Can Frail Human Beings Keep God’s Commandments???
The reason the overwhelming majority of professing Christians are led into accepting and believing spiritual error is because the average Christian is woefully ignorant of the scriptures. If their pastor reads a bit of scripture from the pulpit, or quotes (often MISquotes) some scripture text, and then expounds upon the same erroneously, the congregation is generally so ignorant of the scriptures that they buy hook, line and sinker whatever that pastor says. The pastor is not intentionally misleading them. He, himself, is woefully ignorant of God’s Word, too, and really thinks the Bible says and teaches what he is proclaiming from the pulpit.
Thousands and thousands of preachers will assure you that no one can keep God’s commandments, and that because of this Jesus kept them for us. We do not need to try to do so. And what a devil’s LIE that is.
In Luke Chapter One, Luke says he is declaring “those things which are most surely believed among us (among Christ’s followers, the early Christians)” (verse 1). He then goes on to say that he “had perfect understanding of all things (the things he was about to relate) from the very first” (verse 3).
Now notice carefully what he says in verses 5 and 6 of chapter 1: “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias (father of John the Baptist), of the course of Abia (the priestly course in which he served at the temple), and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron (she, too could trace her ancestry to the priestly tribe), and her name was Elisabeth (mother of John the Baptist).” Now notice carefully this next sixth verse: “And they were both righteous before God (and God looks on the heart, seeing ALL), walking in ALL the commandments and ordinances of the Lord BLAMELESS.”
Of course, since ALL have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, Zacharias and Elisabeth had sinned in their early years, but growing in grace and spiritual dedication, they came to a point in their lives wherein it could be truthfully said of them that they walked in ALL the commandments and ordinances of the Lord BLAMELESSLY!
I mentioned two human beings who kept God’s commandments AND ordinances BLAMELESSLY – the parents of John the Baptist. I also stated that this was a dedicated walk that was achieved through process of time and that before entering into such a walk they, like all the children of Adam, had sinned again and again from time to time. They, therefore, needed a Savior. They didn’t need someone to keep God’s commandments for them, though, as many preachers would contend.
Nor were the parents of John the Baptist the only ones mentioned in scripture as having been faithful commandment-keepers. In Genesis Chapter 26, verse 5, God says of Abraham, “Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, MY COMMANDMENTS, my statutes, and my laws.” Was God mistaken in this matter? Did He overlook something about Abraham? He, too, of course needed a Savior as when God first entered into his life Abraham was an idolator along with his entire family.
In 2 Kings, chapter 18, we read these words concerning King Hezekiah; “He clung to the Lord, and departed not from following Him, BUT KEPT HIS COMMANDMENTS, which the Lord commanded Moses, and the Lord was with him, and He prospered whithersoever he went forth.” (verses 6 and 7).
The apostle Paul himself said, “as touching the righteousness which is in the law (I am) blameless” (See Philippians 3:6). And, speaking before a council of the Jews and chief priests in Jerusalem, Paul matter-of-factly stated, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (See Acts 23:1). Had Paul been a commandment breaker he could not have said that. (See my article “Was Paul A Defeated Christian?”)
And I could go on and on and on, quoting scripture text after scripture text proving again and again that God’s commandments are to be kept and were faithfully kept by many of God’s people down through the ages.
Do you want to know WHY Satan wants to convince you God’s commandments cannot be kept and that Jesus kept them for you and you can forget about trying to keep them, why he contends the commandments have been done away with? Because “the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart (in the benefits that accrue when you keep them). The commandment of the Lord is pure (why do away with a pure law?), enlightening the eyes (commandment-keepers have a true and far better understanding of God’s Word than do commandment breakers)….Moreover by them is thy servant warned (as to what offends God, e.g., commandment breaking), and in keeping of them there is great reward (both in the here and now and in eternity)” (See Psalm 19, verses 8 thru 11). THAT’S WHY SATAN DOESN’T WANT YOU TO EVEN THINK ABOUT KEEPING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS! And that’s WHY he deceives many preachers into preaching against commandment keeping.
Satan knows the 103rd Psalm far better than most preachers. That is the Psalm wherein God, the God who cannot lie, says He forgives all our sins and heals all our diseases, but this promise is made “to such as keep His covenant, and TO THOSE THAT REMEMBER HIS COMMANDMENTS TO DO THEM” (See verse 18).
Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley