There is a great difference between saying one Must follow these rules and saying if you love me you will obey my commands.
The rules are there to convict people of sin.
Our sin has been dealt with so the rules show us how Jesus wants us to live.
What rules?
Love the Lord your God with all you are and your neighbour as you love your self.
Either in that format or in the format of the ten commandments.
What Jesus is saying is that if we love Him,
we MUST follow His rules.
This is what a disciple is....someone who learns
from a teacher. You've stated that Jesus teaches us
how to live and this is true.
You say that the rules are there to convict us of sin.
Sometimes I lose the meaning of what this means.
The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.
The rules are there to be followed.
Jesus said to Love God and love ourselves as our neighbor.
Do we realize how many rules this involves?
Love will cover all these rules.....
But what would you say to those that do not feel they have any rules to follow?
To those that call ME a legalist because I believe Jesus needs to be heeded?
Jesus did not say we are to abolish the rules...He said we are to follow them
BETTER than the Pharisees.
Matthew 5:20
Also, could you please tell me what it means to be in the Kingdom of God?
I think we might be agreeing,,,but sometimes I'm not so sure.