The Law of God

By Hall V. Worthington

The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives. Romans 7:1 

Do we then render inoperative the law through faith? Absolutely not, instead we establish the law. Rom 3:31 

If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:18 

Until you are led by the Spirit, the Law (the moral core) is your schoolmaster, Gal 3:24-26

You live until you mortify your sinful nature on the inward cross of self-denial. Christ died on the cross to show us by example the extent of obedience required; for as he died on the cross in loving obedience to God, so we also must obey the promptings and commands of God, to crucify our sinful nature on the cross of self-denial.

But so that the world may know that I love the Father, I only do exactly as the Father has instructed me to do. John 14:31

After the Law and before Christ, the only people who received the favor of God were those who walked to the best of their ability, closely conforming to the Law's requirements; those who ignored his Law were disregarded by Him, Heb 8:9. Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we can approach God in faith to be able to receive the operations of his changing grace to purify our hearts and consciences, whatever our burden of past sins may be. With faith by grace and the cross, He can now make you perfect in every good work to do his will, Heb 13:21; a forever cleansing and perfection with resulting union that is now available to all who go to him for change. If you are led of the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:18. Until we have advanced spiritually far enough to be totally controlled by the Spirit of God, the Law is our schoolmaster, Gal 3:24-25, which we must strive to obey.

Christ is the end of the law as a means to righteousness to everyone that believes, but the law that is on every man's heart is still alive and to be observed. The law on every man's heart includes the moral core of the Mosaic Law which is: love your neighbor as yourself; honor your mother and father; do not steal; do not commit murder; do not lie; do not commit adultery; do not covet. They are summed up in the command: do to others as you would have them do to you. Until you are walking under total control of the Spirit of God, we (Gentiles) are still required to be obedient to the moral core of the Law, which law is also written on every man's heart to excuse or accuse their actions, and by which God will judge all men. Rom 2:12-16. The ministers and pastors incorrectly today tell us the law is dead, even to our required obedience — that we no longer have to observe it; instead all we need is to believe in Jesus and get baptized, excusing a life of sin. Following this logic, you can be a repeat murderer, a full-time thief, a habitual adulterer, a child rapist, a chronic liar, cheating your neighbor, hating your mother and father, and still be a Christian as long as you believe in Jesus.

Do you not know brothers, (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? Rom 7:1

Until you lose your life by crucifying your sinful nature, your carnal mind, and your evil spirit, you are still under the law; until then you are still walking in restricted flesh; until then the law is your schoolmaster. Until Christ replaces your nature, mind, and spirit with His so that your selfish, sinful nature is dead, you are under the law that is written on every man's heart and includes the moral core of the Mosaic Law. When Christ controls your thoughts, words, and deeds, then the law no longer has dominion over you because the selfish "you" has died. Even those who know no law, have the inner law on their hearts by which a man is judged and which has dominion over him until the death.

Paul makes it very plain that if you do not obey the moral core of the law, which is a part of the inner law on every man's heart, you have no salvation and no inheritance in the Kingdom of God:

• But as becomes the saints, do not let sexual immorality, all uncleanness, or covetousness, be named among you even once. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not becoming; but rather give thanks to God. For of this you can be sure, that no sexually immoral, or impure, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Eph 5:3-6 
• Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lack of restraint, Idolatry, sorcery, hatred, arguments, jealousies, rage, selfishness, divisiveness, Envies, murders, drunkenness, revelries [partying], and the like; which I warn you before, as I have also told you in times past, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5:19-21 
• Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor passive male homosexual partners, nor dominant male homosexual partners, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor oppressive cheaters; these will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Cor 6:9-10 
• For all [non Jews] who (continue to) sin without the law will also perish without the law; and all [Jews] who (continue to) sin under the law will be judged by the law. Rom 2:12

Clearly the moral core of the law cannot be dead, when disobedience to the law keeps you out of the kingdom and salvation. The law is not dead, and a believer in Jesus is not exempt from being banned from heaven when still sinning at death. The moral commandments have not been annulled by faith in Jesus or grace. We must strive to obey all the moral commandments until we are under total control of the Spirit of God; then we fulfill the law walking in obedience to God's promptings. Until you have been freed from all sin; until you have been translated into the Kingdom of God, until you are an entirely new creature, until Christ has been revealed in you so that you behold his face, until you have produced the fruit of the spirit, you must strive to obey the law on every man's heart, which includes the moral core of the Mosaic law.

The inner law on every man's heart makes us feel bad when we lie or steal. This law includes the outward moral laws: do not steal, do not lie, do not covet, do not murder, do not commit adultery, (and all sexual immorality), honor your parents, love your neighbor as yourself, do unto others as you would have them do to you, etc. Every man will be judged by God according to this law; no man is excused from this law for any reason, and it has never been annulled or cancelled. The law has dominion over a man as long as he lives Rom 7:1; the law is our schoolmaster until we have crucified our sinful nature on the inward cross of self-denial. The inner law can be understood to have been violated anytime you exhibit a fruit of the flesh, which includes: sexual immorality, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting, profanity, adultery, lack of restraint, sorcery, hatred, arguments, jealousies, rage, selfish ambition, divisiveness, envies, murders, drunkenness, revelries (partying), evil thoughts, fornications, wickedness, deceit, blasphemy, pride, anger, boasting, flattery, immodesty, immorality, and foolishness. Any of these disqualify all men from heaven.

From the Word of the Lord within:

• "I have had to deal with very wicked people who have cast the law behind their backs; in my anger I have left them no peace. A lightness of mind causes a man to discard the law.
• They have taken the Bible and made it an unholy thing used to justify their immersion in sin. It is our fear that has been rejected.
• The new law became unrighteousness.
• Christianity has no idea who I am or what I stand for.
• Everyone is expecting Jesus to be their excuse.
• Without obedience you have nothing; sorry, there are not wildcards in the camp.
• You must have a devotion to the law that is on every man's heart; you must listen; and you must obey.
• Be on your guard at all times to be sure your words do not reflect the fruits of the flesh."

The problem is that Christendom thinks salvation is to believe in Jesus and thereby escape Hell after death, leaving their believers still captive to sin until death. When Christendom tells their sinning believers that the law is dead, they are really saying that for their believers there is no sin; no law, no sin. What better tale could the devil have spun? Christendom has cast the law behind their backs, calling evil good, calling the wicked righteous, while totally ignoring the Bible's many stated exclusions, requirements, and qualifying conditions of salvation.

Salvation is to be freed from even the desire to sin; sin is still sin; and the law that defines sin is still the law. Don't be fooled by Christendom telling you that because you believe in Jesus, you are exempt from the law and not held responsible for your sins, for every man is judged by his words and deeds; a life of sin will not be overlooked because you believe in Jesus, go to sect services, and read the Bible.

For of this you can be sure, that no sexually immoral, or impure, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Eph 5:5-6. (Idolatry is valuing anything equal to or more than God.)

The ministers of today call trying to observe the law, "works," and tell us: "don't even try to obey the Law, (of course, except giving us your tithes), or you will lose your salvation by faith." This is a colossal lie, which leads their followers to destruction; promising them liberty, as did those teachers of corruption in Peter's time. Works of the law are the cereal offering, the lamb offering, the bull offering, washings, not eating certain foods, circumcision, tithing, sabbaths, celebration of days, feasts, etc.; but to cease adultery is not a work, it is moral obedience.

Yes there is a liberty from the law, but only after a man has crucified his sinful nature on the inward cross of self-denial; only after a man has waited on the Lord, watched, and listened to hear the Spirit of God teach him by grace to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world until he is redeemed from all sin and purified; and only after a man's thoughts, words, and deeds are totally controlled by the Spirit of God. Until then, the law is your schoolmaster that sounds out your deficiencies and motivates you to further go to God to receive his heart and soul purifying grace. You are free from the Law of Sin and Death only when you are controlled by the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:2; when the commands of the Spirit are given to you continuously, controlling your every thought, word, and deed — you are walking in obedience to the Spirit, not walking in the fleshly desires of your carnal mind and imagination. Rom 8:1

From the Word of the Lord within: "There are no laws when you are under complete control of the spirit; you walk in love in obedience as prompted — you don't walk in restricted flesh. Christians have lost the gift of life to govern themselves."

Margaret Fox replied strongly to the ministers and teachers of corruption in her time, who taught that the entire law of God was cancelled and replaced by just believing in Jesus.

You, who are in your carnal apprehensions of God, are in the world without God. You are alive without the law, and have not come to know the law yet, and are dead in sins and trespasses. You, that live in pleasure, are dead while you live. You live unto sin and so are free from righteousness. The law which is holy, just, and good, shall cut you to pieces. You have not yet come to know the law, nor what is lawful, which everyone passes through before they come to know the liberty of the sons of God — which law cuts down all your carnal apprehensions of God. Oh you blasphemer, do you say there is no such thing as lawful and unlawful, godliness or ungodliness? Would you lay waste the scriptures and make void the righteous law of God which takes hold of the transgressor? Would you trample upon the blood of the new covenant and count it an unholy thing? Oh, the day of the vengeance is coming upon you. The Lord God is clothed with vengeance against you and all such as you are. You who sit at the table of devils are shut out from the liberty of the sons of God and know not the condition that Paul has passed through. When you know that, it will be death and destruction to you. This you shall eternally witness, before ever you come to know the living God.

