JOHN 3:16

p_rehbein · Apr 4, 2024

When questions arise, I find it best to turn to The Book of Truth for the truth...

Revelation 13:8 - And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 20:12 - And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Revelation 3:5 - He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 21:27 - And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

Revelation 20:15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 3:1-6 - And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Read More...)

Revelation 20:11-15 - And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Read More...)

Luke 10:20 - Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Exodus 32:33 - And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Psalms 69:28 - Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Malachi 3:16 - Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Revelation 17:8 - The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Philippians 4:3 - And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Exodus 32:31-33 - And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. (Read More...)

Daniel 12:1 - And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

This in no way justifies Calvins Theory, for it is a perfect example of "foreknowing,"

p_rehbein · Apr 4, 2024

IMO only I suspect, but that is what we are discussing, the Book of Life holds the names of every person who has been born. And, beside their name is everything they have said, done, or even thought. Those who have "endured" until the end shall have their names remain in the Book of Life and be worthy to enter into the Kingdom of God.

Those who have sinned against God will have their names BLOTTED OUT of the Book of Life and will not be worthy to enter into the Kingdom of God.

So, yes, names can be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Pilgrimshope · Apr 4, 2024

p_rehbein said:

yes but also there’s this factor that saves and offers repentance and remission of those sins that bind us to death

“To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:43‬ ‭

So you have this declared first by the law

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭32:33‬ ‭

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭18:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You have this declaration but then you have this marvelous work by God that many didn’t grasp

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He died to fulfill the requirement of death for all sinners this doesn’t excuse our ongoing sin it gives us power to be free of that sentence of death because we have all sinned before we all need remission of sins in his name who died for our sins to remit them

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:( the soul that sinneth it shall die can be fulfilled here in baptism ) that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:3-4, 6-7, 10-12‬ ‭

We’ve all sinned God did something to fulfill this word

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭32:33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

This is what that means to be taken out of the book of life

“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”( not life but death )
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭18:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

And so

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;””

According to the scriptures is Paul’s reference to the Old Testament scriptures the new hadn’t been written yet

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53:5-6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

first came the sentence of death for sin then Later came an Offer of repentance and remission through a perfect man dying in place of the sinner offering then a pardon and new life

Through Jesus sacrifice sinners can now be saved through the gospel offering repentance and remission of sins and new birth into the body of Christ

“and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭24:46-49‬ ‭KJV‬‬

God made an atoning sacrifice for our sins this factors into it we can repent now and have our sins remitted and live

Nehemiah6 · Apr 4, 2024

Blade said:

The answer is in Scripture:
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

ForestGreenCook · Apr 4, 2024

Godswilling said:

Who are the whosoever's? They are God's sheep.

John 10:26-29 - But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, ( Matt 25:31-34) as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me (John 6:37-40).

ForestGreenCook · Apr 4, 2024

Pilgrimshope said:

The kingdom of heaven is one of many terms that signify The visible church which are the remnant of Israel.

Those who are saying Lord, Lord, is not the natural man (1 Cor 2:14), but are those who have been born again spiritually, believing in God, but have not the knowledge of the truth (Rom 10:1-3) they are known as the lost sheep of the household of Israel.

Pilgrimshope · Apr 4, 2024

ForestGreenCook said:

“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
‭‭John‬ ‭10:16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:14‬ ‭

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:11-22‬ ‭

“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we ( Jews ) shall be saved, even as they.”( gentiles )
‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Webers.Home · Apr 5, 2024

.
Heaven is keeping more than one set of books.

There's Yahweh's book, and there's the Lamb's book.

Yahweh's book (a.k.a. His book of the living, a.k.a. His book of life) contains
a detailed profile of everyone who was on Earth in the past, everyone at
present, and everyone in the future. (Ps 139:16) Names in Yawweh's book
are constantly in danger of being scrubbed. (Ex 32:31-33)

Names in the Lamb's book-- past, present, and future --are permanent.
(John 5:24, John 10:27-29, Rom 8:29-34)
_

Inquisitor · Apr 5, 2024

Webers.Home said:

.
Heaven is keeping more than one set of books.

There's Yahweh's book, and there's the Lamb's book.

