Originally Posted by good samaritan (Post 1357045)

The law was only supplemental. The ten commandments where moral laws that dealt with relationships we have with God and the rest of humanity. Without the indwelling Spirit of God people depended on that written law for their instructions on how to love one another.
Galations 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:against such there is no law.
By walking in the Spirit we follow the core of the law. That is the missing element in the OT. The law could never change the hearts of the adherents, but it only became a legal practice. Just like today, they found loopholes. That is why Jesus always found the pharisee's to be so opposing. They became good at following legal practices while inwardly being wicked. Our focus isn't to be law keepers but Holy Ghost followers. In some areas they may coincide, but being led of the Spirit is the objective. I don't treat my wife the way I do because I fear going to jail, but because I love her. We place ourselves in obedience to God because we love and reverence Him. This is a complicated answer that many people either go extreme right or left on, instead of understanding that it is about a relationship with God.

Originally Posted by thephnxman (Post 1357081)

Very good answer. On the first paragraph you wrote: "Without the
indwelling Spirit of God people depended on that written law...".

Originally Posted by Aquila (Post 1357095)

I felt the need to present this.
We read something interesting in Scripture...

2 Peter 1:10
Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall...

If election is entirely an act of God and is predetermined from eternity past... How does one "make their calling and election sure"?
Only the Arminian perspective truly answers this. The answer is... the believer makes their calling and election sure through the following:

giving all diligence
adding to faith virtue
to virtue knowledge
to knowledge temperance
to temperance patience
to patience godliness
to godliness brotherly kindness
to brotherly kindness love

By abiding in these things, as one abides in Christ, one makes their calling and election sure. Notice... it isn't by keeping the law. It is essentially through the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit.

love
joy
peace
forbearance
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control

Instead of focusing on law that teaches what not to do... we are to live by attitudes and behaviors that we are supposed to do in the name of Christ. Be loving, joyful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
This is what God desires to see in our lives. Not law keeping.

Originally Posted by good samaritan (Post 1357045)

The law was only supplemental. The ten commandments where moral laws that dealt with relationships we have with God and the rest of humanity. Without the indwelling Spirit of God people depended on that written law for their instructions on how to love one another.

Galations 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:against such there is no law.

By walking in the Spirit we follow the core of the law. That is the missing element in the OT. The law could never change the hearts of the adherents, but it only became a legal practice. Just like today, they found loopholes. That is why Jesus always found the pharisee's to be so opposing. They became good at following legal practices while inwardly being wicked. Our focus isn't to be law keepers but Holy Ghost followers. In some areas they may coincide, but being led of the Spirit is the objective. I don't treat my wife the way I do because I fear going to jail, but because I love her. We place ourselves in obedience to God because we love and reverence Him. This is a complicated answer that many people either go extreme right or left on, instead of understanding that it is about a relationship with God.

Originally Posted by Aquila (Post 1357095)

Instead of focusing on law that teaches what not to do... we are to live by attitudes and behaviors that we are supposed to do in the name of Christ. Be loving, joyful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.

This is what God desires to see in our lives. Not law keeping.

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord (Post 1357515)

Very, very true Aquila! Law keeping was what the Pharisees did best, but heart keeping was where they failed.

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta (Post 1357509)

To me, believe and repentance are 2 sides of the same coin.