I have listened to Rob far longer than you have been in this forum. The wisdom he is trying to share?

You don't have to obey God's commandments anymore. As long as you believe, you have the assurance of eternal life! The wisdom he is offering goes back to the garden of Eden when a certain wise serpent said, "You shall not surely die," for disobeying God.

Beware.

That is a mis characterization of Bob's position....I too know him from another long gone forum...his message has stayed the same, whether or not one understands his point of view.

Gerry

The wisdom he is offering goes back to the garden of Eden when a certain wise serpent said, "You shall not surely die," for disobeying God.

As far as an issue of Salvation??

YES Praise God.

Our salvation is based TOTALLY on the merits of Jesus Christ. Not of any works of the law or obedience that we might have to offer.

There are two errors against which the children of God--particularly those who have just come to trust in His grace--especially need to guard. The first, already dwelt upon, is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy.

The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we become partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption.

But notice here that obedience is not a mere outward compliance, but the service of love. The law of God is an expression of His very nature; it is an embodiment of the great principle of love, and hence is the foundation of His government in heaven and earth. If our hearts are renewed in the likeness of God, if the divine love is implanted in the soul, will not the law of God be carried out in the life? When the principle of love is implanted in the heart, when man is renewed after the image of Him that created him, the new-covenant promise is fulfilled, "I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them." Hebrews 10:16. And if the law is written in the heart, will it not shape the life? Obedience--the service and allegiance of love--is the true sign of discipleship. Thus the scripture says, "This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments." "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." 1 John 5:3; 2:4. Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith,and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience.

We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith. "Ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him." 1 John 3:5, 6. Here is the true test. If we abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings, our thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony with the will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law. "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous." 1 John 3:7. Righteousness is defined by the standard of God's holy law, as expressed in the ten precepts given on Sinai.

That so-called faith in Christ which professes to release men from the obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but presumption. "By grace are ye saved through faith." But "faith, if it hath not works, is dead." Ephesians 2:8; James 2:17. Jesus said of Himself before He came to earth, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart." Psalm 40:8. And just before He ascended again to heaven He declared, "I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." John 15:10. The scripture says, "Hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. . . . He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk even as He walked." 1 John 2:3-6. Steps To Christ, 59-61.

As far as an issue of Salvation??

YES Praise God.

Our salvation is based TOTALLY on the merits of Jesus Christ. Not of any works of the law or obedience that we might have to offer.

Robert limits the standard of Christian living to the last 6 commandments, related only to our relationship to our fellow man. But the standard of Christian living includes the whole moral law, not merely the last 6. God writes the whole moral law on our hearts and minds-- if we will allow Him to write them there. He doesn't write the law on our minds and hearts against our will.

And because our salvation is totally dependent on the merits of Christ, that whether you obey God's law or not has no bearing on your salvation? That you can lie, steal, fornicate, bow to idols, and still have the assurance of salvation? Gerry

Now, since the love of self (self-seeking) is sin (iniquity) and since many of us (if not all) still retain self-love and self-seeking in our lives, aren't we guilty of continuing in sin?