We keep His commandments.

Michael Ali

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Children’s Church

Story

After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five- and six-year-olds.

You shall no other gods before me. DO not worship idols. Keep the Sabbath day holy. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat, one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."

Without missing a beat, one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."

Rules/Commandments/laws

home - be home before ...

School - cannot leave the premises; parents report to the office

province - traffic laws

Why do we need rules, laws? Don’t they infringe on my rights and freedom?

Silly rules:

In Vermont, a wife needs the husband’s permission to wear false teeth.

In Kentucky, a woman cannot remarry the same man more than three times.

In China, it is a law that a person must be intelligent to go to college.

Some people like rules. Others, the only way to get them to obey is make a rule that instructs the opposite!

With this in mind, let’s read the Scripture

What does the Scripture say?

Text:

Notice the word commandment [6x]

1 John 1:5–2:6 ESV

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 John 2.3-

1 John 2:3–8 ESV

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

Last week: God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

Recognize sin

Confess sin

1 John 2.3

1 John 2:3–6 ESV

Forsake sin

In other words: STOP! [stop sign]

But when driving and we come to a stop sign, it doesn’t remain red. Green. START.

Press on gas again.

So after we STOP sinning, we need to move forward.

Walking in the light is not merely about a bunch of rules of “Don’ts’!

There is the positive aspect - “Dos”

How do we know that we have come to know God? If we keep His commandments.

1 John 2:3 ESV

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.

1 John 2.

How do we know that we have come to know God? If we keep His commandments.

1 John 2:4 ESV

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

If we say we know Him and do not keep His commandments we are liars.

We can summarize the text -

If we say we know Him and do not keep His commandments we are liars.

When we keep/obey His Word, the love of God is perfected in us.

We must walk/live the way Jesus did.

Some of us may be quite surprised or even shocked - COMMANDMENT.

This is not the OT

We are not under law

Aren’t we in the dispensation of grace?

We are not saved by works but by the grace of God.

The law was given by Moses ...

Jesus is the fulfillment of the law!

Aren’t you promoting legalism?

So let’s see how we can clear up this confusion.

The use of the word “law’ in the NT.

John Piper:

There is a good deal of confusion in our minds when we read on the one hand in , "You are no longer under law but under grace," but on the other hand in , "Do we then overthrow the law by faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law." The word law is used in 3 ways in the NT:

Entire Old Testament

Part of OT [Torah, written by Moses]

Legalistic distortion of the OT [Paul uses the phrase “works of the law”]

1) God gave many commandments/laws in the Old Testament.

There are about 613 laws that God gave to Moses.

[Samuel Mils]

The Old Testament Law is where God reveals His nature, His will/lifestyle for humanity, His moral laws, and guidelines for living. It identifies sin and teaches the need for salvation; God's grace gives us that salvation through Jesus Christ.

“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions [Gal. 3.19]

Galatians 3:19 ESV

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

Galatians 3:18–19 ESV

For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

Ceremonial Law:

��Old Testament Law

> 600 laws

Festivals, feasts

The Old Testament Law was to point out the people's sins and to show them it is impossible to please God by trying to obey all His laws. The beginning of the New Testament, (New Covenant) brought over six hundred Old Testament Ceremonial Laws to an end; Leaving the civil to guide man’s conduct, and moral laws (including the Ten Commandments) to identify what God considers to be a sin.

Ceremonial laws - pertaining to worship

Civil laws - to guide man’s conduct

Moral laws - (including the Ten Commandments) to identify what God considers to be a sin.

Laws of Atonement, sacrifices

There has been much debate over these laws, and how they apply. For the Christian, the civil and moral laws reveal the nature and will of God, and how people are to live. The Covenant with Abraham shows that faith is the only way to enter into Heaven. God's promise to Abraham was through faith, while the Old Law focuses on actions. Faith does not do away with the law; but the more we know God, the more obvious our sins become. Christians are to depend on their faith in Christ alone for salvation. In fact, Christ is the only way given for mankind to enter into Heaven. ()

Offerings

"The Old Testament Law"

There are over 600 Jewish Ceremonial Laws and Rituals listed in the Old Testament. These are the laws that Paul said no longer apply.

