What is the purpose of the commands of God?

"A good tree needs no instruction or law to bear good fruit; its nature causes it to bear according to its kind without any law or instruction. I would take to be quite a fool any man who would make a book full of laws and statutes for an apple tree telling it how to bear apples and not thorns, when the tree is able to by its own nature to do this better than the man with all his books can describe and demand. Just so, by the Spirit and by faith all Christians are so thoroughly disposed and conditioned in their very nature that they do right and keep the law better than one can teach them with all manner of statutes; so that they themselves are concerned, no statutes or laws are needed.
You ask: Why, then, did God give so many commandments to all mankind, and why does Christ prescribe in the gospel so many things for us to do? Of this I have written at length in the postils and elsewhere. To put it here as briefly as possible, Paul says that the law has been laid down for the sake of the lawless [1 Tim. 1:9], that is, so that those who are not Christians may through the law be restrained outwardly from evil deeds, as we shall hear later. Now since no one is by nature Christian or righteous, but altogether sinful and wicked, God through the law puts them all under restraint so they dare not willfully implement their wickedness in actual deeds. In addition, Paul ascribes to the law another function in Romans 7 and Galatians 2, that of teaching men to recognize sin in order that it may make them humble unto grace and unto faith in Christ. Christ does the same thing here in Matthew 5[:39], where he teaches that we should not resist evil; by this he is interpreting the law and teaching what ought to be and must be the state of temper of a true Christian, as we shall hear further late on." - Martin Luther, Temporal Authority, Pg. 279-280

Philippians 2:5-13

This is not a full exposition of the passage just a bit of things that stood out during my gleanings in the passage. The main point of the passage: Believers are to become like Jesus by becoming obedient in all areas of life even in admist of trials.
Our Corporate Personality that is those who are in Christ Jesus should take on the likeness of their saviour in all areas of life, while also putting off sin's dominating force: Verse 5 tells us of the command, in verse 12-13 we are reminded again to work out the salvation which God gives to us (Ephesians 2:8-10) because God is the one who is working in his people to will and to act accordingly for His good pleasure.
The Incarnation: Verses 6-7 shows that our Lord Jesus Christ although was Fully God was truly incarnated in the form of a Man. Jesus was both God and Man while tabernacling here on this earth.
The Substitution: Verse 8 tells us that the Substitution was not an act done for no reason. If Christ death was an act of obedience then it shows that there was purpose behind His death. Acts 5:27-28 tells us that His death was not something that was optional. Christ death was a necessary act which God used to bring about His purposes in Salvific History. His death was a Substitionary atonement by which He died on behalf of His people by taking upon Himself the full wrath of God in the payment of sin.Further verse 8 informs us in the words "He humbled himself..." that Christ in reality is the one who layed down His own life. Thus showing purpose in His death. John 10:17-18 tells us this that Christ layes down His own life no one takes it from him, likewise He has the power to take it back up again.
There are other forms of doctrine enlisted in this hymn passage like the glorification of Jesus Christ in which because of His obedience He has recieved the Victory. Which all the demons, sinful men and women and sinful-saints, and the Angels will one day bow down to if not already.

I have been thinking a lot about what this guy has been telling me and my sharp disagreement with him. The problem is that 1) he seems to think that he is able to dictate what my atttitude is, by that 2) he seems to think that he is the only "one" that sees a problem. Now I go to a good Church (CTK) with pastors and deacons who care about the Church's growth (The Flock of Jesus Christ who hold membership at CTK) and so if there is a potential sin problem in my life that I am not seeing, then they would probably bring it to my attention. Further problems is that 3) he seems to think that by saying scriptural truths that harshly that it means that I am also being prideful.
My thought is that 1) I cannot do any good charity work through the internet... facebook. 2) I will give him what he seems to want which is 'peace' and 'solitude.' This will be a great way to refurbish on Scripture verses that I know and should know by now. Wisdom is shared not every calvinist think alike. To make an accurate judgment one needs to know the person before jumping to conclusions.
I can't help but speak as Jeremiah says. If what I say is from God then 1) would it not be humility for me to speak it? 2) why would I refrain from speaking it?

Jesus unique person

It is funny how all other world religions had a belief of a God/man but that Jesus Christ was unique as the God/man in that He became humbled and not rich. Although He was full of Grace and wisdom, he was also poor and lowly.

