How do I know what I should or shouldn't do? Is it the 10 commandments or is it something else?
This is an excellent question and its answer could be used to address any of
the questions concerning what one should do or should not do.
First of all when we read God's Word, we realize that its real substance is all
about Jesus. He has the answers to all of our questions, even to this one. Here
is His answer:
John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,
so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another." NIV
John 15:9-10 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my
love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed
my Father's commands and remain in his love." NIV
John 15:12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." NIV
John 15:17 "This is my command: Love each other." NIV
Jesus is giving us a new commandment and it is to love one another. He repeats
this not once, nor twice, but four times! In other words this is of utmost
importance!
The apostle John repeats this in his letters:
1 John 3:23 "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus
Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." NIV
1 John 2:7-10 "Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one,
which you have had since the beginning (from the beginning of the New Covenant).
This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new
command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and
the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but
hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in
the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble." NIV
The guideline that we must use to determine if something is right or wrong is
love! In fact, the very essence of Christianity is to love one another. Anyone
who hates someone doesn't know Jesus and still lives in the darkness! The only
way to be a Christian is to have Christ living. Only this makes it possible for
us to love everyone!
But what about the 10 commandments?
They are the foundation of our society. However no one was ever able to keep the
10 commandments, especially according to Jesus' way (see Matthew 5:21-48). The
10 commandments were never able to change the human heart or change a person to
a better person.
2 Cor 3:5-9 "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for
ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as
ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter
kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death,
which was engraved in letters on stone (the 10 commandments), came with glory,
so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of
its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be
even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how
much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!" NIV
How does the apostle Paul refer to the 10 commandments? He refers to them as
"the ministry that brought death" and "the ministry that condemns men". The 10
commandments don't make anyone holy, instead they condemns us! The 10
commandments will make us feel inferior and condemned!
Rom 13:8-11 "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love
one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The
commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not
covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one
rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor.
Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding
the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber,
because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." NIV
How can anyone fulfill the law? If that person "loves his fellow man". Whenever
someone breaks the 10 commandments, he/she has not practiced love towards
others.
Matt 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I
have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." NIV
How did Jesus fulfill the law? By walking in love.
Before Jesus, the law was a burden that no one could satisfy. Since Jesus has
come, we can enjoy the New covenant where God is working in us through Jesus
Christ.
Rom 8:1-2 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free
from the law of sin and death." NIV
The kingdom of God in given to us through Christ. It is Jesus Christ who is
important. When confronting any situation, our question should be: What would
love do in this situation? Yield to Jesus and your problems will find a
solution! Stay in touch with Jesus.
God's solution to human's inability to fulfill the 10 commandments is Jesus. He
made us a new creation!
2 Cor 5:17-18 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ." NIV
Eph 2:14-15 "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has
destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his
flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to
create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace…"NIV
Since you are a new creation, put out your old self and put on your new self.
Col 3:9-10 "You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of
ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed
in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the
Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete." (from THE
MESSAGE)
Gal 2:21 "Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping,
peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free
in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a
living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died
unnecessarily." (from THE MESSAGE)
You can't get righteous by your own efforts! This is just impossible. This can
only be done through Jesus Christ!
Gal 3:22-25 "But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of
sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ,
might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held
prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So
the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified
by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of
the law." NIV
Rom 10:4 "Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness
for everyone who believes." NIV
The Old covenant is out. We are now in the New covenant. The covenant made
possible by Jesus Christ.
Religion is about the same everywhere. It is based on self-effort, trying to
please God with our works. Jesus turned the tables of religion around.
Christianity is all about Jesus! We are not free to sin. However Jesus frees us
from the power of sin! All boasting goes to Jesus!
Heb 7:18-19 "The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and
useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is
introduced, by which we draw near to God."NIV
Heb 7:22 "Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant." NIV
Jesus is a better covenant! He has the answers to all of our questions! However
we tend to be so rule oriented! People often ask me questions, like: "Rob am I
allowed to smoke?"
Ask Jesus! His answers are ultimately much better than mine!
"Am I allowed to cuss?"
Ask Jesus. I know what He will tell you.
1 John 3:14-16 "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love
our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his
brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.
And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." NIV
Rom 5:5 "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love
into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." NIV
True love is only possible if Jesus lives in us! Loving our neighbour is much
more than 10 commandments on tables of stone. One can always find some wriggle
room there, some loop hole. We have higher standards than that! Our standard is:
Did Jesus really come through? Did I show real love?
I can love other people because the Real love, Jesus Christ lives in me!
So how can I know what I should do or shouldn't do? Ask Jesus and yield to Him.