Priests

The Old Testament Law, identifies sin and teaches the need for salvation; God's grace gives us that salvation through Jesus Christ. There are over 600 Jewish Ceremonial Laws and Rituals listed in the Old Testament. These are the laws that Paul said no longer apply.

Ceremonial Law:

. This type of law related to Israel's worship. () The laws pointed forward to Jesus Christ and were no longer necessary after Jesus' death and resurrection.

This type of law related to Israel's worship. () The laws pointed forward to Jesus Christ and were no longer necessary after Jesus' death and resurrection. Though we are no longer bound to them, the principles behind the ceremonial laws, to worship and love God, still apply.

These are the laws that Paul said no longer apply.

Though we are no longer bound to them, the principles behind the ceremonial laws, to worship and love God, still apply.

Civil Law: This law dictated Israel's daily living (); but modern society and culture are so radically different that some of these guidelines cannot be followed specifically. The principles behind the commands are to guide our conduct.

Laws of Atonement, sacrifices

Offerings

Priests

Be just with the poor

Debt

Dvorce

Dress

Murder and killing

Retain just scales

Stealing

Moral Law: The moral laws are direct commands of God. A good example is the Ten Commandments (). The moral laws reveal the nature and will of God, and still apply to us today. We do not obey this moral law as a way to obtain salvation, but to live in ways pleasing to God.

The reasons for God’s commandments.

1) Reveal the holy character of the eternal God to the nation of Israel (; ).

But we cannot go to Heaven by keeping that Law; we must be born again and trust in Jesus.

Leviticus 19:2 ESV

“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

(2) Set apart the nation of Israel as distinct from all the other nations ().

Leviticus 19:2 ESV

“Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

(2) Set apart the nation of Israel as distinct from all the other nations (). (3) Reveal the sinfulness of man

(3) Reveal the sinfulness of man (cf. ). Although the Law was good and holy (), it did not provide salvation for the nation of Israel. “No one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (; cf. ).

(4) Provide forgiveness through the sacrifice/offerings () for the people who had faith in the Lord in the nation of Israel.

(2) Set apart the nation of Israel as distinct from all the other nations (). (3) Reveal the sinfulness of man

Ex. (3) Reveal the sinfulness of man

(2) Set apart the nation of Israel as distinct from all the other nations ().

Exodus 19:5 ESV

Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;

(5) Provide a way of worship for the community of faith through the yearly feasts ().

(6) Provide God’s direction for the physical and spiritual health of the nation (; ; ).

(3) Reveal the sinfulness of man

“Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions ...” []

(7) Cause people, after Christ came, to see that they couldn’t keep the Law but needed to accept Christ as personal Savior, for He had fulfilled the Law in His life and paid the penalty for our breaking it in His death, burial, and bodily resurrection (; ). The believer in Christ has the very righteousness of the Law fulfilled in him as he obeys the Holy Spirit who lives within him ().

(4) Provide forgiveness through the sacrifice/offerings () for the people who had faith in the Lord in the nation of Israel. (5) Provide a way of worship for the community of faith through the yearly feasts (). (6) Cause people, after Christ came, to see that they couldn’t keep the Law but needed to accept Christ as personal Savior, for He had fulfilled the Law in His life and paid the penalty for our breaking it in His death, burial, and bodily resurrection (; ).

2) Jesus is the fulfillment of the law.

John Piper:

Entire Old Testament

Part of OT [Torah, written by Moses]

Legalistic distortion of the OT [Paul uses the phrase “works of the law”]

The use of the word “law’ in the NT.

John Piper:

Entire Old Testament

Part of OT [Torah, written by Moses]

Legalistic distortion of the OT [Paul uses the phrase “works of the law”]

Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial and ritual law - He is our Passover Lamb. He is our Atoning Sacrifice - [Day of Atonement]; He is our sin offering.

Are we off the hook? Do we have commandments?

Gen. 3

Man’s problem continues to be disobedience.

