From Broken Stones to Living Faith: Righteousness Under the New Covenant
By
The Silent Pilgrim
Samuel Kitchen posted a letter to his scattered followers,
and this is my response to it (his letter is at the end).
The statement mixes some biblical truths (righteousness comes by faith in God/Christ, not self-boasting works; the Spirit—not our strength—empowers obedience; sin is serious and calls for quick repentance; faith produces living evidence) with several clear errors when measured against the New Covenant as taught in the New Testament. The New Covenant (promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34 and fulfilled in Jesus) is not a revised version of the Old Covenant/Mosaic Law with "faith added on." It is a fundamentally better covenant (Hebrews 8:6-13) where:
"If we sin we are judged of the law of God!" (and the idea that sin makes our righteousness "worthless" or puts us back under law's judgment)
Parts like "Christ in us who doeth them," "by the Spirit of God," quick repentance, and thanking God for exposing sin align with New Covenant reality (Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:9-11; 1 John 1:9). The "mind of Christ" is indeed humble and receptive. However, these are framed inside a system that still treats believers as partially under the Old Covenant's external law-structure for judgment and righteousness. That framework was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14).
- God writes His law internally on hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit (not external stone tablets or ritual observance).
- Justification and freedom from condemnation come by grace through faith in Christ's finished work alone.
- The Old Covenant system (including its ceremonial commands) is obsolete and fulfilled in Christ.
This is the core error. The New Covenant explicitly declares believers not under the law's dominion or condemnation.
- Romans 6:14: "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."
- Romans 8:1-2: "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."
- Galatians 5:18: "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
Christ bore the full curse and penalty of the law (Galatians 3:13; Romans 7:6). Sin still grieves the Spirit, requires repentance, and can bring discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11; 1 John 1:9), but it does not return us to law-based judgment or make our standing in Christ "worthless." The New Covenant promise is that God "will remember their sins and lawless deeds no more" (Hebrews 8:12; 10:17). The statement's logic—that ongoing sin (which all believers still experience—1 John 1:8) nullifies righteousness unless perfectly faith-powered—actually undermines assurance in Christ and revives the very condemnation the cross removed.
Keeping the Sabbath, Holy Days of God, tithing, etc., as part of "keeping the law" that strengthens faith or avoids being "breakers of the law"
The New Covenant does not bind believers to these Old Covenant shadows. They pointed to Christ but are no longer required observances:
- Colossians 2:16-17: "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ."
- Romans 14:5-6: "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind."
- Hebrews 8:13: "In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete."
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) confirmed that Gentile believers (and by extension the church) are not placed under the Mosaic Law's ceremonial requirements. Tithing was part of Israel's theocratic system; the New Testament shifts giving to cheerful, Spirit-led generosity (2 Corinthians 9:7). The statement treats these as ongoing "law" that faith must uphold or be judged by—this is exactly what Paul warned against as a return to "weak and worthless elementary principles" (Galatians 4:9; 5:1-4).
"Our righteousness is good works proclaimed and boasted while sinning... Faithless and dead" combined with "Righteousness is of faith. It is not of works" and the reward framework.This creates an internal contradiction that the New Covenant resolves. Yes—righteousness is of faith, not our works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:28; Philippians 3:9—"not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ"). Our attempts at self-righteousness are worthless (Isaiah 64:6). But the New Covenant does not say "if you sin at all, your faith-righteousness collapses and you're judged by the law."
- Good works (love, obedience, fruit of the Spirit—Galatians 5:22-23) are the evidence and result of living faith (James 2:14-26; Ephesians 2:10—"created in Christ Jesus for good works"). They do not "strengthen" faith to avoid law-judgment; the Spirit does the empowering (Philippians 2:13).
- Rewards in the New Covenant are for faithfulness done in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10-15; Matthew 25), not for "doing what we ought" under law or to prove we "cannot be condemned by the law." The statement's tension ("we are not justified by works... but if we sin we are judged of the law") revives the very self-righteous boasting it claims to reject.
In summary, the New Covenant is grace-based freedom from the law's curse and ceremonial yoke, with the Spirit producing internal obedience that looks like love for God and neighbor—not ritual law-keeping to "strengthen faith" or avoid being "judged of the law." The statement's view, while sincere, functionally pulls believers back under the Old Covenant's shadow instead of resting fully in the substance, which is Christ. This is why Paul so strongly opposed any mixture of law and grace for justification or daily walk (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-5).
