I'm a better christian than you

[dmp]

I pulled out a few pieces of this work:

http://www.raptureready.com/rr-better.html

2. The Keepers of the Law

This group of people believes in keeping Torah observance. While I see no problem with people choosing to keep the levitical kosher (dietary) laws or the Sabbath, there is a fine line between personal choice and self-righteousness.

These groups maintain that Jesus never intended for the law to go away. They base this belief on Matthew 5:17 and John 14:15, which say, "Think not that I have come to destroy the law," and "If you love me, you will keep my commandments," respectively.

What they are missing, however, is that Jesus clarified what He was referring to and it had nothing to do with the 613 laws of Torah. When Jesus was cornered by the Pharisees and asked which of the commandments were the greatest, He replied:

Matthew 22:37-40: “Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment and the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." What was He referencing?

Isaiah 29:13: “Therefore the Lord said, ‘Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.’”

Jeremiah 31:33: “But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

It is impossible for the Judaic law to save anyone. The standard is too high for anyone to follow the law to perfection. The law said, “Don't do it.” Jesus said, “You’re guilty if you even think about doing something that is wrong.” Paul warned us in Galatians that we can fall from grace by trying to follow after the law.

Galatians 2 “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness [come] by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Galatians 5:4: “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”

3. Legalists

Scripture tells us that we are to exhort fellow believers (1 Thess. 4:1). So where is the line between assisting a believer in his walk with the Lord and condemning a believer for his every thought and action?

Common sense dictates that a believer should not dress wantonly and get drunk, but common sense is not enough for the legalist crowd. That crowd feels a duty to protect people from themselves, so it creates measuring sticks in order to maintain its role as its brother's keeper.

Based on 1Thessalonians 5:22, which says to abstain from all appearance of evil, popular legalisms promoted are: no drinking, smoking, dancing, going to movies, or attending sporting events (because beer is sold). Women can't cut their hair or wear makeup, jewelry or slacks. Women's skirts or culottes must be at least below the knee in length. Men must wear trousers at all times, regardless of the weather. No eating out on Sundays. Everything must be approved by a minister. The list is endless.

While I am not advocating a free-wheeling lifestyle, I am saying that we are to walk in the Lord's light. Our deeds are like filthy rags to Him; it is what is in our hearts that matters. Legalism pits believers against one another in an unending cycle of condemnation. Additionally, it can turn people away from understanding the grace of Christ when they are made to feel that they have bigger shoes to fill than they can wear.

Matthew 23:24: “[Ye] Blind guides, who strain on a gnat and swallow a camel!”

6. The Intellectuals

One of the most basic human desires is the praise of mankind. Many Christians like to impress other believers with their intellectual capabilities. Some go as far as proclaiming themselves spiritually superior to anyone who doesn’t share the same level of academic achievement.

The intellectual crowd is very harmful to the spreading of the Gospel. They motivate fellow Christians to try to master a lofty vocabulary that is often above the heads of average people. They hold the general philosophy that it is better to appear to be intelligent than it is to be understood by your audience.

The Bible repeatedly warns against trusting in the flesh for wisdom. Because Satan is a spirit being, with nearly unlimited intellectual skills, no man is able to match wits with him. Anyone who strays from the Word of God to rely on his own understanding is making a terrible mistake.

1 Corinthians 3:18-19: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”

Romans 1:21-22: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.”

 

[90K]

What? being Kosher (Kosha) as we say? I suck all around when this subject comes up. I'm glad we don't have to follow the law, hell every human on this earth have enough issues just trying to be nice to each other never mind following the law.

One of the most basic human desires is the praise of mankind. Many Christians like to impress other believers with their intellectual capabilities. Some go as far as proclaiming themselves spiritually superior to anyone who doesn’t share the same level of academic achievement.

Yeah that is really a great example. Nothing worse than an arrogant thumper:shocked:

 

[Nienna]

God never wanted people to follow the Law, anyway. It was given only because people's hearts were hard. He didn't want our sacrifices; He wants our love. But, sometimes it's easier to follow a bunch of rules than to open up our hearts or to completely submit our wills.

 

[Joz]

God never wanted people to follow the Law, anyway. It was given only because people's hearts were hard. He didn't want our sacrifices; He wants our love. But, sometimes it's easier to follow a bunch of rules than to open up our hearts or to completely submit our wills.

Please explain.
God's law has always been in effect.

 

[Mr. P]

What? being Kosher (Kosha) as we say? I suck all around when this subject comes up. I'm glad we don't have to follow the law, hell every human on this earth have enough issues just trying to be nice to each other never mind following the law.


Yeah that is really a great example. Nothing worse than an arrogant thumper:shocked:

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to 90K again.

 

[Nienna]

Please explain.
God's law has always been in effect.

