MATTHEW 24:1-22 THE OLIVET PROPHECY

 The following is my interpretation of  Matthew 24:1-22

When Jesus left the second temple and was walking away his disciples came to him and were pointing out its buildings.  Jesus said, all these things will be destroyed. Then later on the Mount of Olives the disciples were wondering when the temple would be destroyed so they said, tell us when will the temple be destroyed and what is the sign of your return and the end of the age ?  Jesus knew that there would be deceptions about what he said concerning the destruction of the temple, that false ministers and prophets would confuse the second temple for the third, and warned them about this.  He also told them that many would come actually saying that Jesus was the messiah but at the same time deceive many people.  That wars and rumors of wars would happen after Jerusalem and the second temple would be destroyed but they were not to be alarmed by this, that is the destruction of the second temple, (they were not to be alarmed by the destruction of the second temple—think about that) as these things must happen but the end is still long after that.  Jesus told us plainly that the destruction of the second had nothing to do with the end times.  Later in his remarks Jesus mentions the third temple saying; 

“the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, the holy of holies of the third temple.” Matthew 24:15

Jesus said there would be wars by nations and kingdoms with famines and earthquakes but this is only the beginning of sorrows and troubles.  Carnal people who worship Satan will deliver true Christians to persecution, death and being hated because of Jesus. This will cause many people to fall away and hate one another because they will have false shepherds rise and start false churches that hate each other and they will all have their false ministers, doctrines and prophets.  Wickedness will multiply and the love of most grow cold as they will be rich and increased with goods having need of nothing.  

But the remnant of the elect 144000, that have persevered to the end will be saved.  Then this gospel of the kingdom will be preached as a witness to the nations by two witnesses and an angel of heaven and then the end shall come.  So, When those elect of that day see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place (the third temple) they will know that Jesus was not speaking about this second temple being destroyed but the one that comes after, the third.   You will know the great tribulation is coming and if you happen to be in Judea get out because Jerusalem will soon be surrounded by armies and it will be horrific times and the worst in all of human history.  This tribulation will be shortened by 220 days for the sake of the elect remnant still alive and remaining in those days otherwise no human would be left alive.  

ACCORDING TO DANIEL AND REVELATION THERE ARE 2520 DAYS IN THE COVENANT ANTICHRIST MAKES. THE FIRST THREE YEARS ARE THE FALSE MILLENNIUM BUT IN 70AD THERE WAS NO FALSE MILLENNIUM. THERE WAS NOT EVEN AN ANTICHRIST OR A TEN NATION COVENANT.  THE TEMPLE ANTICHRIST DEFILES MUST BE STANDING AND NOT A HEAP OF RUBBLE.  THE EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SECOND TEMPLES DESTRUCTION IN NO WAY FOLLOW WHAT JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES IN MATTHEW 24. THEREFORE THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS NOT WRITTEN PRIOR TO AD 70 AND THE EVENTS AFTER  AD 70 WERE ONLY MORE WAR AND RUMORS OF WAR.  THERE WAS ONLY ONE TYPE OR SHADOW EVENT THAT DIFFERS FROM THE FUTURE THIRD TEMPLE AND THE SECOND TEMPLE IS/WAS DESTROYED IN 70AD BUT THE THIRD IS STILL STANDING IN THE FUTURE WHEN CHRIST RETURNS AND WILL BE CLEANSED. 

DANIEL 8:14  “AND HE SAID UNTO ME, UNTIL 2,300 DAYS THEN SHALL THE SANCTUARY BE CLEANSED.”  

The tribulation temple is not destroyed therefore the second temple cannot be connected in any way with end time events.  This fact alone destroys Preterism. 

Ezekiel 40:5-49  &  Ezekiel 41 to 43:6-9   describes the third temple that will exist throughout the millennium.  Later, after the millennium there will be no temple.  Revelation 21:22  “But I saw no temple in the city.”  

TAKE HEED THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU.

SPIRITUAL BALANCE BETWEEN SIN AND GRACE

 

With respect to sin, what all of GODS elect saints must remember is Romans chapter 7.  

