* Do you believe that your works are as important to God as your faith?
-- I believe that God is honored through our works, we do not work to achieve salvation, but we give back to God by obeying the laws and reaching out to others and offering help.

* Do you believe that any of the 10 Commandments are outdated and based on the culture of a specific area at a specific time?
--I think they are all still very relevant. Though I do wonder why God specified honoring parents so highly and then Jesus later states that "he would turn Father against Son," giving the impression that family is not as important.

* Do you believe the Levitical laws are as relevant as these 10 Commandments?
-- There are some Levitical laws (which for those who may not know, are the other laws listed in the OT for the Jewish people to follow, like what to eat, when to celebrate holidays, and even what to wear) that I think are important, but I believe that the laws caused the people to become too legalistic, and Jesus' goal was for us to understand that the laws were not for salvation, but to help us be better people.

1. I think the point of my good works is to be evidence of my faith and for the purpose of glorifying God. As James says faith without works is dead. C.S Lewis writes that when we adore something (or someone) it overflows into praise and action (when you love your spouse, you say so, you tell others, you do things for your spouse not because he needs them but simply because you love him). Thus my good works are an overflow of the faith and love I have for God.

2. I believe the 10 commandments are still relevant today, but in a different way (and still in the same way...). Paul writes in Romans that the purpose of the law is to show us how absolutely evil we are. When Jesus expounds on the law, he shows how even more impossible the commandments are to keep - if you so much as LOOK at a woman lustfully, he says, you're committing adultery. If you hate your brother, you're murdering him. The point of the law was the show that we would never, ever be good enough to enter the kingdom of God... which leads us to falling on God's amazing grace through Christ's blood - we cannot save ourselves, but he has graciously saved us by taking the punishment that we justly deserve. Are we to follow the commandments? Yes, but not because we have to, but because we want to. Because we adore Christ so much that we desire not to just merely not murder, but to love our neighbors. We desire not to just not covet our neighbor's wife, but instead encourage and strengthen our neighbor's marriage. The Westminster Confession of Faith has an amazing exposition on the 10 commandments...

In response to Mary, I think the spirit in which Jesus was going to split father and son is through those who would believe in him and those that would not. As Christians we can honor our parents (who may not be Christians) without sharing their faith - but they may disown us or hate us for our faith (as is the case in some countries where Christianity is a crime).

3. The Levitical laws, as I understand it, were done away with through Christ. The ceremonial laws were for an old covenant. With Christ having been sacrificed as the once for all, there's no need for a priesthood (indeed, we have all become priests) or for a temple (as we are the temple). Where before the Law prevailed, grace has come to abound even more. We are under grace, not the law. Also, technically, we're Gentiles and as Paul pointed out, it was not necessary for Gentile Christians to adopt the Jewish customs (even though Christianity is technically the fulfillment of the Jewish faith) - when some Jewish Christians were requiring circumcision of the Gentiles, Paul responded that it was unnecessary and laid out a few basic requirements for Gentile Christians (not to eat meat with blood in it, keep from sexual immorality, and to abstain from food sacrificed to idols).

Okay so that was really long....

1. James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Yes, we can't work our way to heaven, but I think heaven will be full of workers--who showed their faith by their works.

2. I find it intriguing that even people who are not Christians (or jews)agree that the 10 Commandments are good basic rules for life. I agree. I wish people, mainly strict conservatives, would stop squabbling over putting them up everywhere and instead concentrate on trying to live them. I cannot stand that argument.

I agree with Mary that the most troubling 10 Commandment is honoring parents--what about the abusers, users, and downright rotten parents? Should be honor them? Paul encouraged followers to even respect Roman rule--even as the ruler at the time, Nero was using Christians as torches at banquets. If he encouraged respect there, then we should respect our parents even if they've wronged us. (God even spoke with his arch-enemy with respect in the OT, which was something new I learned this week. That puts alot in perspective)

3. I agree with Shannon above on the Levitical laws. Many of the rules were to safeguard cleanliness in a time where people did very unsanitary things (keeping kosher) or to avoid discord in a very contrary group (commanding the specific measurements and number of curtain rings in the tabernacle). Several Jews don't really recognize the 10 commandments--they have several more they attach to that list. So no, I don't think they are as important--mainly because they weren't repeated in the NT.

Ok, so I did a little research on Shannon Too's comment about the commandments in the NT, and I found out that Jesus does remind us of them here:

Matthew 19:16-30 (New Century Version)

A Rich Young Man's Question
16 A man came to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to have life forever?"

17 Jesus answered, "Why do you ask me about what is good? Only God is good. But if you want to have life forever, obey the commands."

18 The man asked, "Which commands?"

Jesus answered, " 'You must not murder anyone; you must not be guilty of adultery; you must not steal; you must not tell lies about your neighbor; 19 honor your father and mother;[a] and love your neighbor as you love yourself.' "[b]

20 The young man said, "I have obeyed all these things. What else do I need to do?"

21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, then go and sell your possessions and give the money to the poor. If you do this, you will have treasure in heaven. Then come and follow me."

22 But when the young man heard this, he left sorrowfully, because he was rich.

23 Then Jesus said to his followers, "I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Yes, I tell you that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

25 When Jesus' followers heard this, they were very surprised and asked, "Then who can be saved?"

26 Jesus looked at them and said, "For people this is impossible, but for God all things are possible."

27 Peter said to Jesus, "Look, we have left everything and followed you. So what will we have?"

28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, when the age to come has arrived, the Son of Man will sit on his great throne. All of you who followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother,[c] children, or farms to follow me will get much more than they left, and they will have life forever. 30 Many who are first now will be last in the future. And many who are last now will be first in the future.
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So I guess the most important thing to remember about the commandments is what Jesus says, it is not us, and our works, who saves us, but God because all things are possible through Christ! :)