Jesus was asked, What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus replied: keep the commandments. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. He listed the moral core of the law that is on every man's heart. Then he told him he must sell his possessions, give to the poor, take up the cross, and follow him. So where is instant salvation by saying a prayer, getting wet, and eating grape juice and bread? — in vain do they worship me; they teach the commandments of men. Mat 15:9, Mark 7:7. Not only must we keep the laws's moral commandments, we must follow Jesus. How do we follow Jesus? We silently listen and obey him teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; so he will redeem us from all iniquity and purify us to become his special people, zealous for good works; good works as directed by him to his glory.

There is no arguing around this; Jesus has told us that to be saved, one must keep the moral core of the commandments, take up your cross, and follow him. To follow him is to obey the commands you hear him speak to you, as you wait on him, watch for him, and listen for him in humble silence. You must wait on him daily; that is denying yourself and picking up your cross daily. The words you hear him speak to you impart the life of God to you. John 6:63. The commands you hear him speak to you are to be kept, remembered, and obeyed; if he orders you to deny something in your life, you are to keep denying it. The commands you obey and keep are then written in your heart and mind, supplementing the moral core of the law already on every man's heart; thus the scripture is fulfilled: I will put my laws into their hearts, and I will write them in their minds [inward understanding]. Heb 10:16

Some preachers in Christendom say: "There is still sin, but if you believe in Jesus, you are excused from sin by grace." That is just another blatant lie that ignores: no sexually immoral, or impure, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God, Eph 5:5-6; this lie was creeping through the early church 2000 years ago, when Jude wrote: there are certain men who have crept in unnoticed, written about long ago, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lawlessness and wantonness, a license for immorality, Jude 1:4.

God judges every man by his words and deeds; every man means no exceptions — every man, even those who believe in Jesus:

• And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened. And another book was opened, that is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and every man was judged according to his works. Rev 20:12-13
• For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he will reward every man according to his works. Mat 16:27
• I am he who searches the minds and the hearts; and I will give to each of you according to your works. Rev 2:23
• I the LORD search the heart, I try the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings [works]. Jer 17:10
• Shall he not render to every man according to his works? Pro 24:12
• the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. Rom 2:5-6
• man's work will be exposed. For the day [of the Lord] will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will try and test every man's work, of what sort it is, 1 Cor 3:13; for everyone will be salted with fire. Mark 9:49

If you think you can remain a thief and obtain salvation, you are grossly deceived. If you think you can lie or remain a selfish person in your flesh, not loving your neighbor as much as you love yourself, you are grossly deceived. The law defines sin as that which we must cease; and if we do not, Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.' John 8:34. If you are a slave to sin, Jesus cannot be your Lord. Jesus said himself, you cannot serve two masters! Luke 16:13. The Law is our reminder of sin and that we need God's help to be able to completely stop sinning. Following the moral commands of the law, to the best of our ability, is not only required, but is evidence of our sincere repentance for our sins of the past. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Let everyone who names the name of Christ [calls himself a Christian] depart from iniquity. 2 Tim 2:19. The purpose of this writing is to show you how to be obedient to all of God's commands, and how to receive the changing power of God to become pure and free from sin.

Do you not know.. you are the slaves of whom you obey; whether of sin that leads to death, or of obedience that leads to righteousness? Rom 6:16 

Jesus answered them, “Truly, Truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." John 8:34 

Whoever commits sin practices lawlessness; for sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4 

Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Luke 6:46 

Jesus said he will deny all who practice lawlessness (iniquity, sin), even those who claim to be "saved" Christians.

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but [only] he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name cast out demons? And in your name done many wonderful works? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who work iniquity [sin, lawlessness or wickedness]. Mat 7:21-23

From the Word of the Lord within: "They have ignored my commands to turn from sin. They would have no laws. God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness."

The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice sin [or lawlessness]; and will cast them into a furnace of fire, where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mat 13:41-42 

Even so, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity [sin]. Mat 23:28

Gentle reader, Christ came and strengthened the law, making it even harder to be obedient. He changed "eye for an eye", to "turn the other cheek; love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you." He made adultery, not just the act, but the thought in the heart. He made murder, not just the act, but the anger and hate in your heart. He told us not to repay injury or insult. He told us that restraint of sin was not enough, but that we were defiled by what was in our hearts; so our hearts must be cleansed of the desire or inclination to sin. He said:

You have heard that it has been said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you; So that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do than others? Do not even the tax collectors [or thieves] do the same? Therefore, be perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. Mat 5:43-48

Now Jesus is fair. He would not have increased these commands on us, unless there was a way to obey them; the way is to go to him, wait and watch silently, listen for him, hear him and obey him — repentance — the inward cross of self-denial. Your souls are purified in obeying the truth, through the spirit. 1 Pet 1:22.

Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you shall be my people; and walk completely in the ways that I command you. Jer 7:23 

If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:18. 

Until you are led by the Spirit, the Law (the moral core) is your schoolmaster.

He [Jesus] became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him. Heb 5:9

How about the parts of the law such as: "don't eat swine or hare", or "bring in your tithes," or "perform your oaths to God?" These parts of the Law died, (unless you are a Jew that practiced the Mosaic Law and recently turned to Christianity),* for they were only shadows, ceremonies, and forms. These parts of the law are dead to us, (Gentiles), but the inward law, the law that is written on every man's heart, his conscience, is alive and to be obeyed. And the inward law includes the outward law's moral parts. What is still alive is the moral core of the law. The moral core of the law is our schoolmaster, Gal 3:24-25, until we are advanced spiritually enough to be totally led by the Spirit of God. Only if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:18.

* If you are a Jew that practiced the Mosaic Law and recently turned to Christianity, you are permitted, (not required), to continue that practice until you have received faith from the Spirit that a portion of the law should not govern you, (as did Peter); for if you think it is a sin to violate any aspect of the law, you are condemned if you violate it. Those who had been Jews were permitted to observe the commands of the law with respect to days, feasts, and food, while those who had been Gentiles were taught to not observe any days, weeks, months, etc., nor to practice any works of the law such as circumcision; and they were not to judge one another about food, drink, feasts, or Sabbath days. Paul wrote: "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind;" meaning those things were a matter of individual conscience, and the conscience is subject to education by the Spirit. Like all men, a Jew is freed from the entire law when he has been crucified and has died to law through the law.

THE GOLDEN RULE

Therefore in all things, whatever you desire that others should do to you, you do the same to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Mat 7:12, Rom 13:8-10, Gal 5:14, Lev19:18 — strive to always obey this.

Forget about food, drink, days, washing properly; for from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lack of restraint, an evil eye [envy], blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within a man, and defile him. Mark 7:21-23.

Notice, until your heart has been cleansed, you are defiled — a ravenous beast that serves yourself, rather than others.

The only way to salvation is by crucifying your selfish, sinful nature on the inward cross of self-denial. Through the Spirit you must mortify, (put to death), the deeds of the body that are of the earthly life: fornication, impurity, inordinate affections, evil lusts of the flesh, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Rom 8:13, Col 3:5. Salvation is to be delivered from all sin; then and only then do you walk free from the law of sin and death.

Salvation is to overcome the world, sin, and the devil: that is the victory of true faith. But the only victory the believers of Christendom have experienced, is victory over their conscience and guilt for committing sin; their hard-hearted, continual sinning, while presuming they are righteous believers in Jesus, eventually crucifies Jesus within themselves.

As William Penn said in No Cross No Crown:

like Judas, modern Christians call Him Master, but join with the evil of the world to betray Him; and they kiss and embrace Him as superficial, pretended believers; and then they sell Him like Judas, to gratify their indulgent passions. Thus they make Him serve with their sins and for their sins too!

Believe the true gospel: that you can be totally freed from sin by the merciful operations of grace, which circumcises your heart. But you cannot just pray this to happen; you must seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness as you highest priority in life, and the one thing needed is to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to his teachings. He will show you the secret sins in your heart, and with your obedience to his commands, he will free you from your sins, one at a time — until finally you are pure and fit for union with him in the Kingdom of God.

The Righteousness Lies

Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:20

Jesus told us how our righteousness must exceed the Pharisees'. Avoiding committing adultery is not enough, we must not even look at a woman with lust; avoiding murder is not enough, we must not harbor anger in our hearts; it is not enough to love our brother, we love even our enemies; we must bless those who curse us. These requirements of righteousness exceed restraint of conduct; they require a changed heart, a purified heart. Writing to those still sinning in the churches, James said: Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8. Every man who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he [Jesus] is pure.

