cor. 35.
I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that
called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). 36.
If I build again the things which I destroyed, I
make myself a transgressor (Galatians 37.
I do not frustrate the grace of God (it can be done-Galatians 38.
Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the
truth (Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:7). 39.
Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made
perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3; cp. Galatians 5:19-21). 40.
The just shall live by faith (by daily faith, not a
faith once for all; Galatians 41.
After you have known God, how turn you again to be
in bondage (Galatians 4:9)? 42.
I am afraid for you, lest I have bestowed labor
upon you in vain (Galatians 43.
My little children, of whom I travail in birth
again until Christ be formed in you ... I stand in doubt of you
(Galatians 4:19-20, note). 44.
Stand fast in the liberty ... be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage (Galatians 5:1,3). 45.
You are fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4). 46.
A little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump (Galatians 5:9; 1 Cor. 5:7-8). 47.
If you bite and devour one another, take heed that
you be not consumed one of another (Galatians 48.
Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the
lusts of the flesh (Galatians 49.
They who do such things shall not inherit the 50.
Whatsoever a person sows, that shall they also
reap. For the person who sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but the person who sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting (Galatians 6:7-8). 51.
The spirit that works in the children of
disobedience (Eph. 2:2). 52.
Because of these things (sins) cometh the wrath of
God upon the children of disobedience (Eph. 5:6). 53.
That you may be without offense until the day of
Christ (Phil. 54.
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
(Phil. 55.
Stand fast in the Lord (Phil. 4:1). 56.
If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel
(Col. 1:23). 57.
As you have received Christ, so walk in
Him: rooted and built up in Him, and
established in the faith (Col. 2:6-7). 58.
Beware lest any man spoil you... after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Col. 2:8). 59.
Let no man beguile you of your reward ... not
holding the Head (Christ, Col. 2:18-19). 60.
Mortify your members upon earth ... for which
things' sake cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience (Col.
3:5-6). 61.
He that does wrong shall receive for the wrong
which he has done: and there is no respect of
persons (Col. 3:25). 62.
I sent to know of your faith, lest by some means
the tempter has tempted you, and our labor be in vain (1 Thes.
3:5). 63.
Now we live, if we stand
fast in the Lord (1 Thes. 3:8). 64.
Taking vengeance on them that obey not the gospel
... who shall be punished with everlasting destruction (2 Thes.
1:8-9). 65.
Withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly
(2 Thes. 3:6,14). 66.
From which (faith) some have turned aside (1 Tim.
1:5-6). 67.
Some having put away concerning faith have made
shipwreck (1 Tim. 68.
Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Tim. 4:1). 69.
Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them: for in so doing this you shall save yourself, and them that
hear you (1 Tim. 70.
He has denied the faith, and
is worse than an infidel (1 Tim. 5:8). 71.
When they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they
will marry; having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith (1
Tim. 72.
Some have already turned aside after Satan (1 Tim. 73.
While some coveted after (money), they have erred
from the faith (1 Tim. 74.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold of eternal
life (1 Tim. 75.
Some have erred concerning the faith (1 Tim. 76.
If we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him
(2 Tim. 77.
If we deny Him, He also will deny us (2 Tim. 78.
Who concerning the faith have erred ... and
overthrow the faith of some (2 Tim. 79.
Continue in the things you have learned (2 Tim. a.
See
twenty-two warnings to Christians in the book of Hebrews. Those of James: 80.
When lust has conceived, it brings forth
sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death (James 81.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves (James 82.
To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to
him it is sin (James 83.
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and
one convert him ... he that converteth a sinner
(who was formerly a Christian) from the error of his way shall save a soul
from death (James 5:19-20, note). Those of Peter: 84.
He that hears and works righteousness is accepted
of Him (Acts 85.
The face of the Lord is against them that do evil
(1 Peter 86.
If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the
sinner appear? (1 Peter 4:18). 87.
He that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see
afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins (2 Peter
1:9). 88.
Give diligence to make your calling and election
sure: for if you do these things you shall never fall (2 Peter 89.
If God separated not the angels that sinned (they
were once holy and in grace) He will not spare you (1 Peter 2:4-9). 90.
The Lord knows how to reserve the unjust unto
judgment (2 Peter 2:9). 91.
Which have forsaken the right way,
and are gone astray (2 Peter 92.
They allure into sin those who were clean escaped
from sin (2 Peter 93.
Of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he
brought into bondage (2 Peter 94.
If after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, they are again entangled
therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse than the
beginning. It had been better not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn away from the holy
commandment (2 Peter 95.
Be diligent that you may be found in Him in peace,
without spot, and blameless (2 Peter 96.
Beware lest you also, being led away with the error
of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness (2 Peter Those of John: 97.
If we say we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth (1 John
1:6). 98.
If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7). 99.
We know that we know Him, if
we keep His commandments (1 John 2:3). 100.
He that says, I know Him, and keeps not His
commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4). 101.
Whoso keeps His word ... hereby we know that we are
in Him (1 John 2:5). 102.
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now (1 John
2:9). 103.
If any man love the world
the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 104.
He that does the will of God abideth
forever (1 John 105.
Let that eternal life abide in you (1 John 106.
Abide in Him; that when He shall appear
we may have confidence (1 John 107.
Everyone that does righteousness is born of Him (1
John 108.
