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NASB | 1 John 2:3 ¶ By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 John 2:3 ¶ And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings). |
Subject: abide |
Bible Note: Hi MJH, Peace and grace to you, my friend. I'd like to say again that I very much appreciate your grace and respectfulness. In it is a lesson and an honorable example to follow for all of us here at SBF. I take my hat off to you, sir. Lets first clarify once again that, when we are speaking of the 'law', in regard to this discussion, we are speaking of that part of the Mosaic Law that is 'temporal', and not, spiritual. In other words, the ceremonial law, (i.e. dietary restrictions, Feast Days, New Moons, ‘temporal’ Sabbath keeping, etc.) and not at all speaking of the ‘moral law’ given to Israel, by God, through Moses, (i.e. Mosaic Law) which part is the unchanging eternal law of God. Moses, ‘in no way’ established this part of the law, (i.e. moral law) by giving it to Israel. This part of the law (i.e. moral law) has been part of God's 'unchanging' character throughout eternity, i.e. 'do' love God, love thy neighbor, 'do not' murder, bear false witness, cheat, take things you have no right to, commit adultery, covetousness, etc. You wrote: -“Therefore, since you were called to live a special kind of life within God’s Kingdom, stop judging one another on disputable matters.”- I couldn’t agree more! Just imagine if we as Christians just kept all of the moral law! What kind of a witness would that be? Instead of the kind of debauchery and lawlessness we see coming from individuals in the Church today. You also wrote: -“One follows the Sabbath and one does not. Live in unity and remain in Jesus, but by all means stay away from those empty teachings based on human dogma.”- Again I couldn’t agree more! And that brings us to your questions. You wrote: -“That at least holds God’s teaching found in Deuteronomy with respect, while still providing an option that God’s Law can be divided up into parts, some we follow, and some we do not.”- Well said and I very much appreciate your thoughts and admire the fact you are respecting that part of the law; of course from my/our point of view, also respecting that that part of the law is no longer required for righteousness, justification or sanctification. (Acts 15:1-29, Eph. 2:15) And to say that it is still 'commanded' for us to do, goes against that we should not judge each other in regard to these things. Our words are very important and should be considered very carefully when we teach about the law (i.e. the whole law) and how it effects us today This then takes us back to your first question; you wrote: -“Okay, fine. We stop following those commands. But, (and this is my point), would God ever have His Spirit speak through Paul and say, “That part of the law is based on human tradition and empty philosophies of this world?” Would he ever declare that these parts of the law are “against you?” Or, the same as “the elemental spirits of this world?””- Yes, I believe He would. You see, that part of the law is temporal, not spiritual, and temporal things are indeed “the same as” and in regard to “the elemental spirits of the world” and those who insisted that new believers follow these teachings, were basing there teachings on “human tradition and empty philosophies of this world.” not on that which is spiritual, but temporal and worldly. And have no ‘corporate’ (i.e. the body of Christ as a whole) effect on our eternal soul, eternal security, or spiritual well-being. John |