The ministers of today say: "Because you have faith in Christ, even though you continue to sin, you are righteous and saved."

He who says to the wicked, "You are righteous;" him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him. Pro 24:24

You will eventually curse all who lied, saying that with belief in Jesus, you are righteous, while still sinning.

You say you have faith? But where is the evidence of your faith in Christ? Are you obedient to his law? Have you produced the fruit of the Spirit of God? For Christ said his true followers would produce fruit, much fruit: By your producing much fruit, my Father is honored and glorified, and you show that you are truly my disciples [true followers]. John 15:8. And the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness [or meekness, or humility] and self-control. Gal 5:22-3. So unless you have the fruit of the Spirit, Jesus says you are not a true follower of his; and all branches without fruit will be thrown into the fire and burned. His fruit and his righteousness are gifts of grace over time as you seek His righteousness. It does not happen with saying that you believe in Jesus; you must be obedient to his commands.

To produce fruit, we must strive to obey the parts of the law that relate to morality: regarding love, mercy and faith. All the other important moral laws evolve from the most important commandments: love God with all your heart, and soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself. For example, stealing is covered by love your neighbor, for if you love him as yourself, you will not steal from him, or lie to him, or use him sexually, or envy him, or hate him, or plot against him, or be angry with him. Love is the opposite of selfishness. As James says, if you love your neighbor as yourself, you will do well; it is the royal law. James 2:8

These blind guides, masquerading as Christ's ministers, tell you that you have the righteousness of Christ, so you need do nothing. They say to rely on the "imputed righteousness of Christ" to us, based on our faith; as it was with Abraham. There is imputed righteousness that comes after we have crucified our sinful nature by obedience on the cross. But Abraham obeyed God's voice. That is not works of the law, that is works of obedience and love to God. God also ordered Abraham to "walk before me and be perfect." Gen 17:1. As Abraham went on to be circumcised — so we must receive the spiritual circumcision, our heart circumcised from sin. As Abraham exercised his faith to leave his home for a new land — so we must forsake all the world to enter God's Kingdom. As Abraham exercised his faith by obeying God's voice, willing to sacrifice Isaac — so too we must crucify our selfish life to save the life of our soul. If Abraham had not obeyed God's voice in all the above, you would be reading about another person instead of Abraham. So too, if we do not seek to hear God's voice and obey it in order to become free from sin, we will have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. Obedience leads to righteousness. Rom 6:16

Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. 1 Cor 15:34 

For we, through the Spirit, by faith patiently wait for the hope of righteousness. Gal. 5:5 

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him. Acts 10:34-35 

You can be sure that no sexually immoral, or impure, or covetous person..has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Eph 5:5-6. 

All people not pure, or immoral, or covetous will be banned from heaven.

Paul and John both warn us not to be deceived:

• Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Eph 5:5-6. You have to become pure to have any inheritance in the Kingdom of God and Christ.
• Little children, let no man deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 1 John 3:7. You are not righteous, unless you practice righteousness just as Jesus is righteous.

Deceivers tell you that you don't have to be pure; deceivers tell you that you are righteous still sinning. Christianity has been taken over by deceivers, who tell you that sin is normal, OK, overlooked by God, cancelled, etc.

You are the slaves of him whom you obey; whether of sin that leads to death, or of obedience that leads to righteousness. Rom 6:16

Notice obedience leads to righteousness. First you have to be obedient; over time, being obedient results in righteousness.

As you previously yielded your body to the slavery of uncleanness and from wickedness to wickedness; so now yield your body to the slavery of righteousness that results in holiness. Rom 6:19.

See the footnote to Rom 3:22 for more understanding on imputed righteousness.

The Works Lies

True, works of the law count for nothing. Works of the law are the cereal offering, the lamb offering, the bull offering, washings, not eating certain foods, circumcision, tithing, sabbaths, celebration of days, feasts, etc.; these are dead works of the law, decided when to be done by the carnal mind and will of man.

But what about the moral commandments of the Law: love your neighbor as you love yourself; and don't steal; and don't commit adultery; and don't lie; and don't covet; and don't murder; and honor your father and mother? Clearly to observe these commandments is not works of the law; a work is not to not murder today, or to not commit adultery tonight, or to not lie this afternoon, or to love your neighbor today, or take an hour to love God, etc. These commandments are the moral core of the law and are included in the law written on every man's heart, whose conscience bears witness, while their thoughts accuse or excuse them, Rom 2:8-16; these commandments have not been annulled and must be kept in mind by any who wish to please God.

Do you not know brothers, (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? Rom 7:1.

Until you lose your life by crucifying your sinful nature, your carnal mind, and your evil spirit, you are still under the law; until then you are still walking in restricted flesh; until then the law is your schoolmaster. Until Christ replaces your nature, mind, and spirit with His so that your fleshly nature is dead, you are under the law. When Christ controls your thoughts, words, and deeds, then the law no longer has dominion over you because the selfish "you" has died. Even those who know no law, have the inner law on their hearts by which a man is judged and which has dominion over him until the death.

Even worse, since: Whoever of you tries to be justified by the law has fallen from grace, and Christ has become of no benefit to you, Gal 5:4; then, following this faulty logic, (that observing the moral commandments of the law is works of the law), should you decide not to steal, you have lost your salvation through grace and faith in Jesus. Christendom's twisted logic of just "faith in Jesus," ignoring the moral commandments and classifying their observation as works, makes Jesus the author of lawlessness; it is making the blood of Jesus an unholy thing, an excuse for continuing in sin and ignoring all laws, a license for immorality; and in teaching this doctrine, the blind guides of Christendom have cast the law behind their backs to lead billions of their "believers" into the pit of destruction. From the Word of the Lord within: "they totter to the slaughter;" drunk with their lusts, passions, pride, and pleasures. This is a doctrinal error of colossal magnitude; it is a breakage of the covenant of God.

You cannot be saved and justified by trying to observe the commandments or by doing works of the law. Salvation and justification come by faith that purifies your heart and soul through his grace. It is impossible to completely love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, or to love you neighbor equally as you love yourself until the power of God actually circumcises your heart from all selfishness and evil. But trying to observe these moral commandments, turning from evil as best we can, is a prerequisite to sincerely seeking God and his salvation; in the beginning you can't control your mind yet, you can't totally control your mouth yet, but you can control your hands and feet from running to and grasping evil. If you think you are saved, simply because you believe Jesus is the Son of God, was resurrected from the dead, etc., or because you were also baptized in water, then you have a form of godliness without the power of God to cleanse you, purify you, circumcise your heart, and make you holy; which when completed, the love of God is perfected in you and you fulfill the law.

Until we can hear the Spirit of God teach us by grace to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world, the moral core of the law is our schoolmaster that reminds us of our shortcomings and motivates us to go to God for his changing grace.

Works of your own will are dead works; and unless your selfish spirit is crucified on the cross of Christ, to have the Spirit of Christ take its place on the throne in your heart, you will not be prompted by God what good works to do.

Before you can hear the Word of the Lord within your heart to guide you, the first works are repentance, which John the Baptist told us were the prerequisite to seeking the kingdom of heaven:

• Repent: think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct. Matt 3:2
• Share from your excess with those who are without the necessities of life. [This is key to your success.] 
• Be honest in all your dealings, never exaggerating or overreaching anyone. 
• Don't oppress people or frighten anyone, don't lie, don't want more, don't complain. Luke 3:10-14

And before you can hear the Word of the Lord within your heart to totally guide you, the moral core of the law is you schoolmaster.

The moral core of the law is: love your neighbor as you love yourself; and don't steal; and don't commit adultery; and don't lie; and don't covet; and don't murder; and honor your father and mother. Clearly to observe these moral commandments as best we can, while waiting for the Spirit's direction, is not doing works of the law.

The moral core of the law reminds us of our shortcomings and motivates us to go to God to receive his heart and soul purifying grace,

• to become free of all sin, even the desire to sin,
• to be able to love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might, and 
• to be able to love your neighbor as yourself. 

In addition there are works, not done by the will of man, but works of faith; works that you hear from Christ within your heart command you to do, when you go to wait on him, listen in silence, hear him, believe him, and then obey him. These are not works that you decide to do; these are works that God wills you to do, and when you do them, you are doing his will on earth as it is done is heaven. These are works of faith done in loving obedience to the commands you hear God speak to you from within your heart. These are works of life too, commanded from the life of God, Christ; and the words he speaks to you impart the life of God. John 6:63. Repetitively seek, wait, watch, listen, hear, believe what you hear or are shown, and obey — and eventually you will have received so much of the life of God that you become cleansed and purified. Then you are directed by God to do works of love to your joy and his glory.

