In Defense of the Gospel

From Paul and Timothy to the Church at Philippi (Paul wrote this while imprisoned at Rome):

Phillippians 1:7 "It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel."

The Romans were very tolerant of just about any religion. Whatever and whomever citizens worshiped was welcome in Roman circles. Caesar, the ruler, was even worshiped as a god! Not only was freedom of religion existent, but so was freedom to flaunt sexual promiscuity and deviancy. There was one exception as is always the case! Christianity was the one religion posing a threat because the Truth interfered with hedonism. Roman society cherished the unlimited freedom for pleasure in spite of the fact that persecution was one of their pleasures. It seems that Romans enjoyed throwing Christians to the lions and to the gladiators. Does that sound familiar?

Why was Paul imprisoned? Did it have anything to to do with Christ? It was his own people who turned on him! The so-called religious; the established church.

Acts 21:27 "When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, 28 crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place."

Paul was preaching "against" the existent church. Paul was imprisoned because he was at odds with the established church. With his arrest in Jerusalem he appealed to Caesar and was taken to Rome. God planned this so that the gospel would be carried to the western world. At this point Christianity changed from an oriental sect of Judaism to an independent worldwide religion, and it was because Paul had the courage to stir up the crowds by preaching AGAINST organized religion. (But preachers today don't want to preach against anything because that's not what the people want to hear!)

Christianity grew because of the persecution of Christians! Christianity was spread because Paul was preaching negatively! His wasn't "Positive Christianity". It was Truth! Society and the established church can't accept truth and the government is the worst of all. That's why Paul was arrested and why he, as a citizen of Rome, was in a Roman jail. Positive things didn't happen to Paul. He was persecuted and crucified shortly thereafter, according to early church writers. Very negative things happened to Paul and he was the most faithful of all Christians. Without regard to facts, our modern church preaches "Positive Christianity" and the "prosperity gospel".

Those who teach Christian prosperity fail to mention persecution for standing up to false teachings. In his letter to the faithful Philippians Paul wrote about "my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel". The "gospel" is the facts about Jesus, why he came and who he is. Paul was imprisoned because he was being factual, but furthermore, he was telling the facts about Jesus. That's just something that the mainstream church didn't want to hear!

Paul was defending Jesus. He was defending the words and actions of the person who was the incarnation of love and compassion, yet Paul was persecuted because the people, the church and the rulers didn't like what they were hearing.

Paul was also confirming the gospel. He was validating facts!  Paul surely was telling of the miraculous birth, teachings, miracles,, the death and the resurrection of Jesus and what that means for the hope of mankind. That's all positive, but Paul was surely teaching of the judgment and punishment of the disobedient on the day of judgment. That's negative and people just don't want to hear that! How can a loving God punish his children? It's because those children are children of the devil and have not been adopted by Jesus. Those are rebellious children who care not for truth.

The life of Paul was foreshadowed by the teachings of Jeremiah who warned the Jews of the punishment of the Lord if they failed to obey and worship God. In spite of many and ample warnings Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the Hebrews dispersed throughout Asia. The rebellious just didn't want to hear truth and Jeremiah was ridiculed!  Jeremiah was teaching against the Jews. (Negativity again!) There was one big difference: due to his faithfulness Jeremiah lived and grew the church in Egypt. Paul was crucified and the church grew because of persecution.

Israel was first destroyed by unbelief, then Judah, but in spite of that the worship of the One True God continued. Simultaneous with the persecution of the early Church fathers, Judea and the temple was again destroyed because of the rebellious Jews, but Christianity flourished. Hebrew society was destroyed because of the Jews. Christianity grew in spite of the Jews. Herod's Temple was destroyed because of the Jews. The Temple of Christ still thrives because Jesus resides in each of his children. Persecution makes Christianity thrive! Persecution is negative, but with negativity the church grows!

Rebellious sinners are what was foreshadowed by the Jewish "church". Just as the Jews rebelled against truth and were destroyed, in the end the rebellious who fail to accept Jesus will face eternal destruction. By failing to be saved, they will be damned. Salvation should raise the question "Saved from what?" The answer is saved from an eternal hell! That's not very positive, but that's the gospel. Anyone who fails to preach the "gospel truth" are false prophets. Positive Christianity is false doctrine and preachers are false teachers of a false doctrine... and that's the truth!

On Joel Osteen and Positive Christianity

Doctors would be offended if an untrained person walked into the emergency room to help people in their trauma. Not only that it would be illegal, but worse, innocent unsuspecting people would die. They may even have confidence in the person who was appearing "doctor-like". Scaling it down a bit, nurses and paramedics are certified. Without that certification they are not professional and are mere posers.

I'm an engineer. This is possiblly one of the only professions where unqualified people are called "engineers" without the training nor experience. In fact lay "engineers" have no idea what a real engineer is because they are not one! An engineer is more than a person who plugs numbers into equations and get an answer. Engineers derive the equations posers only use. The knowledge is much more deep than the causal observer understands! Likewise, people laugh in derision when a real engineer has difficulty fixing something. I tell them that I skipped that class in "putting a wheel on a baby buggy"! Non-engineers just don't understand the complexity of true engineering. Anyone can be called an engineer. Anyone can call themselves engineers, but pronouncing the word correctly does not make an engineer! There is a difference between a smart technician and a trained engineer.

