What does it mean to keep God's commandments?

Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”… (Romans 13:7-9)

There are in reality only 3 commandments. They are to love God, love your neighbour and to love the brethren. No one who is not born again has any hope of obeying God's commandments. No Christian who strives to obey God's commandments will succeed. Why? We have not the capacity in ourselves. Only those who walk in the Spirit know the victory over sin, self and Satan that God intends for us to have.

Focusing on sin is like pulling the fruit off a tree. Some trees have awful fruit. You may improve the look of the tree, but the fruit will reappear soon enough. God's answer is to lay the axe to the root of the tree (Luke 3:9). This is the work of the cross. God kills us. Many Christians refuse to judge themselves as helpless sinners. They get their pruning shears out and go around snipping off the "bad" fruit. Of course, they insist that everyone else must do the same. That is not God's way. He rids us of the old nature and puts a new spirit within us. Jesus is the Life of that new spirit. However, it is our choice as to whether or not we depend on Him for life.

Adam and Eve were presented with a choice in Eden. They choose Life as represented by the Tree of Life. Or they could choose knowledge of good and evil. Many Christians care more about good and evil than they do about the Life that only Christ can give us (John 5:21). It is wise to resist sin, of course. But to obsess about it is to focus on the problem and not on the answer. If you must, so be it. Your life will be unfulfilled and joyless. How much better to walk in the liberty of the sons of God.

I don't think many Christians (people who follow Christ) "refuse to judge themselves as helpless sinners". Most Christians (who are not false christians or lukewarm) know and acknowledge that they are helpless sinners, which is the reason we NEED Jesus. We do our best to resist temptation and sin to be more like Christ and because we are filled with The Holy Spirit and are made new it is very hard for us to sin and live with sin in our lives.

As followers of Christ, we should not turn a blind eye to sin. Sin is the reason Christ came, was crucified, and died and sin is the reason we need Jesus. Sin is a very important point to preach, teach, and talk about. In addition, there are verses in scripture that tell us to avoid people who pridefully live in sin-not to have personal relationships with them outside of sharing the good news about Jesus.

If we do not point out what sin is and that EVERYONE is a sinner, how are we going to explain to others WHY it is they need Jesus?

1Jn 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Sin is defined by the Law.
The Law or commandments are defined in different ways.....

Some ignore the old Testament but God does not change and the His standards don't change.

Mat 19:17-19
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Deu 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 not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

To keep God's commandments = to not sin and follow The Spirit.

We all have sinned so we all need saving. We all need the blood of Jesus.

To keep the commandments is to live the righteous life by God's grace.

Rom 6:14-20
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

Sin, unrighteousness, = disobey the law.
Righteousness = obey the law.

The righteousness of Christ becomes ours by faith through grace.

Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Pro 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Rom 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Rom 11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in.
Rom 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:
Rom 11:21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Rom 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

2Ti 3:4 lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Sin separates us from God which He does not want us to sin by the Spirit.

Paul said the law is spiritual, holy, just, and good, and we do not void out the law but we establish the law.

Which are the laws of love, moral laws, which the 2 greatest laws are love God, and love people.

A Spirit led life will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh which they can abstain from sin so there is no excuse.

A Spirit led life is not under the law because all their sins are forgiven, and they are abstaining from sin so the law cannot touch them for prosecution.

Some have a form of godliness but deny being led of the Spirit which they do not come to the truth because they love sin which they are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, which He said turn away from these people.

The law is spiritual which are the moral laws, laws of love, so they must always be obeyed, and the 10 commandments are laws of love towards God, and people, so they are to be obeyed.

We do not love God unless we obey His commandments for He wants us to abstain from sin.

Jesus is a sinless man representing goodness, but some people will claim Jesus as Lord but do not want to be like Him because they enjoy sin.

The whole duty of people is to fear God, and keep His commandments, which the fear of the LORD is to hate evil.

Love is greater than faith, and faith works by love.

Love does not think an evil thought, and does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth to hate evil, and abstain from evil by the Spirit.

If we sin we repent not wanting the sin again, and move forward in the Spirit.

We should have the attitude to not want to sin, and every time we sin we forfeit repentance to turn away from sin until we repent and do not want the sin anymore.

Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

If we hold on to sin then the blood of Christ cannot wash it away.

We are not under the law if we are led of the Spirit which a Spirit led life will not sin.

If a person sins then they are back under the law until they repent and are led of the Spirit.