The first class of works you will hear God command you to do are works of repentance — forsaking your evil habits, passions, and pleasures. This is the function of grace: Teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Tit 2:12. The commands you hear him speak to you are to be kept, remembered, and obeyed; if he orders you to deny something in your life, you are to keep denying it. The commands you obey and keep are then written in your heart and mind, supplementing the moral core of the law already on every man's heart; thus the scripture is fulfilled: I will put my laws into their hearts, and I will write them in their minds [inward understanding]. Heb 10:16

You cannot just say "I believe" and live in your sinful nature without obedience; such faith is the dead lip service of the hypocrites, whose hearts remain defiled in sin. Works of obedient love, energized by faith, are esteemed and required by God.

I have been challenged with the question,"How many works are necessary for salvation?"
The answer is: As many acts of repentance as are necessary to crucify your sinful nature.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh [the sinful nature], with its passions and desires [lusts and affections]. Gal 5:24 

For if you live after the flesh [the sinful nature], you will die; but if through the Spirit you mortify [put to death] the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

So you may be asking, how is me crucifying my sinful nature a work?

Answer: It is work to carry your cross, hard work — required work — a work of obedience.  It is losing your life to save it, the one true sacrifice, required by God and pleasing to him.

But the false prophets say you need do nothing; for we are not saved by works; we are saved by faith and grace. They say if you do works, (even carry your cross), you are trying to be justified under the law, and therefore you lose salvation.

Of course we are saved by faith and grace, but after repentance and after carrying our cross in faith for a time — works through faith, and energized by faith. We cannot be justified by works alone without obedient faith in Christ, but unless our faith energizes and prompts us to do many good works in obedience, our faith is imagined — make believe Christianity. We cannot be justified by following the Mosaic law, with its hundreds of commands relating to ceremonies, rituals, washings, Sabbaths, foods, sacrifices, etc. — these are what Paul was saying count for nothing; Paul was talking about works of law that were without faith, which cannot justify you. But you had better be sure, that without obedience to the moral core of the law, you will never see the Kingdom of God, as Paul said: For of this you can be sure, that no sexually immoral, or impure, or covetous person, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words. For because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Eph 5:5-6

James said, "faith without works is dead." James 2:17 

James further said, "You see then how a man is justified by works, and not only by faith." James 2:24

Many people think Paul conflicts with James; but of course James and Paul don't conflict, and never would conflict.

In the below scriptures, Paul is speaking in context of works of the law: sacrifices, tithing, washings, Sabbaths, feasts, restrictions of foods, circumcision, etc.

• Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, Gal 2:16, (hearing and obeying him) 
• A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Rom 3:28.

Paul has disdain for works of the law, but he is grossly misunderstood to include all the law, including the moral commands.

No man is justified by the law in the sight of God. Gal 3:11. This verse is part of the error, without looking at it in context with the prior verse. 

For all who rely on works of the law are under the curse Gal 3:10. 

But Paul makes it very clear that the consequences of sin still apply to every man, and works of love energized by obedient faith are required and esteemed:

• But to those who are selfishly ambitious [selfish], and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; those receive indignation and wrath, [this wrath occurs not only in the next life, but also is a continuing damnation in this life because those who sin remain in the cursed, fallen state of Adam, failing to be reunited with God with the light of life from God, still removed from eating from the tree of life — which, when sin has been crucified in a man, is again enjoyed by him.]
• Affliction and distress; upon every soul of man who does evil [sins], of the Jew first and also of the Gentile.
• But glory, honor, and peace, are to every man who works good.
• For there is no respect of persons with God. [no partiality, all men are judged by their works]
• For all [the non-Jews] who (continue) sin without the law will also perish without the law; and all [the Jews] who (continue) sin under the law will be judged by the law.
• For it is not the hearers of the law who are justified before God, but the doers of the law [the obedient] who will be justified.
• For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do [obey] by instinct the things contained in the law, these men who do not have the law, are a law to themselves.
• Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, and their conscience also bears witness; while their thoughts accuse or else excuse them.
• All this occurs in the day when God will judge the secrets of men's hearts by Jesus Christ. Rom 2:8-16

Paul says obedience to the moral commands of the law is required until you are totally led by the Spirit of God:

• But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:18
• The law is your schoolmaster, until faith has come. Gal 3:24-25

George Fox wrote of this transition from the schoolmaster of law, to the Spirit of Christ, in his Journal.

The law of the spirit crosses the fleshly mind, spirit, and will, which lives in disobedience, and does not keep within the law of the spirit. I saw this law was the pure love of God which was upon me, and which I must go through, though I was troubled while I was under it; for I could not be dead to the law but through the law, which judged and condemned what is to be condemned. I saw, many talked of the law, who had never known the law to be their schoolmaster; and many talked of the gospel of Christ, who had never known life and immortality brought to light in them by it. You that have been under that schoolmaster, and the condemnation of it, know these things; for though the Lord in that day opened these things unto me in secret, they have been since published by his eternal spirit, as on the house top. And as you are brought into the law, and through the law to be dead to it, and witness the righteousness of the law fulfilled in you, you will afterwards come to know what it is to be brought into the faith, and through faith from under the law; and abiding in the faith, which Christ is the author of, you will have peace and access to God.

So until you witness the righteousness of the law fulfilled in you, you must still strive to obey the moral core of the law. Note! Fox has written above that there is an entirely different level of faith that comes after you witness the righteousness of the law fulfilled in you. This is after you have been crucified on the inward cross of self-denial, to have received the appearance of Christ within your heart, and to have produced the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, peace, joy, kindness, faith — a new level of faith, but the only level of faith and belief that frees you from the law. From the Word of the Lord within: "Until you can witness receiving faith from Christ, you are under the law." Paul even states how faith is received as a fruit of the Spirit by crucifying the sinful nature:

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lack of restraint, Idolatry, sorcery, hatred, arguments, jealousies, rage, selfishness, divisiveness, Envies, murders, drunkenness, revelries [partying], and the like; which I warn you before, as I have also told you in times past, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, Gentleness [or meekness, or humility], and self-control. Against these there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh [the sinful nature] with its passions and desires [lusts and affections]. Gal 5:18-24

Up to this time, as you are hearing the Spirit of Grace within convict you of sin and teach you about righteous living, you are in the Ministry of Condemnation, yet to receive the ministry of righteousness, still subject to the Law of Sin and Death, still walking after the flesh and carnal mind, yet to receive the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, yet to be in Christ, and yet to walk according to the Spirit's prompting of your thoughts, words, and deeds.

Further, Paul says that works of the law, without obedient, operational faith to the commands heard from Christ, are worthless. Paul is speaking about works of the law that count for nothing now: circumcision, food, days, washings, Sabbaths, sacrifices, etc. Paul is speaking about dead works originating from man's will and those not prompted by God. Works of voluntary humility and works without love count for nothing. 1 Cor 13:3

The only thing that counts is faith, which is energized and demonstrated by works through love. Gal 5:6 (faith activated and energized and working through love.)

Let us consider how to encourage one another to love and good works. Heb 10:24

Paul is not saying that you can ignore the moral code of the law — to be unloving, immoral, greedy, given to pleasures, lying, angry, etc.

• Paul said: I showed... that they should repent and turn to God, and do works consistent with repentance. Acts 26:20 
• Paul said, "Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12
• Paul said: Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor 7:1 
• Paul said: Charge those who are rich in this world not to be high minded, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who gives us richly all things to enjoy; [charge] that they do good, to become rich in good works, to be generous, sharing with others. 1 Tim 6:17-18
• If you live in a prosperous, industrialized nation, you are rich, compared to the rest of the world. So be rich in good works. 
• Paul said: glory, honor, and peace, are to every man who works good. Rom 2:10
• Paul said: To those who by perseverance in good works, seek for glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life. Rom 2:7
• Peter said: whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. Acts 10:35
• Peter again: make every effort to add to your faith virtue.. knowledge.. self control.. perseverance .. godliness. 2 Pet 1:5-6 
• Jesus said, Unless you repent, all of you will all also perish. Luke 13:3. Repentance requires effort on your part. 
• And, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. Rev 3:19 (Zealous means filled with ardent desire, enthusiastic).
• Jesus further said, Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me. Mat 11:29
• Jesus said, If any man desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23
• In His messages to the seven churches, Jesus mentions to every church how their works are key. 
• Jesus said, I have not found your works perfect before God. Rev 3:2-3. He wants perfect works, energized by faith.
• Hear! Jesus said: Strive to enter in at the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter, and will not be able to.  Luke 13:24, Mat 7:13-14 

The gospel of grace would have you believe striving is unnecessary, yet Jesus ordered us to strive, (to make every effort), Jesus further says, Narrow is the gate and compressed is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it...For many will try to enter and not be able to. Don't Jesus' warnings seriously conflict with instant grace?

Gentle reader — heed what Jesus is saying. Your having said a sinner's prayer and gotten wet is not hard to find or do.