We must never put our trust in an unqualified person. Before you have surgery make sure the doctor is truly a doctor, but is qualified in the field. Before you have a bridge built make sure the engineer is one and is qualified in that field. Foremost, make sure that those who care for your most valuable asset is qualified to care for it! I'm speaking for the care of your eternal life. The care for your soul!

I'm trained in psychology. I don't use it because I have a lack of faith in what a psychologist can accomplish! Psychology self-reports that there is no evidence that anyone was ever improved with therapy who would not have improved without it! That's an honest assessment, but millions of people put trust in an occupation which doesn't trust themselves. Credentials don't necessarily accredit anyone, but it sure helps. Here's what the American Psychiatric Association (APA) warns about their own expertise:

Every psychologist knows they are obligated by the Ethics Code to practice only where they are competent. 

"The problem is that, many times, how does the psychologist know when there's something they don't know?" says Sparta. "If you don't know from the professional literature that there are certain guidelines...you may be well-intentioned, but not realize you're going beyond the boundaries of your competence."

Competence issues also come into a play in child-custody ethics, when psychologists are unfamiliar with the nuances of working with courts. Take the case of a psychologist who is asked to write a letter to a judge about the relationship of a boy in treatment to his parents. If she has little forensic training, the psychologist could land in ethical hot water if, for example, she failed to include the limitations of her opinion, such as that she's never met one of the boy's parents.

The point here is that to be something where the outcome is crucial to the well-being of others, it's necessary to know one's qualifications and limitations!  Let's apply this concept to the "doctors of the soul", our ministers.

I recently made a comment about Joel Osteen being unqualified. He certainly appears reverent, positive, loving and well-meaning and I believe he is!  However, many sincere people are sincerely wrong!  Referring to his interview with Joel Osteen I noted the following:

1. He never presented Jesus as the only way to heaven.
2. He allowed that Hindu's worship the same God we do.
3. He admitted that he never preaches against sin, but focuses on encouragement.
4. He missed the chance to witness to others by not giving God's plan of salvation.
5. He was unsure of his answers and never quoted any scripture to support his arguments.
6. He never stressed that being content is not God's plan for us, but being saved is.
7. He and his wife minimized sin, saying that they don't yield to temptation. This is crucial because only Jesus is without sin.
8. He said that he wasn't called to be a preacher.
9. He said that he's not trained to be a preacher.
10. By his lack of usage to support his answers, it's obvious that he either doesn't know scripture or is uncomfortable in it's use.
11. Positive Christianity that he preaches makes God little more than a genie to make us happy.
12. Positive Christianity is humanistic. It takes Christ out of Christianity and even sorrow, repentance and the need for salvation.
13. Positive Christianity was being developed by Nazi Germany to take Jews out of scripture and the penalty for wrong out of living.

I could go on and on about Joel Osteen and the doctrine he teaches. His written doctrine is quite doctrinaire; it's his spoken word that's the problem. This indicates that Osteen's ministry is not a cult, it's his interpretation that's misleading! He's more of a "good coach" for a winning team than he is a preacher concerned about the well-being of those losing their way to heaven! Good coaches are great for feeling good, but after the game is over, it's between the individual and God!  God doesn't want a false smile, feel-good, positive talking person, he wants meekness and servitude!

Would Osteen ever preach on this? :

James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Scripture teaches a realistic perspective of oneself and tells us where we can get help. It's not with the preacher... it's from God. When Moses took credit for providing flowing water from the rock in the wilderness, he was punished! It wasn't Moses who did good. it was God!

Humbling ourselves is having a realistic self-evaluation. We are all sinners, we deserve death, and the preacher nor ourselves can never help us; only God can!

Double-minded? What's that? It's knowing something is real, but being conveniently ignorant of it. In the case of "Positive Christianity", it's ignoring the fact that positive thinking only pacifies for a time, but to be truly improved calls for severe introspection, sorrow and repentance. We can have hope everyday, but hope isn't real without repentance! Repentance requires negative thinking. We are to admit that we indeed are sinners! That's just not positive, but that's what we must do!

Mourn and weep!  You never see a sinner crying their eyes out in a Positive Christianity Church. They may be crying because they're unhappy, but not because they are condemned in their sin. A clown can make you happy for a spell, but joy is from the Lord. Joy is not forthcoming without the Holy Ghost telling you that you're in sin and need Jesus. The Holy Ghost never says "I'm Okay... You're Okay" because he may be, but you're not!

2 Peter 2  "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. ..."

That's pretty clear. We must read the label on the medicine bottle. Your doctor must be the real McCoy and write prescriptions for medicine which truly helps! Placebos only appear to heal, but that's in your mind anyway. That's the same with positive thinking. It's a placebo and rather than getting healed the patient is content with feeling good for a spell. Hearing what we want to hear is pleasing, but not helpful:

2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."

Positive Christianity is a fable. It's one with Truth removed to please those who want to reinforce their own fantasy or feel good. Osteen is called to "preach the word" not just half the word. The full-gospel includes sin, penalties and damnation. To sooth the sinner Osteen can't allow the Holy Ghost to convict them. Attendance might go down! Reproving and rebuking are negative concepts. Osteen doesn't do that! He said that he doesn't!  Positive Christianity is not "sound doctrine". It's psychology... even psychobabble (pop-psychology). The hearer shall "turn away from truth" and accept fables in the place of it!
Sound familiar? That's Osteen.

