Bro Luke,
It seems like we are about the same age and we are both going to Bible school to study the Book. It also seems like we have some similar experiences and questions and convictions, also. Amen, that's a good thing!
One thing that has frequently popped up when questions like this have bounced around in my brain is, Ecclesiastes 12:13,14.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Here faith and works are clearly "in the equation". Fear (arguably not a NT thing, but that is another question, Paul never tells us to "fear God") and Keep his commandments. This is faith and works. These were both necessary for an old testament Jew to get into Paradise.
What works(commandments)? Well when you sinned, you did the proscibed rememdy that is talked about in Leviticus, Deut, etc- killing lambs, bulls, turtledoves, etc. You still had sin in you, but you (this is only my understanding, very well could be wrong) got the sin washed and you had none on you. If you endured to the end this way, you could go to Paradise but not heaven. They were there until Jesus came and preached to them and they accepted him as their awaited Messiah and then went with him to heaven.
Well, I am just waiting for someone to pick this apart. Should be fun. Hope this helps.
|