Yahweh's book (a.k.a. His book of the living, a.k.a. His book of life) contains
a detailed profile of everyone who was on Earth in the past, everyone at
present, and everyone in the future. (Ps 139:16) Names in Yawweh's book
are constantly in danger of being scrubbed. (Ex 32:31-33)

Names in the Lamb's book-- past, present, and future --are permanent.
(John 5:24, John 10:27-29, Rom 8:29-34)
_

What happens if you get scrubbed from YHWH's Book but are permanently in the Lamb's Book?

Nehemiah6 · Apr 5, 2024

Inquisitor said:

They are probably one and the same so there will be no difference.

Webers.Home · Apr 6, 2024

.

Inquisitor said:

The Lamb's book protects folks from the lake of fire spoken of by Rev 20:11-15,
whereas Yahweh's book merely keeps track of the circumstances of their
existence, e.g. Ps 56:8, Ps 69:28, and Ps 139:16.

The Lamb's book can be thought of as a safety net so that even if someone
were to be slain by the hand of God, they won't end up on the wrong side of
things when all is said and done.

* Termination of one's life by the hand of God is a common occurrence
throughout the Bible; even the righteous are in danger of losing their lives
that way. For example Deut 32:49-52, Acts 5:1-10, 1Cor 11:27-30, and
1John 5:16

NOTE: There's yet a third book (Dan 12:1) which appears to me related to
the sealing of the 144,000 Jews spoken of in the 7th chapter of Revelation.
_

Godswilling · Apr 6, 2024

Godswilling said:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Let us try to analyze what Jesus answered to the Scribe.
The first of all the commandments is Hear, O Israel; The Lord Our God is One Lord.

It seems like Hear, O Israel; The Lord Our God Is One Lord is not a commandment.
But Jesus stated The First of All The Commandments is:
If this is the first commandment.
This is what Jesus differentiate himself to the Jews who are also reading and believing the word of God in the Old Testament. Yes, the basis for salvation of the Jews is also the Word of God in the Old Testament. That is why they followed the 10 Commandments of God.

Again, this is what Jesus said to the Jews.

JOHN 8:54-55
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

The Jews don't know their God (can't identify)
While Jesus know his God (can identify)

If we check the connection of Mark 12: 29 to John 8:55.

The First of all The Commandments is TO KNOW GOD.

Therefore: To Know God is a Pre Requisite of To Love God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

Who will believe to Jesus that the first commandment is To Know God?

Godswilling · Apr 7, 2024

Godswilling said:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John 3:16; If by believing to Jesus will have an everlasting life.
Who will believe to Jesus in his revelation that the first commandment is To Know God and it is very important because You Cannot Love God If You Don't Know God.

Question: Who is written in the Bible that he believed to Jesus and he had an Everlasting life?
The Criminal on the right side of Jesus who believed to Jesus.
LUKE 23:32-33 & 42-43
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Godswilling · Apr 9, 2024

Godswilling said:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In The New Testament, when Jesus arrived, the Jews are following the law of God in the Old Testament.
They taught when Jesus came, they have the same basis of salvation which is the Word of God as Jesus said.
MATTHEW 5:17
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Despite Jews are following the law of God and believe that they know God by following God's commandments but Jesus rebuke them because there is no use in following God's Law if you did not follow the first of all the commandments.
They did not believe in Jesus.
This is what Jesus told to them.
You can't identify The One True God so you don't know him.
I can identify the One True God and I know him.

JOHN 8:54-55
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

NewLifeInChrist · Apr 10, 2024

Soyeong said:

This soteriological view has its own place in Scripture. We find it in many places, including these:

You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD. (Le 18:5)
And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. (Ne 9:29)
And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ (Eze 20:11)
For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” (Ro 10:5)
Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” (Ga 3:12)

Notice in all these places it is said, "if a man does them, he shall live by them". What does this mean? It means that a person does not face the second death (all face the first death) if he keeps all God's commandments. This is "the righteousness which is of the law" that Moses wrote about. This kind of righteousness is not faith-based. It is performance-based. If a person keeps the commandments, he will live because he did what was required of Him.

Yet this path to eternal life is perilous for man because God's commandments not only come with a blessing (i.e., eternal life) for obedience, they also come with a curse (i.e., eternal damnation) for disobedience. It is perilous because the pathway to eternal life through obedience 1) demands no disobedience, 2) has no grace, and 3) no person is able to satisfy it's requirements. This passage puts gaining eternal life through obedience to God's laws in the proper context:

Everyone who seeks eternal life through obedience to God's laws is under the curse because the law demands obedience. No one except Jesus has ever or will ever fulfil its requirements. Only those who place their trust in Christ will enherit eternal life. Making obedience to the law an extension of faith is to deny that obedience merits eternal life.

