Not under the Law?

[brakelite]

I believe we are not under the law because we are no longer under its condemnation. The law however still stands. Notice what Paul says here....

Romans 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:....now, to what purpose did Jesus die and condemn sin in the flesh....?
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

God calls us to live righteous and holy lives. We cannot do so in our own strength, but what is impossible for man, is possible for God. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Thus the righteousness in which we live is not our own, but is that righteousness which Jesus said we are to hunger and thirst for. A righteousness that is not an abstract theory, but a righteousness that is reflected in a sanctified life. Wholly conformable to God's commandments. Grace gives us more than just eternal rewards. It also gives us power to become children of God. A gospel without the power is only half the gospel.
Oh, and Paul tells us that if we are children, we are servants.....servants of righteousness.

Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Whatever righteousness is, it comes highly recommended.

So, what is this righteousness we are called to hunger and thirst for?

Mt 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Mt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

First point we must all realise, is that the 'righteousness', referred to above is Christ's own righteousness. Not our own, not someone else's, not the church's. Isaiah said our own righteousness is worthless, so what we must answer is the question "what is Christ's righteousness?" For it is that righteousness that we must hunger and thirst for, it is that righteousness we must seek for on equal priority to His kingdom.
We all, as professing Christians, have accepted Christ's kingdom. We have all acknowledged His propitiation and atoning death. But His righteousness? What is that? And how do we get it?

Paul answers both questions here...
Ga 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

So the Galatians were thinking that they could be justified by following the law, but Paul says it must be by faith. And he equates justification with righteousness. The cross, the shedding of blood, justifies us. Throughout Biblical history the sacrifice of the animal and the shedding of blood removed sin from being an impediment in the relationship and a wall between God and man. We are 'accounted' righteous in the sight of a holy God, and we then have free access to the throne of grace.
But did God desire that Israel continually sin because they had a "get out of jail free card" grazing in the back paddock? Not at all. In fact several times God showed His great displeasure in the rivers of blood that constantly flowed from the temple altar.

Isaiah 1:10 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.
12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

What is going on here? It was in Eden that God Himself set up the sacrificial system. And a whole range of various sabbaths and holy days and services and sacrifices came later for the express purpose of gaining forgiveness, yet here is God saying He wants them to stop? What's missing? Isaiah in the next few verses gives the answer. And after, John the Baptist confirms this.

16 ¶ Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:


Matthew 3:7 ¶ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Phil. 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 ¶ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.


If there was anyone who needed forgiveness it was David. What did he have to say regarding gaining forgiveness? Was it to follow the law as so many claim is the basis for OT religion? No, read the following carefully:
Psalm 51 is a lesson in humility and repentance, but note verses 16,17. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it; thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a brokern spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise
This is the gospel. This is grace and mercy, as relevant to the OT as it is to the new.

Righteousness is holiness; likeness to God, and God is love. (1 John 4:16) It is conformity to the law of God, for "all Thy commandments are righteousness" Psalm 119:72, and "love is the fulfilling of the law". Romans 13:1
Righteousness is love, and love is the true light and life of God. The righteousness of God is embodied in Christ, and we receive righteousness by receiving Him.

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these we might be partakers of His divine nature; having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

God's divne nature is a nature of love. As we partake of this love, we fulfil the law.
"And this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not greivous."



2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

It has been said that we take but two things to heaven with us from this world. The souls we have have helped save through our witness, and our characters. Eternity is dependant upon what characters we develop now, whether Christ's or the prince of this world.

Eph.4:17 ¶ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,....22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Thus righteousness is both imputed, (justification) and imparted (sanctification.) Both are essential, both are Christ's, and both can be ours if we have but faith.

Rom.5:17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
Romans 8:1 ¶ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit...4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

[bgsda]

Depends on which Law your talkimg aboit brakelite? Moses Law or Gods Law(Ten Commandments)

 

[jiggyfly]

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong.12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.13 As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not!18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
Gal 2:11-21 (NLT)

 

[jiggyfly]

Were the laws that Moses wrote down any less binding than the ten laws God wrote down for the Hebrew? Were they not all God's commandments?

 

[NetChaplain]

Were the laws that Moses wrote down any less binding than the ten laws God wrote down for the Hebrew? Were they not all God's commandments?

