The Commandments and why keep the Commandments: (Blessings then and today) 

Today in the church there is much discussion about the law and the church not being under the law, but the law of grace. This doctrine and teaching has caused for the most part a lot of confusion in either not understanding scripture or perhaps not wanting to understand scripture. The point of all scripture is that if we His people do things His way, we are blessed and He walks and cares or provides for us and if we do things our own way we are in rebellion and fall into curses. 

While it is true that most do accept nine of the commandments the one that comes up in the great debate is honoring the Sabbath and in the commandments we are to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work. This of course is not a popular stand and many think it not important, but the point of it is to do things God's way and not our own if we have the heart to do things God's way. When we do things our way we put ourselves over God. Eating from the Tree of Knowledge allows us to make our own choices, but then again that is not exactly surrendering our lives to God, which is what salvation is. Salvation is and always has been about God people walking with God and being focused on God and His ways. The opposite would also be true in doing things our own way probably should not be considered salvation, but sin and rebellion. It is true that Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath and told him stand and take up his bed. We are to care about people and their needs on the Sabbath.

One of the other great questions that arise is what about holding church on the Sabbath instead of Sunday. It all is a long argument that does not create unity or love. Arguments usually create confusion and discord, which is why they occur. People either know the right things to do or they do not. God is merciful and for those that do not understand His ways or are ignorant of His ways gives grace and grace abounds. For those that understand His ways but justify why we do what we do, He has little toleration for unless we repent, which means turning from our ways of doing things and choosing to do things His ways.

For discussion; if God always remembers His covenants then it would be safe to say He always remembers His covenants. Sounds simplistic but for some reason we tend to think that He forgets His covenants. The commandments is not really about rules although He does not want us to hurt others, but really about understanding how to get the blessing of God and how to walk with Him so He Tabernacles or dwells with us. We need Him to Tabernacle with us not only so we may have some sort of life in the future with Him in Salvation, but also for today in His provision and to keep us safe. He needs to defend us, not a weapon. He needs to care for us because we ALL need a lot of help as the body and as individuals in the body. His covenant is that if we learn to trust and walk with Him and do things His way, then He is bound by His own Words to care for us. After all that is the point of all of this. 

He does want us to get beyond just our needs. He does want to have a relationship with all people on earth. He does want for us to walk with Him daily and for us to focus on Him as Peter focused on Jesus when he got out of the boat. As long as Peter focused on Jesus he walked on water because Jesus told him to do so. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus he began to sink. It is true for us today as well. We are not to get caught up in the things that are happening around us but to learn to stay focused on Him. It is much like being in the eye of the hurricane. In a hurricanes center there is a peace and a calm when all around is violence and destruction and only Jesus can take any of us to the eye of the storm.

One other thing that needs to be looked at is Christ. Christ is made of two parts. The first part is Jesus as He is the head. The second part is that we are the body of Christ. We, when we work together daily in love and unity can do all things as long as He is at the head. We are to pray for each other, walk with each other and care for each other. It is not so much because of us in the flesh but because He either dwells in us or not. His ways is to recognize Him in each of us that have given Him our lives. When we honor each other we honor Him. When we hurt each other we hurt Him also. Brothers and sisters if they are real brothers and sister will want to walk with each other and be around each other, not because of each other but because He is present when we gather in His name. It is one of the covenant promises that we have. Only real brother and sisters can walk together in agreement, because of the Spirit of God in each of us. When we are focused on Him, His will and His ways, we are edified and we grow. If we focus on the things of the world instead of Him then it is the flesh that is edified and will grow, which will always produce dead works.

It is possible for us to do all things through Christ, but each of us needs to be focused on Him, His ways and be willing to walk with each other so we can be in agreement, because that is where the power of God is in the body in agreeing, because we are in His Spirit and His Spirit in us, touching anything, it will be done. If we are not walking with Him and He not with us because we have our own agenda, which seems to be important unless something bad happens, then it is difficult to come together when something bad happens because we have not walked with Him and His ways and each other. Either we do walk with Him and each other or choose not to, but that is not His ways, but a spirit that works to separate the body. One definition of the ant-Christ is a spirit that works to keep the body and the members of the body separate from each other, because the enemy knows that a house divided against itself will fall. If falls because not walking together in love and unity.