Soyeong · Apr 10, 2024

NewLifeInChrist said:

This soteriological view has its own place in Scripture. We find it in many places, including these:

You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the LORD. (Le 18:5)
And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. (Ne 9:29)
And I gave them My statutes and showed them My judgments, ‘which, if a man does, he shall live by them.’ (Eze 20:11)
For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” (Ro 10:5)
Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” (Ga 3:12)

Notice in all these places it is said, "if a man does them, he shall live by them". What does this mean? It means that a person does not face the second death (all face the first death) if he keeps all God's commandments. This is "the righteousness which is of the law" that Moses wrote about. This kind of righteousness is not faith-based. It is performance-based. If a person keeps the commandments, he will live because he did what was required of Him.

Yet this path to eternal life is perilous for man because God's commandments not only come with a blessing (i.e., eternal life) for obedience, they also come with a curse (i.e., eternal damnation) for disobedience. It is perilous because the pathway to eternal life through obedience 1) demands no disobedience, 2) has no grace, and 3) no person is able to satisfy it's requirements. This passage puts gaining eternal life through obedience to God's laws in the proper context:

Everyone who seeks eternal life through obedience to God's laws is under the curse because the law demands obedience. No one except Jesus has ever or will ever fulfil its requirements. Only those who place their trust in Christ will enherit eternal life. Making obedience to the law an extension of faith is to deny that obedience merits eternal life.

I plan to respond more later, but a quick question: do you think that God is a giver of trustworthy instructions or a giver of untrustworthy instructions?

Soyeong · Apr 11, 2024

NewLifeInChrist said:

The position that God is a giver of untrustworthy instructions is contrary to the truth of Christianity while the position that God is a giver of trustworthy instructions is contrary to what you said in your post. God is trustworthy, therefore His instructions are also trustworthy (Psalms 19:7), so the way to rely on God is by obediently relying on His instructions, it is contradictory to think that we should rely on God, but not on His instructions, and the position that God's instructions are untrustworthy/not of faith denies the trustworthiness/faithfulness of God.

In Acts 5:32, the Spirit has been given to those who obey God, so obedience to God is part of the way to receive the Spirit, however, Galatians 3:1-2 denies that "works of the law" are part of the way to receive the Spirit, therefore that phrase does not refer to obedience to God. In Romans 3:27-31, Paul contrasted a law of works with a law of faith, so works of the law are of works while he said that our faith upholds God's law, so it is of faith and a law that our faith upholds can't be referring to the same thing as the works of the law that are not of faith in Galatians 3:10-12.

According to Deuteronomy 27-28, the way to be blessed is by relying on the Book the the Law while the way to be cursed is by not relying on it, so Galatians 3:10 should not be interpreted as Paul quoting from that passage in order to support a point that is arguing against it by saying that relying on the Book of the Law is the way to be cursed while not relying on it is the way to be blessed. Rather, they were coming under the curse of not relying on the Book of the Law because they were relying on works of the law instead.

In Galatians 3:10-12, Paul connected a quote from Leviticus 18:5 with a quote from Habakuk 2:4, so the righteous who are living by faith are the same as those who are living in obedience to God's law. In Isaiah 51:7, the righteous are those on whose heart is God's law, and the context Habakkuk 2 contrasts the righteous who are living by faith with those who are not obeying God's law, so the righteous living by faith does not refer to a manner of living that is not in obedience to it.

In Romans 10:5-8, it references Deuteronomy 30:11-16 as the word of faith that we proclaim, so so it is speaking about the kind of righteousness that is faith-based, which is the only kind of righteousness. In Romans 3:21-22, the only way to become righteous that is testified about in the Law and the Prophets is through faith in Christ for all who believe. In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way to become righteous by grace through faith. In Revelation 14:12, those who kept faith in Jesus are the same as those who kept God's commandments, and there are many other verses that repeatedly connect our faith in God with our obedience to Him.