Never get on a  ferris wheel designed by those who pose as engineers. I've thought about that before when I was riding. I didn't have trust in what I was doing because I didn't know who did the calculations. Were they qualified engineers or ones just called that? I experienced fear because of a lack of trust. You too should have fear if you're depending on those not called to preach, not trained in theology and ignorant to scripture. Don't trust those who pose to be what they're not!

Now for a moment of truth. I'm not called to preach, I'm not seminary trained and I have an agenda. Don't trust me! Anything I say test by the word. God never fails. God is truth. I'm merely one who tries to take the spin out of Christianity. I'm an apologist for Christ. By faith I want others to know ALL THE WORD, not just where we pick and choose. My agenda is not hidden, unlike most. I want you to believe the way that I believe because what I understand is from scripture. I admit that I often get it wrong, but try not to. I profess truth even if it makes me uncomfortable with my own life because I need to be uncomfortable where it's called for! That's certainly not from Joel Osteen's ministry!

Remember that really nice guys give kids candy for ulterior motives. Others give candy because it makes themselves feel good. Even others give candy for prestige or to profit. However, before you take the candy, ask "Is this candy good for me in the long haul?" Most candy can be poison if taken too often or from the wrong person. Make sure the candy you eat is safe to eat!

The Tower of Babel: Astronomy, Astrology and Horoscopes

Genesis 11:1 "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."

There is so much said here! Let's take a quick look. "Babel" in the original context was short for the Iraqi city of Babylon, which meant "Gate of God". There originally was no connotation associated with the word. However, due to God's action in the above scripture, "Babel" came to mean "confusion of sounds and voices".  Today we can see much more than babel in Babylon. It's a hotbed of confusion in fighting! How ironic.

The citizens of Babylon were building a tower; a tall one, whose top would reach heaven! "That's a really tall building!" you're thinking. The tallest building ever built is  Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 2722 feet. The tallest structure ever built is the radio tower is 2063 feet (KVLY-TV mast) in South Dakota. How high are the heavens? Heavens are all the celestial bodies seen from the vantage point of the earth. Since the atmosphere conceals the heavens then it seems logical that the heavens begin outside the atmosphere of the earth. There are five layers of atmosphere. Most of the clouds are in the troposphere which is 68 miles deep. That's 359,040 feet! The tallest modern structure is 0.76% of that height. Even today we cannot "reach the heavens" with a mechanical structure

Ziggurats were ancient middle-eastern stepped towers.  Archaeologists believe that the Tower of Babel was a ziggurat at Marduk's Great Temple in Babylon. Hence, the Tower of Babel was a religious structure.At the apex of ziggurats were religious shrines. These are "the high places" of pagan worship mentioned often in Kings and Chronicles and other places. Marduk means "bull calf of the sun". Hence, Marduk was a celestial God.  Ziggurats are extant with levels equal in number to the signs of the Zodiac with each level with the color of a Zodiac. At the top have been found a platform with the signs of the Zodiac. Therefore, astrology was practiced on ziggurats and likely the Tower of Babel, it being the most prominent and sacred.

The point is that the languages of the world are varied because of disobedience. What type of rebellion warranted a confusion and dispersion of the peoples?

Deuteronomy 4:19 "And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

It's clear from this passage that the Lord scattered the people and confused the languages, creating nations. That's what he did at the Tower of Babel. What the people were doing there was worship the cosmos; the heavens. That's astrology!

 Deuteronomy 17:2 "If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; ...5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die."

Looking to the stars for guidance is astrology. It's also paying tribute to the worst of the worst gods, Marduk. If one follows their horoscope they would be severely punished by the people according to the judgment of God. They shall be stoned until they die. Astrology and horoscopes are an abomination to God yet even modern Christians seek their insight. God confused and scattered the people for doing what Christians due frivolously in this age. The horoscope is right next to Billy Graham in many newspapers, and rightfully so! It too is a serious, albeit pagan religion. Some papers have it next to the comics, being passed off as entertainment. It's really serious business and a violation of the First Commandment! You don't truly love God if you worship other gods along with him!

I know the excuse "I read it for entertainment and I'm not worshiping!" You may not be, but you're putting your soul in jeopardy. Powers and Principalities can use that to deceive and corrupt. You can be defeated in your spiritual life if you disrespect the will of God! Read the Book of Job and see what can happen when even a righteous man is exposed to the wiles of the Devil. It can happen to you as well, but I guarantee you that Job was more committed than most Christians today!

Reading pagan religious advice for entertainment is disingenuous. It's there because it's serious business and has been carried through the ages by the nefarious. Don't be fooled. One who reads this stuff is either ignorant or heretical. Assuming that you, the reader, understands what God says about astrology in this immediate writing, then you are without excuse!

There is a difference between astrology and astronomy. It's the use of the information. We've discussed astrology. It's relying on the celestial bodies for spiritual and psychological advice. Astronomy explores the cosmos to explain why! How big is the cosmos? How did it originate? Where did we come from? How long will it exist? Is time finite? Are there others out there? Can we harvest unknown elements for our use? Most of the information used from the exploration of space is being used to disprove the existence of God. There is even a "God Particle" (Higgs Boson)! It's a theory that there is a massive subatomic particle which has zero electrical charge. If it exists then this particle would explain the origins of the universe.