“So this is the principle I have discovered; when I want to do good, evil is present with me.  For in my inner being I delight in GODS law.  But I see another law at work in my body warring against the law of my mind (human spirit) and holding me captive to the law of sin that dwells within me.”  Romans 7:21-23

All of GODS elect saints have a strong will and desire to do good which is governed by our thoughts.  If we think good we do good but if we think evil we do evil.  What Paul is saying here is that we go against our own will and think and do the evil because of the desires of the flesh, the body of death.  Verse 24 continues; 

 “What a wretched man I am !  Who will save me from this BODY OF DEATH ?”  

The answer to this question is verse 25; 

 “Thanks be to GOD through Jesus Christ our Lord.” 

 Willful sin is when a person is in agreement with the body of death to have their thoughts in agreement with their words and deeds. The other side of this is a person who truly desires to do good but because of the body of death our thoughts are not always pure thus having the opportunity to lead us into words and or deeds that are evil.  The conclusion of this condition is given in the last part of verse 25; 

 “So then, with my mind (human spirit) I fulfill the law of GOD but with my flesh (the body of death) I serve the law of sin.

The elect are yet sinners but under grace that allows for repentance and forgiveness of sin.  This is what Paul is explaining here. We need not live in fear of sin but rather as conquerors of it because of GOD and Christ.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through HIM who loved us.” Romans 8:37

 Romans7:4-6. “Therefore my brothers, you died to the law through the body of Christ that you might belong to another, to him who raised Christ from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to GOD.  For when we lived according to the flesh the sinful passions (evil thoughts an desires) aroused by the law were at work in our bodies bearing fruit for death.  But now, HAVING DIED TO WHAT BOUND US WE HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THE LAW SO THAT WE SERVE IN THE NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT AND NOT THE OLD WAY OF THE WRITTEN CODE (the Ten Commandments).”  

This is not a license to sin because if we died to sin and now live in Christ how can we any longer live in sin.

The elect saints are not under the law because the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ has purchased us out of the old covenant and brought us into the new covenant.  We have PASSED-OVER.  We are dead to the law so that we may live in Christ. 

Galatians 2:19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to GOD.”

Romans 6:11 “So you too must count yourselves dead to sin but alive to GOD in Christ Jesus.”

As GODS elect saints we know that we still sin but because of what GOD did through Jesus these sins are forgiven upon sincere repentance.  This body of death is going to be replaced with a body of life, a spirit body, and we live even now in this hope.

  “We have been sacrificed with Christ and no longer live but Christ lives in us.” Galatians 2:20

That deserves a repeat.

“The life we now live in the body, we live by faith in the son of GOD who loved us and gave himself for us.” Galatians 2:20 

As long as we do not commit the unpardonable sin this amazing grace is always there for us; so then, in the matter of sin and how this grace applies we have no worries, no fear.  If GOD through Christ forgives then we are confident and secure in this to the end. 

Excess worry over sin is against the confidence that we have in Christ.  The message of the gospel is this very thing.  We must always rely on the grace provided in the gospel message and we believe that GOD forgives us.  We are the clay in the potters hands and are being reshaped to be in the image of Christ.  This good news should make us joyful and happy not sad and gloomy.  Its not taking advantage of GODS grace if GOD is the one who invented grace to give us.  “

“What shall we say in response to these things . If GOD be for us who can be against us ?” Romans 8:31

 There are times that we can be our own worst enemy when we fail to remember that the sin condition has been solved no matter if conscious or unconscious.  To doubt is to come close to calling GOD a liar. 

 It requires spiritual balance to properly view sin and forgiveness. We should be concerned about our sins but not to where it cripples us in the grace given to us. We should always repent and ask forgiveness and then accept that forgiveness and move forward with a clear and clean conscience.  This process can be repeated millions or billions of times.  GOD knows we are weak; 

“HIS spirit was sown in our weakness but if we obey the gospel we will be raised in power.” 1 Corinthians 15:43

I am fully aware that I sin and I have lost many battles in this warfare but Christ has won the victory because alone by myself I cannot. 

“But thanks be to GOD !  HE gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

 This is faith that leads to imputed righteousness.  GOD wants us all to believe HIM.  We were not like the messiah when first converted but are to grow to eventually be an exact duplicate of him in love and righteousness. We are mortal flesh and still weak so we need changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.  

How many of GODS elect saints want to fail, want to perish forever, want to live a life dedicated to Satan and sin continually ?  How many want to willfully and deliberately desire to be evil ?  How  many will refuse to repent or ask for forgiveness ?  Are you one like this ?   Of the elect that I personally know and fellowship with none of them.  If anything we tend to worry to much about sin and forgetting that Jesus conquered sin in the flesh.  As I said before, it requires spiritual balance to deal with the concepts of sin and grace.  

