The Rapture, What Does the Bible Teach?

A great majority of modern evangelical Christians hold to what is commonly known as the "Pre-trib rapture" of the Church. The basic idea is that at some point in time just prior to the great tribulation, Christ will return, secretly catching away believers, sparing them from the wrath to come. Scriptures such as Matthew 24:40-42, 1 Thess 4:16-17, and 1 Thess 5:9, are used as texts to back up this teaching. This doctrine has been promoted in recent times by teachers such as Hal Lindsey, and John Haggee, movies such as "A Thief in The Night", and the popular Left Behind series of books.

This has not been the view that the Church has historically held. It is a more recent teaching that has come about in the last 180 years.  What started as a vision a fifteen year old girl claimed to receive in 1830 , was promoted by John Darby, then  by C. I. Scofield, eventually finding its way into Bible colleges and seminaries such as Moody and the Dallas theological seminary.

But is it scriptural? Does the Bible teach that Christians will be raptured (caught up, taken out of this world) before the great tribulation? Indeed, there are verses that at first glance might lead one to think so, but a careful study of scriptures within their context proves otherwise. I believe it is vital to a right understanding of truth, that we come with an open mind and heart, without our preconceptions, and see what God says to us through His word.

One of the pre-trib proof texts is found in 1 Thessalonians 4.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the couds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thess 4:16-17 KJV)

These verses deals with the return of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the catching away of those who are alive and remain. Those who hold to a pre-trib rapture place this event prior to the seven year tribulation. This is based upon Paul's statement in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, that God has not appointed us into wrath, and Christ's promise in Rev 3:10, to keep faithful Christians from the hour of trial about to come upon the earth.

When God sent the plagues upon the Egyptians, the Israelites were untouched. Except for the tenth plague, there was a distinction made between them. Egypt suffered through the plagues, while the Israelites did not. In the tenth plague, God made provision for the children of Israel to avoid the death angel, and be spared. In like manner, God is not pouring out His wrath on believers during the tribulation, but upon the ungodly. Believers may suffer persecution at the hands of evil men, but they are not suffering God's wrath. Using Lot for an example of God's deliverance, we are told in 2 Peter 2:7-9, that God knows how to rescue the righteous from trials. We pray,  "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matt 6:13). These are precious promises to believers, but not proof positive of a pre-trib rapture. While we may face persecution in this world, we can count upon our faithful Father to keep us pure and unspotted, and to bring us safely through. Interestingly, we see Jesus praying not that God would take His disciples out of the world, but that He would keep them from the evil (John 17:15). That alone should cause us to stop and think about this doctrine.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. John 17:14-15 KJV

Apparently Jesus believed that one did not need to escape this world to be delivered from persecution. Throughout the history of the Church there has been times of severe persecution where countless numbers of Christians have suffered and died for their faith. This is to be expected. There are numerous places in the new testament where we are warned of persecution. Yet again, believers have found God to be more than enough in the hour of trial, facing torture and death firm in the faith. It seems ironic that many today in foreign lands suffer unspeakable horrors, yet boldly stand for Christ, while so many of us in America are content to sit safely in our comfort zones while we wait for the rapture to spare us from suffering.

Jesus made many plain statements concerning His return, the resurrection of the dead, and the gathering of His elect. We will now look at some of these, starting in Matthew 24.

Jesus begins His teaching with the warning, "Take heed that no man deceive you (Matt 24:4). How very important it is indeed that we know the truth, that we are not deceived about something as important as this topic is to our very souls. Jesus warns of false christs, wars, and rumours of wars, kingdoms and nations rising up against one another. He warns of disasters and famines, afflictions and persecution. Deceivers will rise up and deceive many. People will hate and betray one another. Sin will abound, and the love of many will grow cold. The apostle Paul writes of a great falling away prior to Christ's return (2 Thess 2:3). According to Jesus, it is the one who endures to the en
d who will be saved. When the gospel of the kingdom has been preached throughout all the world, the end will come.

