The Nugget:
Lev 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
My Comment:
It is interesting but tragic to see that non-Christians, unbelievers, think they understand the Bible more accurately than Bible believing, Bible studying Christians do.
Some of you are constantly attacking the message of the Apostle Paul.
You seem to be attacking what you do not understand.
Abe AU above cited Romans 10:9, 13, then claimed Paul “promised them of easy way of obtaining ticket to heaven simply by acknowledging Jesus as their saviour.”
Try reading more of the context in order to begin to get a more accurate understanding of what is being said:
Rom 10:1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Unbelievers here are unfortunately in a similar state to the position of the Jews in Paul’s day: “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
Notice what Paul states next:
Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. (KJV)
Rom 10:5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. (ESV)
Paul is citing Leviticus 18:5,
Lev 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD. (KJV)
Lev 18:5 You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the LORD. (ESV)
A careful comparison of Scripture with Scripture, a most important method of Bible study, will lead to the fact that there is yet another way of salvation previously revealed by God to Abraham, the way of faith:
Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. (KJV)
Gen 15:6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (ESV)
In Scripture, therefore, the promise of eternal life (Leviticus 18:5, “shall live”) to those who perfectly keep God’s Law and so receive eternal life by works is set in contrast to those who receive eternal life by faith (Genesis 15:6 and Habakkuk 2:4).
No one (except the Lord Jesus Christ) has ever met the requirement of keeping the law perfectly so as to qualify to receive eternal life on the basis of works.
Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.