THE LAW: One of the most important yet rejected parts of the Biblically-defined Christian walk involves the part that God’s Ten Commandment Law plays in the life of the true believer. The Catholic/Protestant Religious System (self-proclaimed “Christianity”) has for hundreds of years rebelled against the governance of God by refusing to obey His Law (Genesis to Revelation) which He condensed into ten commandments that cover every sin a human being can commit. The first two commandments cover the entire Law. The following eight explain the first two. The reason the church rejects God’s iron-clad Law is that it takes control away from Him and gives it to who falsely claim Him as their Lord, Adam and Eve having provided the perfect example of iniquity.

The Word, Who came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth, spoke that Law to the nation of Israel from atop Mount Sinai shortly after He had freed them from Egyptian captivity. He then personally wrote them in stone and placed them in an ark where they remain to this day in their original condition, but only because man cannot get at them with hammer and chisel. The truth sometimes hurts. That statement is one of those times. In Deuteronomy 5:22 we are told that the Word (the God of the Old Testament) “added no more” to the Ten Commandment Law in that it was perfect in its original form. This lets us know that the Law was not to be altered in any way, ever, by anyone. God created the Law; only He has the authority and power to change it. Churchman, however, disagrees. Read The God of the Old Testament. Key word–Old.

The Bible makes it clear that it was the One known as Jesus Christ Who freed the Israelites from slavery (1 Cor. 10:1-4) and gave them the Ten Commandment Law by which He governs His people to this day. This is the God Who is described in John 1:1-4,14. This God informs us in writing how we must live so as to develop the righteousness and holiness needed to receive salvation upon His return to earth where He will establish the Kingdom of God. Read Romans 5:21 and 6:22. Note that IF those qualities are developed following conversion, and IF they are maintained until death, then and only then will they result in ETERNAL LIFE for the righteous, holy, Law-keeping saint (Mat. 10:22/ 24:9-13).

Relative to living in such a way as to receive eternal life, one will note in the Matthew references given above that PERSECUTION is guaranteed for one who obeys God’s Law. Over the centuries, obedience to the fourth (Sabbath) commandment of that Law has caused millions of God’s people to be martyred. Read the series titled Persecution, using that word as the key. The message is clear: GOD’S TRUE SAINTS WILL–NOT MIGHT–BE PERSECUTED FOR OBEYING HIM. He declares that “ALL who WILL LIVE GODLY in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED” (2 Tim. 3:12). Persecution for living a Godly life is A SURE SIGN of one’s standing with the Lord. NO PERSECUTION FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS’ SAKE PROVES THAT ONE IS NOT ONE WITH GOD. Only by obeying God’s Law can one live a godly life in Christ Jesus, which ALWAYS BRINGS ABOUT PERSECUTION, REJECTION, EVEN HATRED TOWARD THE CHILD OF GOD.

The Scriptures tell us that it will be the most religious who will hate the Lord’s saints the most. The haters will often include one’s own family (read Matthew 10:21,22). Jesus warns us that religious people will treat us as they treated Him, and for the same reason–righteousness and holiness gained by obeying God’s Law (Jn. 15:18,20). Why does the church hate God’s people with such intensity? BECAUSE LAW KEEPERS ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (Mat. 5:14). THOSE WHO LIVE IN DARKNESS (SIN) HATE THE SPIRITUAL LIGHT (holiness) PRODUCED BY GOD’S TRUE SAINTS (Jn. 3:20) BECAUSE THE SAINT’S LIGHT CONTRASTS WITH THE DARKNESS OF FALSE CHRISTIANITY. Of all people who hate God’s light-bearers, ministers hate the deepest. In Luke 10:16 Jesus explains that those who despise His and the Father’s Law (Words) also despise Them. It is Their Words that will judge every human being who ever lived (Jn. 12:44-50).

The Apostle Paul received His Gospel directly from Jesus Christ by revelation (Gal. 1:12). He was also the most anti-Law of all of the original apostles prior to his conversion. Therefore he is one whom we need to study in order to learn about the Law. In Romans 7:9 he said that before he learned about the Law he believed that he was serving God on a high plane. However, after having read the Law, he realized his deadly error and that he was spiritually dead. He said that he had not known what sin was before he read the Law (Rom. 3:20; 7:7). Sin is the breaking of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Paul declares in Romans 7:12 that the Law that was supposedly “nailed to the cross” of Jesus Christ is HOLY, JUST AND GOOD. As someone said, Jesus did not nail the Law to the cross; the Law nailed Jesus to the cross. It was man’s breaking of the Law (sinning) that put Jesus on the cross. Contrary to popular church opinion, His death did not allow man to continue to break the Law with impunity.

An even better source of Truth concerning the Law is the Law-giver Himself, Jesus Christ. Let us examine some of His statements relative to the Law and take His Word for how to deal with it, after all, He was the one Who spoke it from the mountaintop and wrote it in stone. He said the following: “IF you love me, keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15). “You are My disciples indeed IF you keep My commandments” (Jn. 8:31). “IF you would have eternal life, obey My commandments” (1 Jn. 2:5). “IF you keep My commandments you will abide (remain) in My love, just as I KEEP (OBEY) My Father’s commandments and (because of doing so) abide in His love” (Jn. 15:10).

The Apostle John also had much to say about keeping God’s Law: “We know that we truly know Him IF we keep His commandments. He that says he knows Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the Truth is not in him. Those who keep His Word have His love perfected within them. In this way we know that we are in Him” (1 Jn. 2:3-5). Jesus said: “Greater love has no man than that He lay down His life for His friends. You (disciples then and now) are My friends IF you do whatsoever I command you” (keep the Ten Commandment Law) (Jn. 15:13,14). If the above does not convince someone that obedience to the Law is essential for eternal life, that person is spiritually dead. Obedience to the Law refers to the “WORKS” the Apostle James is referring to in chapter 2 verses 10,14,17,18, 20,24,26. Failure to do those good works results in dead faith. We live by our faith. Dead faith produces a dead believer. The Scriptures tell us that Satan and His devils have faith. Their problem lies in the WORKS area. Those who do not obey God’s Law will join them in the Lake of fire on Judgment Day. Sunday Sabbath keepers, this means you.

The message is abundantly clear: IN ORDER TO DEVELOP THE LEVEL OF GODLINESS NECESSARY TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE, ONE MUST OBEY GOD’S LAW BY WHICH HE GOVERNS (RULES) HIS TRUE SAINTS. Only Law-keepers will rise to meet Christ in the clouds upon His return to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom. Only those 10,000 will live forever with Him and His Father in that kingdom. Read about it using the key word–Kingdom. L.J.