Even many Christian scientists are pressured into the acceptance of Higgs Boson, ignoring scripture which speaks of the creation. "Reason" is their God! Rather than accept God's biography with how he created it all, they look for another "truth" to explain what is  "the mystery of God"! In other words, astronomy has the same vain objectives as does astrology. The conversion is about over. Most people accept science over creation. That narrow gate to heaven gets more narrow as time goes by.

Astronomers today are doing what the astrologers were in Babylon. In fact astronomy has its origins in astrology!  Astrologers could see the heavens on some days when the sky was clear, but had only a naked eye view. With the Hubble Telescope and others astronomers today can truly reach the heavens! They are in danger. God has already confused them. Scattering them will be next. The time will come.

The writer doesn't claim to know as much of the heavens or understand quantum mechanics as well as the studied scientists. However, even this engineer knows that the odds of evolution creating what we see is beyond reason. Even an engineer knows that the thermodynamic principle of entropy is based on all things moving toward disorder, not higher evolution!

Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse..."

According to God we see his creation. It is beyond explanation. As such we are without  excuse! Those who believe the lie instead of God are in error. With that error comes punishment. Just hope that God is more merciful than what I would be!

Fireworks

This weekend we celebrated the birth of the nation. Fireworks were everywhere on July 4th and still going strong. People look for a reason to see the beauty across the sky and hear the sound of freedom ring! However, after awhile the excitement wanes and we all go back to normal for another year. "There's nothing new under the sun. The sun comes up and the sun goes down.",  according to Solomon.

Have you had fireworks?

Luke 3:16 (ESV) "John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."

Most of us, when we make ourselves "a living sacrifice" by submitting ourselves to Christ and joy, we could feel the working of the Holy Spirit as we're saved. Prior to the ministry of Jesus Baptism was one of repentance. It was without the reception of the Holy Ghost. How is that known?

Acts 19:4 "Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus"

John baptized Jesus. When he did there was something different about this baptism because he was baptizing God himself:

John 1:33 "And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom (Jesus) thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."

This is the "Baptism of John". It's different than the "Baptism of Jesus". With John only Jesus had the Holy Spirit descend and REMAIN upon him. John's was strictly a Baptism of repentance, but the the Baptism of Jesus was the filling of the Holy Ghost.

I would gather from context that only Jesus was the recipient and keeper of the Holy Ghost. All others either did not receive the Holy Ghost or received him for only a time. The most likely scenario is that those John Baptized never received the Holy Ghost.

Acts 19:1b "Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."

There were no fireworks with John. With Jesus the sound was heard, the joy exploded and the universe was lighted. When the Holy Ghost came fireworks happened:

Acts 2 :2 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

 There are some who use this event to divide. It did happen, true Christians believe it and still experience the Holy Ghost. However, the issue remains: Was this an event designated only for the budding young church or was it for all times for all Christians? This issue will never be resolved because the Bible does not specifically address that!  However, most believe that with the Baptism of Jesus we experience the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, but it is not manifested by the speaking in tongues. The issue here is not speaking a language unknown to the hearer, but whether you have seen the fireworks of Jesus!

The Baptism of Jesus is circumcision of the heart.

Romans 2:29 "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

In Old Testament times the patriarchs cut off a symbolic portion of flesh; the foreskin. With Jesus all the flesh of the man is cut off! Hence, salvation is of the heart. It's when belief and faith establish the person as reborn. With the rebirth a Christian becomes ceremonially clean by baptism just as circumcision was used in the Old Testament to testify to the covenant! The old man is dead and is no longer of the flesh (representing the world). It's not the water which saves, but the faith which ensues before the immersion. (Some disagree with this, but that's their interpretation. Either way a person gets saved if they believe and have faith because faith produces a testimony and baptism is a testimony)..

With the circumcision of the heart and being born again a new temple is built. That temple is you the Christian:

1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

Being a temple if God you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you. He sits on the mercy seat of your heart and is the Light in which you walk. You're no longer in darkness. Let the fireworks begin!

In a darkened sky there is nothing, but darkness. After the fireworks begin all manner of colors erupt in brilliance. The sky changes. Black turns to light. Likewise, once you're born again the spiritual sky, the soul, radiates God's mercy. There a person stands. Once a pillar of salt, now a solid rock lying upon the Cornerstone. Something has to happen. It's God's Law: A body in sin tends to stay in sin, but a body forgiven is intended to change!

Change we must! The fireworks should be brilliant enough for all to see.

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

Do not anguish with sorrow. Have a pleasant state of mind! Let fireworks happen! Let sorrow turn to joy! As the angels sing when only one sinner is born again, yourself allow the joy of hope to light up your life. Those fireworks are of different hues, but blue is filtered by the brightness of sin defeated. We have reason for our spirit to be brightened!

Change means that we either quit sinning for pleasure or we quit trying to do good to get the fire insurance of heaven. Change means that we exercise our New Personhood! That person is in charge of the fireworks.and whether they shine brightly or sputter. Personally for me and my household, I desire a brilliant display. It's not necessary to burn the wick without brilliant results, so if we're to have a lighted sky, let the powder be potent.