Everyone that has this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure (1 John 3:3). 109.
Whosoever committeth sin
transgresses the law and incurs the death penalty (1 John 3:4; Ezekiel 18:4;
Galatians 110.
Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth
has not seen Him, neither known Him (1 John 3:6, note). 111.
He that committeth sin is
of the devil, not of God (1 John 3:8). 112.
Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin (1
John 3:9, note). 113.
Whosoever does not righteousness is not of God (1
John 114.
Whosoever loves not his brother is not of God (1
John 115.
He that loves not his brother abides in death (1
John 116.
Whosoever hates his brother does not have eternal
life abiding in him (1 John 117.
Whosoever shuts up his bowels of compassion from a
brother in need does not have God's love (1 John 118.
He that loves not does not know God (1 John 4:7-8). 119.
Whatsoever is born of God overcometh
the world (1 John 5:1-5). 120.
If any man see his brother
sin a sin that is forgivable, he shall ask and life shall be given him (1
John 121.
Whosoever sins and abides not in the doctrine of
Christ, has not God. He that abides has both the Father and the Son (2 John
1:9). 122.
He that does good is of God; but he that does evil
is not of God (3 John Those of Jude: 123.
Turning the grace of God into lasciviousness (Jude
1:4). 124.
The Lord, having saved the people out of 125.
Sinning angels are set forth as an example to
others who are tempted to sin (Jude 1:6-7). If God will damn them
for sin, He will also damn others. 126.
Keep yourselves in the love of God (Jude 127.
Look for the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal
life (Jude Those of Christ and
John: 128.
You have left your first love. Recognize
you are fallen, repent, do your first works; or else I will remove your
church (Rev. 2:4-5). 129.
Be faithful unto death, and I will give you life
(Rev. 2:10). 130.
Repent, or I will come unto you and fight against
you (Rev. 2:16). 131.
Those that defile their garments will not walk with
Me (Rev. 3:5). 132.
He that does not overcome I will blot his name out
of the book of life (Rev. 3:5; Rev. 22:18-19; Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm
69:25-29). 133.
Hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown (Rev. 3:11). 134.
Because you are neither cold nor hot, I will spue
you out of My mouth (Rev. 3:15-16). 135.
Blessed are they that watch and keep their garments,
lest they walk naked and ashamed (Rev. 16:15). 136.
All who sin will have their part in the lake of
fire (Rev. 21:8). 137.
All who sin will not enter the 138.
The unjust, filthy, and sinful will forever be that
way (Rev. 22:11). 139.
If any man shall add unto these things, God shall
add unto him the plagues of this book (Rev. 22:18). 140.
If any man shall take away from the words of this
book, God shall take away his part out of the book of life (Rev. 22:19). 141.
God shall take his part out of the things written
in this book (Rev. 22:19). Plain Laws
and Warnings of Old Testament Prophets: 142.
The Lord is with you, while you be with Him ... but
if you forsake Him, He will forsaken
you (2 Chron. 15:2). 143.
Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has forsaken
you (2 Chron. 24:20). 144.
Because they have forsaken Me ... My
wrath shall not be quenched (2 Chron. 34:25). 145.
But if they obey not, they shall perish ... die
without knowledge (Job 36:12). 146.
They have forsaken the Lord ... have gone away
backward ... I will not hear (Isaiah 1:4-15). 147.
But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured
(Isaiah 148.
If you will not obey, I
will destroy you (Jeremiah 149.
When a righteous man turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity he shall die in his
sin (Ezekiel 150.
The soul that sinneth it
shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). 151.
When a righteous man turns away from his
righteousness and commits sin ... all his righteousness shall not be
mentioned. In his sins he shall die (Ezekiel 152.
The righteousness of the righteous shall not
deliver him in the day of his transgression ... If he trust to his own righteousness and commit iniquity, all
his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his sin he shall die
(Ezekiel 33:12-13). 153.
If you will not hear, I
will curse you (Malachi 2:2). “The object and purpose of our instruction and charge is that all believers would be filled with charity (love) that comes from a pure heart, and a clear conscience, and genuine faith.” —1 Timothy 1:5 Links Due
to repetitions we can classify the 1,050 New
Testament commands under about 800 headings. Eighty-six Old and New Covenant Contrasts “And the very God
of peace sanctify you wholly, and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul
and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Thess. “For His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and goodness. And by that same mighty power, He has given to us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you all might be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter1:3-4) There are 750 promises in the New Testament alone. “Beloved,
I wish above all things that
you may prosper
and be in health, even as your
soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2) “Therefore if any man [or woman] be in Christ, he
is a new creature [CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION]: old things are passed away; behold, all things
are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) The Key
That Unlocks All
Promises “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in
his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures
say, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Habakkuk 2:4) “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19) See Doubt and Unbelief
concerning God’s Word “Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
[prayer as from neediness] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
unto God.” (Philippians 4:6) See The Art of Prayer “For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) See the
reality of evil,
Satan, or the devil This site relies
mostly on the message of the “King James Version” (KJV) of the Bible. Here are some of the
reasons. “…The eternal purpose which He [God]
purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians Thank you Finis
Jennings Dake and Dake
Publishing Thank you Derek Prince Ministries and his book entitled Blessings or Curses… |
|