It is all about abstaining from sin to be right with God which the blood of Christ washes away our sins allowing us to have the Spirit to abstain from sin.

You cannot be saved if you do not care about keeping the commandments of God which there is many hypocrites which Jesus said they do not belong to Him for they were workers of iniquity.

Respectfully Disagree:

It is all about repenting and believing The Gospel Of The Grace Of God, to be:

"Made The Righteousness Of God In Christ" (2Co 5:21), Justification
First, and Then we "obey the commandments given to our apostle of
Grace [ UNmerited Favor! ] In Romans Through Philemon" which is
Sanctification, which is Totally:


Because of The Precious BLOOD Which Already Washed Away sin in Justification,
God Has:

God's OPERATION On All New-born babes In Christ!
+
God's Eternal Life Assurance
+
God's Eternal Life Insurance

Obedience, "walking in The Spirit," out of LOVE, not out of FEAR of "losing"
a non-Biblical temporary salvation, because of "not abstaining from sin."
(1Co 5:5 compared to 1Co 3:8-15)

Amen.

God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and transform us into the likeness of Christ. So it is only the indwelling Holy Spirit who can manifest the love (agape) of God through us. And as the apostle John has already written, the ultimate commandment of God is to love one another (speaking of those who are in Christ), but love is also "the fulfilling of the Law (Romans 13). To see how this love works we have 1 Corinthians 13. John also says that the one who "doeth righteousness" is righteous. So doing what is righteous is a part of manifesting the love of God.

1 JOHN 4: THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES THE BELIEVER TO MANIFEST THE LOVE OF GOD
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we 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 ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

Most are saying the same thing
In different ways

We are Justified by faith.
Faith in Jesus = Love and love = works

Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

We are not able to perfectly obey because of our sinful nature but with the Holy Spirit in us we can.

Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

By faith we can be transformed and obey the commandments.

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

The subject of our personal responsibility is not understood very well; and yet it is a matter of the greatest importance. Adam an Eve needed to obey and chose to disobey. We may each obey and live, or we may transgress God’s law, defy His authority, and receive the punishment that is planly foretold.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Then to every soul the question comes home with force, Shall I obey the voice from heaven, the ten words spoken from Sinai, or shall I go with the multitude who trample on that law? To those who love God it will be the highest delight to keep His commandments, and to do those things that are pleasing in His sight. But the natural heart (the flesh) hates the law of God, and wars against its holy claims.
Says the psalmist, “The law of the Lord is perfect” (Psalm 19:7). How wonderful in its simplicity, its comprehensiveness and perfection, is the law of Jehovah! It is so brief that we can easily commit every precept to memory, and yet so far-reaching as to express the whole will of God. It is perfect to make us aware or realize, not only of the outward actions, but of the thoughts and intents, the desires and emotions, of the heart.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

2Ti 3:4 lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

To confess Christ is to know to depart from iniquity to be Christlike.

We do it out of love because love does not sin.

The Bible plainly says that if a person does not continue in the goodness of God they will be cut off.

And if they go back to sinning it would have been better if they had not known the truth than to depart from it.

Which many people do not allow the Spirit to lead them because they love sin.

The Bible says some people shall depart from the faith which they will follow the new age movement interpretation of the Bible.

Which the Bible says that if a person leaves the truth for an alternate reality they cannot be saved again.

People like to say faith alone thinking they cannot fall but then many of those people hold on to sin thinking they are alright with God.

But the Bible says if a person thinks they stand take heed lest they fall.

Which work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

The way I see it is.... that we are Justified by faith, faith in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus gives us His perfect righteousness when we have faith.

It is not our works that enable us to stand before God.

Eph 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

But that gift of perfect righteousness can not be given to someone without faith or someone that doesn't love Jesus. His perfect righteousness can't be given to those that love sin more then Jesus, the heart can't be half God and half the worlds. (We need to be willing to give up all).

Rom 6:11-12
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:15-16
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
1Jn 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

True love for Jesus = keeping His commandments
and true faith = good works.

You can't seperate good works and faith in Jesus.

When we love Jesus and we know about sin in our life, repentance is required.

Surrender all to Jesus because you love Him.
And by faith in Jesus we are saved.

From a physical lifestyle perspective, I try to obey as many of the 613 Torah commandments as is applicaple. It's the same approach with the commans in the New Testament. And the commands that are not physically applicable today, I look for the deeper spiritual application to them. God did not just a give a physical list of do's and don'ts. He gave instructions on how to live in Spirit and in truth.