The goal of the New Covenant is joyful freedom in Christ, not fear of law-judgment.
Samuel Kitchen's letter to his followers:
If God commands us not to sin, and we sin still, our righteousness is worthless because it was not of faith.Meaning, we may keep the sabbath of the Lord, the Holy Days of God, tithe of all, be hospitable, and keep the law….but if we sin we are judged of the law of God!Righteousness is of faith. It is not of works.Our works strengthen faith, showing it is alive, for if we disobey God how can we believe God in faith? Sin is a lack of faith and sin weakens faith.Our righteousness, is good works proclaimed and boasted while sinning against God. Faithless and dead.The righteousness of God is believing God, and knowing He is able to perform what He says! And through obedience, we strengthen faith. Knowing God is a rewarder to those who both do good and evil.We are not justified by boasting or self righteousness. We are not justified by our works, for we all are sinners. But if we believe God let us believe in faith, and let us strengthen one another in faith, and loosen the chains of darkness that easily beset us.For we cannot do the works that strengthen faith. But it is Christ in us who doeth them. Therefore it is not ourselves who strengthen faith, but Christ in us. And it is God who gives us living faith, and living faith is strengthened and powered by the spirit of God, through which Christ lives in us.Not by our own hands, might, ability, strength, I.Q, and works.But by the Spirit of God.So when sin is revealed, let us not turn our heads away, for we strive always to walk and to live by the living faith of Jesus Christ. Let us repent quickly, of allowing Satan to weaken faith through disobedience, and therefore by repentance turn to God wholly and being strengthened thoroughly filled with the Holy Spirit. The mind of Christ is not hostile, angry or bitter against God for exposing sin. When sin is exposed, let us thank God. For it is HIS GOOD WORK for our sake to walk in faith and be rewarded according to our faith.We do not get rewarded for doing the things which we ought. We are rewarded according to doing which we ought in faith, not in self righteousness, not as breakers of the law but those who cannot be condemned by the law.
31 comments:
As I understand it, EVERYONE is supposed to know who the Christians are by their love. But I cannot find a single church of any stripe that lives up to that. Perhaps the true church was raptured about 2000 years ago. Or else 95 percent of the people are tares.
Well, Mr. Tares, there is certainly no love being displayed on your end. Its rough being a tare, isn't it?
If one sins, or breaks the law, he/she comes under the law.
But if one does not break the law, he/she is under grace, and is not under the law.
If we boast of good deeds, being a sinner(breaker of the law), we are not walking in faith. But if we do not break the law, and are under grace, then the good deeds is actually Christ in us.
If we sin, we have the ability to fall before the throne of grace in repentance, confessing to God our sin, ask for forgiveness and let Christ abide in us believing God wholly and therefore Christ does the good works. It is therefore in faith, under grace, and not under the law.
Good works, strengthens faith. Disobedience to God and breaking his law weakens faith, and places us under the law.
So the ten commandments are pure. If one comes under the law, he/she shall be condemned by the law, for they sinned.
But if by faith, we believe God and do not break the law, we are under grace.
Simple. But as Peter said in his epistle, some do like to wrestle with Paul’s teaching.