But he who practices truth [who does what is right] comes to the light, so that his deeds may be shown to have been produced [effected, formed, prompted, energizes] through God. John 3:21. A true believer does truth, or practices truth — does what is right. (He is finished with sin, doing what is wrong.) A believer comes to the light, (without fear) to show that his deeds (or works) have been: produced through God; or divinely effected, formed, prompted, and energized.

God's grace and salvation are provided to create a people dedicated to good works:

That you might walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing in all things, being fruitful in every good work. Col 1:10 

Again Paul said, "The purpose of grace.. to purify a peculiar people zealous for good works." Titus 2:11-14 

Paul states God's purpose in salvation: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Eph 2:10 

Now the God of peace... Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you what is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. Heb 13:20-21

Now ask yourself: How many works, or deeds, have I done that have been wrought, or prompted by God and with his help? How many works have I done that God has specifically told me to do, and then helped me to do them?

The first works for all are repentance — with God prompting or showing you what to repent from, and then you through sorrow, resolving to do better — repentance. As Paul said: I showed.. that they should repent and turn to God, and do works consistent with repentance. Acts 26:20

Although you may have been told that believing in Jesus is your excuse to bypass judgment, that is a lie; the final judgment of every man is based on works:

• And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened. And another book was opened, that is the book of life. And the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and every man was judged according to his works. Rev 20:12-13
• For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he will reward every man according to his works. Mat 16:27
• I am he who searches the minds and the hearts; and I will give to each of you according to your works. Rev 2:23
• I the LORD search the heart, I try the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings [works]. Jer 17:10
• Shall he not render to every man according to his works? Pro 24:12
• the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. Rom 2:5-6
• man's work will be exposed. For the day [of the Lord] will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will try and test every man's work, of what sort it is, 1 Cor 3:13; for everyone will be salted with fire. Mark 9:49

Faith without works is dead. Those without works energized and prompted by God will have their souls destroyed and their spirits banned from heaven. The first works of a true believer are works of repentance.

The Grace Lies

The definition of grace has been twisted into pernicious lies by the false prophets. They say when you repeat the "sinners' prayer" or say that Jesus is Lord and/or get baptized, you instantly receive the grace of God to forgive all your past, present, and future sins; excusing you to live the remainder of your life in sin, with their guarantee of you going to heaven when you die. Regarding instant salvation by grace: from the Word of the Lord within, "it is twisted, pernicious lies, a fatal flaw that turns aside the just." Grace does not instantly save anyone.

Consider how completely differently the Apostle Paul in Titus defines grace: (what we must be saved by)

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and how to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; as we receive the blessed fulfillment of our hope, even the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity [lawless deeds, sin], and purify for himself a people who are his very own, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 

Whoever commits sin also practices lawlessness; for sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4

Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and godly in this present world, and so to become purified and zealous for good works. Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts is repentance. Grace leads us to repentance. Grace leads us to the inward cross of self-denial, so that we can crucify our sinful nature, to become free from all sin and be pure. This is Paul's definition of grace. Can you see how different Paul's definition of grace is from the definition of instant, no-effort grace you have been sold by the false prophets?

One who still sins might mistakenly argue they are redeemed from every lawless deed, but not that grace has purified them!

Grace has been twisted into lies from a teaching of repentance, leading to purity, to be a license for immorality and continuing in our sinful natures with no repentance required. This perversion began 2000 years ago in the early church; Jude wrote in 1:4:

For there are certain men who have crept in unnoticed, written about long ago, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lawlessness and wantonness, a license for immorality; and deny and disown our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

These men were false Christians, who had slipped unnoticed among the true Christians, preaching freedom to sin through grace by faith in Jesus; but by their sinful words and actions they denied Him as their Master and Lord, as he was for the real Christians of that time. The false gospel of grace was being sold as salvation 2000 years ago; unfortunately false instant salvation has now become so pervasive that all sects are deficit sects. See The Great Apostasy for more information.

Your sinful nature must be crucified on the inward cross of self-denial, before you receive the powerful grace of God to circumcise your heart, to renew your mind, and to be born again as an entirely new creature. Then you will walk in perfect obedience to God's commands. You cannot be obedient or be pleasing to God continuing walk in your carnal nature, (sinful nature, or flesh.) To those who are selfishly ambitious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; those receive indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish; upon every soul of man who does evil, Rom 2:8-9, even those who [in words] professed that they know God; but deny him by what they do. Tit 1:16

Salvation by grace is only received through the death of the sinful nature on the cross.

The Lies of Liberty from the Law — Lawlessness Promoted

Do we then render inoperative the law through faith? Absolutely not, instead we establish the law. Rom 3:31 

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Gal 5:18

 Until you are led by the Spirit, the Law is your schoolmaster.

There is a glorious liberty of the sons of God, who walk by the Law of Liberty. But before you are a son of God, enjoying Christian Freedom, walking under control of the Holy Spirit in love, (which there is no law against), you must first be crucified, to become pure, to produce the fruit of the Spirit. God, like yourself, does not want sons full of lust, greed, anger, lies, jealousy, envy, etc., and before he accepts you as a son, you must be chastened and scourged of all the evil within you — through the cross.

These false prophets tell you that you have the liberty to continue to sin and practice lawlessness without God's wrath to follow. These same kind of lies were being spread in the Apostles' times, 2000 years ago.  Peter references them:

For speaking great swelling words of vanity, they lure through the lusts of the flesh and much wantonness, those who were barely escaping from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; for by whatever a man is overcome, he is enslaved. 2 Peter 2:18-19

The false prophets lying about liberty from the law, and freedom to sin were also spoken of by Paul:

Brothers, be followers of me, and observe those who walk after the pattern we have set, so as to have us for an example. For many walk, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you weeping, who are the enemies of the cross of Christ; their end is destruction, their God is their belly [appetites, lusts], and whose glory is their shame, and they think on earthly things. Phil 3:17-19

Those who claim to be righteous, by grace, and in liberty from obeying the law are hypocrites, a stumbling block, and they scatter the true sheep from Christ. A hypocrite talks about being religious, while walking in sin. Jesus addressed the hypocrites:

You are the ones who declare yourselves upright before men, but God knows your hearts. Luk 16:15 

This people draws near to me with their mouths, and honors me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me. Mat 15:8 

Even so, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity [sin]. Mat 23:28

Your hearts have to be cleansed — really cleansed to purity.

After you have been cleansed of sin, and have become pure — then, and only then, you are filled with love and walk fully under the control of God, in love and with the fruit of the Spirit — against which there is no law. From the Word of the Lord within: "There are no laws when you are under complete control of the spirit; you walk in love in obedience as prompted — you don't walk in restricted flesh."

The Law was applied to fallen man, who lost the life and guidance of God; no law applies to a man who has been restored to the spiritual image of God. If you disobey the moral law, failing to have been made pure and before your words and actions are completely under the control of God, you are walking in sin and lawlessness.

Note! Rebellion (disobedience) is as bad as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as bad as iniquity and idolatry. 1 Sam 15:23

So what parts of the Mosaic law are not in common with the moral law of God written on every man's heart?

Anything relating to form, ceremony, or shadows of what Christ, the substance, actually replaced — anything that doesn't relate to morals: circumcision, tithing, Sabbath days (a shadow of the rest), meats, days, feasts, oaths, dress, water baptism, etc. — all those died with Christ. Obedience to these parts of the law counts for nothing, and belies your faith in Christ's lasting sacrifice.

By his [Jesus'] sufferings, one offering, sacrifice and death, he put an end to all the legal offerings, types, shadows, and figures, outward ordinances [tithes], rites and ceremonies, and many washings [baptisms], under the Law of Moses and Levitical Priesthood.
(From G. Whitehead's Letter)

If your doctor persuades you that circumcision is desirable for reasons of health, no problem; but to be circumcised to please God is a serious error. Circumcision of the foreskin is only a shadow of the circumcision we must all obtain — circumcision of the heart — to become an inward Jew.

Animal sacrifices are only a shadow of the one Christian dutiful sacrifice: the Christian's fleshly, selfish animal nature and spirit slain by the cross of Christ and presented upon the altar to God, the one true sacrifice required.

Tithing died with the new Priesthood of Christ. See Fox's writing on the details of the death of tithing.

Oaths died with Christ. Now our yes is to be yes, and our no is to be no, without any swearing, which Christ and the Apostle James strongly forbid. See Fox's writing on swearing for the details.

Regarding observing special days, Paul was tolerant, allowing one man to esteem one day above another, and another to esteem every day alike, and similarly about foods, and not to judge one another; "But let him, he said, be fully persuaded in his own mind.”  Yet to those Galatians, among whom he had labored intensely, he condemns the observation of days, months, times, and years; and he condemned Gentiles becoming circumcised in hopes of attaining righteousness. While observation of a day is a matter of individual conscience, (in which one should be fully persuaded), for a group of believers to observe a special day is definitely wrong,* and a form of religion, which is condemned by Paul: But now that you have known God, or rather are known by God, how can you turn again to the rules and traditions of the world's culture. Do you wish to be in bondage again? You observe days, and months, and times and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored among you in vain. Gal 4:9-11. And if your church leader says you should observe certain days, or certain foods, you are listening to a false prophet; as Paul says: "Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days." Col 2:16. So an individual can choose to celebrate certain days; but the church, as policy or rule, cannot; for that is a form of law. If necessary, the Lord will tell that individual continuing to observe certain days, which ones to stop; thus maintaining freedom of individual conscience.