YES OR NO OR AN ANSWER

 Do the scriptures say that the Ten Commandments are the old covenant ?  YES

Are the Ten Commandments the ministry of death ? YES

Do the Ten Commandments have an inferior glory to the ministry of the Holy Spirit ?   YES

Were the Ten Commandments the ministry of the Holy Spirit ?  NO

Will keeping the Ten Commandments give you salvation ?  NO

Will keeping the Ten Commandments make you righteous ?   NO

Will keeping the Ten Commandments justify you in GODS eyes ?  NO

If you violate the Ten Commandments, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the old covenant , what is your fate ?    DEATH      

 Could you repent, be shown mercy and be forgiven for breaking the Ten Commandments ? NO

Have any of the terms and conditions of the old covenant Ten Commandments been changed or altered in any way ?  NO

Do the old covenant Ten Commandments survive even today to condemn all sinners to death ?   YES

Is there any way we can escape the death that the Ten Commandments demands of us for breaking them ?   YES

Once this escape is provided for us should we then return to keeping the old covenant Ten Commandments ?    NO

What is the escape provided for us from the Ten Commandments death sentence ?  JESUS CHRIST, HIS GOSPEL, HIS SACRIFICE, HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION 

If we are offered this escape from death for breaking the Ten Commandments, that have not changed and remain the same even to today, should we go back to keeping them only to be condemned to death again ?  NO

Will we be an heir with Jesus if we keep the Ten Commandments under the terms and conditions of the old covenant ?   NO

Did the Ten Commandments have a way to determine if a person was lusting or coveting ?  NO

Could two human witnesses offer testimony that a person was lusting or coveting in their mind ?   NO

Is lusting or coveting, evil thoughts in your mind, sin that defiles you according to Jesus ?    YES   

  If so, how could the Ten Commandments really address the true problem of sin when lust, the true cause of sin, was unable to be detected by human witnesses in accordance with the terms of the old covenant Ten Commandments ?   THEY COULD NOT AND DID NOT 

Does GOD know the thoughts and intents of the human mind, or is Hebrews 4:12 incorrect ?  YES, GOD KNOWS ALL THINGS.     

 Is the very thing that GOD will judge us by, thoughts and intents of the mind, the very thing that thing the Ten Commandments could not detect, lust ?   YES

Did the Ten Commandments then address the true problem with humanity, sin, lust, in our minds ?  NO  

If not then what commandments did Jesus give that could,   THE TWO GREATEST  COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE  

And how would his commandments be fulfilled ?  WITH GODS LOVE BY THE HOLY SPIRIT     

Who would fulfill them, the man or the GOD ?  THE GOD      

Would this “work” be done in us by GOD or do we do it on our own ? ITS DONE BY GOD       

  If we do it will GOD consider it to be our righteousness or will HE consider it filthy rags ?  FILTHY RAGS 

Is there an obvious problem with the Ten Commandments when they cannot address the true problem of sin in us and gives us no hope but only kill us ?  YEAH A BIG ONE  

  Should not the Ten Commandments at least teach us these things and show us our need for a messiah ?  YES THEY DO IF YOU HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO UNDERSTAND 

Should not the Ten Commandments be our schoolmaster to lead us to Christ ?  YES

Once the schoolmaster, the Ten Commandments, leads us to Christ are we yet under them or are we now under the two commandments that Jesus gave ?  ONLY THE 2 JESUS GAVE 

So then, once I am in Christ I am no longer under the Ten Commandments but the two greatest commandments Jesus gave and by GODS love in me by HIS spirit the works of love seen in me are really from GOD. I am an heir with Jesus in GODS kingdom and have access to forgiveness of my sins upon sincere repentance and will be changed into an immortal impeccable spirit being when Jesus returns but until that day I will sleep in death totally unconscious. WOW, YOU GOT IT

DOES GOD CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT DOCTRINE ?

 

Does GOD change the doctrine that HE has already established ?  

Ephesians 4:4-6  “There is ONE body, ONE spirit, just as you were called TO ONE HOPE when you were called; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE GOD and FATHER of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

These verses say there is only ONE of all the things GOD has given, ONE.  How about these verses;

“Sanctify them by the truth, Your word is truth.” John 17:17

Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and the flowers fall but THE WORD OF GOD ENDURES FOREVER.”

