Bible Study Obeying the Lord Jesus Christ is legalism?

[JLB]

I liked what John says in the beginning of chapter 4, and it made me think of how the Holy Spirit works in the lives of unbelievers to draw them near our Lord. (John 16:8).

Yes, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation...and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.




JLB

 

[JLB]

JLB
Now that I feel like im really getting to know you, I look back and wonder how many other times I've misunderstood you. I'm sure I have so in like manner, im sorry.

I’ll have sit down and think how you can make it all up to me.

This may take some time.

 

[JLB]

JLB
Now that I feel like im really getting to know you, I look back and wonder how many other times I've misunderstood you. I'm sure I have so in like manner, im sorry.

I have a feeling it was all Wondering’s fault.

 

[JLB]

JLB
Now that I feel like im really getting to know you, I look back and wonder how many other times I've misunderstood you. I'm sure I have so in like manner, im sorry.

Thank goodness I have never misunderstood someone then went off on them in a post.




JLB

 

[stovebolts]

You know JLB ,I don't have a passage for this, but they say laughter is good for the soul. Must be my since of humor, but your last few posts received a good belly laugh.

I’ll have sit down and think how you can make it all up to me.

Exodus 22:9
“For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

 

[GodsGrace]

You know JLB ,I don't have a passage for this, but they say laughter is good for the soul. Must be my since of humor, but your last few posts received a good belly laugh.


Exodus 22:9
“For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.

Sounds like Italian law.
Gee, maybe Italians read the bible after all....

 

[GodsGrace]

I have a feeling it was all Wondering’s fault.

Yeah...
You better hide !!

 

[GodsGrace]

Yes we obey the Lord after we are born again.


However, we must obey the Gospel in order to be born again.

We are able to obey the Gospel, by (power of) the Spirit.

Us doing the activity of obeying, with the help of the Spirit;
The Spirit of grace.


Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 1 Peter 1:22-23

• Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit...having been born again, not of corruptible seed

The command of the Gospel is Repent.

Repent, in context of the Gospel, means turn to God in submission to Him as Lord.

The way we obey this command to repent, is to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.


For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10

• mouth confession is made unto salvation.

JLB

J,
I must say that you taught me the above.
At first I couldn't understand how we could obey the gospel UNLESS we were born again.

But after reading what you stated in post 7 a couple of times I came to uncerstand that we must obey by REPENTING...and so, really, we obey even just slightly BEFORE we become born again.

I'm sure your biblical knowledge helps all of us to understand more of some aspect of theology.

 

[GodsGrace]

I voted "Other" because I believe another answer is No, obeying the Lord is our response to salvation. We love the Lord and, therefore, our desire is to keep His commandments.

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me." John 14:23-24 NKJV

WIP, I very much like your answer..but sometimes this answer gives me problems with those that don't think we need to obey...OR they tell me that ALL of the commandments MUST be obeyed ALL of the time or it's worthless. IOW,,, all or nothing at all (or close to it).

What if I don't feel like I love God for a period of time?
Does the feeling of love have to be there for me to obey Him??

So then I'll ask a simple question:
Is it necessary to obey God after salvation?

I never get a straight answer.
Mine is easy: YES.

What do you say?
Does it depend on how our feeling of loving Him is or do we obey anyway?

 

[JLB]

But after reading what you stated in post 7 a couple of times I came to uncerstand that we must obey by REPENTING...and so, really, we obey even just slightly BEFORE we become born again.

Yes. Amen by the grace of the Spirit.


JLB

 

[JLB]

WIP, I very much like your answer..but sometimes this answer gives me problems with those that don't think we need to obey...OR they tell me that ALL of the commandments MUST be obeyed ALL of the time or it's worthless. IOW,,, all or nothing at all (or close to it).

What if I don't feel like I love God for a period of time?
Does the feeling of love have to be there for me to obey Him??

So then I'll ask a simple question:
Is it necessary to obey God after salvation?

I never get a straight answer.
Mine is easy: YES.

What do you say?
Does it depend on how our feeling of loving Him is or do we obey anyway?

I believe feelings are linked to the emotions of the soul.

When we do right by a brother who really doesn’t deserve it, because they are unkind or unloving or maybe they have sinned against us, we certainly don’t “feel” like doing right by them, but we do it anyway.

That’s love.

There may be a thousand variations of this but I think you know what I mean.


JLB

 

[GodsGrace]

I believe feelings are linked to the emotions of the soul.

When we do right by a brother who really doesn’t deserve it, because they are unkind or unloving or maybe they have sinned against us, we certainly don’t “feel” like doing right by them, but we do it anyway.

