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bjay0801 -> RE: To believe only on the Ten Commandments, are you a Christian or not? (7/9/2008 12:23:35 AM)
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Salvation by faith is NOT a new concept. Remember the conversation that Jesus has with Nicodemus in John 3?
John 3
3:1
There was a man of the Pharisees, named * * Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
3:2
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot * see the kingdom of God.
3:4
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can * he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born ?
3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot * enter into the kingdom of God.
3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
3:9
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be ?
3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Obviously Jesus is expecting Nicodemus, a torah teacher, a "master of Israel" to know what He is talking about. This was not an original teaching but can be found in Dueteronomy 10:16 -- "Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiffnecked no longer." The term "stiffnecked" is equivalent to not having faith. God called the generation in the wilderness stiffnecked because they failed to trust (have faith) in Him. (See Exodus 32:9; 33:3,5; 34:9, Deut. 9:6,13; 2 Chron. 30:8; Acts 7:51) The very first thing God told Israel when giving the commandments was to have faith in Him and in Him alone. "I am the Lord your God, you shall not have any other gods besides me!" Forgiveness and mercy were around long before the death burial and resurrection.
Isaiah 1:18 -- Come now and let us reason together says the Lord, Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
Mercy was available also, just look at David. David repeatedly says how he keeps the commandments of God but if I remeber correctly, David messed up BIG time. But look at what he says in Psalm 119:159 -- "Consider how I love your precepts; revive me and give life to me, O Lord, according to your loving kindness." The term "loving kindness" is hesed in Hebrew, and is the equivalent of the word grace in the "New Testament." The scriptures say there is nothing new under the sun, if this is true then salvation had to have been there also.
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