Should Christians Keep the Ten Commandments Today???

[Drew]

Ok lovely, I object because you are implying that sin no longer exists. Paul says that where there is no law, there is no transgression. So when you say that there is no longer a need for a Law, then you are indirectly saying that sin does not exist.

No. You simply assume that sin only refers to the transgression of the law. You need to make a case that this is so, not merely assert it.

 

[Brother Lionel]

Ok, so now I think I know where the disconnection lies - the view of sin. For the sake of clarification, I'll digress to this question:

What is your understanding of sin?? Because the bible defines sin as the transgression of God's law, what it your interpretation of it? Here's the verse;

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

Let's discuss...

 

[Drew]

Ok, so now I think I know where the disconnection lies - the view of sin. For the sake of clarification, I'll digress to this question:

What is your understanding of sin?? Because the bible defines sin as the transgression of God's law, what it your interpretation of it? Here's the verse;

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

Let's discuss...

BL, have you been reading my posts? I have just made a number of rather detailed arguments as to why Paul cannot have understood the word sin to always connote "transgression of God's law". You need to critique those arguments - and providing other texts will not suffice since it leaves my arguments unrefuted. Neither of us can say "your position about text A is wrong because this other text B says something different". That is not proper debate - in order for your position, or my position to stand, all, repeat all competing arguments must be dealt with.

As to 1 John 3:4, I suggest that the writer is only covering only one aspect of a term that has multiple meanings.

If I have ever denied that "sin" is, at certain times, used to denote law-breaking, I repent of such a statement. But things are not as simple as you seem to think they are. If someone says "A cat is a four-legged animal that purrs", does that mean that this statement is about a kitty-kat playing guitar?:

"That cat played some great guitar riffs down at the club last night"

 

[Drew]

In other words, sometimes the word "sin" denotes law-breaking. Other times, as in Romans 7 and 8, "sin" rather clearly denotes a force or power that ends up being condemned on the cross. And we also have Romans 5 where Paul is really quite clear - Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses and, more to the point, was present in the lives of even those whose were under no "law" whatsoever.

 

[lovely]

Nightmare, and others, please consider Romans 5

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12 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 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Death reigned prior to Moses receiving the Law, because men were imputed with sin through Adam, our federal head, even those who did not sin as Adam (infants possibly?). After the Law, sin increased, due to transgression of the law, so that grace could abound more. So, Adam's one sin act brought death and condemnation, and Jesus' one righteous act brought eternal life. So, after Moses, we became subject to the law ,and sin increased because of transgression of the Law. So, Drew is right to say it not only revealed sin, but in creased sin. Now, where there is no law (for the believer), under the New Covenant we have in Christ, sin is not imputed, but through grace we have justification and righteousness reigns.

I hope that's clearer for my part. As far as the believer's obedience to Christ, we have become disciples dying to oursleves and walking in the spirit, the law of grace, being conformed to His image by the Holy Spirit...with this transfromation, and with His love in us, we are compelled, literally created, to follow Him in good works and obedience to the Father.

Ephesians 2
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christâ€â€by grace you have been saved 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

[Brother Lionel]

"sin" clearly denotes a force or power that ends up being condemned on the cross.

So your view is that sin is nothing but a "force" or "power"?

Sin was in the world before the Law of Moses and, more to the point, was present in the lives of even those whose were under no "law" whatsoever.

Ok, could you explain Gen 26:5 where it says "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The law was not only labeled "the Law of Moses", Abraham lived hundreds of years before Moses but yet God says that he kept His commandments and His laws.

 

[Drew]

So your view is that sin is nothing but a "force" or "power"?

Please read what I wrote. I have said that the word "sin" is used in a variety of ways, and that in Romans 7 and 8 in particular, it is used to denote a power or force.

Ok, could you explain Gen 26:5 where it says "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The law was not only labeled "the Law of Moses", Abraham lived hundreds of years before Moses but yet God says that he kept His commandments and His laws.

In Romans 5, Paul never says that all people were "without law" between Adam and Moses, but rather that some were. Abraham was obviously not one of those "some". But the fact is that Paul asserts that some sinned in manner unlike Adam, that is in a manner where there was no command, yet they still sinned:

...even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam

How can their sin be different from the transgression of Adam (note the different words here)? Simple: Adam disobeyed a command, they didn't.