That’s love.

There may be a thousand variations of this but I think you know what I mean.


JLB

Absolutely.
Jesus said anyone can love a friend,,,but we are also to love our enemies.
Mathew 5:43-47

And, in this same way, I believe we are to obey God, whether we feel like it or not. This is not to say that we will never fail,,,but only that our intent should be guided by what Jesus taught and not by how we feel at any given moment.

 

[stovebolts]

And, in this same way, I believe we are to obey God, whether we feel like it or not. This is not to say that we will never fail,,

What I hear you saying is really,it's about faith.
Our inner man doesn't want to do the will of God at times, but just like Jesus said, "Your will, not mine".
An aspect of faith is believing...and that often pushes us to action. When we obey Gods word, really, we're believing Gods way is best... We trust Gods word because we've tasted it.

So many times have I stepped out in faith and denied my personal feelings because I trust Gods word enough to understand that Gods commandments are not burdensome and they have the ability to set us free from so many things.

 

[GodsGrace]

What I hear you saying is really,it's about faith.
Our inner man doesn't want to do the will of God at times, but just like Jesus said, "Your will, not mine".
An aspect of faith is believing...and that often pushes us to action. When we obey Gods word, really, we're believing Gods way is best... We trust Gods word because we've tasted it.

So many times have I stepped out in faith and denied my personal feelings because I trust Gods word enough to understand that Gods commandments are not burdensome and they have the ability to set us free from so many things.

It's absolutely about faith.
Sometimes I get a little desperate about things and I know it's always the enemy attacking us with bad thoughts and feelings of helplessness; but I know that God is doing everything for a reason and I snap back as soon as I can and do no dwell on negative thoughts. I like Romans 8:28...somehow God works everything out for the good. Believers tend to see some good in all.

Also, I believe that because we love God our good deeds are not burdensome -- what Jesus commanded is not burdensome. It's the Holy Spirit that helps us along to do HIS will. If we don't have the strength to do something, I believe God will not hold this against us.

 

[stovebolts]

It's absolutely about faith.
Sometimes I get a little desperate about things and I know it's always the enemy attacking us with bad thoughts and feelings of helplessness; but I know that God is doing everything for a reason and I snap back as soon as I can and do no dwell on negative thoughts. I like Romans 8:28...somehow God works everything out for the good. Believers tend to see some good in all.

Also, I believe that because we love God our good deeds are not burdensome -- what Jesus commanded is not burdensome. It's the Holy Spirit that helps us along to do HIS will. If we don't have the strength to do something, I believe God will not hold this against us.

 

[RevSRE]

I still have a lot to learn, but I have the rest of eternity to understand it all,
but, In My Opinion!
One 1. and Two 2. are not two answers to a question but are TWO questions that we so often get mixed up and see as one.

First Question How am I SAVED?
That is By GRACE through Faith it is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a CHOICE we make.
God requires obedience and in Adam we all failed, We must have the righteousness of God to come into HIS presence and that requires something WE CANNOT DO!
Jesus came and Paid that debt, it is a free gift and offered by God's Grace.
This is the starting point NOT THE DESTINATION!

Two How do I live for Jesus, a disciple, His servent?
Keep His commandments
Love the Brethren,
Living in and for Jesus is our purpose our GOAL. The Destination.

There are TWO subjects here we need to be careful to be clear which one we are discussing or people will get confused and argue over something we all agree on if we keep the meaning clear.

 

[JLB]

Absolutely.
Jesus said anyone can love a friend,,,but we are also to love our enemies.
Mathew 5:43-47

Easier said than done.


JLB

 

[JLB]

First Question How am I SAVED?
That is By GRACE through Faith it is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a CHOICE we make.

It would be hard to argue with this.

The obedience part is found in the “faith” part of the equation.


JLB

 

[JLB]

And, in this same way, I believe we are to obey God, whether we feel like it or not. This is not to say that we will never fail,,,but only that our intent should be guided by what Jesus taught and not by how we feel at any given moment.

BIG BIG AMEN!!!

 

[JLB]

An aspect of faith is believing...and that often pushes us to action.

This is so true.

If you look at the biblical words and terms thread, under the word “believe”, there is an element of obeying in the original Greek word for believe.

Actually different versions use believe and obey interchangeably.

Disobedience is also rendered Unbelief.


So if we say we believe the Gospel, but don’t “repent”, which is to confess Jesus as Lord, then our believing we s no better than that of demons.

IOW, True biblical believing leads to obeying.



JLB