You will never be disappointed. He has all the answers! He is faithful to reveal
the answer to you. May I encourage you to ""Come to me (Jesus) , all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28 NIV). Why don't you
do so today by answering His call at http://www.answers2prayer.org/saviours_call.html
Rob Chaffart
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This is a good question coming from a sincere heart that would like to know the truth. The 10 Commandment is part of the Bible and there should not be any reason for anyone to delete it from the Bible. However, we should not be limited to centre our lives only on the 10 commandment.
The Lord expects us to do more than obedience to the ten commandments. JESUS PERSPECTIVE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Matthew 22:35-40 "Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? 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 neighbor as yourself'. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" Jesus expects us to love him because He first of all loved us.
John 3:16 says that "For God so loved the world the He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"
1 John 2:2 "And He Himself is the propitiation
for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." We cannot
reciprocate the love Jesus had for us by dying on the cross at Calvary until we
have received Him as our Lord and personal Savior. To love Jesus, you must
believe on him and repent of your sins. Without the spirit of Christ you cannot
show genuine love even to your neighbor also. You cannot do this in the flesh.
You need the Spirit of God. David acknowledged this when he said in Psalm 51:5
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me".
There is the need for everyone of us to come to an understanding that we were
born sinners and we need to take a step to believe in Jesus and repent of our
sins and then come unto him. WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO:
DO NOT LOVE THE WORLD
(I) I John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone
loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life - is
not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the
lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. P
(ii) DO NOT COMMIT SIN I John 3:3-6 And everyone who has this hope in Him
purifies himself, just as He is pure. Whoever commits sin also commits
lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take
away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sins
has neither sin Him nor known Him. The Lord will give you power to live a life
of holiness without which no one will see the Lord - Hebrews 12:14. WHAT YOU
SHOULD REPENT FROM: Revelation 21:8 "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,
murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have
their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death."
Proverbs 6:16-19 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination
too Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart
that devises wicked plans Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false
witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. Please make
sure you get rid of any of the above in your life by acknowledging that you are
a sinner and confess Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. Proverbs 28:13 says
"He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes
them will have mercy." Please don't cover your sins, so that you can prosper in
this world and the world to come - life everlasting.
Three things you need to
do: Confess your sins. Forsake them. Invite Jesus into your heart by faith and
declare Him as the Lord of your life. After these steps, you can be sure that
you are a child of God. It's so simple! In order for you grow in grace, you need
to look for a Bible believing Church for fellowship and growth. God bless you as
you take steps to follows him and walk in His steps. If you need more counseling in your new found faith, you can get in touch with me via the
address under my signature of contact Rob Chaffart .
Rev Debo Adeyemo ppraise@skannet.com
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Part 1. HOW DO I KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO?
I should know what I should do, when I see and know if that’s good for me.
Part 2. SHOULDN'T DO
When something is bad I will not do it,
Part 3
Its all begins and ends with the ten commandment.
Which is the base of every life decision making.
When I neglect the Lord then I will not abide with the ten commandments.
Hilda A.
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It is the whole word of God - He tells us through His word and the many
examples of His people there.
Linda Shepherd
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The Ten Commandments are definitely for us to follow, but for every problem that we have or question of right and wrong, it is spelled out in scripture. All you need to do is to read His word in the Bible and it tells you everything you need to know to live a Godly life. Plus when we open our hearts and pray to Him and ask for His guidance and believe, He will direct us with His nudging.
DeeDee
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There is a verse in the bible that says thy word have I hid in my heart so
that I may not sin against you. So the answer is knowing the word of God
The bible also says follow peace and holiness without which no man shall see
God. Christians should not do anything that will prevent them from seeing God
Weldon Siongok
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Yes, it is the Ten Commandments, because they are the perfect Moral Code of
God. We cannot of ourselves keep them so the Lord gave the Holy Spirit to live
within us to guide and teach us. See John 14:16,17,26:16:13,14.
The Holy Spirit leads us and therefore It is He Who gives us the knowledge to do
the right thing.
Delmer G. Lawson
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I believe we can know what we should
do by many different ways. The 10 Commandments is just one of the many
Scriptures by which we can know God's will for us.
Many years ago the Lord woke me one morning with the scripture,
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
In all of your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your way." Prov. 3: 5-6
Another Scripture I choose to believe is the middle verse in the Bible and the
theme of the whole Bible, it is,
"It is better to trust God than to put confidence in man (a human being). Psalm
118:8 Also "Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not
respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalm 40:4
I am 90 years old and HE HAS NEVER FAILED ME YET! Praise the Lord.
Lucille R. McMillan
Yorktown, VA.