Let's celebrate Liberty not only this weekend, but always! We're no longer bound as servants to the Law, but we have pleasure within the Law because our fire is lighted by the love of Jesus and we pass the candle and do the same for others. The more fire we share by lighting the candles of others, the more brilliant the cosmos will be! Isn't Liberty a good thing? Everyday can be the 4th of July. Any day anyone can be  free of bondage. That's truly grace... we're free to sin, but we have liberty and choose it not!

True Liberty or Democracy

Today we have freedom, not because it's from the government, but is in spite of those in charge! We're born in freedom, but from the moment we breath free air, there are those who seek to enslave us. While I honor the patriots who sacrificed their property and jeopardized their lives so that we may have a fair and equitable government, they only returned to the people what was ours from the beginning.

Throughout the world our own leaders seek to ensure democracy. However, "democracy" is not synonymous with "liberty". We were born with liberty and democracy is one of the several government systems which seeks to erode the freedom with which we're born!

"Liberty" is the freedom to say, do and think what we choose. "Freedom" is not having to worry about reprisal for being who we are. Hence, liberty and freedom are closely related. Those who have liberty are free of encumbrances and never have to worry about being punished!

Our own U.S. Declaration of Independence says that we citizens have the "right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". The "right to life" has been taken away from many who are potential citizens of this nation. "Potential" is used because if the unborn are left to their own devices, they would be citizens. Yes, they have life, but some believe the life of the unborn is of little importance. Others believe it is important, but not as important as their own livelihood and wishes. Others just don't care and for others gestation is merely a consequence of a night of hedonism.

Life is closely associated with liberty. Those who have liberty exist. Hence, those destroyed in utero are also deprived of liberty. For those who are born government rules and regulations seek to minimize freedom while others insure freedom. There is a fine balance between protecting the innocent at the cost of providing liberty. All government systems regulate; even democracy!

Our "pursuit of happiness" is weighted in favor of the living and toward the powerful who live. Those with power can play God with the less powerful. Previous government systems, specifically monarchies, squeezed all life from the subjects of the kingdom. That's why we have more, but not total freedom, here in America! Because our ancestors across the water suffered is why we have the freedom that we do. Blood was shed so that we can speak our minds, enjoy life, believe what we want (even lies if we choose) and worship God as we see fit. The "pursuit of happiness" guaranteed to us was embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution. What makes the pious happy is worshiping God without anyone demanding that we do and how we are to do it!

Total freedom is "anarchy". With anarchy there is no ruler and no rules. A person is their own authority. Mankind was created with a ruler and likewise with rules. Although there was only one commandment from God there were many implied rules with that one command. Among those rules with which we're ordained to abide are listening to, honoring, obeying, being submissive to and loving God!  With that said, we are to worship God with a meek heart and give him a portion of the work of our hands. God requires sacrifice as a means of showing our love and respect. We are actually giving back what he gives us! Was mankind obliged to sacrifice to God before the original sin. I think so, but it's not said one way or the other, although love offerings would be consistent with the will of God.

There are two types of sacrifice: love offerings and sin offerings. The first would be desired, but the latter not required. With sin entering the realm of man, sin offerings are required, and still are? We are to present the Lord a living sacrifice... ourselves. Hence, man was created under authority and anarchy is rebellion. Freedom is precious, but without some regulation our sinful hearts would trample on the life, liberty and happiness of others.

On happiness, we are not now nor ever were guaranteed happiness. We're legally allowed only the pursuit of happiness. Since happiness is a consequence of guilt-free pleasure, then we can only pursue happiness. Many are miserable! The government is not responsible to make you smile!  Unfortunately entitlements are a disastrous attempt to make the miserable happy. It's a noble endeavor, but impossible. Even Jesus said that "the poor will always be with us!"

Although Jesus had the power to eliminate pain and poverty, he didn't do that! Because of Adam's disobedience we're all destined to toil for our existence. With toil one must realize that the pig-trough entitlements is little more than a power grab. It's an abuse of the "pursuit of  happiness" because happiness of one is at the expense of another. To make one person "happy" it's necessary to make another "sad". Those who are motivated and work hard in the pursuit of their own happiness are infringed upon in an attempt to make others happy. That's wrong!

With democracy comes "majority rule". With democracy those with the most power decide what freedom the less powerful have. Majority vote brings on unjust systems. Because of that, America has a Republic. Representative government was created to protect the rights of the weak. Hence, democracy is "survival of the fittest" and is the religion of Darwinism. Natural selection actually condones totalitarianism. Just ask Hitler, when and if you see him in hell! Republicanism is the ideology with a heart. It considers the weak and downtrodden. Those who believe in freedom and the healthy pursuit of happiness usually believe in the sanctity of life... that all life created by God has value and is not to be put asunder!

Hence, our system of government is a mere attempt at providing freedom! It's a good thing, better than all the others, but still deficient! There is a roadblock to freedom from our true leader. America, as is the rest of the world, is still submissive to the one in power. Satan is "Prince of the Air" and hence rules this world... for a time. Hate is the tool of Satan and freedom is lost because hate exists!

Think of your own father: He had rules and regulations. As long as you obeyed a few rules there was no need for more rules. Hence, obedience to authority was the key to freedom. A parent who was obeyed could afford to be permissive because without disobedience there is no need for rules. Scripture tells us that we have the Ten Commandments because if we don't have rules we can't be blamed. God gave us rules because he's a just God! He didn't want his children to say "How would I know!".  By obeying ten simple "words" (The Decalogue), we have freedom!