1 Peter 1:25 “but the word of GOD stands forever, and THIS IS THE WORD THAT PROCLAIMED TO YOU.”

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will never pass away.”

Psalm 119:160 “The entirety of your word is truth and all your righteous judgments endure forever.”

Psalm 33:11 “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of HIS heart to ALL GENERATIONS.”

2 Timothy 3:16 “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD BREATHED and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction and for training in righteousness”

1 Peter 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of GOD which lives and abides forever.”

Do these verses say that GODS word or will changes with time or circumstances ?  Does GOD “change HIS mind ?  If you know GOD then you know that HE is omniscient, GOD knows absolutely everything in eternity, why would HE need to “change HIS mind ?”   People who say this are extremely ignorant and would render Ephesians 4:4-6 very differently.  

Did GOD at some point change HIS mind and allow some or all people to either suffer consciously in torment and others enjoy being in Abrahams bosom?

Did GOD change HIS mind to bypass HIS sons sacrifice that gives immortality to the saints and decide to give it to both saints and sinners immediately after death ?   Is judgement day now immediately after death or in the future at the great white throne judgement ?  Even the message of the gospel itself is no longer needed if immortality and judgment is immediately after death.  

Just where are these “dead but somehow alive people” and how can they function when they have no body ?

GOD sealed off the tree of life from humanity after Adam sinned, the living breathing creature called man is a soul that isn’t immortal but when do any humans receive immortality?

1 Corinthians 15:42  “So it will be with the resurrection of the dead.”  Verse 44 “it is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body.”  Verse 53 “this mortal must put on immortality.”  When do these things happen ? Verse 52 “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, AT THE LAST TRUMPET.”  

1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and WITH THE TRUMPET OF GOD and THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST.”

Dear readers, GOD does not change HIS mind.  GODS doctrines and prophecies stand forever.  As an omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent GOD has no need to change HIS mind.  However, there are very spirituality ignorant people that actually think HE does.  

CONSCIOUSNESS IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO SIN

 

Do you know why the Apostle Paul said,

  “For he who has died is free from sin.” Romans 6:7

Not only do you have to be alive to sin you must also be conscious, that is aware of self and others, and possessing intelligence far above the other animals.  If you cannot think in this way then you cannot sin.

The lower animals cannot sin because they are incapable of intelligent thinking and a dead person cannot think either because at death we are unconscious, we are incapable of thoughts. 

 Psalm 146:4 King James “His breath goes fourth, he returns to the dust, in that day HIS THOUGHTS PERISH.”  

Dead people cannot think therefore they cannot sin.  This should be proof that sin is a function of how people think and that will determine what they say or do.  If a person can’t think evil then they will not do evil but if they can think evil then they will do evil.

Solomon said,  “As he thinks in his heart so is he:”  Proverbs 23:7

The word heart is referring to your human spirit, the source of your life and intelligence and inspiration.

Job 32:8  Youngs Literal Translation “Surely a spirit is in man and the breath of the MIGHTY ONE doth cause them to understand.”

The real you is your human spirit, your body is only the temporary dwelling while you are mortal.  All of your memories and intelligence is in your human spirit and none of these abilities are in the brain because matter, what your brain is made of, isn’t alive or intelligent.  Dust isn’t alive, dust can’t think.

When Jesus said that what comes out of us is what defiles us he used the word “heart” which is the human spirit.

  Matthew 15:18  “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart and THESE DEFILE THEM.” 

Luke 6:45  “The good man brings good things out of the good treasures of his heart and the evil man brings out the evil treasure of his heart.”

Mark 7:21-23  “For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance and foolishness.  ALL THESE EVILS COME FROM WITHIN AND THESE ARE WHAT DEFILE A MAN.”

Our human spirit is what receives salvation, not the fleshly body, so evil in our spirit can not be tolerated by GOD.  Our human spirits must be changed to take on the divine nature and character of GOD that was demonstrated to us by HIS son the Christ who was created by GOD after GODS own character of love and righteousness.  It will be the SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT that will inherit the kingdom of GOD.

