The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is wonderful, and we wouldn't have it any other way as our flesh through Adam has been corrupted.

However, we have to be careful not to take that proferred grace to the extreme and neglect keeping the commandments, which is not work at all, as so many infer that it is, but it is a pleasure to keep them, as it keeps of from getting ourselves into a whole lot of trouble, insofar as without keeping them, we can slide more and more into sin, fall away and in the process forget God as the Hebrews did. They are our example in the Old Testament and the New as well of what happens when you disobey.


Our Lord set the Ten Commandments into stone. Those two tablets of stone shall be recovered some day soon from its hiding place in Israel to show to the world. Every one of them is the basis of judgment if we do not keep them as we see in Revelation 22:13,14

in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ:

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

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


After the Great Tribulation, the Jesus Christ will return with the armies of Heaven and defeat His enemies, Revelation 19:14-16. Then will follow the Millennium with Christ as King of the Earth to complete the 7000 years.

Zechariah 14:16-19 tells us the nations will come and worship Him in Jerusalem:

16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.

17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.

18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.


We are obliged as His people to keep both the Decalogue and the Feasts of the Lord.

Interesting....so keeping the FEAST of the LORD would mean to take a trip to JERUSALEM THREE TIMES a year to keep the FEAST in JERUSALEM.


I don't have plane tickets to JERUSALEM every year since I have been Christian.....nor have I actually known all about the FEAST of the LORD in their entirety.......so I relie on GRACE of God ( JESUS ) to be the ACCEPTANCE for my falling SHORT of keeping the commandments.

Do I try to keep the commancments? Yes I do .....do I succeed NO I do NOT.


So by GRACE I am SAVED ( JESUS ) through FAITH.....not of works or of keeping the FEAST or any other commandment......


JESUS AND HIM alone is what will get me HOME.

The thief on the CROSS DID NOTHING other than PROFESS JESUS as God and the THIEF is NOW IN PARADISE.



Luke 23:32-43

32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.


39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. =red for emphasis
KJV



so if you think any of your good works is going to get you into heaven you will be sadly mistaken.....JESUS and your acceptance of HIS DEATH on the CROSS as payment for the penalty of your sin will get you in......I"m sure the THIEF on the CROSS would call that GRACE & MERCY.

G od's

R iches

A t

C Hrist

E xpense

GRACE


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definition of GRACE and MERCY:
http://christianity-rediscovered.blogspot.com/2006/08/grace-is-unmerited-favor-this-common_30.html

"Grace is Unmerited Favor" - This Common Definition is Wrong
There are a few key words in the Bible that are given wrong definitions even though the definitions are widely accepted. Such wrong definitions created much confusion and a weak church. Grace is commonly defined as "God's unmerited favor to man". We even go into greater length to differentiate grace from mercy. Grace is defined as the getting the blessings/favors that we do not deserve and Mercy as NOT getting the punishments that we deserved.

With such fine definitions, we deceived ourselves that we have good and deep understanding of the terms of Grace and Mercy.

However, the definition of Grace as unmerited favor is wrong. I used to define grace as making up of two parts - unmerited and power. But after hearing James Ryle (Truthworks.org) preaching in Grace Chapel (gracechapel.net) on 23 Jul 2006 "Living a Legacy Part 4", I have to drop the unmerited part and just keep the power part. The unmerited part comes from God's mercy and need not be repeated in grace. In Tit 1:4, the benediction from Paul is "Grace, Mercy and Peace". (which matches well with 2Tim1:7 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control).

How to Judge the Correctness of a Definition?
1, Substitute the definition for term in the sentence/verse where the term is found.
2. Do it for all occurrences of the term in all the verses.
Let's try it for Jam 4:6... God resists the proud, but gives [grace] to the humble.
Unmerited favor does not make sense here. If it is unmerited favor, then the proud should have it too. In fact, the proud is more unmerited to receive it.
This is exactly like what Paul says in Rom 6:1b Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

Defining Grace as "unmerited favor" causes grace to be misunderstood as a license to sin!
Other verses cited by James:

Gal 5:4b ye are fallen from [grace]. How can one falls from unmerited favor ?
John 1:14b Jesus was full of [grace]. Is Jesus unmerited to have full of grace? Or is Jesus so bad that he need to be full of grace?

The Right Definition
Ps John of Petra Church defines grace as: "Grace is not a license to sin but an empowerment of God to enable us to be what we should".

James Ryle defines it as, "Grace is the empowering Presence of God enabling you to be who He created you to be, and to do what He has called you to do."

In shortest possible form, Grace is "God's presence" or God's power", for victorious, abundant, Christ-like, God glorifying living. Wherever that is the presence of God, there is power. God's power comes from His presence in us.

If we take grace as God's power, then it fits well in the above 3 verses cited. James 4:6, proud people don't see they need God's power. The humble people know the truth of their weakness and ask God for power. In Gal 5:4, if we rely on our own ability (our flesh) to be righteous, we do not need God's power and has indeed fallen, or depart from God's power (Grace). In John 1:14, Jesus is full of God's power and presence.

The Weak/Carnal Paul to Victorious Paul
What is the difference between the weak Paul, the Christian, of Rom 7:14-24 and the victorious Paul of 2 Cor 12:9-10 and Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. The answer is the Grace of God as defined as God's presence and power.

Salvation for all is God's mercy of unmerited favor. Christian growth (becoming like Christ) is depending on us to be full of grace (God's presence and power) through crucifying our flesh (self-will, self-confidence, self-capability, self-pride) and follow after the Spirit. It is about abiding in Christ, living from the Vine of God's presence and power and then be fruitful.

The Verses Coming Alive
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace(God's presence), that we may obtain mercy(unmerited favor), and find grace(God's power) to help in time of need.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace(God's presence & power), and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let's compare, which definition gives better emphasis
Rom 11:6 And if by grace[unmerited favor of God], then is it no more of works: otherwise grace[favor] is no more grace[favor]. But if it be of works, then is it no more [God’s favor]: otherwise work is no more work.
Rom 11:6 And if by grace[Power of God], then is it no more of [men’s] works: otherwise grace[God’s Power] is no more [of God]. But if it be of [men’s] works, then is it no more [God’s power]: otherwise work is no more work.


Eph 2:8 For by grace[unmerited favor] are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:8 For by grace[God's power] are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Conclusion
Incorrect popular definition of key Christian words give rise to much confusion and a weak church. Defining grace as unmerited favor is wrong and creates the confusion that grace is a license to sin. To live a victorious Christian life, we need to understand God's Word correctly and we must define grace as the power of God's presence in us to enable us to Christ-like lives.

rhetorical


so how are you coming along with the commandments? keepiing all 613?

me?
no I am not able to keep the commandments nor the feasts of the LORD...That is me.....

God Bless

ybiC, Steven

I can only count to 10. LOL>


Its amazing to me that we can discuss different points of view and still be friends. ( I am used to the big Boot. )

Yesterday ( Jan 26) I said the Lord's prayer in Nez Perce laungue. The Nez Perce nation is divided in some points of view but always ready to stand as one people,
and its an education to be among them.

We ride our horses with the Nez Perce, on the old Lolo Trail, documented by Lewis and Clark in 1804-1805. The old Indian trail is still here in our mountasins. We are together but different. We are one but seperate.

the Feasts of the Lord...

Michael Rood says they are a shadow picture of good things to come.

We are learning more and more about them... as we grow, Gene and I.


Gene and I agree, and disagree about many things. How much more so will that be with my friends outside my home.

Shalom.

" Let me know how you are doing" I am doing well and growing in the Lord.

bump

here we go again....:)