You see what you want to see.. Can you see that there are 2 laws mentioned.. Romans 8:1-2 : "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 1.(For the law of the Spirit of life) has set you free in Christ Jesus from the 2.(aw of sin and death.).. Paul did not leave us in darkness about these two laws. The law of sin is present within us before conversion, repentance etc....Rom 7:21 I find then(( a law, that evil is present with me)), the one who wills to do good.... This then is the law of sin/bondage that Christ delivers us from. Unless you think we are delivered from God's perfect righteous law to sin. We were married to this law. Rom_7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead,.....We could not but sin, we served unrighteousness which condemed us to death. Christ freed us from this law in our flesh. Firstly by paying the penalty that our sins have incurred. so we are now forgiven of past sins. (Rom 3:25 .........His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,) We are washed clean and righteous and clean before God the Father. Christ then gives us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is righteous, and cannot sin ..1Jn 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, ((or His seed/Spirit remains in him; and he cannot sin, )) because he has been born of God...... So now we have the power to stay clean. Many may not want to believe this because they still not converted and want the loophole to sin to do what they want to do instead of what God wants us to do. They do not desire to please God, but to please self. then to use the excuse that the are carnal. knowing that they do not please God , but feeling righteous brcause they think that they are being humble. To sacrifice our own will to God's will is our reasonable sacrifice... and God desires and expects nothing less. Rom_12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service..... God will not take sin into eternity and All that will inherit eternity are there becaus they have kept God's law .....Isa_66:23 And it shall come to pass That from one New Moon to another, And from one Sabbath to another, All flesh shall come to worship before Me," says the LORD. So Sabbath will still be kept....Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. .. And it looks like those who still want to break the law wont. So there is no condemation to those that are led by the Spirit because the spirit is law abiding, and cannot be under a penalty of a law that was not broken by them. But God has given us the freedom to choose the path we want to go down. Many believe they are converted, but if you still want to be in the sin, are you? Bondage/sin= Egypt. God will free you from Egypt, that you free to serve Him. Do not be like the Israelite fathers who wanted to return to Egypt.
"If one sins, or breaks the law, he/she comes under the law."
No, he/she does NOT! You display a supreme misunderstanding of the New Covenant.
Kitchen 1:38 wrote, “If one sins, or breaks the law, he/she comes under the law. But if one does not break the law, he/she is under grace, and is not under the law.”
These two statements do not advance a Christian belief. Here I am interpreting what this preacher wrote using Biblical semantics. The NT uses the phrase “under the law” with a specific meaning. To be “under the law” is to be a follower of the OT laws and subject to its penalties. Christians are never under the law in that sense. Paul states, “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Christians are those led by the Spirit. One does not lose the converting presence of the Holy Spirit every time one sins. And then regain the presence on repentance. One cannot repent without the active work of the Spirit. So, lots of luck trying to make that model work.
The second statement above advances the idea of “works righteousness.” If one is a zealous law-keeper then this leads to grace. And, of course, Paul tells us that grace leads to salvation. So, the mistaken idea here is that law-keeping is the origination of salvation. That dog won’t hunt outside of Armstrongist circles.
The Christian model is that we have the faith of Christ dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit. Distinguish this from our own weak and impaired belief which does not save. And we have the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. Distinguish this from our own feeble attempts at law-keeping which do not save. This is based on the Vicarious Humanity of Christ. We, nevertheless, assert our own weak and feeble efforts because we are God’s children and not because we are gradually and strenuously bringing about our own salvation with God only as an assistant.
Scout
Excellent repsonse Scout. I still remain shocked, but I shouldnt be, at the profound lack of understanding that church members have in the process of justification and sanctification. This all stems from Herbert Armstrong's lack of understanding.
Only three festivals were and are (still) commanded.
See Jane run.
I also appreciate Scout's comment. The new testament is clear that the emphasises of the salvation experience is a new orientation (BECOMING a new creation in Christ), and not do's and don'ts (Romans 6-8).
The carnal mind knows only one way, doing or not doing.
"Touch not, taste not, handle not", Colossians 2:21).
" Unless ye be circumcised . . .", Acts 15:1.
The Pharisees to Christ . . ."why don't you do this and that . . .".
The young rich man asked a logical question the carnal mind wants to know: "what good thing must I DO to inherit eternal life"? Christ's final answer: " if thou would BE PERFECT, come and follow me". (Matthew 19:16-19).
The Christian life is not void of do's and don'ts. But until one BECOMES a new person following a new orientation, they have no capacity to DO anything that is pleasing to God (Romans 8:7-8). Following the indwelling holy spirit, the new nature, not only leads to ultimate salvation, but it is the only means of satisfying the righteous requirements of the law of God (Romans 8:1-4). Again, this demonstrates that the problem here is human, not divine. The problem is with man and his carnal nature, not the law. Abolishing or changing the law solves nothing.
Man is carnal , sold under sin. This transformation from carnal to spiritual is not based on anything we do or don't do, but on what God does. The NEW man operates under a NEW covenant, where it is God who writes His law upon our hearts and minds, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
Whether we sin or not, we as believers are under grace. You are only under the law if you think that your law-keeping will make up for and justify you of your sin. Some in the COGs have unintentionally lived like this and not sought to be justified by faith in Christ. If you show up every Sabbath yet speak evil of your brethren, you are under condemnation until you repent. Though you may be under grace, you will lose that grace if you start turning that grace into a licence to sin as you please. (Jude 4)
Being under the law isn't good because, as Paul says, if you don't keep the whole law perfectly the law will condemn you to death. Hence the need for an expiator.