Sin begins in our human spirit when the things Jesus listed in the verse above are our thoughts.  We don’t have to say or do anything, just think it, and we have sinned.  Even the Ten Commandments had a prohibition against coveting , the tenth commandment said “Thou shalt not covet” but all sin is coveting and lusting and that is why the Apostle James said,

 “For whoever shall keep the whole law yet stumbles in one point is guilty of all.”  James 2:10

And the Apostle Paul said,

  “For I would not have known what sin is unless the law had said thou shalt not covet.”  Romans 7:7

Lusting or coveting is a function of the mind, the human spirit and it involves no words spoken or deeds done, just thinking the evil is the sin.  This is why it is impossible for mortal flesh and blood people to not sin.  In fact if you say, “I have no sin”, the Apostle John says this;

  “If we say we have no sin we make HIM a liar and the truth is not in us.”  1 John 1:10

I do hope that you may understand that sin is a result of how we think and the words or deeds that follow are only exposing us to other humans as sinners, but GOD has always known we all are sinners.  The cause of sin is thought, the effect of sin is words and deeds that are evil.  I hope you understand that the word “heart” isn’t the organ that pumps blood through the body but is the mind or human spirit which is the source of our life, memories and intelligence.  

I am fully aware that this is a very difficult subject to grasp.  If it’s GODS will the you will understand if not then you will not understand.

DO I HAVE ENOUGH OF GODS LOVE AND AM I GROWING IN GODS LOVE

 

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart O GOD and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Create in me a pure human spirit O GOD and renew, repair and restore a steadfast, loyal, unchanging human spirit within me that does your will.

After committing adultery and murder King David humbly and sincerely repented and this Psalm 51 is a prayer of repentance seeking GODS forgiveness.  

Sin, as understood by GODS elect saints, is whatever is not of GODS love because HIS love is the only thing that will fulfill the intent of the Ten Commandments.  The saints know that spiritual perfection does not come until our change comes. Until that day we will still sin and if we say, I have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  The truth here being that we all still sin.  

John tells us in 1 John 2:2

“and HE (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins….”

Propitiation means to turn away the wrath of GOD by genuine repentance thus regaining favor and goodwill.  This is an ongoing cleansing, not just a one shot deal. Which of us, the saints, can at all times keep a pure mind or clean heart (human spirit)?  King Solomon asked the same question.

“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin ?” Proverbs 20:9

Again In Ecclesiastes 7:20 “Surely there is no righteous man on Earth that does good and never sins.”

King David knew that if GOD was not willing to forgive our sins and kept a record of them to use against us then no one would ever have salvation.

Psalm 130:3 “If you O LORD kept track of our iniquities then who O LORD could stand ?”

GOD judges the saints after the thoughts and intents of our human spirit and HE knows that we all have an overwhelming desire to please HIM and receive salvation.  This is what GODS sees and takes notice of when HE judges us, where our hearts truly are.  In eternity GOD knew we would sin and as long as we are in the flesh we will sin.  Our flesh is in a spiritual warfare with our human spirit that is joined with the spirit of GOD. In Romans 7:17 

“Now then, it is no longer I who do it (sin) but sin that dwells in me.”

When the saints are in Christ it is as Paul said in Romans 6:11

“In the same way count yourselves dead to sin but alive to GOD in Christ Jesus.”

In this process we experienced GODS love for us and we return that love by obedience to the gospel message.  Then as GOD has shown love to us we show love to HIM and our fellow human beings, our neighbors.  If we desire mercy and forgiveness from GOD then we must have mercy and forgiveness towards our neighbors.  

To doubt these spiritual truths is to call GOD a liar.  If GOD said, humble yourself and sincerely ask ME and I will forgive you.  Do you think GOD would lie about this ?  Sometimes we allow ourselves with help from Satan to think thoughts that contradict this truth of GOD.  We begin to have doubts that we are not good enough or that we don’t love enough.  Who truly knows these things ?  The opportunity to show GODS love to our neighbors comes from GOD, who has prepared them in eternity for us. 

“For we are GODS handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which GOD has prepared IN ADVANCE for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

These works are unplanned by us but planned by GOD for us. They will come at us out of the blue , by surprise.  In this way it is completely confirmed that the works are not ours.  We have learned these spiritual truths and are fully aware that this showing of GODS love to our neighbors is not for bragging rights, to show off for a crowd but for no other reason than to just show GODS love. 