Hi JF - The Decalogue (Ten Commands) was part of the Law and the Pentateuch (Mosaic Laws) was added. Of course, this was only to the nation of Israel, beginning after the freedom from Egypt's bondage at the foot of Mount Sinai and ending at the Cross of Christ.

 

[Boanerges]

Depends on which Law your talkimg aboit brakelite? Moses Law or Gods Law(Ten Commandments)

That misconception is easily clarified when one looks at the bible says we are freed from:

Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

We can plainly see that the Spirit of God frees us from murder, idolatry, and etc- these are plainly related to the ten commandments and not ceremonial law (sacrificing of goats, keeping of days, and etc.).
While there are indeed a myriad of scriptures written specifically to the church (the church was born form the Book of Acts thus the doctrine of the church given in the Epistles and forward) telling us that we are free from the Law, there is not one telling us to break it. We are led, and empowered to follow the Holy Spirit,and He leads us in all truth. So, without following or living by any law our walk breaks non of them.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.


Gal 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

[brakelite]

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong.12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.13 As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not!18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
Gal 2:11-21 (NLT)

Jiggy, I presume that by quoting the above passage of scripture, you are in some way countering and opposing that which I have written. Yet I agree with your quoted scripture, in fact I said the same thing.
You quoted...Verse 21: for if keeping the law makes us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

I quoted ...Gal. 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

So you are telling me something I already understand and fully agree with. In fact, I have repeated this many times in many posts. We are justified by the blood of Christ's death on the cross and resurrection.

So we agree. Now please consider other reasons why it might be that I am promoting the law of God as essential to the Christian life.

I finished with Romans 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

What law is Paul speaking of here Jiggy? And why would God desire to accomplish such a thing, to fulfil the righteousness of this law in us? And what law is it that Jeremiah prophesied of and Paul says is fulfilled in us in that God writes it in our hearts and minds?

 

[brakelite]

Were the laws that Moses wrote down any less binding than the ten laws God wrote down for the Hebrew? Were they not all God's commandments?

The ten laws that God wrote down for the Hebrew? You are saying that the Ten Commandments apply to no-one else but Hebrews? The Holy Spirit through His servants said: "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness." 1 John 3:4.
The Holy Spirit also said "For all have sinned".

Now if all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and sin is lawlessness, or transgression against the law ( 1 John 3:4 KJV) then the law must apply to all; if it applies only to Hebrews then only Hebrews can be sinners.

 

[Coconut]

Not under the Law? Heavens no! I am flying high above it, free as a bird!

I simply cannot comprehend why any man, having once come to Christ, would want to spend the rest of his life going back to circle Mount Sinai like a buzzard circles a dead carcass in the desert, when He can fly to Mount Zion and feast on manna from Heaven.

Nor would I waste my free time discussing with him the merits of picking flesh from the dead carcass, or discussing which parts of the dead carcass are still edible.

Whenever I see others chewing on the Law, pardon my lack of intelligible words, but the Spirit in me just goes EWWWWWWWW!


Heb 12:18 You have not come, as the people of Israel came, to what you can feel, to Mount Sinai with its blazing fire, the darkness and the gloom, the storm,
Heb 12:19 the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of a voice. When the people heard the voice, they begged not to hear another word,
Heb 12:20 because they could not bear the order which said, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."
Heb 12:21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling and afraid!"
Heb 12:22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, with its thousands of angels.
Heb 12:23 You have come to the joyful gathering of God's first-born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, who is the judge of all people, and to the spirits of good people made perfect.
Heb 12:24 You have come to Jesus, who arranged the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that promises much better things than does the blood of Abel. (Good News Bible)

 

[jiggyfly]

So we agree. Now please consider other reasons why it might be that I am promoting the law of God as essential to the Christian life.

Maybe because you fail to understand what "Justified" means.

 

[jiggyfly]

Excellent post Coconut, I agree and I need to change the way I post on these threads.

 

[B-A-C]

This may come as a shock to some of you but I actually agree that we aren't under the OT law. As far as I know, I have never said we were justified by doing the works of the law.
I have stated that the law shows us what sin is.

I think that being a Christian is a little like being married. We are called the bride of Christ after-all.
When I was living alone, before I got married, I had to do some things. I had to wash my clothes, wash my dishes, take out the trash and mow the grass.
But I didn't have to do certain other things. I didn't put the cups in the same cabinet with the glasses, I didn't fold my towels 'the long way'. I didn't always put the toilet seat down. I could watch football whenever I wanted to. I could put my feet up on the coffee table if I wanted to.

