Here we "drill down" for "rigour" of time proven Christian biblically uncontroversial infinite philosophy and reality checks, in a focused study. If we're to have solid foundations for any revival then we must address why CoE and others hold competing views, (on core issues).
We may find there's biblical support for a middle ground ? (like occurs for eternity's debate about freewill and predeterminism - ie "whomsoever will may come") in the "whole counsel of God's Bible".
Verses which compete for prominence, and competing streams within Christendom, indicate that authentic root and fruit aren't easily decided, often being a work in progress. Rigorously dividing down to marrow becomes important in determining authentic faith and fruit, in a world leading Christian study. Rigor's about building our house on the biblically uncontroversial rock of eternal confidence, rather than sand.

In overview:
I think obedience to the faith is biblical, which succeeds & subsumes the moral Law, especially upholding all of the 10 Commandments (reiterated by Paul) including not murdering/stealing/coveting/etc and the Royal Law which outlines the moral Law in overview. Contrary thinking avoids addressing Laodicean "believers". Even Judas I. was a believer in word not deed. CoE mostly believes in obedience to the faith and their legal system, in contrast to others. Like we don't run amok when driving on our roads, but have laws for when no longer driving righteously. If we drive righteously as second nature then we're not penalized by lesser road law, but have circumcision of our heart (for driving righteously).

Exodus 20:1-8
Ten Commandments
1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall make no idols.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Keep the (Saturday, same as Jews & Jesus from whom it originated) Sabbath day holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet.
(& for a more complete review,
RootFruit-GraceLaw.html
LawAndJesus.html
LawAndGrace.html
RootAndFruit.html )
Also reiterated by Paul in Rom 13:9 For the commandments,
"You shall not commit adultery,"
"You shall not murder,"
"You shall not steal,"
"You shall not bear false witness,"
"You shall not covet,"
and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

In more detail:
On the Road to Emmaus
Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in *all* the Scriptures (Septuagint? & OT scrolls?) the things concerning Himself, ie Christ's Law (moral, not ceremonial) started in the OT scriptures. Obedience to the faith is how the moral Law was forerunner to the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit, at the incarnation of Christ and giving of the Holy Spirt in the NT. Rom 8:4 "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
Heb 8:10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts". (God endowed purpose or function, infinite 100% test)
Laodiceans (*believers in word not deed*) of today can't have had Heb 8:10 happen yet, can they ??

Love initiates commitment and faithful lifestyles.

Mat 5:19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Jesus : one of many comments, in beatitudes Matt 5:2 - 7:27)

soul-mate.org
Root And Fruit
Law And Grace
Truth In Love

Advocacy for fruit of God's Holy Spirit
https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-jk8v3-2539bed2
I AM the Good Shepherd [John 10]
https://www.podbean.com/ea/dir-4s69z-265c9953
Excellent though these are (i too will repeatedly hear them out) they omit details on commentary about Laodicean "believers" (& Laodicean false sense of security), the parable of the 10 virgins, Jesus, Paul's, and John's verses about commandments - (being fruit of the HS), James evidences of outworking of a HS led life of faith, what lawlessness/sin in the life of a believer means - when a believer transitions from authentic faith into Laodicean belief, discussed in the parable of the good and other soils.
A Word (point-by-point "marrow") study offers to resolve the international controversy between Christian advocacy, especially CoE obedience to the faith and their legal system, and whether some believers prominence would dismantle police or courts, or how they address *separation of Church and State*.
As believers become members of the body of Christ, and that Vine, so the ways of God /Jesus increasingly grow godly fruit, _when we study to show ourselves approved_, as Paul (Bible) says:-
2Tim 2:15 NKJV "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a *worker* who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.", 2Ti 2:15 KJV "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
including sections of this (ongoing) breakdown of a complex marrow subject; as distinguished by competing branches of Christendom and in this case particularly CoE _obedience to the faith_ which could be gaining prominence now.
Again, If we're to have solid foundations for any revival then we must address why CoE and others hold competing views, about separation of Church & State too, (on core issues.)