*The exception is: if you are a Jew that practiced the Mosaic Law and recently turned to Christianity, you are permitted, (not required), to continue that practice until you have received faith from the Spirit that a portion of the law should not govern you, (as did Peter); for if you think it is a sin to violate any aspect of the law, you are condemned if you violate it. Those who had been Jews were permitted to observe the commands of the law with respect to days, feasts, and food, while those who had been Gentiles were taught to not observe any days, weeks, months, etc., nor to practice any works of the law such as circumcision; and they were not to judge one another about food, drink, feasts, or Sabbath days. Paul wrote: "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind;" meaning those things were a matter of individual conscience, and the conscience is subject to education by the Spirit. Like all men, a Jew is freed from the entire law when he has been crucified and has died to law through the law.

There are entire sects built around the Sabbath as part of the Ten Commandments, insisting that worship be on the seventh day, instead of the first day of the week. Because Jesus said not one jot shall pass from the law, they think obeying all of the Ten Commandments is obeying the whole Law. The Law is not just the Ten Commandments — it is hundreds of laws relating to ceremonies, rituals, ordinances, Sabbath restrictions, family life, sacrifices, washings, etc. Obeying the Ten Commandments is not obeying the Law.

In 1 Cor 16:1-2, a collection for the poor brothers in Jerusalem was ordered by Paul to be taken on the first day of the week, not on the Jewish Sabbath. Plus, John referred to the Lord's day in Rev 1:10, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day;" the Lord's day referring to the day of the week he was resurrected. Further Acts 20:7, states, "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, ready to depart the next day; and he continued his message until midnight." This proves that early Church met on the first day of the week, and did not meet on the Jewish 7th Day Sabbath. Paul wrote to let no man criticize you for not observing shadows that ended with the substance, Christ: Therefore let no man judge you in meat or drink, or in respect to a holy day [or any special day], or the new moon, or the Sabbath days. Col 2:16-17. The Jewish Sabbath was the shadow of faint resemblance to the substance Christ, whose coming obsoleted all the shadows, including the Sabbath, offerings, sacrifices, circumcision, foods, feasts, holy days, etc.

The Sabbath is a mere shadow of the Christian's rest, which is to possess the substance, (which the old shadow faintly showed), of Christ in fullness, and which Hebrews severely warns us against failing to enter: Since a promise of entering into his rest still stands, let us fear, lest any of you should come short of it. Heb 4:1. This rest is what Jesus promised: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and [then] you will find rest for your souls. Mat 11:29. This is the rest with which you cause the weary to rest, and this is the refreshing; yet they would not hear. Isa 28:12. This is a serious warning to all who call themselves Christians: to avoid losing your soul and being banned from heaven, as the Jews were killed in the desert and banned from entering the promise land because of unbelief in God's promises, you must zealously labor in faith to attain the promised rest of the spiritual Sabbath, which is union with God and entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, within you and around you. We sit down in Christ to enter the rest, to enter the rest from fighting our enemies, like Israel entered the rest from fighting and purging their land of the surrounding heathen peoples; only our enemies are spiritual: lust, rage, pride, selfishness, envy, greed, covetousness, jealousy, lying, cheating, stealing, sexual immorality, profane language, and evil thoughts, etc. Salvation is to be delivered from sin and be protected, (sanctified), from our enemies of sin. But you who would be a Christian, to be freed from sin you must believe and hope in God's promise to set the captives free, to become free of sin; otherwise, you too will perish in the spiritual wilderness without ever entering the promise land — heaven. Don't be like the Jews who said they could not conquer the giants and refused to cross the Jordan to do battle, even with God fighting for them; don't say sin can't be conquered, even with God's promised help; don't say who is able to make war with the beast? Because victory over sin, our enemies within our heart, is the promised salvation.

That he would grant to us, that being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. Luke 1:74-5

The only law in the Ten Commandments, which is a shadow of Christ the substance, is the Fourth Commandment, regarding six days of labor and the seventh to be holy with no work; this is not a moral law that is written on every man's heart in the world. Every man in the world feels bad when they steal; every man that lies feels his conscience pricking him; every man feels bad when they dishonor their parents; but the same cannot be said about keeping the seventh day as a holy day and day of rest. There are peoples on the earth that don't even keep track of days by the week. The Fourth Commandment is not part of the moral core of the law that is included in the inner law of a man's heart; and men are not even judged on the Ten Commandments. Men are judged on the law written in their hearts, and their conscience also bears witness; while their thoughts accuse or else excuse them. Rom 2:15.

The Sabbath was clearly replaced by the Christian rest, in which a man ceases from his own works in his will, to only do and say as he is directed and energized by God. Those who believe the gospel of release from the bondage of sin, entrance into the Kingdom of God, and union with Christ and God, partially enter the rest from their labors immediately; they begin their work of carrying the cross, waiting on God, and repenting of any convicted conduct, immediately — thus they have begun the rest from their old works and pursuits. As they are changed to become pure and redeemed from all iniquity by the grace of God, they sit with Christ; and they are directed and energized by God to do works of love to show the world the love and power of God. This is the glorious Christian rest, of which the Fourth Commandment was but a shadow and is clearly obsolete.

Fox wrote on the Sabbath-day and the Law in general:

The apostle says, ‘the body was Christ,’ and the Sabbath was a sign and a shadow of good things to come; so then this fulfills Moses' words. The body is Christ, the Sabbath is a sign; so the good things being come, Christ, the substance, ends the shadow, the sign; and Christ rose on the first day, on which the saints met, and the apostle does not call that a Sabbath, nor does establish the other Sabbath among the Christians, nor told them keep it, that you read of anywhere. For if that day had been observed as it was in the law time, the seventh, which signifies perfection, the apostle would have spoken of it somewhere; for those things that were observable were often spoken of in law and gospel, but this is nowhere spoken of, nor to the saints that they should keep the seventh day as a Sabbath, for offerings were on that day. But the offerings being changed; the law also changed, and the offering, Christ Jesus, having come, the law came to be within, and the circumcision within; and Christ, the rest, is the Lord of the Sabbath, and the rest for the people of God. He who holds up Sabbaths and offerings, holds up circumcision and works, and so keeps people from the body and the head, in the signs and shadows, and so in the works of the law, which the law commands. 

Christ came not to break the law; the apostle said the law was good in its place, and he established it; yet the apostle says that the Sabbath was a shadow, but the body was Christ, and he brings them to the law in the heart, in the mind, and there he established it. Christ did not come to break one jot or tittle of it, but (mark) to fulfill it; and he said, ‘not one jot or tittle of the law should be broken until fulfilled.’ Christ, who is the rest to the Jew, who had the Sabbath day, a sign of rest, gave the people rest on that day often, that were bound, burdened, or wearied on that day; and Christ, who did give them rest on that day, and the apostle, who establishes the law, which was good in its place, neither of them ordered the Sabbath day to be kept. Christ does not say, the Sabbath day must be kept; and after him, the apostle nowhere commands it, but says it was a shadow, and the body was Christ. So those who came to the body, Christ, in the days of the apostles, had come to the end of the shadows, in that age, in their day; and for example, you may see it, for some observed a day, and some did not, and they were not to judge one another about those things. Christ giving rest on that day that the people were to rest on, was a figure of the everlasting rest, and of the restoration; who did the work of God on that day, and gave rest to the burdened on that day, that signifies an inward rest; for Christ was the rest, and Lord of the Sabbath, the rest to the people of God. Those who celebrate the Sabbath day, must celebrate a sign, and live in the shadow that keeps them from the body, and so from the church, which Christ is the head of. Who are celebrating Sabbaths must also bring their offerings, and then they must have the first priesthood to offer, and so deny the body that does the will of God, the everlasting priesthood, and the one offering, and hold with the first covenant that must decay, in which those things stood; and deny the everlasting covenant, and him that blotted out ordinances, and ended types and shadows. Christ is the end of the law to everyone that believes, in every jot, and tittle, and print of it; and the signs and shadows that were held up by the law, Christ is the end of; yet the life of the law, the power, remains, though the outward changing shadows and things, end, the body [of Christ[ is what ends them all.

There are extensive additional writings from George Fox on this site, as he refuted an entire book promoting the Seventh-day Sabbath for Christians.

