Verses ten and eleven: Here the Lord, referencing His Words recorded in Mark 10:17-22, makes clear the fact that to break one of the Ten Commandments is to break all of them, making one a “worker of iniquity” (Gk.-Lawlessness). Jesus declared that He would reject Lawless people, including church people, at Judgment (Mat. 7:23). These are they who believe that “The Law was nailed to the cross” and refused to obey it. “The wages of sin (not sins) is death” (Rom. 6:23). The rich man’s (single) sin kept him from receiving eternal life. God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Therefore, those in the Institutional Church–those who reject God’s 7th day (Saturday) Sabbath (commandment #4)–cannot receive eternal life. Only the soul who “comes out from among them” (Catholicism/Protestantism) and obeys all ten of God’s commandments can escape the Lake of Fire. Consider that the One Who wrote His Law in stone is the same One who writes that same Law in the heart of every true believer (Jer. 31:33/ Heb. 10:16). He is also the same One Who wrote every other Word in the Holy Bible. If He lied about commandment #4 He cannot be the Messiah. See The Mark of the Beast.

Just as breaking one law in the U.S. legal code makes one a criminal who must be punished, breaking one commandment of God’s moral Law makes one a sinner who must be punished. The society’s laws have stipulated punishments. Likewise, the punishment for breaking one of God’s Laws is death. God views a breach of one commandment a breach of the entire Law. For this reason the transgression of one commandment (a sin) results in death (Rom. 6:23). Note in the Mark 10:17-22 passage that the rich man would be denied salvation because of “one thing”–one sin. By obeying all of the Ten Commandments he had fulfilled the moral requirements for salvation in general. However, he had one problem (greed) which he refused to solve, resulting in rejection by Jesus. As James 2:12 and John 12:48 tell us, we will all be judged by the Law (Words) of Jesus Christ, which He received from His Father (Jn. 12:50). To reject one of the Words of the Holy Bible is to reject both Father and Son (Jn. 12:44,48, 49). To reject one of Their Words is to deny Their deity–Lordship (1 Jn. 2:23). The Institutional Church rejects many of Their Words and in so doing deny Their Lordship over their lives.

In James 1:22,25 we were told that one who is a “doer of the Word” is also a “doer of the work,” showing that “Word” and work” are synonymous in God’s eyes. Being a doer of the Word/work requires faith. In 2:14 we are told that believing and professing that one has faith means nothing unless one proves his faith through works–obeying God’s Word. Otherwise, one’s faith is dead (James 2:17,20,26). Dead faith is not the faith the justified live by (Gal. 3:11). Romans 2:13 tells us that only the doers of the Law/Word are justified now and will be justified at Christ’s return. This is confirmed in James 2:24.

In James 2:18,22 we are told that we prove our faith by our works–obedience to God’s Word in general and His Ten Commandments in particular. In verses 23 and 25 Abraham and Rahab are given as examples of faith at work. Working faith is the only faith recognized by God. James ends chapter 2 by stating that without works commensurate with one’s professed faith, one’s faith is as dead as the one professing it. Just as “Word” and “works” are synonymous, so are “faith” and “works” and “faith” and “Word.” Word, works and faith cannot be separated. Jesus declared in John 17:17 that God’s Word was Truth. Faith is knowing that Jesus was right. Without God’s Word there can be no faith, for “Faith comes by hearing … the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). FAITH I=TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD.

Faith is expressed–proven–by obedience to that Word. Without obedience to the  Word one’s faith is dead. And in that the justified (those whose PAST sins are forgiven–Rom. 3:25) live by faith, one who continues to sin does not live by faith, nor is he justified–his sins have not been forgiven. Such a one has “treasured” (stored) up his sins over his lifetime (Rom. 2:5) and can expect only God’s wrath on the Day of Judgment. One’s super religiosity will have no effect on the Lord Who will say to him/her, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not what I tell you. You worshiped Me in vain by substituting man’s commandments for My doctrines. I never knew you; depart from Me you who worked iniquity.” L.J.