Rom 16:25-27 obedience to the faith.
Gal 6:1-10 law of christ
Christ Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed (Luk 24:27). Which leads to the understanding that all moral commandments came through The Word Pre & Incarnate/Christ; The Way/Truth/&Life, Alpha & Omega, so are Christ's Law, as mentioned in Gal 6:1-10 .
Again, Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in *all* the Scriptures (Septuagint? & OT scrolls?) the things concerning Himself, ie Christ's Law (moral, not ceremonial) started in the OT scriptures. Obedience to the faith is how the moral Law was forerunner and subsumed by the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit, at the incarnation of Christ and giving of the Holy Spirt in the NT. Rom 8:4 "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Root and fruit.
Jesus great commission & commandments
What commandments was Jesus saying to obey (Luk 24:27), since the New Testament hadn't been written in His time ? Was He referring to the Septuagint & Hebrew Old Testament bible moral (& later royal) law (not the ceremonial law - which was fulfilled by Jesus, and no longer needed by believers. John expresses that view doesn't he) ?
Obedience to the faith does hold prominence for CoE faith.
If those led by the Holy Spirit are children of God, why does Acts say He has given the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him ? Acts 5:32 "And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."

Isn't that obedience to the faith about keeping Jesus (great commission) commandments, and where are those biblically detailed, both OT & NT (Luk 24:27) ? Does Paul say we keep the commandments ?

Eph 5:9 "for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth,"
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV
If the fruit of the Spirit includes all righteousness and truth, what standards & commandments evidence that (eg royal law); what evidence will show we're walking the talk ? Is that God endowed purpose or function, and the infinite 100% test ?

The interminable debate over freewill and predeterminism seems to be at the heart of Paul's faith vs Jesus commandments. The sharp two edged sword that divides down to marrow decides what is authentic faith and authentic fruit. (Heb 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart"). Jesus loves mercy, when there's genuine ongoing efforts at becoming righteous.

Grace and law - would some dismantle the rule of law, if faith gained prominence - in a revival ? Or would the CoE approach to grace and law hold prominence (obedience to the faith) ? Do we still need police and courts in that increasingly prominent worldview ?
Would dismantling police and courts deteriorate in to a form of "lawlessness" , is that what a singular focus on Galatians alone is advocating ?
Did Paul contradict Jesus great commission etc, or are other passages of the NT and Paul needed ("whole counsel of God's Bible") ?
soul-mate.org
Root And Fruit
Law And Grace
Truth In Love

Rev 5:10 "And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." As a think tank, resolving bondage to decay and thinking (through providence of an infinite God).
Abraham's covenant preceded the (moral) law ? Adam & Eve's covenant preceded Abrahams covenant, and as Jesus was God in the garden of Eden (Luk 24:27), so A&E moral law is Christ's Law (of Gal 6:1-10).
"... and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Gen 26:5 because Enoch/Noah/(?Seth? Melchizedek)/Abraham obeyed My([preincarnate]-Christ) voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My(Christ's) laws."
heavensfamily
Date: 11 Mar 2022
(Keep in mind that God has given three major "sets of rules" in human history. The first is the "law of the conscience," given to every person since Adam. That set of rules existed thousands of years before the Law of Moses, and God/(Christ's law) has always expected everyone to obey those laws, which is why He has wired every human in history with a conscience (see Rom. 2:14-16)).

Luk 3:8 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."

John 8:31-34 So he said to the Jews who believed in him, "If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you really are my followers. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." cf resolving bondage to decay, aka large scale entropy, by reuniting our finite biosphere with the infinite God/Jesus (Words with heptadic structure).


Paul, in Galations, emphasizes faith; yet in 1Cor 7:19 he mentions keeping the commandments, which is subsumed by obedience to the faith (infinite/eternity biblically consistent. Again, obedience to the faith subsumed the moral law means, it's consistent with it, but both are increasingly progressively becoming second nature; through circumcision of our heart). Heb 8:10 "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts". (God endowed purpose or function, infinite 100% test)

1Jn 3:4
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Like we don't run amok when driving on our roads, rather having traffic laws/disciplines to sustain harmonious standards of behaviour now and for all generations to come. (when no longer driving righteously)
1 John 2:5 "But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him."

