What do you mean by �required�?
If you mean �Will you go to hell if you don�t?�, the answer is not any more
than if you violate any other Commandment.
Do you mean, �Does God
want you to do this?��the answer is yes, if the 4th Commandment
still means anything at all today (as He never rescinded it; nor the
others).
Michael D:
That's if you listen to Marlin and Chris, not if you listen to Paul and the
other apostles and the Church at Jerusalem. I encourage you Izzy to read
Acts 15 carefully, without the Chris et al spin. Read what Peter and James
say, plese. It is so clear if we were to take God at His word, and not
peoples superimposed interpretation of it.
When James says
that the Holy Ghost said not to put the law on the Gentiles, would you say
that the law is synonymous with circumcision, or that the law refers to the
requirements of all that God commanded under the Old
covenant?
Observe closely,
that the Pharisees in Acts 15, requiores them to be circumcised,
and
to keep the law of Moses, so the whole law was in focus here. Those who want
to limit the discussion to circumcision, are not reading the text carefully,
truly blinded, or are being intellectually dishonest. That's why James said
that those who were requiring the law for the Gentiles, had no such
commandment from the apostles and elders at
Jerusalem. And the Holy Ghost forbad it.
Those who say
it's for young believers, are reading things into the passage that aren't
there. I challenge anyone to show me scriptural reference where there is an
instruction to put the Gentiles under the law when they are mature in the
Lord, or after some time of walking with Jesus.
Remember, Paul
said the law was given till
the seed (Jesus) should come, and that now that we have come to Jesus, we
are no
longer under a school master.
Paul said, Cast
out the bond woman and her son. How much plainer must God make the
scriptures for us. We must reconcile our beliefs to the scripture, and not
the scripture to our beliefs. Doing the latter is what is causing Marlin,
Chris et al, to come up with so many spurious attempts at explanations for
the obvious statements of the scripture.
The
issue that they, and you, need to face, is if the law is ended at Jesus,
what do we do with the need for obedience? (Remember, Paul said
it was not made for a
righteous man....) The answer is simple,
righteousness is now revealed by fatit which worketh by love. See it in
Galatians 5. It's all that is required. Paul said, if we walk in love joy
peace etc (the fruits of the Spirit) then against such there is
no
law.
Do you mean, �Will you be
blessed for being obedient on this?��the answer is yes. �And all these
blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the Lord
your God.� (Deut. 28:2)
Paul says you're
free to keep the sabbath if you wish or not to if you don't wish. You
receive no special blessing above a believer who does not.
Izzy