In keeping the commandments, covenants and His ways allows us to walk with each other in love and unity so all things can be done through Christ who strengthens us. It is not just about the law, but it is so we can walk in covenant relationship with Him and each other. When we do things His way we are blessed of God. Should we do things our own way it is like we become gods choosing what we do. It is a form of idolatry to do things our own way. The enemy also knows that when we break one commandment we break them all, which will always bring lawlessness, rebellion and death. The wages of sin is death. Being just a believer is not salvation. After all Satan is the greatest believer. Salvation comes to those that honor God and His ways.

God's Covenant in the Ten Commandments 

Exodus 20:1-19

1 ¶ And God spoke all these words, saying:
2 "I am the LORD thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
4 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I, the LORD thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me,
6 and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments.
7 "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Hebrews 4:1-13)
9 Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work;
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD thy God. In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
12 ¶ "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 "Thou shalt not kill.
14 "Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 "Thou shalt not steal.
16 "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s."
18 ¶ And all the people saw the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off.
19 And they said unto Moses, "Speak thou with us and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die."

Malachi 3:8-10 (God's promise for financial stability)

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed Me! But ye say, ‘Wherein have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and put Me to the proof now herewith," saith the LORD of hosts, "if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
 

Proverbs 3:5-23

The blessings of keeping His Covenant's (commandments) (God's promise for health, wisdom and financial stability)

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.

Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging for bread.

II Chronicles 7: 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Keeping His Commandments: 

Ezekiel 37:24 "‘And David My servant shall be King over them, and they all shall have one Shepherd. They shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them.

Ezekiel 44:24 And in controversy they shall stand in judgment, and they shall judge it according to My judgments; and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all Mine assemblies, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.

Daniel 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession and said, "O Lord, the great and fearsome God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him and to them that keep His commandments,

Amos 2:4 Thus saith the LORD: "For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept His commandments; and their lies caused them to err, after which their fathers have walked.

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 19:17 And He said unto him, "Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but One, that is, God. But if thou wilt enter into Life, keep the commandments."

John 14:15 "If ye love Me, keep My commandments.

John 14:21 He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him."

John 15:10 If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love, even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.

1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.

1 John 2:3 And hereby we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments.

1 John 2:4 He that saith, "I know Him," and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 3:24 And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him. And hereby we know that He abideth in us: by the Spirit which He hath given us.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments.

1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous.

2 John 1:6 And this is love: that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Revelations 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Revelations 22:14 Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

Deuteronomy 28

1 ¶ "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God to observe and to do all His commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth;
2 and all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God:
3 "Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy herds, the increase of thy cattle, and the flocks of thy sheep.
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
7 "The LORD shall cause thine enemies who rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face; they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
8 "The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and He shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
9 "The LORD shall establish thee a holy people unto Himself, as He hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God and walk in His ways.
10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of thee.
11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD swore unto thy fathers to give thee.
12 The LORD shall open unto thee His good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand; and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath, if thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.
14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
15 ¶ "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee:
16 "Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy cattle, and the flocks of thy sheep.
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
20 "The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto to do until thou be destroyed and until thou perish quickly, because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken Me.
21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee until He have consumed thee from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blight, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust; from heaven shall it come down upon thee until thou be destroyed.
25 "The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them, and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
26 And thy carcass shall be meat unto all fowls of the air and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall frighten them away.
27 The LORD will smite thee with the boils of Egypt, and with the hemorrhoids, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart;
29 and thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways. "And thou shalt be only oppressed and despoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her. Thou shalt build a house, and thou shalt not dwell therein. Thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.