And yet they still sinned.

Do you see now?

 

[lovely]

How can their sin be different from the transgression of Adam (note the different words here)? Simple: Adam disobeyed a command, they didn't.

And yet they still sinned.

Do you see now?

Actually, Drew, that makes the passage even clearer to me.

 

[RND]

Does that clarify things?

Nope. The Ten Commandments and the book of the law (Mosaic law) were two entirely distinct and separate things and this explains why you are talking past others. It really is as simple as that.

 

[lovely]

Romans 13
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,†and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.†10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

 

[Drew]

Romans 13
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,†and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.†10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Excellent point. This shows that the argument that "we need the law otherwise mayhem would result" is not valid. The Spirit guides us to love - so the Law becomes unncessary.

 

[RND]

The Spirit guides us to love - so the Law becomes unncessary.

What standard does the Spirit use to guide to love?

 

[Brother Lionel]

Nightmare, and others, please consider Romans 5

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12 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 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Death reigned prior to Moses receiving the Law, because men were imputed with sin through Adam, our federal head, even those who did not sin as Adam (infants possibly?). After the Law, sin increased, due to transgression of the law, so that grace could abound more. So, Adam's one sin act brought death and condemnation, and Jesus' one righteous act brought eternal life. So, after Moses, we became subject to the law ,and sin increased because of transgression of the Law. So, Drew is right to say it not only revealed sin, but in creased sin. Now, where there is no law (for the believer), under the New Covenant we have in Christ, sin is not imputed, but through grace we have justification and righteousness reigns.

I hope that's clearer for my part. As far as the believer's obedience to Christ, we have become disciples dying to oursleves and walking in the spirit, the law of grace, being conformed to His image by the Holy Spirit...with this transfromation, and with His love in us, we are compelled, literally created, to follow Him in good works and obedience to the Father.

Ephesians 2
1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christâ€â€by grace you have been saved 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Very well then. I'll ask you the same question I asked Drew. Could you please explain Genesis 26:5 where it says "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." If the law did not begin until Moses, why did God say that Abraham kept His commandments and laws?

 

[Brother Lionel]

Romans 13
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,†and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.†10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

But lovely, these commandments are nothing new. This was an OT law which was a part of the Law of Moses.

Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Lev 19:18 ...thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

So, the two greatest commandments were from the Law of Moses. The same law that you guys are saying is abolished. Could you explain please??

 

[lovely]

Very well then. I'll ask you the same question I asked Drew. Could you please explain Genesis 26:5 where it says "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws." If the law did not begin until Moses, why did God say that Abraham kept His commandments and laws?

"By faith Abraham"...through the Law of faith in the Spirit.

Hebrews 11
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.â€Â



He heard God, who actually spoke to Abraham, and Abraham along with others during that time took God at His Word...they had faith. God also promised an inheritance through the promise.



Galatians 3
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.†11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.†12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.†13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for usâ€â€for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a treeâ€Â 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,†referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,†who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.[i/]

19 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. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So, then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.



It's clear in Scripture that it was through faith.



Romans 4
1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.†[b/]4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,[b/][i/] 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;
8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.â€Â

9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, 12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.[b/][i/]

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.[b/][i/]

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspringâ€â€not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, [b/]17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nationsâ€Ââ€â€in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.†19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.†23 But the words “it was counted to him†were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.[i/]

 

[Brother Lionel]

I understand all of these passages in their respective contexts, but I please expound on Gen 26:5:

"Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept...my commandments...and my laws."

 

[lovely]

Romans 13
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,†and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.†10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

But lovely, these commandments are nothing new. This was an OT law which was a part of the Law of Moses.

Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Lev 19:18 ...thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

So, the two greatest commandments were from the Law of Moses. The same law that you guys are saying is abolished. Could you explain please??