Philippians 2:5-11

The Gift of Humility founded upon Philippians

The main point of Philippians is: Glorifying God through unifying obedience to Him in Christ Jesus in all Circumstances with Joy.

Part of the subservient point of the main point is Humility.

Philippians 1:6 - "I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."

Philippians 2:12-13 - "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Philippians 3:3 - "For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh -"

Philippians 4:13 -"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

The point is that Humility is just as much as the gift of God as Faith is. I was reading something prior to this thought which caused me to write this. It said something about one of the founding fathers of America believing that humility is something man can achieve. According to Philippians the statement is far from the truth of God.

Do all things for the Glory of God

"Be Thou exalted over my reputation. Make me ambitious to please Thee even if as a result I must fall into obscurity and my name be forgotten as a dream." -A.W. Tozer

I like this quote from A.W. Tozer. This is really great, for it presents to Christian's that they should neither stay away from having good reputation or having a reputation is ends up being forgotten. Both can be something that people in either one of the camps may cling to. Tozer says No, for it is not about us but it is about Christ and him glorified. Whatever lot one may fall in be in it for the Glory of God and not for selfish reasons. This reminds me of what Paul says again in Philippians 4 - that he can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me.



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This quote by Tozer is really not good. Tozer was an Arminian who believed that man had free will and that Christ died for the sins of every single human being universally.

On Law, Jesus, and Paul

"Ohhh, ok, my mistake. I have been trying for many years to have it explained to me. If you understand it, please explain it to me. I would appreciate it very much.

Oh, and I should have posted this in my last reply and I didn't. I don't like to say things without showing the verses. I apologize for not posting it before but this should explain why I said you are going against what the bible says:

In Matthew 5:17-18, Jesus stated: '17 Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the [way of] the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18For, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished.'

However, Paul, who claimed to be a disciple of Jesus, systematically cancelled the laws. In his letter to the Romans, chapter 7:6, he stated, "But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit."

This was a question raised to me back when I first started debating on my own on various websites. I felt the call in my life to start defending the faith back in 2005-06ish. After I recently tried looking up my blog site with just using 'prisonerofjoy' I found this particular forum I had once been on. The question is clear. The person who had raised the question saw some sort of tension or contradiction between the two parts. To be clear they saw Matthew 5 as a contradiction with the verses from Romans 7. The question is simple does Paul cancel out the Law? My response would be No. Another important question before I get into the reason why is is there a contradiction in these verses? I would say No, again. The Romans 7 verse is speaking of soteriological. While the Matthew 5 verse is speaking of the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. In other words Christ is the promise Messiah. Furthermore Christ is the one who being God was able to fulfill the Law. For God cannot sin, even so Christ is also Man, thereby able to live and die perfectly on behalf of Totally Depraved Men who are by nature dead in their sins. What this means is that if Christ was not God and simply human then on some strange account that he obeyed God's commands perfectly He would not have been able to impute righteousness to those who Trust in Him Nor would he be able to die on behalf of those thus diverging God's Wrath which was righteously set on Man. But He would just be fulfilling what God had commanded for Himself.
Onto Romans 7:6 What Paul is speaking of here is that the Law for sinful man could not save anyone however. The Law was only meant to show us our Inability to obey God. Paul says, that "having died to that which held us captive" meaning that the Law only condemns. Paul will later on say that the Law is good. So Paul is not against the Law. But how did we die? well in the next part of the verse it says that we (Those in Christ) serve in the new way of the Spirit. In Romans 8 Paul discusses that it is only by the Spirit can one walk according to the Spirit and so Please God. We are not saved by works but by grace through faith... for the purpose of good works (Ephesians 2:8..10) for God's glory (Ephesians 2:7). It is only through the Spirit that we may worship God (John 4:23-24, Philippians 3:1-3).
So now if I have not answered it already. Does Paul cancel out the Law? Certianly not. in Romans 6 Paul speaks of Christians being corporately part of Christ through Christ's Death. Just as Christ died to sin and was buried and was raised for the glory of God the Father. So Redeemed men and women in Christ have died to the bondage of sin and so are raised so that they ought to and will live for the glory of God the Father. But Paul later on will ask the question if it is by grace then are we to sin so that grace may abound? The answer is no. Because Grace enables us to live in accordance to God's standards not that we are justified by the Law for no one can be justified by the law.

Editors note: I will probably look over a commentary later to make sure I have not misapplied something. But I think over all it is good.