In Galatians 3:10, the only way to avoid being cursed is by continuing to live in obedience to the Book of the Law, living in complete rebellion against the Book of the Law is not a way to avoid being cursed by it and is infinitely more perilous than relying on God's instructions. Jesus said that narrow is the way that leads to life and wide is the way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:14), so the way that leads to life is not perilous, but rather everything else is perilous. In Exodus 33:13, Moses wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him to walk in His way that he and Israel might know Him, and in John 17:3, eternal life is knowing God and Jesus, so God is gracious to us by teaching us the way to eternal life, which is why Jesus said that the way to inherit eternal life is by obeying God's commandment (Luke 10:25-28, Matthew 19:17). If a person disobeys God's law, then they can thankfully repent and return to obedience by faith. In Romans 6:19-23, we are no longer to present ourselves as slaves to impurity, lawlessness, and sin, but are now to present ourselves as slaves to God and to righteousness leading to sanctification, and the goal of sanctification is eternal life in Christ, which is the gift of God, so living in obedience to God's law is the content of His gift of eternal life, which has nothing to do with trying to earn eternal life as a wage.

NewLifeInChrist · Apr 11, 2024

Soyeong said:

Just because I challenge your views of Scripture does not mean that I am taking the position that God is a giver of untrustworthy instructions. If there were such a nexus, then I would be justified in accusing you of taking the position that God is a giver of untrustworthy instructions. It is better to discuss our beliefs than to impugn each other's character.

God is drawing all people to Christ. Those who obey Him Trust Him, go to Christ, and receive His Spirit. This is not the same thing as receiving God's Spirit by obeying His laws. This is what Galatians 3:1-2 is contrasting. "Establishing the law" in Romans 3:31 means that we agree with the law that all tranggressors of the law will face God's judgment and that the only way out is the forgiveness of sins that Christ provides the sinner. And Galatians 3:10-12 must be referring to God's laws because 1) His law is the one that He gave with with a curse if not followed, 2) His law is the only law that if followed perfectly produces life, and 3) Jesus redeemed us from the curse that God connected with dissobedience to His law. Therefore, Galatians 3:10-12 definately contrasts righteousness through obedience to the God'w law with faith in Christ.

Reliance on the law is not at issue. Obedience to the law is at issue. If a person obeys the law, they get the blessing. If a person disobeys the law, they get the curse. Jesus redeemed us from the curse, having become a curse for us.

Actually, Paul contrasted Habakuk 2:4 ("the just shall live by faith") with Leviticus 18:5 ("the man who does them shall live by them") by his statement that Habakuk 2:4 proves that God will justify no one on the basis of obedience to His laws but only through faith and His statement that Leviticus 18:5 proves that obedience to the law is not a matter of faith, but a matter of performance. The language clearly says this. "But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 'the just shall live by faith.' Yet the law is not of faith, but 'the man who does them shall live by them.'" (Ga 3:11–12)

Actually, that's not what Galatians 3:10 says. It says everyone who places himself under the law places himself under the curse of the law. Why? Because the law requires "continuance" and because God will justify no one on the basis of his obedience. That's why trust in Christ becoming a curse for us cotrasts with trusting one's abilities to obey all God's laws. This is the precept of God that is most important to get right.

Inquisitor · Apr 11, 2024

Soyeong said:

The position that God is a giver of untrustworthy instructions is contrary to the truth of Christianity while the position that God is a giver of trustworthy instructions is contrary to what you said in your post. God is trustworthy, therefore His instructions are also trustworthy (Psalms 19:7), so the way to rely on God is by obediently relying on His instructions, it is contradictory to think that we should rely on God, but not on His instructions, and the position that God's instructions are untrustworthy/not of faith denies the trustworthiness/faithfulness of God.

In Acts 5:32, the Spirit has been given to those who obey God, so obedience to God is part of the way to receive the Spirit, however, Galatians 3:1-2 denies that "works of the law" are part of the way to receive the Spirit, therefore that phrase does not refer to obedience to God. In Romans 3:27-31, Paul contrasted a law of works with a law of faith, so works of the law are of works while he said that our faith upholds God's law, so it is of faith and a law that our faith upholds can't be referring to the same thing as the works of the law that are not of faith in Galatians 3:10-12.

According to Deuteronomy 27-28, the way to be blessed is by relying on the Book the the Law while the way to be cursed is by not relying on it, so Galatians 3:10 should not be interpreted as Paul quoting from that passage in order to support a point that is arguing against it by saying that relying on the Book of the Law is the way to be cursed while not relying on it is the way to be blessed. Rather, they were coming under the curse of not relying on the Book of the Law because they were relying on works of the law instead.