Whatever your "day of worship," beware of it being little more than a day of recreation, with a Quick-Stop for worship. It is better to worship on all days, in a rest from the labors of the world: namely, the pursuit of what we eat and wear. Rather let us rest from our old labors every day, and instead labor for the spiritual food that never perishes and labor for His righteousness by doing the following:

• But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added to you. Mat 6:33 
• Do not labor for food that perishes, but for the food that endures to everlasting life. John 6:27
• The bread that comes down from heaven — the real daily bread. John 6:27-33
• Jesus said to them, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to me shall never hunger; and he who believes on me shall never thirst. John 6:35
• The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life-giving. John 6:63

We Need God's Help to Become Obedient — We Need His Powerful Grace

To the degree we are able, we are to obey the moral laws. But without help, it is even impossible to completely love your neighbor as yourself; and without divine help, it is impossible to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. And there are other things, that no matter how hard we try, we can't do without obtaining divine assistance, power through grace, to be changed for the better. A few examples:

• Getting angry at someone who treats us poorly or unfairly or unjustly, or even hurts us. Jesus told us that whoever is angry with his brother, is subject to judgment.You can't stop anger without being changed by lots of grace. Try turning the other cheek, when someone next slaps you. 
• John said, Whoever hates his brother has committed murder in his heart. 1 John 3:15
• Just looking at woman with lust — Jesus tells us we have committed adultery in our heart. You can't control this without help.
• Being addicted to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, shopping, pornography, etc. — some are so deep as to be genuine bondages that require supernatural help to break. 
• Being addicted to pass-time pleasures of all sorts. Not that all pleasures are inherently evil; but if we were to feel pain from stopping participation in them, they are idols in our lives. And even if not addicted, the time we spend in their pursuit is time we could spend preparing for eternity, by seeking to hear and obey God. The love of the world is enmity with God. 
• Greed can be an addiction, or always wanting something more. That is idolatry — wanting money or anything equal to or more than your desire to please God. All of Christianity has forgotten covetousness. We systematically train our children to covet by creating Christmas lists of wants. People go through life thinking if they just had more money, or a new car, or a better house, or a vacation in Hawaii, they would be happy; but once they get what they want, they have to focus on something else to believe in as the solution to their happiness. See Fox for more on covetousness. Money is not evil; it is the love of money that is evil.
• Inability to control our emotions and passions in general. 

Addictions and bondages have to be broken with the help of God, his grace, his power to change us. We don't get help by simply asking for it, (except occasionally he does grant us special favors to get rid of serious substance addictions). We get help by humbly going to him as a sinner and silently waiting on him to teach us and help us: by teaching us, counseling us, commanding us, and guiding us out of spiritual Egypt, through the long dry wilderness, until at last we reach the promise land of strength, purity, peace, love and joy — we receive the fruit of the spirit by crucifying the sinful nature within us on the cross of Christ, missing in today's Christianity. As we go to him, he gives us commands. Each of these commands are individually tailored to our life's circumstances, as only our creator knows how to help us.

If we obey the words heard, they are written on our hearts, added to the inward law; and we receive power to walk as ordered until we finally become pure. So we wait, watch, listen, hear, obey... wait, watch, listen, hear, obey..... seek, listen, obey, etc. This is the purification process. It is the crucifixion of the sinful nature. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship .., and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

As we obey his commands, he then tests us; and passing, we receive the seal of the Holy Spirit as obedient followers of the Spirit of God. Therefore, mortify [put to death] the deeds of the body that are of the earthly life: fornication, impurity, inordinate affections, evil lusts of the flesh, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Col 3:5

True Christianity is about a change in the heart — not saying prayers, water baptism, eating bread and grape juice — all heathenish forms and ceremonies — some newly invented by men since Judaism, but still forms and ceremonies — rituals, instead of changes in the heart. These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far distant from Me. In vain .. do they worship Me, ordering and teaching as doctrines the commandments and precepts of men. Mark 7:5-7.

Religion is about a change of heart. Your heart and spirit must be broken by God, before you can receive his powerful change by grace to a new heart.

• The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart and saves those who are of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18 (Contrite means: feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses.) 
• The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
• For thus says the high and lofty one, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15
• Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed; and get a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn [from you evil ways] and live!"Ezek 18:31-32 
• I will also give you a new heart , and I will put a new spirit within you. Ezek 36:26

God wants to be worshiped in Spirit and Truth. He wants his spirit in you to be the source of your praise and worship, not your carnal mind and your rebellious heart. Your heart has to be changed to be able to worship in Spirit and Truth. Changes in the heart only take place from divine power through grace — Christ, who is the Light, which is risen in the conscience, which purges and cleanses the conscience, by his Spirit from dead works, to serve the living God. And until we can hear the Lord and follow his counsel to become changed, the outward law is our schoolmaster, a reminder to us of our problems, and a motivator to repent from our old ways and to seek divine help to be even more different, and thus to become pleasing to God. While the law is our schoolmaster, we know the states Paul described he once was in: "For I don't do what I intend to do; but what I intend not to do, that I end up doing." Rom 7:15, and "Now then it is no longer I who sin, but the sin that remains in me. Rom 7:17." Paul passed through both of these states, and everyone must pass through these stages before they arrive at the liberty of the sons of God to enjoy Christian freedom. (Paul's final state was: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. Gal 2:20).

To enjoy Christian Freedom as a son of God, you must first be set free from sin.

This is done by going to God yourself; because everyone has his Spirit within them by grace. You have no need of any teacher but the anointing within you. He is the Light that enlightens every man who come into the world, the life which is the light of men. You sit quietly and whenever you think, you think on the name of Jesus. This is how we learn from Him, get cleansed by Him, be led by Him, and come to know him. He said: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and [then] you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He is the Light, he is the Word, and he has sent us the Spirit of Truth to teach us. If any man hears my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev 3:20. Eventually you will hear Him. He has a soft voice; that is why it is written, "Be still and know that I am God." He will tell us things about Himself. He will encourage us. He is kindness. He will tell or show us things about ourselves; some will be things that are ugly. Christ the Light will show us all the hidden lusts, affections, and pride in our heart. But since he is our friend, we know that he is showing them to us for our own good. So we listen and watch. And we don't run, we stand before the Son of Man. And we repent of what he shows us. And sometimes he gives us commands. We are hearing the Word of God, the living Word. As we hear the Word of God, (Jesus speaking through the Spirit) our faith will increase by leaps and bounds; and keep increasing — if we obey his commands heard and show him we love him by being obedient. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col 1:27

Whoever comes to me, and listens to my words and does [practices, obeys] them, I will show you what he is like. He is like a man who built a house, and dug deep and laid the foundation securely built on a rock; and when the flood arose, the torrent beat violently upon that house, but could not shake it because it was founded on a rock. Luke 6:47-48. Upon this rock, he builds his Church; by doing so, you have received the Christ within you as the Son of God; your hearing and obeying him is true faith.

He can't make it any plainer! He said: come to me, listen to my words (not the Bible), and do [practice, obey] them. To do them, is to obey; and when you obey them, you have received Christ by recognition and obedience. From this sure foundation he builds true faith and hope which eventually purifies you.

If a man loves me, he will keep my words [ obey me, practice my teachings]; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. John 14:22-23

These above two teachings of Jesus are the core teachings of this writing:

1. Come to him, Listen to his words, do the words he gives you — obey his commands. 
2. If you Love Jesus, you will obey him. The Father then loves you, and he and Jesus come to you and make their home with you; and their home is the Kingdom of God within you. They dwell in a pure heart. 

Write what you hear down in a notebook; review your commands periodically so you don't forget one, and keep repenting. Rev 3:2-3

The Lord has said to me: "Where there is obedience, there is righteousness; without it, you have World War II."

Even Adolph Hitler said Jesus was his Lord and Savior. — a sinner saved by grace???? WHILE NOT OBEDIENT???

He [Jesus] became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him. Heb 5:9 (And how do you obey Him to attain salvation?) 

'Listen to and obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk completely in the ways that I command you, so that it may be well with you.' Jer 7:23 

"If you abide [continue] in [obedience to] my word [teachings and commands heard], then you are truly my disciples; And [then] you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32 

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you are truly free. John 8:36 

Jesus came so he could destroy the devil and his works[sin] in us — if we go to him. For this purpose the Son of God is revealed [in us], that he might destroy [in us] the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8 

You are the slaves of whom you obey; whether of sin that leads to death, or of obedience that leads to righteousness. Rom 6:16 

If we are slaves to sin, he can't be our Lord. You cannot serve two masters. Mat 6:24, Luke 16:13 

We are incapable of being controlled or ruled until our sinful nature is destroyed, at least enough to be Spirit led. Rom 8:13-14

Knowing this, that our old man has been crucified with him, that our body of sin might be destroyed, so that we would not serve sin any longer. Rom 6:6 

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh [the sinful nature] with its passions and desires [lusts and affections]. Gal 5:24

As you previously yielded your body to the slavery of uncleanness and from wickedness to wickedness;

so now yield your body to the slavery of righteousness that results in holiness. Rom 6:19

Now being made free from sin, and have become the slaves to God, you have the fruit [reward] of holiness, and the end, everlasting life Rom 6:22. Are you a slave to God? Do you even wish to be a slave to God?