"God writes His law internally on hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit."
But it's not what I experienced from church members while I attended services. Many members were moral savages. And the only laws I internalized were those that I alone chose. No person or external force chose them for me. This "God writes his laws in our heart" claim cannot be correct.
Yea Scout, this is what Paul was writing about so much in Romans and Galatians and the ACOGs still haven't figured it out. We have an Advocate when we sin , that being Jesus Christ.
What you mentioned can be summed up in Romans:
Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
All the doctrines: keeping all this doctrine and that doctrine in the ACOGs is basically almost is like a law or Mosaic Law in today's terms. And it still won't save you. You must have faith. Abraham had the faith before the levitical priesthood, before Mosaic Law.....
We do not get rewarded for doing the things which we ought.
I do. But only when those in charge are just. And always when those in charge are just. Sadly, those in charge are often corrupt.
It is sinful to throw out the law.
And how would you know that, since you have not got a clue who "Mr Tares" is?
This is why Paul made an emphasis on making it known that the Gentiles also would be of the seed of Abraham, according to the Promise. That seed of the promise is the Holy Spirit, and that helps one become a New Creation in Christ.
https://youtu.be/Saie2FVmTLE
If God writes his laws on our hearts, then they are not done away, so it is a lie to say they are done away. So we must still keep them.
You might be confused about what the promise is.
All civilized natiins today are based on Noahide law. The Jews have understood the universality of this law for millennia, and the concept of righteous Gentiles who keep it.
No, there are several promises. The promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise of eternal life. Sounds like you might be confused.
Great point, but the spirit surpasses that of the Law. See the pharisees kept the law. Paul was zealous of the law being a pharisee when he was Saul. But when he got converted and had the Holy Spirit he understood what justification was and started to have a relationship with God. Then you are talking about fruits of the spirit, gifts of the spirit. For instance, take the tablet pertaining towards man (honor parents, no stealing, no murder, no coveting, no lying, no adultery). These are all good but these don't help you love your neighbor like in giving or helping people. These don't help you with kindness, or patience or self control or joy. The Law points to what sin is (Rom 7:7), but then what? The answer is Romans 8:3-4. This was stated earlier by someone else in this post.
Anonymous 3:47 wrote, “If God writes his laws on our hearts, then they are not done away, so it is a lie to say they are done away. So we must still keep them.”
Armstrongists do not exegete this principle. They, rather, assume it. The assumption is that Jeremiah, because he is an OT author and wrote in the OC era, must be referring to the Torah. This assumption is reflected in the statement cited above. It incessantly leads to Armstrongists asserting, almost as a chorus, that the Torah is still in force because it is written on our hearts and minds. The issue that is never exegeted is what law is Jeremiah talking about.
HWA used to advocate looking at all the scripture as a part of interpreting it. But his followers blatantly disregard this principle in making the argument about the Torah being written on the hearts of Christians. They need to get in a literary time machine and come forward into the NT to see what Jeremiah was talking about rather than assuming he had to be talking about the Torah. The NT makes if clear that the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy refers to the Law of Christ – the Sermon on the mount and the other behavioral standards enunciated in the NT. The only way that Jeremiah’s prophecy can be interpreted to refer to the Torah is if the NT is carefully avoided. (I ill add that this good news for Armstrongists because they do not keep the Torah anyway.)
Scout
Don't you mean many ministry are moral savages not members. I have found the members to have morals, great peace and humility, especially at larger Feast of Tabernacles sites mixing amongst them.
Ministry are full of trouble and lust, lust of the eyes, the flesh, lust of power, money, greed, alcohol.. you name it..troubled men.
The lessons of the '95 fall of Garner Ted went much unoticed by many, but his lasting remark at a conference ousting him still resounds: 'I know there are many ministry in the church, who live worst lives than myself."
