Overall Question: From a selfish viewpoint, what does the Christian personally get from keeping God's commandments?

Memory Text - 1 John 2:3 NKJV “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”

Sunday – “By This We Know”
Matthew 13:11 KJ21 “He answered and said unto them, "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given.”
Luke 1:34 KJ21 “Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?"”
Luke 1:77 KJ21 “to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins,”
John 17:3 KJ21 “And this is life eternal: that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.”
John 17:3 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES To know God as he is is to know and regard him as a lawgiver, a sovereign, a parent, a friend. It is to yield the whole soul to him, and strive to obey his law.
Romans 3:20 CEV “God doesn’t accept people simply because they obey the Law. No, indeed! All the Law does is to point out our sin.”
1 Corinthians 8:1 CEV “In your letter you asked me about food offered to idols. All of us know something about this subject. But knowledge makes us proud of ourselves, while love makes us helpful to others.”
1 Timothy 2:4 CEV “God wants everyone to be saved and to know the whole truth, which is,”
2 Peter 3:18 CEV “Let the wonderful kindness and the understanding that come from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help you to keep on growing. Praise Jesus now and forever! Amen.”
1 John 4:8 CEV “God is love, and anyone who doesn’t love others has never known him.”
1 John 4:8 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Has no true acquaintance with God; has no just views of him, and no right feelings towards him.

Monday – Keeping the Commandments
1 John 2:3-5 God’s Word to the Nations “3 ¶ We are sure that we know Christ if we obey his commandments. 4 The person who says, "I know him," but doesn’t obey his commandments is a liar. The truth isn’t in that person. 5 But whoever obeys what Christ says is the kind of person in whom God’s love is perfected. That’s how we know we are in Christ.”
1 John 2:3 COMMENTARY FAMILY BIBLE NOTES to know God, in the scriptural sense of the words, is to have experimental acquaintance and communion with him as our Father and Friend. Such knowledge and fellowship are always connected with sincere obedience. Where this is wanting the profession of knowing God is vain and false.
1 John 2:4 ROBERTSON’S NT WORD PICTURES I know him- This is one of the pious platitudes, cheap claptrap of the Gnostics, who would bob up in meetings with such explosions. John punctures such bubbles with the sharp addition "and keepeth not”. There is a whip-cracker effect in John's words.
John 14:15 ESV “"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 15:10 ESV “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”
1 John 3:22 ESV “and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.”
1 John 3:24 ESV “Whoever keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”
1 John 5:3 ESV “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”
Revelation 12:17 ESV “Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.”
Revelation 14:12 ESV “Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”

Tuesday – What Would Jesus Do?
1 John 2:6-8 Holman “6 the one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked. 7 ¶ Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command, but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.”
1 John 2:7 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES In respect to all that he taught, the views of truth which he held, the duties which he enjoined, the course of life which he would prescribe as proper for a Christian to live, he meant to say that it was not at all new; it was nothing which he had originated himself, but it was in fact the same system of doctrines which they had always received since they became Christians. He might have been induced to say this because he apprehended that some of those whom he had in his eye, and whose doctrines he meant to oppose, might say that this was all new; that it was not the nature of religion as it had been commonly understood, and as it was laid down by the Saviour.

Wednesday – The New Commandment
1 John 2:7-8 Holman “7 ¶ Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command, but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.”
1 John 2:8 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE The total thick darkness of the heathen world, and the comparative darkness of the Mosaic dispensation, are now passing away; and the pure and superior light of Christianity is now diffusing its beams everywhere.
John 13 NLT “1 ¶ Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He now showed the disciples the full extent of his love. 2 It was time for supper, and the Devil had already enticed Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him. 6 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, "Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?" 7 Jesus replied, "You don’t understand now why I am doing it; someday you will." 8 "No," Peter protested, "you will never wash my feet!" Jesus replied, "But if I don’t wash you, you won’t belong to me." 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, "Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!" 10 Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here." 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, "Not all of you are clean." 12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, "Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because it is true. 14 And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 How true it is that a servant is not greater than the master. Nor are messengers more important than the one who sends them. 17 You know these things—now do them! That is the path of blessing. 18 ¶ "I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scriptures declare, ‘The one who shares my food has turned against me,’ and this will soon come true. 19 I tell you this now, so that when it happens you will believe I am the Messiah. 20 Truly, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me." 21 Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and he exclaimed, "The truth is, one of you will betray me!" 22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 One of Jesus’ disciples, the one Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus at the table. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who would do this terrible thing. 25 Leaning toward Jesus, he asked, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus said, "It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce." And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, "Hurry. Do it now." 28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 So Judas left at once, going out into the night. 31 ¶ As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for me, the Son of Man, to enter into my glory, and God will receive glory because of all that happens to me. 32 And God will bring me into my glory very soon. 33 Dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me—just as I told the Jewish leaders. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." 36 ¶ Simon Peter said, "Lord, where are you going?" And Jesus replied, "You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later." 37 "But why can’t I come now, Lord?" he asked. "I am ready to die for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Die for me? No, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Thursday – Loving Others
1 John 2:9-11 NIV “9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.”
1 John 2:11 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES But he that hateth his brother. The word here used would, in this connexion, include both the mere absence of love, and positive hatred. It is designed to include the whole of that state of mind where there is not love for the brethren.
Hate – Matthew 6:24 NRSV “"No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
Matthew 24:9-10 NRSV “9 "Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.”
Luke 14:26 NRSV “"Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.”
John 3:20 NRSV “For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.”

