WHAT MUST BE DONE TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE?

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Matthew 19:16, 17 NOTE: What Jesus says here often surprises people for He does not give one of the standard answers that is so popular today such as repent, believe, be baptized, confess your sins, etc.; but nonetheless it is what Jesus said. Regardless of what some would say today, never has there been a time when it was permissible to transgress God's commandments.

HOW DOES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE GOD’S LAST DAY PEOPLE?

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17

Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. Revelation 14:12

WHO ARE THOSE WHO HAVE RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE?

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW OF GOD?

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

WHAT IS THE BREAKING OF THE LAW CALLED?

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4

WOULD THERE BE SIN IF THERE WAS NO LAW?

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans 4:15

NOTE: Understanding this bible definition of sin, how can anyone say God's law is done away with and then speak of sin? Notice the dilemma. If there is no law, there is no sin, and if no sin there is no need of a Savior, and if we don’t need a Savior, then who needs Jesus and why preach the gospel?

DID JESUS DO AWAY WITH GOD’S LAW?

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:17, 18

NOTE: Jesus said, “Don’t even think I came to destroy the law.”

WHAT DID JESUS SAY ABOUT CHANGING GOD’S LAW?

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle [the least stroke of the pen] of the law to fail. Luke 16:17

WHAT WAS DONE AWAY WITH AT THE DEATH OF JESUS?

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; Ephesians 2:15

WHAT WAS BLOTTED OUT AT THE CROSS?

Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; Colossians 2:14

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THESE ORDINANCES?

Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Colossians 2:17

WHO WROTE THIS TEMPORARY LAW OF ORDINANCES?

And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished,

That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying,

Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. Deuteronomy 31:24-26

WHAT WAS TO CAUSE THESE ORDINANCES TO END?

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. Hebrews 9:8-12

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS?

And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Mark 15:37, 38

DID JESUS SAY LOVE MAKES THE COMMANDMENTS VOID?

Jesus said unto 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 22:37-40

NOTE: Jesus is quoting the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18) in this passage. He is not giving a new law, but says simply, if we love God supremely, we will not transgress the first four commandments by worshiping false gods, bowing down to images, taking His name in vain, or desecrating His holy Sabbath (Exodus 20:3-7). If we love our fellow man as ourselves, we will not transgress the last six by dishonoring our parents, killing, stealing, committing adultery, lying, or coveting what belongs to another. This is why Jesus says upon these two “hang all the law.”

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LAW AND LOVE?

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10

NOTE: The first four commandments pertain to our relationship with God, and the last six to our relationship with our fellow man. Imagine what it would be like if the commandments were gone. There would be nothing wrong with lying, stealing, adultery, killing, idolatry, etc. It is still a sin to break any one of the commandments of God.

DOES KEEPING GOD’S LAW EARN US SALVATION?

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. Galatians 3:11

HOW ARE WE SAVED?

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8, 9

ARE GOOD WORKS (OBEDIENCE) EVIDENT IN THE SAVED?

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

NOTE: Grace makes us obedient children of God, not rebellious against His law.

WHAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE JUSTIFIED?

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Romans 3:28

DOES FAITH MEAN WE MUST NO LONGER OBEY GOD’S LAW?

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we etablish the law.

Romans 3:31

DOES BEING UNDER GRACE MAKE US FREE TO SIN?

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Romans 6:14, 15

NOTE: Repeatedly Paul emphasizes that grace makes us law keepers, not law breakers (Romans 3:31; 6:1, 2, 14, 15; 7:7). Grace always leads to obedience, never to disobedience.

HAS THE LAW BEEN KEPT “FOR US” OR IS IT TO BE “IN US”?

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:3, 4

WHAT DOES TRUE FAITH DO?

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Galatians 6:6

HOW IMPORTANT ARE WORKS?

What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?...

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:14-20, 26

NOTE: Our works are only the evidence of our faith. The things we do are simply the reflection of what we believe. If our faith does not show obedience to God, it is evidence of being destitute of the grace of God, something to be compared to the belief of Satan and his rebellious angels.

WHAT IF SOMEONE BREAKS ONLY ONE COMMANDMENT?

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. James 2:10, 11 NOTE: If a person is going to break one of the commandments, he might as well break them all, for the wages of sin is death, whether we break one or all of them.

THOUGH SAVED BY GRACE, BY WHAT ARE WE JUDGED?

So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. James 2:12

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT WE TRULY LOVE GOD?

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5:3

WHAT ARE THE DISOBEDIENT WHO CLAIM LOVE CALLED?

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 2:4

WHERE WILL ALL LIARS BE FOUND?

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:8 NOTE: Liars are the only group that is prefaced with the word “all.”

WHERE WILL THE COMMANDMENT KEEPERS BE FOUND?

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:14

IF YOU LOVE GOD, HOW DOES HE WANT YOU TO SHOW IT?

If ye love me, keep my commandments. John 14:15