Is compliance with the Law impossible?

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:19 am

Following the Law is just obeying the various dictates and commandments given by God for humans to obey, so why is it that Christians claim that all humans must have broken the Law.

Questions for debate:

Is compliance with the Law impossible?
Why is it impossible to believe that a human (other than Jesus himself) who could be
blameless as to the righteousness which is in the Law?

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 10:04 am

If someone were to claim that they had lived a life that honoured God by keeping the Law and that they had never broken that Law, in fact, that they were completely blameless with respect to the Law, how would a Christian respond?

I see nothing in the Bible which precludes such obedience.

Vanguard · Post by **Vanguard** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:23 pm

McCulloch wrote:If someone were to claim that they had lived a life that honoured God by keeping the Law and that they had never broken that Law, in fact, that they were completely blameless with respect to the Law, how would a Christian respond?

I see nothing in the Bible which precludes such obedience.

Well then how about an extra-Biblical answer? Everyone has their own individual capacity - meaning that for each law there will be as many different manifestations of it as there are individuals following it. It stands to reason that no one will live according to their capacity every moment of their life and so everyone must fall short of the law as expressed through their actions.

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:49 pm

Vanguard wrote:It stands to reason that no one will live according to their capacity every moment of their life and so everyone must fall short of the law as expressed through their actions.

But the Law does not have a measuring gauge of compliance. It is a finite discrete set of do this and don't do that. It does not stand to reason that everyone must fall short. Why do Christians teach that it is impossible to live according to the Law? Does the NT even teach such a thing?

Vanguard · Post by **Vanguard** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:53 pm

McCulloch wrote:
Vanguard wrote:It stands to reason that no one will live according to their capacity every moment of their life and so everyone must fall short of the law as expressed through their actions.
But the Law does not have a measuring gauge of compliance. It is a finite discrete set of do this and don't do that. It does not stand to reason that everyone must fall short. Why do Christians teach that it is impossible to live according to the Law? Does the NT even teach such a thing?

That's not correct. It is not all finite and discrete. When the Lord commands us to love thy neighbor how is that suppose to look?

Do you believe that everyman at every moment follows his conscience as it were? Do you have moments when you did or didn't do something that you regreted and feel that you should have done?

I am not aware of whether the NT teaches this.

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:34 pm

Vanguard wrote:When the Lord commands us to love thy neighbor how is that suppose to look?

How is it that love could be a part of Law?

Vanguard · Post by **Vanguard** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:49 am

McCulloch wrote:
Vanguard wrote:When the Lord commands us to love thy neighbor how is that suppose to look?
How is it that love could be a part of Law?

I should back up and ask your clarification of what you mean by the "law"?

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:28 pm

Vanguard wrote:I should back up and ask your clarification of what you mean by the "law"?

Perhaps whatever the writers of the epistles meant by the Law. The set of rules laid down by God for the people.

Vanguard · Post by **Vanguard** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:40 pm

McCulloch wrote:
Vanguard wrote:I should back up and ask your clarification of what you mean by the "law"?
Perhaps whatever the writers of the epistles meant by the Law. The set of rules laid down by God for the people.

Do you consider the Lord's command to love thy neighbor to be part of this "law" that you refer to?

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:16 pm

Vanguard wrote:I should back up and ask your clarification of what you mean by the "law"?

McCulloch wrote:Perhaps whatever the writers of the epistles meant by the Law. The set of rules laid down by God for the people.

Vanguard wrote:Do you consider the Lord's command to love thy neighbor to be part of this "law" that you refer to?

Jesus' own words to the contrary notwithstanding, no, I do not consider the command to love one's neighbors to be part of the law. Do you? Did the epistle writers?