As I got to know my future wife, I found out she didn't like some of these things. Now I had three choices here.
1. What I want is more important than what she wants, and if she doesn't like it too bad she can leave.
2. I don't want her to leave but if she really loves me, she will put up with the things I do.
3. what she wants is more important to me than what I want. I will do my best (which isn't always 100% perfect) to do the things she asks me to do.

I actually look forward to doing some of these things now, not because I HAVE to do them for her. But because I WANT to do them for her. It is a way for me to demonstrate my love for her. Not just with words, but in actions.

Now it may be that sinning doesn't keep us out of heaven. Perhaps even telling others it's Ok to sin won't keep us out of heaven. (Matt 5:19)
It's great that God gives us this freedom. It truly is. I am amazed by it continually.

These are some of favorite verses, they talk about freedom in Christ.
John 8:32;John 8:35; Gal 5:1; 1 Pet 2:16
There are also verses that talk about being set free from the law.
Rom 6:14; Gal 5:18 and others.

So we have a choice here.
1. We can reject him and his love.
2. We continue to live as we were living before and say it doesn't matter, God loves us anyway. I believe he does love us that much.
3. We can say Jesus I recognize the price you paid for my sins. (Rom 5:8 ) I see how much you love me. I will do my best (not always 100% successful) to do what you ask.

John 14:15; John 14:21; John 15:10; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 1:6

We can do the minimum 'that we have to do' and that's probably good enough. Jesus saves us anyway.
Or we can do a little bit more and try to show him that we love him, even though our salvation doesn't depend on it.

Maybe taking up our cross isn't required, but he did ask us to do it.

 

[brakelite]

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says 'I know Him' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3,4.)

 

[brakelite]

Maybe because you fail to understand what "Justified" means.

Maybe, or perhaps it's because I want to glorify Him in my life?

 

[brakelite]

Hi JF - The Decalogue (Ten Commands) was part of the Law and the Pentateuch (Mosaic Laws) was added. Of course, this was only to the nation of Israel, beginning after the freedom from Egypt's bondage at the foot of Mount Sinai and ending at the Cross of Christ.

Surely, if the above were true, and seeing Jesus was a prophet, He would have said perhaps the following...
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, before heaven and earth pass, the law shall end, when all is fulfilled....
He didn't. Beinmg a prophet, He said, Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

 

[Boanerges]

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says 'I know Him' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:3,4.)

That is a specific reference to Jesus Christ- His commands were love, forgive , and love some more.

 

[B-A-C]

That is a specific reference to Jesus Christ- His commands were love, forgive , and love some more.

I wonder who was speaking in these verses?
Mark 10:19 "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

Luke 18:20 "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

Matt 22:37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

Mark 12:30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'

John 8:4 they *said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
John 8:5 "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?"
John 8:6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
John 8:8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
John 8:9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
John 8:10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"
John 8:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."]

In the story above, is Jesus saying adultery is or isn't a sin?

Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

What was Jesus asking the father to forgive the people for?

Acts 7:60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

 

[jiggyfly]

Surely, if the above were true, and seeing Jesus was a prophet, He would have said perhaps the following...
Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, before heaven and earth pass, the law shall end, when all is fulfilled....
He didn't. Beinmg a prophet, He said, Mt 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

LOL, can you show a conflict between the your paraphrase and your scripture quote?

 

[jiggyfly]

I wonder who was speaking in these verses?
Mark 10:19 "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

Luke 18:20 "You know the commandments, 'DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.'"

Matt 22:37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'

Mark 12:30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'

John 8:4 they *said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
John 8:5 "Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?"
John 8:6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
John 8:7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
John 8:8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
John 8:9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
John 8:10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"
John 8:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more."]

In the story above, is Jesus saying adultery is or isn't a sin?

Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

What was Jesus asking the father to forgive the people for?

Acts 7:60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

It's amazing what happens when context is ignored.

 

[brakelite]

That is a specific reference to Jesus Christ- His commands were love, forgive , and love some more.

Who was it that stood before Moses on Mt. Sinai and wrote with His own finger the Ten Commandments on the stone tablets?