Another thing for me, when I left Armstrongism, it was equivalent to that of a person leaving Judaism and going into Christianity. This is just my case. It's on me, but they programed me that way. The Spirit of Christ is the answer like Scout referred to. See Anon 3:47 Christ made a distinction between what he was doing rather than what the pharisees were doing in His ministry (Luke 6:1–5). He said that they lacked justice, mercy and faith (Matt 23:23). And it sounds like some of the ministers that I encountered in armstrongism. But you dust yourself off, and you move on.
Scout 703 writes, "the NT makes it clear that the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy refers to the law of Christ" --not Torah! I think I know where Scout is coming from, but do we really need to reinterpret the old testament to make this wash?
Jeremiah 31:33 says, I will put my law into their inward parts and write it into their hearts. What law did Jeremiah have in mind?
How about Ezekiel? In chapter 11:19-20 he writes,
I will put my spirit in you that you may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances.
Ch.36:27, I will put my spirit in you and cause you to walk in my statutes and keep my judgements.
In the sermon on the mount, did Christ create a new law or was He bringing out the true spiritual significance of the law (Torah) already in existence?
Matthew 7:12, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you for THIS IS THE LAW (Torah) AND THE PROPHETS ! ! !
The apostle Paul to the Gentile Corinthians,
For it is written in the law of Moses (law of WHAT?), thou shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn . . .
The law, statutes, ordinances, judgements, law of Moses????? Sounds like the Torah to me. The question of the hour is, what does God require of us now, do we have to do this and do that? Since a Christian now possesses the spirit of God and is operating under a new orientation, that of the spiritual principle of the law, the answer is YES, He requires us to follow where the spirit leads, which is something one must grow into.
Paul expected the Corinthians to not muzzle the ox, which in principle means, don't muzzle HIM in his efforts to do God's work. You may not have a battle ment roof system but what if you have a swimming pool on your property that the neighborhood children could access? Should you have for safety sake a fence around it for everyone's protection?
Call it what you will, the law, the law of God, the law of Moses, of Christ. The NT uses all these terms, and they All are connected to Torah. The "new" inward man delights in the law of God, and in delight we serve in newness of spirit, which goes way beyond the oldness of the letter.
Correct BP8, the spirit goes beyond the letter. This is the amplified version.
Romans 8:3 For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son],
Romans 8:4 so that the [righteous and just] requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not live our lives in the ways of the flesh [guided by worldliness and our sinful nature], but [live our lives] in the ways of the Spirit [guided by His power]
I actually came across GTAs stuff, later on even though I was never in his splinter group. But I think he ended up somewhat getting it in the end. Some of these guys it takes for them to get a full head of gray to get it. I enjoyed his sermon: What is a Pharisee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TylkL6v9BUc
He realizes a person can keep the law perfect for your whole lifetime and it would never justify you. But gets into the issues they were having back in WCG, something that most ministers don't do.
BP8 7:19
I have a few questions for you.
1. If the term Law in the NT simply means the Torah made more stringent, why did Paul stir up such a ruckus about the physical act of circumcision?
2. If the term Law in the NT simply means the Torah made more stringent and then written on the hearts of believers, where in the world is there a Christian denomination that practices this?
3. What was it that the author of Hebrews was referring to in Hebrews 8:13 that was becoming obsolete?
Scout
Jer 31:32b my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
“The truth of the matter was that Jeremiah found no fault with the Sinaitic covenant. Both Jeremiah and the later writer of Hebrews were emphatic in their assessment of the trouble with the covenant made in Moses' day. The problem was with the people, not with the covenant making God nor with the moral law or promises reaffirmed from the patriarchs and included in that old covenant. The text of Jeremiah 31:32 explicitly pointed the finger when it said, "Which covenant of Mine they broke." So also did Hebrews 8:8-9: "His finding fault with them because they continued not in [His] covenant" ” (Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Towards an Old Testament Theology, p.232).
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law [torah] in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
“When the items of continuity found in the New covenant are tabulated in this passage, they are: (1) the same covenant making God, "My covenant"; (2) the same law, My torah (note, not a different one than Sinai); (3) the same divine fellowship promised in the ancient tripartite formula, "I will be your God; the same "seed" and "people," "You shall be my people"; and (5) the same forgiveness, "I will forgive their iniquities"”
"In other words, to have the law on our hearts is to know God, which ultimately means to have his grace clearly imprinted in us. This is the essential element to living the Christian life" (Peter Enns, Exodus, NIVAC, p. 382).