To be his slave is to think, speak, and act according to his promptings.

Man, who originally followed his creator in obedient love, became a rebel, deciding his own way, taking thought, judging what is good and bad for himself. When man is restored into the image of God, he ceases to make his own decisions; instead returning to reverent, loving obedience to his creator, of him and of the universe. Part of this restoration is to destroy the rebellious, self-seeking, self-gratifying mind. This is a lengthy process for most. And as the mind is destroyed, the Lord's guidance fills the void. When our selfish nature is slain, we will receive the Spirit of Christ, so that we will be obedient in our love for God — and our obedience is by choice, God not having taken away our free will. Love never insists on its own way. But our love for God will make our obedience to his every wish the joy of our life. For never forget — he loves us beyond measure — so whatever he asks will be to our ultimate benefit and total satisfaction. So we obey his every gentle prompting and leading, to both our and his great joy.

So we bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor 10:5, so that we have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor 2:16. We must strip ourselves of our former nature that controlled our conduct, which corrupts itself through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; and be renewed in the spirit of our mind; and put on the newly created nature [of Christ], which is created in God's image of true righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:22-24. This does not mean we continue to think with a new set of rules we have learned from the Bible. No; the carnal mind, which is enmity against God, must be destroyed so that we do not think for ourselves any longer. Instead as a new creature, we rely on the promptings received from God, just like Christ did when he walked the earth; as he said:

I have many things to say and to judge about you; but he who sent me is true, and I speak to the world only those things that I have heard from him. John 8:26 

I have not spoken of myself, but from the Father who sent me and commanded me what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that [to obey] his command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak is just as the Father has told me to speak. John 12:49-50 

The Son can do nothing of himself [by his own will]; but only does what he sees the Father do. For whatever things he [the Father] does, these are also likewise done by the Son. John 5:19 

Of my own self, I can do nothing. I judge only as I hear, [the father's words of judgment]; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me. John 5:30

So, even Christ did not make his own decisions. Notice, Jesus said he only did the will of the Father, not his own. In Mat. 7:21, Jesus said: Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but [only] he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. So here Jesus tells us what is necessary to go to heaven — to do nothing of ourselves — to only say what we hear the father tell us to say- to only do what the Father shows us to do — to only judge how we are told to judge by the Father. So, we are not to think for ourselves — we are to only follow the promptings of the Father. We must have our carnal mind destroyed to the point that we speak and act from the promptings of the Spirit of God; this is the end of obedience — to think, speak, and act according to God's promptings. You have probably prayed the Lord's prayer a thousand times, saying "your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," without a clue as to how it could be done. Now you know what it takes — and it is not easily accomplished — only with dedication to seek the Kingdom of God as your first priority, with perseverance, and with obedience to every command you hear.

Perhaps you are now beginning to see how the false gospels, which dismiss the cross as a necessity, became so pervasive. The cross is bearable, but not easy. It is not easy to lose your life. It is not easy to forsake everything. It is not easy to suffer. It is not easy to find the narrow gate to heaven, and many will try and not be able. So any alternative to the cross, which supposedly allows one to escape Hell, is eagerly received with false doctrines and lies that quickly became pervasive.

For the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine, but will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts,  who will say what their itching ears want to hear; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and will be turned to fables. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 

The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests bear rule by their own means [authority]; and my people love it so; but what will you do in the end of it? Jer 5:31 

For many walk, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you weeping, who are the enemies of the cross of Christ; Their end is destruction, their God is their belly [appetites, lusts], and whose glory is their shame, and they think on earthly things. Phil 3:18-19

But the cross is bearable. As Jesus told us: even prostitutes and tax collectors were entering the Kingdom in his time. As Isaiah tells us: the fools shall not err in it and go astray . Isa 35:8. What you lose is the liberty of worry, fear, and anxiety in trying to make the best decision, to say the right words, to do the right thing; never being sure, and frequently being wrong. What you gain is to have God's direction in everything, with confidence that he knows all, and whatever his will is for you, is inherently perfect, without flaw — and always to your ultimate benefit. So you are free from worry, doubt, fear — free from having to analyze and choose — free to live in love, free to follow virtue; free from the law; confident, and assured your life is one of noble purpose and results. Being filled with God's love, you are then free to show that love to the world; and to show your love for God, in your continued choice to obey his commands and promptings, which will be your greatest joy. And free to have fellowship with Christ and the Father, in the light — basking in their presence, filled with and experiencing their constant love.

A major reason Christ died on the cross, was to show us by example the extent of obedience required; for as he went to the cross in loving obedience to God, so we also must obey the promptings and commands of God, to crucify our sinful nature on the inward cross of self-denial.

The best one-word description of the entire Bible is "obedience;" it is through disobedience that we fell, and only by obedience can we restored to union with God — obedience, to God's spoken commands to us, from hearing, by listening, in silence, through seeking, by waiting, with humility, believing in the name of Jesus Christ.

If those who hear will obey, their progress will be swift. Voice of the Lord 3/4/8

Those who follow their own brain will weep and mourn; there will be great pain. Voice of the Lord 3/04/08

Yes, the Law must be fulfilled in us; Christ must change us to become like himself so we too fulfill the Law. Until we are under control of the Spirit of God, the outward Law is our schoolmaster, reminding us of our shortcomings. We must pass through the time of impurity, seeking purity, with the law sounding our deficiencies and transgressions to our sorrow and resulting in our motivation to seek divine help to change. If we ignore the law and its requirements for good conduct, reminding us to find God's help to be rid of sin, we are hopelessly locked into sin, with the condemnation of the Lord sure to follow. So we walk by the outward moral law which is identical to the inward law in all hearts, until we are led by the listened to and heard commands from the Lord; he then writes these commands in our heart; until by obedience the tiniest mustard-seed grows into the largest tree and until we are completely leavened. Becoming pure, we enter the Kingdom of Heaven and are filled with love.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Mat 5:8 (Without a pure heart, you will never see God.) 

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory. Col 3:4 

When he appears, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. (For we will be like him means we are pure, holy, and perfect.) Ever man who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he [Jesus] is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 

He will appear the second time...to bring full salvation to those who are waiting for and expecting him. Heb 9:28 

For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, in no way shall one letter or one stroke pass away from the law, until it is all fulfilled. Mat 5:18 

And the world passes away and disappears, along with its desires and lusts. 1 John 2:17 

Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments: "you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet," and any other commandments, are all briefly summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love works no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom 13:8-10 

For all the law is fulfilled in one command, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Gal 5:14 

When the Lord appears to complete your salvation, you will be filled with love and you will totally walk by the love and light of God.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lack of restraint, Idolatry, sorcery, hatred, arguments, jealousies, rage, selfishness, divisiveness, Envies, murders, drunkenness, revelries [partying], and the like; which I warn you before, as I have also told you in times past, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, Gentleness [or meekness, or humility], and self-control. Against these there is no law. Gal 5:19-23

The law was given to the fallen descendants of Adam, who had lost the guidance and life of God; when a man has been changed by God's power to walk in love as prompted by God, there is no law needed and no law that applies. When you walk as prompted by God, you are fulfilling the law; you are walking beyond total compliance with the law because:

• Obviously God is not going to command you to do anything that violates his law, and 
• You are not walking according to restriction, but according to guidance to say and do the virtuous things that God prompts you to do.

Only when you are guided by the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, (prompted with thoughts, words and deeds by the Spirit,) can you claim the scripture of freedom: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Rom 8:2. To be free from the law, you first have to be restored into the spiritual image of God, putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of your heart, the circumcision of Christ; to those, the law is dead.

As James Parnell has so well stated in his memoir:

“And thus is the church of Christ gathered by one Spirit, and by the same circumcised, and baptized into one life, light, and power, where all dwell as members of one body, of which Christ is the head. And here is the blessed union and communion in one; and here is God worshipped ‘in spirit and in truth;’ and as Christ is spiritual, so is [His church, which is] His body, and so are His ordinances; and here are the true Christians, not those who have the imagination of these things, but those who can witness [testify to the reality], and possess them in life. Those who believe, have passed from death into life; and the life they now live is by faith in the Son of God; they are new creatures, who are ‘in Christ Jesus,’ to whom there is no condemnation, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; against such there is no law, for they are translated out of that nature, [translated into the higher dimension of the Kingdom of Heaven] for which the law was added; and are set free by the law of the Spirit of life, and are made partakers of the divine nature of Christ, by which they are made Christians. And these now witness the effect of the blood of Christ wrought within them, and the end of His coming, and the benefit of His death, who are dead with him, and risen through the death of the cross; and these are those who have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Son of God within them; Christ within, the hope of glory.”

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