I'm talking about the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Laws. They should never have been necessary. God writes His laws on our hearts. We instinctively know right from wrong. But our hearts are hardened by sin, so we become immune to the prodding of our consciences. This is why God had to give us tangible, written laws, and even THEN, people try to find ways around them. All God REALLY wants is for us to live in obedience to HIM, out of LOVE, not because we have to follow a set of impossibly strict rules.

 

[Nienna]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to 90K again.

LOL! Mr. P V/S the Thumpers!

 

[Hobbit]

These are the ones that really love me, especially when they use the KJV "Thou shalt not kill," to justify their unwillingness to defend home and country.

4. KJVOnlyism

Some Christians proclaim that the 1611 King James Version (KJV) is the one and only true English version of the word of God and that all other versions were corrupted by Satan.

While Rapture Ready uses the KJV for Scripture references, it is only because this version is the mostly widely quoted. Nothing is dramatically wrong with other versions of Christian Bibles such as the New King James Version, New American Standard Version, and the Revised Standard Version. However, some versions, such as the Clear Word Bible of the Seventh Day Adventists or the New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses, were specifically rewritten to accommodate private interpretations, but even these versions contains the heart of Biblical truth.

No Bible version says that Satan died for our sins. The King James Only crowd implies that positive magical qualities are attached to the KJV version, and that negative energies indwell all non-KJV Bibles. I have never found a need to go digging into the meaning of the original Hebrew and Greek. Whenever I encounter a passage that seems unclear to me, most of the time, I'm able to find some other verse that resolves the confusion.

The King James Version was written in Elizabethan English (a la Shakespeare), and can be rather difficult for people to read, especially for those new to the faith. What is more important: encouraging people to read their Bibles to learn about Jesus, or overwhelming them with language that makes understanding the text more difficult, causing them to turn to commentaries of man rather than the Word of God?

Hebrews 5:12: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

 

[90K]

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to 90K again.

Thanks for trying they'll be other times. I want to say one thing; the Law was in the Old Testament. The New Testament is about living under Christ by following his ways on a daily basis. (Jesus was a man so he knew our weakness) Doing the law didn't do much except for the Jews to make excuses for being so hard. Christ died for our sins and every human being on this earth now and to come and the ones before us. He took the mystery out of the Law, but stated it wasn't gonna be easy. I don't have to physically sacrifice a spotless Lamb or Calf to receive repentance I hit my knees or whatever and ask Jesus for direct forgiveness. I'm sure I'm leaving out a lot of stuff but hopefully ya'll can see my direction. Even we Gentiles can follow Jesus, to me that is the greatest gift of all.

 

[Eightball]

The Law was one big old mirror for mankind to see his/her accurate reflection in, and realize that in no way could they be justified/righteous via works of "good", or obedience.

The Law was "good" in everyway, but it was not intended to "save" man from his sins, but to magnify, to man, his sinfullness, because man could in no way meet the Law.

As Paul said; 'The law made sin known to man'. It also eliminated any excuse man had for not coming up to expectations of the Law.

Jesus said that He came to fullfill the Law..........He did that at Golgotha. The Law said man was under judgement, and propitiation was necessary to save man from God's wrath. God gave His own, most precious life/Jesus to meet the demands of the Law.

If one wants to follow Kosher dietary ways, it may help them in beneficial ways towards bodily health, but in the spiritual category, it won't add one "brownie point" in God's scheme.

 

[glockmail]

I'm talking about the Ten Commandments and the Mosaic Laws. They should never have been necessary. God writes His laws on our hearts. We instinctively know right from wrong. But our hearts are hardened by sin, so we become immune to the prodding of our consciences. This is why God had to give us tangible, written laws, and even THEN, people try to find ways around them. All God REALLY wants is for us to live in obedience to HIM, out of LOVE, not because we have to follow a set of impossibly strict rules.

I think that you are right, but my take on this is from a slightly different angle. The "Ten Commandments" must be followed. Many other "laws" are for ancient man to avoid disease (eating pork), and as we learned to avoid the disease through cooking or other procedures, the old law was superceded by new laws or procedures. Other "laws" were requirements for sin offerings (sacrificing animals on the alter). By offering up Himself for our sins, we no longer have to sacrifice animals, but we do, however, have to pray to cleanse ourselves from sin.

 

[dmp]

I think that you are right, but my take on this is from a slightly different angle. The "Ten Commandments" must be followed.

Does the fact they were codified make them more valuable, as directives?

 

[glockmail]

Does the fact they were codified make them more valuable, as directives?

If you are referring to these laws all being in one section I don't think so. The "ten" commandments are not listed as such. In fact, depending on the version of the Bible and your interpretation, I have counted as many as 13.

BTW I've used the term "codified" rather loosely here and perhaps elsewhere in this forum, to mean simply written down; no particular order.