A side note:-
We don't advocate Amillennialism. soul-mate.org/Amillennialism-Calvinism.html

Mat 28:20 "teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you", and the teaching of the Apostles too, rather than pursuing "lawlessness".
1Jn 3:4
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

1 John 2:3-4.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments (and His commandments are not burdensome 1Jn 5:3). As contrasted with Laodicean "Christian" *believers*. James 2:19 "even the demons believe". Matt 7:20 "by their fruits you will know them." That obedience to the faith (authentic root & fruit) happens when the Holy Spirit writes the commandments and royal Law in our minds and on our hearts, ie circumcision of our hearts.

1Jn 3:4
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
Do Christian believers still have a sin(lawless) nature, and what discipleship is needed to overcome that lawlessness, and progressively adapt to the fruit of the biblically consistent Holy Spirit ?
1Jn 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."
Matt 7:23, Matt 13:41, Matt 23:28, Matt 24:12, Rom 6:19, 2 Cor 6:14, 2 Thes 2:7, Heb 1:9, Rev 2:1-3:22
1Jn 5:3 "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

The commandments flesh out some of what it means to love God and our neighbour (keeping the royal Law), ie do no harm to them (and a noble form of social justice, a pragmatic noble example being soul-mate.org/Coopism.html - where whole society/s are beneficially raised up so issues like homeless unhealthy folks don't occur).
God endowed purpose or function along with the infinite or 100% test open our mind's finite thinking to that rationale, aka noble righteousness.

Mat 25:35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'

Mat 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'

Mat 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

1Jn 2:4
He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His/(these) commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Again, 1Jn 3:4
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Taking thinking to a logical conclusion often highlights strengths or weaknesses. This is also seen in the infinite 100% test, and contrasting finite vs infinite thinking, including God endowed purpose or function.

Those who advocate a liberal view of Paul's Galatians topic want to ignore Paul's own statements about godly standards of behaviour, ie keeping Jesus commandments (obedience to the faith). Those ones would effectively dismantle police and courts with their liberal interpretation of Paul's comments. If we drive unrighteously on our roads then we have laws to remedy that. Effective lawlessness of standards of behaviour doesn't nullify Bible statements to the contrary, ie conservative behaviour. Only if we live/drive righteously are God's moral law written on our hearts/mind (second nature), notwithstanding woolly thinking to the contrary. By circumcision of our hearts, we're living more righteously than the moral law/commandments require, so aren't judged by the lesser law. That is what is meant by Jesus biblical statement, do not think i came to abolish the Iaw, but to fulfill (Matt 5:17). Not one jot or tiitle will pass of the (moral) Law till all be fulfilled. And, 1 Timothy 1: 8-11 is included in the whole counsel of God/Christ, that the law applies to the lawless, not to holy/righteous people. The moral law is good if used lawfully, and is not made for a righteous person. If we keep God's/Jesus's commandments as second nature then we're not doing it by, rote learned, going through the motions. The 10 commandments are lived by keeping Christ's law (Luk 24:27 Jam 2:8, 1 Cor 9:21, Gal 6:2), to love God (biblically consistent noble lifestyle) and our neighbours, through the obedience of faith. Obedience to the faith subsumed the lesser moral Law once Jesus Christ was incarnated and the Holy Spirit was given.

Obedience to the faith does hold prominence for CoE faith. Though Amillennialism is also controversial.