This was an interesting question. I just read a response from Robert in Theology where he yelled Legalism!!! Not only does keeping the commandments highlights the sacrifice made in my behalf but it also shows we love the Lord so much that nothing else matters. When a child loves the parent, they are eager to do as the parent asks.

I was surprised someone picked that keeping commandments drives a beliver away from his/her fellow human beings. If anything....if you let your light shine without making the 'Christian' comments of correction you may still find that you no longer have an interest in worldly activities. On the other hand, darkness can not exist in the light. Shadows creep to the furthest distances on their own accord.

That is when you must be active in searching out those ready to have an encounter with Christ. Be ready and willing to go where He sends you.

What we do though by keeping the commandments .... does drive some Christian believers away because they think it is legalism etc. They don't understand. So we have to be prepared to lose them.

ChildofChrist wrote: "I was surprised someone picked that keeping commandments drives a beliver away from his/her fellow human beings."

The question presented here is backwards. The statement should have been "Drives church memebers, family and friends away from the commandment keeper."

Is not this what happen to Christ? I have experanced this same thing--not only with my family, but with church members and even with people that post on this forum. For me, I have found that keeping all of the commandments is very easy--except for this one problem. What do all of you think?

I chose the third one, but only because I didn't like the first 2. I didn't really like any of the choice's.

pk

(ChildofChrist) This was an interesting question. I just read a response from
Robert in Theology where he yelled Legalism!!! Not only does keeping the
commandments highlights the sacrifice made in my behalf but it also shows we
love the Lord so much that nothing else matters. When a child loves the parent,
they are eager to do as the parent asks.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I have some questions about the nature of 'legalism'. Some call 'obedience' legalism, but obedience is just obeying, or compling with a command or order (or request)(like a slave). Obedience does not speak to 'motive'.

Is legalism obedience with the intent to 'be in the favor of someone after we obeyed? If so, does 'intent' make all the difference?

Is it still legalism if you obey because you trust that God has your best interest at heart and would only ask you to do what is best for you in the end - and therefore you do it whether you like or not!?

Is it legalism if you obey as the result of 'loving', but you do it without the conviction that it is the right thing to do?

Is legalism what you do to earn forgiveness or absolution (as in penance)? (When forgiveness if a free gift of God?

Is legalism what you do to earn righteousness in the eyes of God?

Is obedience perfect only when we respond with obedience as a result of a loving relationship with Jesus. (And if this is so - wouldn't obedience necessarily be limited to the extent of our imperfect limits of love? It would fail to motivate us to the perfect obedience asked for by God).

Is legalism strict adherence to the law?

Comments anyone??

Many times ... Keeping the Commandments IS done from Legalism.

Sad but True.

But Redwood - what is Legalism? Is 'keeping the Commandments' the same thing as obedience?

I believe, Contented, that legalism is keeping the commandments to be saved because you are keeping them. If you keep the commandments because you love the Lord, that is not legalism. But remember one thing, that only God can judge if that is why we are keeping the commandments. So if someone tells you otherwise than they are judging you, and according to God, they will be judged like wise.

pk

Would keeping marriage vows be considered legalism?

Isa 54:5
"For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth.

Jer 31:32
not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.

I would say that God looks at it as a marriage. The marriage covenant is the Ten Commandments.

De 4:13
"So He declared to you His covenant which He commanded you to perform, {that is,} the Ten Commandments; and He wrote them on two tablets of stone.

Paul see this differently, he see this marriage covenant as a curse!

Ga 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "--