I made a comment on Mike Ratliff’s post today.
So good to read these simple essential doctrinal truths. I’m going to reblog this on my site.
As for the two examples of modern believers you mention, I would only say that the one who “insists that all he has to do is love God and love everyone”, would do well to follow the trail of duties and sins forbidden that the Bible declares underl those two ”loves”. It leads back to the two tablets of the moral (not ceremonial law), found in the full Ten Commandments, and the richness of how Jesus explained our understanding of them.
And if one wants an understanding even more fully of our duties and sins forbidden by them I would refer readers to the old Westminster Larger Catechism Questions 91 to 160.
HAVING SEEN WHAT THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH US TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD, IT FOLLOWS TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY REQUIRE AS THE DUTY OF MAN
Q. 91. What is the duty which God requireth of man?
A. The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to his revealed will.
That discussion goes on for seventy detail Q&A’s, no wonder nobody ever studies that. Somehow it seems those in the 17th Century were a bit deeper that we are today.
BTW This has been shown to be impossible of course, which brings us back to God’s Grace.
Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Rainbow Trout 