You don’t need to ask how can I show more of GODS love if GOD is the one who plans the works in ADVANCE to do it ?  We elect don’t even know how to judge our own growth in the spirit

“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact I DO NOT EVEN JUDGE MYSELF.  My conscience is clear but that does not make me innocent. It is the LORD who will judge me.”  1 Corinthians 4:3-4

“All a man’s ways seem right to him but the Lord weighs the heart.”  Proverbs 21:2 

“Do you have faith ?  Have it to yourself before GOD.  Happy is he who does it condemn himself in what he approves.”  Romans 14:22

Spiritual wisdom is required to know the limits of all things.  We are to love a chicken thief but we do not keep company with immoral people.

  “Do not be deceived : bad company corrupts good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

In love we give when we are asked but there are spiritual limits to this as well.  

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more IN KNOWLEDGE AND DEPTH OF DISCERNMENT.”  Philippians 1:9

Galatians 6:10 “Therefore as we have opportunity (as we are able) let us do good to all people, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

You cannot continually second guess yourself or others.  You cannot fear about things that you don’t control and are unable to judge.  If you feel you lack GODLY love then ask the FATHER for more of it.  If we lack wisdom we can ask for more, so why not love ? 

“If any man lacks wisdom let him ask of GOD who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given.”  James 2:5 

We must ask in faith not doubting.

“But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like the wave driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD.”  James 1:6-7

Remember, GOD has prepared works of love for us IN ADVANCE, and is the only one who can judge us, that GOD always forgives a truly repentant person and that if we lack wisdom or love ask GOD in faith without doubting and GOD will give it. 

CARNAL UNCONVERTED PEOPLE MUST KEEP THE LAW, THE OLD COVENANT TEN COMMANDMENTS

 

It is the responsibility of every carnal person to keep the Ten Commandments.  Carnal people are not in Christ, not converted and do not have the Holy Spirit.  Carnal people must keep the old covenant, which is the Ten Commandments.  The Ten Commandments are holy, just and good because GOD gave them in response to all the evil that people think about.  The last or tenth commandment says, “Thou shalt not lust or covet”, and all people break this commandment and along with it the other nine because if you break one commandment you have broken them all.  James 2:10

The law is called a schoolmaster in the scriptures and this is because it has a lesson to teach.  If GOD did not give the law the lesson could not be learned.  The Ten Commandments also served as a powerful deterrent to sin because in most cases if you are caught breaking them you die without mercy.  No one has ever been able to keep the Ten Commandments because ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of GOD.  All this and more are some of the lessons the law can teach a person if they have the Holy Spirit.  The law was designed to lead a person to Christ when they see their utterly hopeless condition under the law.  

Since the Ten Commandments cannot provide salvation, forgive sin, produce GODLY righteousness, show mercy or provide immortality then GOD had to have another covenant, a new covenant, that would provide all these things.  

In order for the carnal world to have any hope of being led to Christ they must keep the Ten Commandments and if a person responds in the proper manner then GOD may want to choose them and put them in HIS church.  GOD opens the mind of the people HE elects to become a saint and the person begins to experience true repentance by realizing the letter kills but the spirit gives life.  The guilt experienced under the law is to produce a GODLY sorrow and repentant attitude in a person.  The person comes to a basic understanding of the gospel and now, with knowledge, loves GODS law, HIS Ten Commandments, because they have learned the lesson of the schoolmaster.  Now they must PASSOVER from the law, the Ten Commandments, into grace and the two commandments of Jesus Christ, love GOD and love your neighbor.  This person now is in the new covenant.  The love of GOD is shed abroad in the human heart by the spirit of GOD empowering the person to fulfill the laws intent.  To love with GODS love will cause no harm to anyone and this love was not possible under the Ten Commandments.

To add clarification to my articles on this blog I now say that if you are a carnal person you should be keeping the old covenant, the Ten Commandments, because it is your hope of being drawn to Jesus Christ.  As Jesus said, 

“No man can come to me unless the FATHER who sent me DRAWS THEM and I will raise them up at the last day.”  John 6:44

This is how ideally the Ten Commandments are to operate but most carnal people use them to become self righteous.  In this they deceive themselves thinking that their keeping the Ten Commandments somehow justifies them when they can only condemn them.  No one is justified by keeping the Ten Commandments.  Galatians 5:4

So then, all you carnal people out there, keep the Ten Commandments, all of them,  perfectly and be honest with yourself in the doing.  Keep an accurate truthful account of your progress, because GOD will.  Then read all of Romans chapter 7:1-25 and if you see yourself in the verses then there may be hope for you.