"I am not using "law" here as a list of commands. This is not even what it means in the Old Testament" (Peter Enns, Exodus, NIVAC, p. 381).
Ex 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. (AV).
Mk 14:18a While they were reclining at the table eating,
“Jesus and his disciples have now reclined on the couches and have begun to eat the Passover meal (though compare Exod 12:11, which requires Israelites to eat while standing)” (Craig A. Evans, Mark 8:27-16:20, WBC, p. 375).
“Of course his laws were edited and expanded, issued and re-issued down the centuries that followed, for different situations and changing circumstances; but Israel's law would never cease to be known as the law of Moses. Rightly so: for the principles laid down in his time, before the settlement in Canaan, remained the principles of Israel's law for all centuries to come" (F.F. Bruce, Israel and the Nations - The History of Israel from the Exodus to the Fall of the Second Temple, pp.3-4).
Part 2
The Lord Is Holy
Lev 19:1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Lev 19:2 "Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.
Lev 19:3 'Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself - Love in action
Lev 19:10 And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 19:11 'You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
Lev 19:12 And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:13 'You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning.
Lev 19:14 You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:15 'You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.
Lev 19:16 You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:17 'You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him.
Lev 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:32 'You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:33 'And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat him.
Lev 19:34 The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 19:35 'You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume.
Lev 19:36 You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Lev 19:37 'Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the LORD.' "
“Verse 18, “love your neighbor as yourself,” is quoted frequently in the NT (Matt. 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31, 33; Luke 10:27; Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8) and ever since has been regarded as the quintessence of Christian ethics.
“It is, however, more than a summary of Christian principles. In its original context Lev. 19:18 epitomizes and expresses the principles governing all laws that surround it. Love for one’s neighbor comes out as in not stealing from him, or lying to him, or cheating him in business. The other precepts about neighborly conduct in this chapter are applications of the principle of love in specific situations.
“For the Christian it is self-evident that love for God and neighbor still govern his actions, we must ask ourselves whether similar situations still exist in our society, and if so how love would act today.
“Many of the general precepts are just as pertinent today as they ever were in ancient Israel. Corruption (vv. 15-16), prostitution (v. 29), divination (v. 26) and the occult (v. 31), exploitation of foreigners (vv. 33:34), and deceitful marketing methods (vv. 35-36) all flourish where man does not make love of his neighbor his guiding principle.
“... man is still called to imitate God (Matt. 5:48; 1 Cor.11:1), to be holy, for I am holy,” (Lev. 19:2; cf. 1 Pet. 1:16). The detailed application of these imperatives may change from age to age, but the principles of holy living remain unaltered” (Gordon J. Wenham, Leviticus, NICOT, pp. 274-75).
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
I have a question for Scout, do you think Paul wrote the book of Hebrews? If not, why?
Scout 351
You are obviously a scholarly and educated man who has his own personal beliefs nailed down, which apparently makes it almost impossible for you to really pay attention to what someone else with a conflicting opinion has to say.
I have answered all these questions before, even here in previous comments, but you misconstrue what I say.
Question 1
I said nothing about the Torah made more stringent. I said Christ did not create a NEW law. He brought to light the true spiritual significance of the EXISTING law. Because of this our service now is in newness of spirit as the spirit guides and directs. By walking after the spirit, the righteous requirements of said existing law are satisfied.
Concerning circumcision, the false teaching in Acts 15:1 was, "except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you CANNOT BE SAVED".
How many times have you and I both said and agreed that the law (any law) was not a pathway to salvation? This has nothing to do with the validity and proper use of the law, but its misuse.
2. Really Scout? Is Orthodox Christianity and its 41,000 denominations really suppose to be our ultimate guide in spiritual matters? Does all your pet beliefs line up with them? Look up the article " Law in the NT" in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and it will verify everything I have said about the law. But since you have scorned that source before because it contradicted your assertions, don't bother.
3. Hebrews 8:13
Here's an excellent case in point of the ole Scout bait and switch. Here and now we are discussing "LAW". Scout confuses the issue by bringing in a Scripture dealing with the covenants. As we have discussed before but apparently you have forgotten, they are NOT the same thing!!!
I see multi-part man has chimed in. Pay attention to this guy. He plays fair and he knows what he's talking about.
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