 We're not bound to all the minute detail of which Moses wrote. That's just like our good earthly father. As long as we obey a few rules we have liberty. Hence, liberty comes with some regulation and those regulations are God's way of providing republicanism to his subjects. By obeying ten words we show love for others! We love God and those around us, even our enemies. The Ten Commandments are in reality a Declaration of Independence for mankind! With love we have "liberty" and we show our love of God and our fellow man by respect, truth, valuing life, honesty, fidelity, and honoring what another has as theirs! That's the love called for by the Ten Commandments!

With love comes liberty!

Galatians 5:13 (ESV) "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another".

Liberty is our freedom to love without the need to be commanded. Just think how happy people would be if everyone had a loving heart! Regulation impedes charity. Now instead of the well-to-do providing relief, the near-so-well-to-do are required to sacrifice. There's not much love there!  Those struggling to make it themselves are those who are taxed to ensure that others have happiness. It's a "happiness tax" and is intended that those on the receiving end have Utopia here on earth!

What's wrong with an earthly utopia is that it isn't God's will! Who would want to go to a heavenly Utopia when they have it here? The poor have a hope in heaven to escape the poverty we deserve here in this world. Yes,we deserve poverty. That's what the Lord told Adam. Mankind shall toil!  Without poverty toil is unnecessary!

1 Corinthians 10:23 (ESV) “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up."

This is Christian liberty... the freedom Christians have in Christ. We're not obliged to keep the Mosaic Law so we can make many more choices. God takes on the role of "permissive parent". That father enforces few rules, but still delights in the children being "good" out of love for who he is! That's God too. He doesn't require a Christian to obey a bunch of rules, but it makes him happy because voluntary adherence to rules is our only way of showing God our love. That's the same way we show our own father our love. (We can't give God a hug yet!).

Democracy in a theocracy allows us the freedom to decide. God allows us to make a choice. However, in a democracy wise choices are seldom made. With democracy a citizen of the world is normally left to our own destruction because the gate is narrow and few will enter! Most people, given our limited democracy, self-destruct. Why then would we want a pure democracy in America? That too would be a ticket to self-destruction. Look at the U.S. sanctioned "democracies" in the middle east. Death reigns! Need more be said?

We have a workable democracy here because it is a republic. Love is an attribute of republicanism and God reigned when those in charge wrote and agreed upon our laws. July 4th was the day of salvation, but as with spiritual salvation, Satan is fighting a battle to steal our liberty one law at a time and one court ruling at a time. The gate of freedom is narrow indeed and few choose to respect what freedom we still have. Hard to come by... easy to go!

Trust in Crossing the Sea

Crossing the Red Sea

Scene: Pharaoh pursuing the Israelites and cornering them at the Red Sea.

Exodus 14:12 “Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.”

Are there any similarities between Egypt and the world today?

• Worldly people governing
• Hebrews becoming like the Egyptians
• Unfair laws
• Lack of freedom
• Classes of people
• False Gods
• Faith in magic
• Hedonism

Situation: the Israelites wanted back in their comfort zone. They wanted to be out of danger. They were afraid! They would rather be slaves to Egypt than free under God.

Crisis: Should they just give up or trust God? (What can they do to trust God?) Are we to trust God the same way today?

What's the Red Sea have to do with our salvation? Trust. Would you have walked through those walls of water if you were there, no knowing about the future?

Trust: Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing, in this case God.

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself!” (FDR)

“Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord”

Is there a relationship between fear and trust?

When the Bible says “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” what New Testament concept do we think of? (Grace)

Was there a need to trust in Moses too?

Luke 24:26 “Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

From Luke 24:26 then why is the story of Moses in the Bible? (It's all about Jesus). We need to ask ourselves, What's this got to do with Jesus!

John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

What does Moses have to do with Jesus?

Acts 7:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.

What's the parting of the Red Sea got to do with Jesus?

1 Corinthians 10:1 “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat (One Baptism);”

The Old World of sin walked into the sea. Walking out of the sea was a New Beginning. The old world of sin (Egypt) was washed clean and a New People had a new start. By faith they walked into the sea and by grace they were saved by God. They were New People!

This is much like the tempest in the New Testament:

Matthew 8:24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

What manner of man is Jesus?

Who feared? Who had a lack of trust? Who did they look to for salvation? How did Jesus save them? (That's the same God who saved the Egyptians when he divided the waters of the Red Sea!)

Hebrews 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

Trust and faith, is there a relationship?

Faith: Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing, in this case God.

Trust: Firm reliance on the integrity, ability, or character of a person or thing, in this case God.

Faith is a confident belief in God while trust is a firm reliance on God.

We must “believe” in God. (Even the demons do!), but ours must be a confident belief coupled with trust!

Three aspects of trust:

integrity: God is good, perfect and without sin being righteous. He's the only one to have total integrity.

Mark 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (Rhetorical: God is good, hence Jesus being called good, implies that he is God, not that he's not God).

Psalm 18:30 (ESV) This God—his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Psalm 35:24a Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness...(upright, just, straight, innocent, true, sincere)

1 Corinthians 4:4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

So part of trust is that God is that he is righteous. Associated with “righteousness” is judgment.

When we stand before God we will be judged by his right and true scale. (All arguments or “well buts” will be in vain!