Humility and Christ and His righteousness

I like this one: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." It reminds me of the situation with Jesus when and why He ate with tax collectors and sinners. Or perhaps maybe the prayer in Luke 18:9-14. I pray that I may take hold of all the attitudes in Matthew 5:1-12. Romans 10:1-4 - Jesus Christ is the sinners only righteousness. Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.

By the way in Matthew 9:9-13 (Where the dispute about Jesus eating with Tax collectors and sinners is also given) You do not ever want to be the Pharisees (who have no need of a saviour). The Contrast between the Pharisees and those who were tax collectors and sinners is not that the Pharisees were well and the tax collectors and sinners were not. It is that the Pharisees in while they were doing "good' things they did not see their own need of a Saviour to redeem them upon the cross and so be given Christ righteousness through faith in Christ alone. It was only the Tax collectors and sinners who know their need of saving. For the Pharisees Jesus finds no place in them to stay. This is significant - for it shows 1. the Pharisees were lost (we see them as men who are saved or at good status). They were lost, that means there will be those who do not see their need of a Eternal Divine Saviour, but will continue in their pride of self-righteousness. What to do with them? (I suppose just deal with them as if you were trying to witness to anyone else) 2. Christ finds his home in those whom have humbled themselves in obedience to God's only remedy of Salvation. It is in them who are blessed forever more with the presence of God - to worship and sing His praises like that of the Seraphims in Isaiah 6.

Q: is the Christian faith reasonable?

A: I answer: Yes. For it is says that there is a Triune God who is Holy who has deal accordingly to His nature with His creation, which He has created, in His image, good, and so thereby pressing man to Live for the glory and enjoyment of God. The problem is that all of man by his own unrighteousness and through Adam's unrighteousness has fallen. They are thereby radically evil, although they may will good at times; there goodness is never truly good as that of the original state of Man. However, they are still in the state of the Image of God. What Christianity teaches is that there is a God who has revealed Himself in three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and who has determined the means of the accomplishment of Salvation for the sins of many through His Son Jesus Christ, and has determined also the means by which Salvation is applied, through the calling and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, who works in the sinner so that the sinner may repent and believe the good news of Christ and so thereby obtain Christ righteousness who not only came in the flesh to live the perfect life that no one else could by their own powers or willing live and has taken upon Himself the eternal divine wrath of God. This means that everyman should repent and believe (humble themselves), for if they do not and continue to act in rebellion (Pride) God has determined a date when all things will end and retribution will be declared (Rebels will be humbled) and receive the Divine wrath for all of eternity. I ask you to please turn from your sins and trust in Christ for your righteousness.

The Wisdome of God in Salvation

Jonathan Edwards says that Christ was the perfect Substitute. "For He was The Devine Son of God who was incarnated as a Man lived the perfect righteous life that no one else could live and died sinlessly (in obedience) on the Cross. Christ was perfect, because God had decreed that all things display his glory - his being (Each person of the trinity is seen in salvation) and his attributes and his sovereignty over not only the angels, but the demons. Thereby procuring on behalf of certain sinners peace with God and thus recieving favor for them so that they may find satisfying happiness in Him and so enjoy Him forever and through this believers are given every sort of good in Christ. What this means then is that God's dishonor is made for His glory, and God's attributes ordered sinful Man's destruction and also Salvation calls Sinners to repent and turn to Christ in faith. There is still hope for those who hear these words and repent and trust in Christ for righteousness alone. Ephesians 3:10"

Walking With God

Today I want to start the question on the statement that has been grounded all throughout the Scriptures "Walking with God" which particularly I have been reading Genesis and in a little section from chapter 5:21-24.

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. (NIV)

I have read Philippians 2:5, where Paul tells us that we ought to "have this mind among ourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus" (ESV). Paul says this after he orders the Philippian Christians to Love and Humility with one another. Then Paul goes further and writes about the Humility which Christ had and this Humility stimulates Obedience. Christ came and emptied himself of His Rights to be ridiculed and placed upon a Cross in obedience to God the Father. Jude tells us that during the last days there will be people who will follow their own ungodly desires. These people are devoid of the Spirit and obey their own flesh. Paul even says elsewhere that these people take pride in their own righteous acts (Philippians 3:2) rather than in Christ.
So the question dawns What does it mean to Walk With God? Scriptures seems to say that walking with God means living in humility towards is words and as Romans 10:1-4 says taking confidents not in your own merits (to save) but in treasuring Christ put confidence in Him in all things so that He may be Glorified.