"For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"
Today's lesson explains how the Gentiles, who were technically never under the Law of Moses, obligated themselves to parts of the law because they naturally did many of the things that were required of the Jews under the law.
This short lesson teaches us that a great part of what we consider to be sin today is not sin at all.
Real sins against God, the only ones that now matter, are those things we do that are contrary to His commandments as they were related to us by Jesus Christ Himself. When Jesus was asked "Which is the first commandment of all?, "Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. THERE IS NONE OTHER COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE." (Mark 12:29-31)
Mark, very clearly, relates that the only two rules that now apply, since the coming of Christ, to both the Jews and Gentiles, are those two above mentioned commandments. All other commandments are contained within those two.
In short, if one loves God with all he/she has, loves everyone and treats them as he/she would treat him/herself, that one is guilty of NO sin other than that sin which is inherent in all mankind because of Adam's disobedience.~
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