What scale will we be judged by? How much we trust we have in God (amount of faith we have)?

God will judge each of us rightly according to our faith. So here we have again the connection between faith and trust!

Key verse: Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12a And he said, Certainly I will be with thee;

Do you trust in the Lord?

How do you trust in him: believe what he says, believe he will do what he says, believe he will be fair, believe he will judge with grace, believe that you are sinner because God says that you are, believe that Jesus died for you, believe that you can't be good enough that you need him, believe that Jesus lives, believe that you too will have eternal life (there is life on the other side of that sea we call death).

Have there been times when things seem really bad and by trusting in the Lord you got through?

God's Laws and Why We Have Them

God's Laws – Obedience

Who sinned first?

Genesis 3:6 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

Eve was the one deceived, but did she sin?

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Here we see that Adam was the origin of sin, but let's go on):

2 Corinthians 11:3 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

1 Timothy 2:13 “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

Is there a contradiction here?

Gen 2:15 “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.”

What was Adam to do? (Dress and keep the Garden).

What was in the midst of the Garden? (The Tree of Life). Adam was to not only be the provider, but his job too was to keep head the religious affairs.

Revelation 2:7 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

Hence, Adam's charge was to tend to the “Tree of Life”(Jesus). Adam's job was to be the spiritual leader of the home.

From the sequence events in Genesis:

• Adam was created (Gen 1:27)
• Man to have dominion over all living creatures (Gen 1:26)
• God needed a man to till the ground (Gen 2:5)
• Adam was created (2-7)
• God planted a Garden and placed Adam in it.(Gen 2:7)
• God placed the “Tree of Life” and the “Tree of Knowledge” in the midst of the Garden (Gen 2:9)
• Adam assigned to dress and keep the Garden (Gen 2:15)
• The “Original Commandment” made to Adam (Gen 2:17-18)
• Adam told of the penalty for disobedience (Gen 2:18)
• Eve created from the rib of Adam. “Eve” means “to live” and “woman” means “female human”, being the person responsible for creating (having a womb). Hence Eve's “job” was the bear and nurture children and was biologically created for the job.
• Adam and Eve “innocent” (Gen 2:25)
• The serpent deceived Eve (Gen 3:1)
• Eve was confused misquoting God's command. (Gen 3:3)
• Eve tempted by the serpent (Gen 3:5)
• Eve desired the wisdom (to be wise like God) and to have pleasure) (Gen (3:6)
• Eve sinned (Gen 3:6)
• Eve gave Adam to eat (Gen 3:6)
• The innocence of both was gone. They both had sinned. (Gen 3:7)
• Adam felt sin guilt. (Gen 3:10)
• Adam blamed Eve (Gen 3:12)
• Eve confessed her sin (Gen 3:13)
• Eve's punished meted out by God (she is to serve Adam) (Gen 3:16)
• Adam's punishment meted out by God because although he was responsible for obeying the Commandment he listened to Eve. His punishment was toil in doing his job. (Gen 3:17).

From this sequence of events we find that Adam's job was to tend to the things of God. Spiritual decisions were his. God gave one commandment and one only and the punishment if the command was broken! Eve never heard the command from God, but she received it from Adam. There was a communication problem on the part of Eve because she didn't listen well to Adam's instructions. As religious leader, Adam's job was the see that Eve obeyed the law. Eve desired wisdom and pleasure. Eve was the first to sin. Then she convinced Adam that it was okay and that God. (Eve assumed the role of spiritual leader which belonged to Adam). They both were guilty of sin because neither were no longer innocent. Adam feel guilt, but blamed Eve. He didn't accept responsibility although it was his job assigned by God. Eve confessed her sin. Adam didn't! Both were punished, but Adam was told he was wrong because he listed to Eve. Because he failed to do his job as religious leader his punishment was that the rest of his job will be in toil.

Eve sinned first, but Adam was responsible to ensure that she knew the law and obeyed. She allowed the serpent to to deceive her. Her sins were a desire for pleasure and prestige. Here we have other “unwritten laws” broken because they were only implied. They were subsets of the “Original Commandment”. Adam's sin was not fulfilling his role assigned to God. He didn't do his job as spiritual leader. He allowed Eve to be supreme to him. Adam was to have dominion over her. She failed to be subservient to her husband. However, we find that Eve repented of her sin, but Adam failed to. Both were punished for their disobedience.

Hence, we have Eve who sinned first, but it was Adam's responsibility to make sure that she obeyed God! It's as the “chicken and egg” story. Which came first? Eve sinned first, but Adam was held accountable!

Adam had responsibility for Eve's sin. Because of his slack attention to God's command he was held responsible for Eve's action. Adam's sin was one of omission. Eve's a sin of commission.

“Sins of omission” are failure to meet up to what God expects by not placing importance on God's will. Sins of commission are doing and thinking things God forbids. An example of a sin of commission is stealing. A sin of omission would be a failure to love God.

Eve was deceived, but was held accountable. It may be that she heard Adam wrongly or that she intentionally misquoted what Adam had said. One is an intentional sin and the other is not, but for both we're held accountable!

Leviticus 4:1 “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the Lord has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them, 3 if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer...”

We've always heard that “sin” is the willful transgression of God's laws. Not so! We can sin because we do it by accident. We are responsible for knowing God's will and doing it. (That's why the isolated pagan is still responsible for failure to worship God).