Again, your answer is in the Scripture. It is an old commandment, but then it is a new commandment, why? Because in order for it to be true in us, we must abide in Christ, and the Spirit bears witness to us that we do. This really tells me that you are not reading my posts. The 'spirit' of the law says that hatred is equal to murder, and so if I love God and my neighbor, I will not hate, therefore I will not murder...by this Love law of Christ, the law of Moses is fulfilled, and God is made manifest to us and in us, those who abide in Christ, in Love. If we have the love in us, Christ in us, then we will follow those two commands that fulfill the law and it will manifest itself in our lives. The Law has been fulfilled through love. We see here that John shows that according to the law of Christ hate is equated with murder. It is 'more' obedience, not less.

1 John 2
7 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. 8 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. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

God's love had to be made manifest to us in Christ so that we may live through Him. We have not seen God, but Christ reveals God to us...God is Love. The Love commandments are who we are, who God is in us, and we do them because we are a NEW CREATION, CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS ON CHRIST. We do not obey them in the flesh, but in the spirit, and they are made manfest in the flesh as God's righteousness in us.

1 John 4
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [i/]10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,†and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

It is through Jesus that God has made Himself known to us, as I mentioned this in a post to RND, it is through Jesus that grace and truth came. Apart from Christ, the love commands can not be obeyed, because they are followed in faith through the Spirit.

John 1 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Hebrews 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

I don't mean to bombard you with Sciptures, but I think it is clear why we walk in the Spirit in love no longer being condemned thanks to Jesus. Jesus is the Word made flesh, and a manifestation of God's love to us, and in us...that's why all the laws and the prophets hang on these two commands. Paul summed it up that they fulfill the law. Faith in Him is righteousness to us alone. Remember, the Jews could not keep these laws, and they became condemned through the Law...it did not make them righteous. Our righteiouness is found in Christ, who fulfilled the law with the law of love, and by whose Love we fulfill the law. It is not by the flesh according to the law that brings condemnation and death.

The Lord bless you.

 

[RND]

I understand all of these passages in their respective contexts, but I please expound on Gen 26:5:

"Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept...my commandments...and my laws."

BL, this is a difficult question to ask someone so ingrained into believing that there are no laws left to obey. Very tough. When we see then that Abraham obeyed both the Torah and the mitsvah the pickle gets even tougher to explain for those that believe they are under the Spirit and thus have no laws to obey.

This has been an absolutely fascinating and eye-opening thread in some respects because the level of distortions people will go through to twist scripture to suit their myopic views is truly scary. I suspect this is done simply to refute the observance of the sabbath.

 

[RND]

Again, your answer is in the Scripture. It is an old commandment, but then it is a new commandment, why? Because in order for it to be true in us, we must abide in Christ, and the Spirit bears witness to us that we do.

So then Jesus has standards?

This really tells me that you are not reading my posts. The 'spirit' of the law says that hatred is equal to murder, and so if I love God and my neighbor, I will not hate, therefore I will not murder...by this Love law of Christ, the law of Moses is fulfilled, and God is made manifest to us and in us, those who abide in Christ, in Love.

And yet, if we hate we are trangressors and lawbreakers correct?

If we have the love in us, Christ in us, then we will follow those two commands that fulfill the law and it will manifest itself in our lives.

And on those two command hang the entire "law and prophets." Thus, if we break one, we break all.

The Law has been fulfilled through love.

Fill full by love. The love of Christ. If we claim to abide in Him we will "keep His commandments."

We see here that John shows that according to the law of Christ hate is equated with murder. It is 'more' obedience, not less.

So then there is still a standard with we must obey. It hasn't been removed in fact it has been made even more difficult to live up to because no one can live up to thiss new standard without the Spirit of God.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

 

[lovely]

I understand all of these passages in their respective contexts, but I please expound on Gen 26:5:

"Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept...my commandments...and my laws."

Well, those passages I gave you are expounding on Genesis 26 wouldn't you agree? Here again we see God telling Isaac to your 'offspring', singular, which is Jesus. Isaac is trusting in the covenant God made with Abraham concerning the land, even though there is a famine. Is Isaac obeying God? God is actually speaking to Isaac, as He did to Abraham, and holding Abraham up as one who had faith in what He said. God spoke directly to Abraham, led him, gave him commands, and though Abraham was not perfect God still considered him righteous...sounds like faith.

2And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.â€Â