In Galatians 3:10-12, Paul connected a quote from Leviticus 18:5 with a quote from Habakuk 2:4, so the righteous who are living by faith are the same as those who are living in obedience to God's law. In Isaiah 51:7, the righteous are those on whose heart is God's law, and the context Habakkuk 2 contrasts the righteous who are living by faith with those who are not obeying God's law, so the righteous living by faith does not refer to a manner of living that is not in obedience to it.

In Romans 10:5-8, it references Deuteronomy 30:11-16 as the word of faith that we proclaim, so so it is speaking about the kind of righteousness that is faith-based, which is the only kind of righteousness. In Romans 3:21-22, the only way to become righteous that is testified about in the Law and the Prophets is through faith in Christ for all who believe. In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way to become righteous by grace through faith. In Revelation 14:12, those who kept faith in Jesus are the same as those who kept God's commandments, and there are many other verses that repeatedly connect our faith in God with our obedience to Him.

In Galatians 3:10, the only way to avoid being cursed is by continuing to live in obedience to the Book of the Law, living in complete rebellion against the Book of the Law is not a way to avoid being cursed by it and is infinitely more perilous than relying on God's instructions. Jesus said that narrow is the way that leads to life and wide is the way that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:14), so the way that leads to life is not perilous, but rather everything else is perilous. In Exodus 33:13, Moses wanted God to be gracious to him by teaching him to walk in His way that he and Israel might know Him, and in John 17:3, eternal life is knowing God and Jesus, so God is gracious to us by teaching us the way to eternal life, which is why Jesus said that the way to inherit eternal life is by obeying God's commandment (Luke 10:25-28, Matthew 19:17). If a person disobeys God's law, then they can thankfully repent and return to obedience by faith. In Romans 6:19-23, we are no longer to present ourselves as slaves to impurity, lawlessness, and sin, but are now to present ourselves as slaves to God and to righteousness leading to sanctification, and the goal of sanctification is eternal life in Christ, which is the gift of God, so living in obedience to God's law is the content of His gift of eternal life, which has nothing to do with trying to earn eternal life as a wage.

Galatians 5:1
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

The yoke of slavery is your futile attempt to obey the law.

Galatians 5:4-6
You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law, you have fallen from grace. For we, through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

The way to fall from grace is the attempt to achieve your own righteousness, through obedience to the law.

Galatians 5:13-14
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

How can the law be fulfilled in one word, in just one commandment?

Soyeong · Apr 11, 2024

Inquisitor said:

If God freed the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to put them under slavery to His law, then it would be for slavery that God sets us free, however, Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that God sets us free, and God's law is of freedom (Psalms 119:45). In Psalms 119:142, God's law is truth, and in John 8:31-36, it is transgressing God's law that puts us in slavery while the truth sets us free. So you are not correctly identifying what Paul was speaking against in Galatians, which is leading you into slavery. Christ spent his ministry teaching his followers to obey God's law by word and by example, so Galatians should not be interpreted as speaking against following Christ.

All throughout the Bible, God wanted His people to repent and to return to obedience to His law, and even Christ began his ministry with that Gospel message, so it would be absurd to interpret Galatians 5:4-6 as warning us against believing in the Gospel and saying that we will be cut off from Christ if we follow Christ. In Psalms 119:29-30, he wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faith by setting it before him, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace through faith and this is what it means to be under grace, not the way to fall from it. It would again be absurd to interpret that as him wanting God to be gracious to him by teaching him how to fall from grace, so again you are not correctly identifying what Paul was speaking against.

There is a world of difference between the position that follower of God should follow His commands and the position that we should follow His commands in order to earn our justification as a wage because there are many verses that support the former or that speak against the latter.

"To fulfill the law" means "to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be" (NAS Greek Lexicon: pleroo). So love fulfills the enter law because it is correctly understanding that everything commanded in it is for the purpose of teaching us how to love. For example, if we love God and our neighbor, then we won't commit idolatry, adultery, theft, murder, rape, kidnapping, favoritism, and so forth for the rest of God's laws. It is contradictory to think that we should obey God's command to love, but not His commands for how to love.

JOHN 3:16

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