“Sin” then is:

Deuteronomy 9:7 “Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.”

Sin is rebellion against the Lord. Rebellion from what? His will and commandments. His commandments are “concrete” his will is of the Spirit.

1 John 3:4 “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.”

Lawlessness is disobedience to the “Head of the Government”. Doing and ,we find later, thinking is failure to obey our Head; God.

Sin then in short is a failure to do the will of God either because we're not allowing the Spirit to work in our lives or because we know God's will, but do it anyway! (These two sins are sins of omission and commission).

We find that there were “Laws of God”, but there was one explicit law and it wasn't written down. That law was “do not eat of the tree”. I believe that law was broken by seeking pleasure and wisdom instead of obedience because the “Tree of Life” represented God's righteous and represented Christ. The “Tree of Life” was “The Word” so as a result the “sin” was placing self over Christ! They wanted to be like God!

Althoug a feeble excuse. Adam and Eve had one! God, you didn't write it down. We misunderstood or forgot. We're just mere humans. How were we to know? Let's take a look at why there is “The Law”:

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

Adam and Eve were partially correct. They knowingly were out of God's will, but they failed to understand the importance of it. There was a law, but only one. However, by not respecting God's will they broke many laws! Unwritten laws!

“Imputed” is a key word. There is no blame if there is no law. Hence, God saw the need to make laws because he's a just God. He can't “blame” nor subsequently forgive or punish unless it's clear what his rules are!

The Ten Commandments:

Exodus 19:5 “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6a And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” (Does this say that the covenant will save you? No! That's not why The Law was written down! I'm peculiar. To the world I'm “strange”.)

Hebrews 8:9 “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.”

This Covenant is The Law of God or a National Covenant. It was similar to the Abrahamic Covenant, but had rigorous “conditions”. God's Law is The Decalogue or what's commonly called The Ten Commandments.

In abbreviated form here they are from Exodus 1:17:

1. No other Gods before (with) him.
2. No graven images (idols).
3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain (without respect)
4. Keep the Sabbath Day holy (Lord's Day)
5. Honor your father and mother (command with a promise)
6. Do not murder (sanctity of life)
7. Do not commit adultery (sanctity of marriage)
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not lie (Honor truth)
10. Do not covet (Sins of the heart: lust).

Some say that we no longer are bound by The Law. Is that true?

There are two sets of laws. This is The Law of God. The entire Pentetuch is The Lawof Moses. Commonly called Mosaic Laws. It consists of all that is written and added to in the book of the Hebrew called The Talmud. The Talmud consists of all the Mosaic Laws and oral commentary about them which has been written to further explain what Moses “meant”. The Hebrew Law (Talmud) is so precise that every action can be a sin. The Hebrews are as bound to their own law as they were slaves to the Egyptians!

Under the Covenant of Grace (aka The Dispensation of Grace) Are we still to obey The Law?

I submit that we are now with Christ under the Dispensation of Grace and that we always were. It was what man, including Moses did, that blinded mankind to true grace. We just couldn't leave well enough alone. We, in effect, enslaved ourselves by adding to God's Law. (mankind for some reason chooses slavery over freedom). The Christian's freedom is called “liberty”. We're no longer bound by The Law, but what law?

Matthew 5:17 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

Hence, The Law is still effectual. Jesus came to supplement and complement The Law. Again, I ask, what law did he come to fulfill? It wasn't The Talmud or Mosaic Law. It was The Law of God!

We are told that as Christians we must obey God's commands:

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

Therefore, we have liberty (freedom in Christ). We no longer keep The Law to gain favor and save our wretched souls from eternal punishment, but we keep God's Law out of love for Jesus!

What are those commandments of which Jesus tells us?

Matthew 22:36 “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 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. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

These verses tell it all! “All the law” is summarized by these two commandments! (The First and Greatest Commandment and The Other Like Unto It)

Let's look at The Law of God again in this light:

LAWS OF JESUS (Greatest and One Like It)	LAWS OF GOD (Ten Commandments)
1. Love God (Greatest)	1. No other Gods before him.
1. Love God (Greatest)	2. No graven images.
1. Love God (Greatest)	3. Do not take the Lord's name in vain.
1. Love God (Greatest)	4. Keep the Sabbath Day holy
2, Love others (One like the Greatest)	5. Honor your father and mother.
2. Love others (One like the Greatest)	6. Do not murder.
2. Love others (One like the Greatest)	7. Do not commit adultery
2. Love others (One like the Greatest)	8. Do not steal.
2. Love others. (One like the Greatest)	9. Do not lie .
2. Love others (One like the Greatest)	10. Do not covet

We tom do these because we love God and others. That's God's Commands. Likewise, the assurance of our salvation is “our works”. We know that we're saved when we seek to please God! As a result of a desire to please God, who benefits?

Matthew 5:19 “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

The Law doesn't save us, but it shows that we're saved because it's a demonstration of the love of Jesus. That's fulfilling The Law. Also, not that there is no obligation to keep the Mosaic Law. If one reviews the Counsel of Jerusalem, the Jews were only asked to keep the laws which honor God. It didn't matter if they were circumcised or not or if they ate impure food! “Love” is the key to salvation! Obedience to God's Commandments are a demonstration of love and if the Christian is truly saved that person will obey:

Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.