The Bible doesn't explicitly state a specific moment when Abraham "learnt" moral law in a formal instructional setting like receiving a codified set of rules. However, we can understand his development of moral understanding through several key aspects of his story:

• God's Covenant and Promises:
From the beginning of his call in Genesis 12, God establishes a relationship with Abraham based on promises and expectations of faithfulness and obedience. This implies an inherent understanding of right and wrong within that covenant.
• His Actions and Character: The biblical narrative portrays Abraham as a man who generally acts with integrity, justice, and compassion. Examples include his willingness to negotiate with God to save the righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18) and his concern for his nephew Lot. These actions suggest an internal moral compass.
• God's Commendation: In Genesis 26:5, God/Jesus tells Isaac that He blessed Abraham "because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my/Christ's laws." This verse, though spoken later in the narrative, implies that Abraham did adhere to God's/Jesus's moral expectations, even if they weren't presented as a formal law code at that time.
• Ethical Reasoning: There are instances where Abraham engages in ethical reasoning. For example, when asked to sacrifice Isaac, his internal struggle and ultimate obedience (though tested) demonstrate a grappling with a profound moral dilemma.

It's important to note:

• No Formal Law Code Yet: The formal giving of the Law, including the Ten Commandments, occurred much later in the biblical narrative with Moses at Mount Sinai. Abraham lived before this event.
• Natural Law and Divine Revelation: Some theological perspectives suggest that a basic understanding of moral law is inherent (natural law) and that God/Christ also revealed moral principles to individuals like Abraham.

• God/Christ gave Adam a "law of universal obedience" that was inherently part of his being, written on his heart because he was made in God's image.
• This meant Adam had a natural moral obligation to obey God/Christ personally, entirely, exactly, and perpetually. This inherent moral compass is believed to have been passed down to all of humanity.

• Theologians often refer to the arrangement in the Garden as the "Covenant of Works."
• This covenant implied that if Adam perfectly obeyed God/Christ (both the inherent moral law and the specific command), he would be rewarded with life (potentially including access to the Tree of Life).
• Conversely, disobedience would result in the threatened punishment of death.

• It is believed that Adam was created with the power and ability to keep God's/Christ's moral law perfectly. He was in a state of sinless purity and had the capacity to choose obedience.

• Christian theology teaches that even after Adam's disobedience (the Fall), the moral law itself did not change. It remained a perfect standard of righteousness.
• The Ten Commandments, given at Mount Sinai, are seen as a later, written expression of this same fundamental moral law, summarizing our duty to God/Christ and to our neighbor.

• Before the Mosaic Law: Methuselah lived long before God/Christ gave the detailed Law to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 20). However, this doesn't mean there was no concept of God's/Christ's will or standards.
• Natural Law and Divine Principles: Even before the formal Law, it's understood that God/Christ had established principles for righteous living. These could be seen in the created order, in the consequences of actions (like Cain's sin), and in God's/Christ's interactions with individuals like Noah and Enoch (Methuselah's father).
• Enoch's Walk with God/Christ: Methuselah's father, Enoch, is famously said to have "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22, 24). This implies a close relationship and obedience to God's/Christ's ways, even if not codified in a written law. It's reasonable to assume that Enoch would have instructed his son Methuselah in these ways.
• Noah's Righteousness: Methuselah was the grandfather of Noah, whom the Bible describes as a "righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God/Christ" (Genesis 6:9). This suggests a lineage that valued and followed God's/Christ's ways.

• While there wasn't a formal written "Law" in the same way we understand it later, the concept of living righteously according to God's/Christ's will was present.
  In conclusion, while the Bible doesn't directly link Methuselah to a specific "God's /Christ's law" in the pre-Mosaic era, his life and lineage suggest an awareness of and connection to God's/Christ's principles for living. His family line produced the righteous Noah.

• Significance: Abraham is a central figure in the Bible, known for his faith in God/Christ, the covenant God/Christ made with him, and his role as an ancestor of the Israelites.

Overlap:

• The Bible indicates that there was a significant time gap between Methuselah and Abraham. Methuselah lived before the Flood, while Abraham lived many generations after.
• According to biblical genealogies, there would have been a connection through their ancestors, tracing back to Adam. Some interpretations suggest that Shem, Noah's son, may have lived long enough to have known Abraham, potentially passing down stories from the pre-Flood world, including information about Methuselah.
• Melchizedek no doubt played a significant part in Abraham's thinking too.