.....................................................

Man’s problem all began with disobedience.

Gen. 3

Man’s problem continues to be disobedience.

Toddlers - No!

Children

Tee

Teens

Citizen’s - speed limits, not paying taxes

One OT King, the first king lost his kingdom because he was disobedient.

Israel was repeatedly oppressed and eventually conquered and taken captive because of disobedience to God.

It should not take us by surprise that our carnal sinful human nature would many times want to rebel against what God says to us.

Civil laws - social rules

Ceremonial laws - sacrifice, feasts, festivals

3) We keep His commandments.

Moral law - right and wrong

John 13:34 ESV

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

JOhn

John 14:21 ESV

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

john 14.

Today many believe

John 15:12 ESV

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Romans 7:12 ESV

So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Romans 5:12 ESV

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—

1 Corinthians 7:19 ESV

For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

1 John 3:22 ESV

and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

1 John 3:24 ESV

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

1 John 5:3 ESV

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

Examples of NT Commands

Someone found 1050 NT commands, can be put under 800 headings.

Abstain from:

Acts 15:20 ESV

but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

1 John

Acts 15.

idols, sexual immorality, blood

1 Thessalonians 4:2–3 ESV

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Thessalonians 4:2 ESV

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

1. Idols () 2. Fornication (,; .THESS 4:2-3) 3. Strangled meats () 4. Eating blood () 5. Meats offered to idols () 6. All appearance of evil (1.THESS 5:22) 7. Fleshly lusts (1.PET 2:11)

1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV

Abstain from every form of evil.

Fornication (,; .THESS 4:2-3)

2. Fornication (,; .THESS 4:2-3)

Eating blood ()

1 Peter 2:11 ESV

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Avoid troublemakers

4. Eating blood () 5. Meats offered to idols () 6. All appearance of evil (1.THESS 5:22) 7. Fleshly lusts (1.PET 2:11)

Romans 16:17 ESV

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

Meats offered to idols ()

Family

All appearance of evil (1.THESS 5:22)

Ephesians 5:25 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:22 ESV

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1 ESV

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

avoid troublemakers

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:9–21 ESV

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Husbands, love your wives

Wives, submit to your husbands

1 Thessalonians 5:12–22 ESV

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Children obey your parents

1 thess. 5. 12-

Not to neglect meeting as a church

Be fervent in spirit

Pray without ceasing

Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly

Be filled with the Spirit

Be nots

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:21 ESV

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Eph 5.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

Ephesians 5:17 ESV

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Eph

DO’s

Luke 6:27 ESV

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Luke 6:47 ESV

Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:

Luke 3:14 ESV

Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Philippians 2:14 ESV

Do all things without grumbling or disputing,

Matthew 5:44 ESV

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

1 Thessalonians 4:11 ESV

and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,

Why the confusion?

When you study the NT, you notice a problem that crept into the church.

AS people were believing the gospel and getting saved, some Jewish leaders wanted to impose the Mosaic law on them - circumcision, Sabbath keeping, festival days etc.

Paul addressed this in the book of Galatians and says no! We are not saved by keeping the ceremonial OT laws. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins and earned salvation for us.

But even in that letter, he makes clear the new way of life

Galatians 5:13–26 ESV

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

.13-

Conc.

We are not saved by keeping God’s commandments.

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We keep God’s commandments because we are saved.

Now that we are saved, we have been transferred from darkness to light, we walk in the light, we keep God’s commands.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The

Our problem with obedience.

Man’s problem continues to be disobedience.

Toddlers - No!

Children

Teens

Citizen’s - speed limits, not paying taxes

One OT King, the first king lost his kingdom because he was disobedient.

Israel was repeatedly oppressed and eventually conquered and taken captive because of disobedience to God.

It should not take us by surprise that our carnal sinful human nature would many times want to rebel against what God says to us.

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We keep His commandments.

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1) God gave many commandments/laws in the Old Testament.

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2) Jesus is the fulfillment of the law.

The use of the word “law’ in the NT.

​

3) We keep His commandments.

Examples of NT Commands

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