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The Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus
May 11, 2019

In the past few weeks we have considered pure religion and what this means for Christians. I've often mentioned I am a First-Century Apostolic Christian, and I'm sure some people wonder what I mean by that. We believe we practice the faith that was understood by the early church with both the need to obey God and have faith in Jesus. We believe the majority of Christians have abandoned the need to obey God through a misunderstanding of scripture. I know many reading that previous sentence will think similarly about me. We believe that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and among a long list of benefits, is useful for doctrine and reproof. All Christians look forward to eternal life and First-Century Apostolic Christians consider the Book of Revelation not merely as a book of prophecy with strange symbols, but also as a book that looks forward to the Kingdom of God where death is defeated and all tears are wiped away. We consider that everything we do and everything we believe leads to this future time. We believe that the Book of Revelation is an accurate description of a future time in our history. The symbols that John used were what he saw in his vision, and sometimes these are so fantastic, that we overlook basic concepts. Consider the following passage from the fourteenth chapter of Revelation.

Revelation 14:9-13
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

The punishment of those who receive the mark of the beast is revealed, and this punishment is shown as a testament to the patience of the saints. This passage also defines the term saints to be the people who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, and it shows saints are people who are subject to the tormenting of evil people here on earth. Having the faith of Jesus does not in any way do away with the commandments of God; just as keeping the commandments of God does not do away with the faith of Jesus. Both are needed. John showed the connection between the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus in both his epistles and gospel account.

1 John 5:1-5
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

To be born again, we must keep the commandments of God and have faith that Jesus is our Messiah. When translated into English it looks like the act of of believing in Jesus as our Messiah while also keeping the commandments of God causes a believer to be already born again. In this passage the words is born, begat, and is begotten are all translated from the Greek word transliterated as gennao. The use of tense is subjective to the prejudices of the translator. We believe being born again is a reference to our resurrection to immortal life, which first requires our physical death. We know that in keeping the commandments of God, we are able to love our fellow Christians. We also know that without the faith of Jesus there is no overcoming the world, no being born again. It is our faith in Jesus as our Messiah that ultimately gives us victory after first keeping the commandments of God.

John 14:12-21
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.  And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. "If you love Me, keep My commandments.  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.  "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.  At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.  He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Without Jesus, we can do nothing. It is through the intercession of Jesus as our High Priest that our works can be greater than the works of Jesus. In addition keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus as our Messiah, we show our love to Jesus by keeping the commandments of Jesus. Next time we will look at the commandments of Jesus a bit more.

To summarize, eternal life is given to those who both 1) obey God, by keeping the commandments of God, and the commandments of Jesus, and 2) who have faith in Jesus as our Messiah who in addition to obedience also help people in need.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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