We have to Be perfect in order to make heaven

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

The standards of men have nothing to do with the commandments of Yeshua. If one is pursuing fellowship with him they will want his commandments. They will want him to be Lord of their life.

Amen.

However, I hear this kind of thing and I find it rather veiled. Everyone who is big on holiness will speak of God's or Christ's "commandments". Yet in 22 years of being associated with the Apostolic movement no one has actually told me what those "commandments" are. When I inquire about it I begin hearing about the church's standards regarding modesty, makeup, hair, pants, skirts, television, blah, blah, blah. Some throw in Sabbath observance, dietary standards, snake handling, and the list could go on and on. I know that Paul set "principles" regarding modesty in the Church. However, our application of those principles has become an old wineskin of Pentecostal tradition.

What exactly are the "his commandments" in your opinion?

Why do people automatically think "standards" as in some false Apostolic way? Do the people who teach Jesus did it all and theres nothing you must do but believe that, make a difference between man made false standards and the actual teachings/instructions/commandments of Yeshua the Messiah?

Jesus Christ was born "under the law". Much of what Jesus taught was applicable to His audience, the Jewish people, as it relates to being "under the law". For example, Jesus said,

Matthew 6:14-16 (King James Version)
14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Here, Christ’s teaching is Law. The believer is required to forgive others in order to be forgiven. Man born again NT Christians will teach that this is a "requirment" to receive forgiveness. Yet under the covenant of Grace we see something different. Paul wrote...

Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Under the “law” one was commanded to forgive in order TO BE forgiven. Yet under “grace” one forgives because THEY ARE forgiven. Grace seems to turn Law on it's head. The Law states that we must obey something "to be saved". Grace state that we are to obey certain things "because we are saved". The focus isn't the work of the believer as it pertains to salvation. The focus is on the changed status of the believer by virtue of being a new creation, a new creature, having a new nature.

While everything that Jesus said and taught is “for us” and is beneficial for our studies, not everything Jesus said was “to us” in that it relates to how we must approach God. Why? Because Jesus operated under the Law. Essentially, Jesus taught a perfect interpretation of the Law to Jews while living under the Law. After the cross…many things changed. We see these changes brought to light throughout the Epistles. In many ways, Paul's teachings are far more beneficial for the NT believer than the words of Jesus. Why? Because Jesus was addressing Jews living under the Law, trying to corner them with the Law so that they might cry out and seek Him. Paul was addressing born again churches who had accepted Christ Jesus as Lord and were therefore "dead to the Law". To apply all that Jesus says and demonstrates would leave us in a legalistic mess. The New Covenant didn't begin until the cross. Consider this...

Matthew 8:1-5
1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

That's a commandment from Jesus to a leper who was healed. Are we commanded to abide by the same law that Jesus is affirming and commanding the healed leper to obey??? If healed of uncleanness, must we offer a sacrifice in the temple and be pronounced clean by a priest? Of course not.

Understanding how to distinguish between Law and Grace in Scripture is part of rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

So again, please tell me, specifically, what are the commandments of Christ that a believer will desire to obey?