Jesus' new covenant not only replaces the 10 Commandments, but the halakalah (the path that one walks), based on the mitzvot (laws from the Torah), the minhag (basically, customs), and the kashrut (dietary laws), with a more simple, and less legalistic and prescribed way of relating to God. One of many reasons the Jews were not real keen on Jesus' message....he was basically denouncing, (as they saw it) and replacing their culture, and expanding their special relationship with God as the chosen people to include...gasp... Gentiles and anyone else who would follow Him.

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“It is easy to find truth; it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it.”

I was brought up in the Reformed faith and we were taught from childhood that we were under Grace and not under the law. Sin exists completely outside of law as we well know. The law had not been given yet when God destroyed the entire Human race except Noah and his family. He destroyed them for what? For their great wickedness. The law is refered to as a "Curse" by Paul and why is that? It's a curse because it was God's method of showing sinful mankind the utter impossibility of keeping it and gaining merit in His sight by works.

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I'm a stranger in a strange land.

The law had three facets that I can figure out

One to keep the nations separate from the pagans and non believers that surrounded them

Two to teach humility, being there were over 600 laws it was impossible to follow or live up to

Three pointed to a need for a fulfillment or exchange which was Jesus

I'm sorry, what the heck is "The Reformed faith?" I asked this somewhere else too....forgive my ignorance and impertinence.

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“It is easy to find truth; it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it.”

Four, it prevented the spread of contagious diseases.

How so? Some say because of circumcision, but that doesn't stop diseases. That was to be a symbol of the hebrew people as God's chosen people.

Mostly, the kashrut, but cleanliness, food handling, avoidance of "contamination", burial ritual and timing, etc.

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“It is easy to find truth; it is hard to face it, and harder still to follow it.”

Yep good choice and accurate
I guess my post had to do with a spiritual level

Your question is neither Ignorant or is it impertinent. It's a really big question and I will try to give you a very small bit of what it is. By the way I feel very humbled in trying to explain just what it is to you.

It's systematic study of the word of God that looks at the whole of scripture as a unity. There is almost nothing new in the new Testament that is not either in the old as a type or as a rule. I always like to say that God is the same yesterday,today, tomorrow and forever. His plans for his people have always been the same and he has carried out his plans with his people by covenants. Another name for Reformed theology is Covenant theology. The entire universe is very ordered and logical. The natural laws of science and all God's creation follow very logical and ordered paths. His word and his plans for us must be logical also.So reformed theology looks to understand the bible in the same way with order, logic and method. This way of studying God's word can bring us to some deep and sometime hard truths about God. But as Christians we should desire to come to know God as best as He has revealed himself to us in His word. I will give you an example of what I am talking about. Let's say that it's a given that all Christians believe in the Omnipotence of God. At the same time these same believers would say, "God desires all people to believe and be saved". Well that's not logical is it? God's plans can not be frustrated in any way because He is all powerful. We can see therefore that this statement is untrue and how we would like God to be from our sinful human perspective is not how He is. Tell me ,How could God send a person to Hell if He loved that person. He couldn't. So the question that brings up is, does God love everyone as so many Christians say He does. The bible is very clear on this question that God loves His people, the ones He has chosen to adopt into His family by His own sovereign grace. Outside of that Grace there is only wrath and judgement.

These are just a couple of examples of how a reformed Christian would look at theology from what exactly the bible says in a logical way. From this way of looking at the things of God Reformers have come up with 5 major points that separate them from the mass of protestant believers who whether they know it or not believe in Arminian or dispensational theology. Notice that I did not say system of theology because it's not systematic.

The 5 points of reformed theology are:
1, The total depravity of man. This the belief that as a result of the fall man was left in a total state of sin in relation to God. Sin touched us in all our ways. Our words ,thoughts and deeds. even our good deeds were as filthy rags in the sight of a Holy God as the prophet said. This understanding is very important to Christians in order for them to understand the holiness of God and the unimaginable glories of His Grace.

2,Unconditional election. Did I in some way do something that God can now choose or reject me for his saving grace? No, God has chosen His own "from before the foundation of the earth". It's done out of His Sovereign Will and has no conditions attached.

3,This is one that many people do not like but there is more than ample proof from the bible and it's logical, it makes sence and nothing else does.
Limited atonement, Did Jesus die on that cross for all of humanity? No He did not. He died to save His own, the ones that the Father had given to Him from eternity. The blood of Jesus was never shed in vain. If the blood of Jesus was shed for those who reject him then it wasn't a perfect sacrifice at all.

4, Irrestistible grace, Can someone who was chosen by God to be His own reject that grace? He cannot. All those chosen by God will be saved by God. His plans are everlasting and eternal. Can the will of man frustrate an almighty God?

5,Perserverance of the Saints, Can a saved person lose their salvation? They can not. In my opinion it is one of the most damaging beliefs that a Christian can ever have is to believe that God could in any way cast them out. It is totally unscriptual and must cause a lot of fear in the hearts of those who would believe such a heresy. People that do not have a proper understanding of salvation can very easily believe this however. It follows that if you believe that in any way you are responsible for your salvation, that you have done something that gained you salvation then you could also do something that would lose you your salvation. Does the bible not say,"He who has begun a good work in you is faithful to bring it to completion"?

Well it's getting late and I'm tired. I really hope that I have given you a small understanding of what Reformed is. It's a huge and fasinating area of biblical study. There is so much on the net about it. I suggest you google, R.C. Sproul. He is my favorite Reformed Pastor.

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I'm a stranger in a strange land.

Can one earn salvation?
Yes and no
The bible speaks of losing salvation, one would assume for this to be logical then the opposite is also true to a extent


Matthew 12:31-32
31And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Now this scripture is interesting becouse it uses the phrase "they follow me" this would point to a person having to activaly following Jesus to earn eternal life

John 10:27-29
27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand

Yeah I know of the scripture that says
Ephesians 2:8-9
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.

I feel the act of being saved is consummated at death