When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judea flew into the mountains: let him which is in the household not come down to take any thing out of his house: neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: for them shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.  Matt 24:15-22 KJV

Jesus now turns to the time of great tribulation beginning with the revealing of the antichrist.  Notice that this time is said to be shortened for the sake of the elect. According to Jesus, there will be Christians in the earth at this time. The argument may be made that these are people who have turned to Christ after the rapture, or the Jewish people on the earth at this time who will be saved during the tribulation. However, was Christ's intended audience tribulation saints, those left behind during the rapture? While His original audience were Jews, was this only meant for them? In Revelation 7:9-17 we read of a great multitude which no man could number, made up of all nations who came out of the great tribulation. According to pre-trib theology, few gentiles will be saved at this time, as God is primarily dealing with Israel. This does not fit with what is stated here in Revelation however. The multitudes mentioned in this passage of scripture were not raptured before the tribulation, but went through it, and were made up of people from all nations.

The apostle Paul is in agreement with Jesus' statement about the revealing of the antichrist,

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together into him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man receive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. 2 Thess 2:1-8 KJV

Paul is saying here that the second coming of Christ, along with our gathering together to Him (the rapture) will not occur until after a great falling away from the faith, and the revealing of the antichrist. Most pre-tribbers believe that the Church is gone before this point. This view is based upon  Paul's statement about the restrainer being taken out of the way. The idea being that the one restraining the antichrist is the Holy Spirit, who will be absent from the earth when the Church is raptured. However, Paul clearly states that the antichrist will be revealed before this, and we have just read the words of Jesus, how after the revelation of the man of sin, a great tribulation will come upon the earth. This is all prior to Christ's return to gather His elect, as we shall see.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matt 24:29-31 KJV

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a monent, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Cor 15:51-52 KJV

Notice how this is all taking place at one time. The second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead in Christ, and the rapture of the living saints. Pre-trib theology teaches that this is a two staged event, the rapture and resurrection, followed seven years later by Christ's return. This finds no Biblical support, these three verses actually disprove this theory. We have Jesus return to earth with a shout and the sound of a trumpet. The dead in Christ rise first, and then those who are alive are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. One event, not two. According to Jesus this takes place after the tribulation. This is the rapture, the gathering of the elect that Jesus and Paul are speaking of in these verses. Notice the sound of the trumpet. It is the last trump. There is no more. When the trump sounds it is at the return of Christ. These verses cannot be split up to teach a two stage rapture and second coming.

Read these verses concerning the resurrection,

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:39-40 KJV

Martha saith into him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. John 11:24 KJV

 There cannot be a resurrection on the last day, and then seven years of tribulation. That would make no sense. If this event was prior to the tribulation, what happens to those who die as martyrs during the tribulation? The Bible speaks of a second resurrection in Rev 20:5, but this is the raising of the wicked dead for judgment, also referred to as the second death. A Christian will not take part in the second death. The Bible tells us that those who take part in the first resurrection are blessed.  When Christ returns for his saints, it will be the one and only time He returns. There will only be one resurrection of the dead in Christ, one rapture, and one second coming. This will take place at the last day, the end of the tribulation, as we have seen in the word of God. There is no concrete Biblical support for a pre-tribulational rapture. Do not be deceived, but be watchful  and alert, lest that day come upon you unawares.

Temptation.

Temptation is something that we all face during this lifetime. We have all experienced the temptation to do something that we know is wrong, to sin. There have been times when we said no, and walked away from the temptation, but sadly, there have been the times as well when we have fallen into sin.

Let's take a look at what the Bible has to say about temptation, and how we can gain victory over it in our lives. 

We first find reference to this subject in the third chapter of Genesis, 

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"

The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.' "

The serpent said  to the woman, "You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit, and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. (Genesis 3:1-6 NASB)

Notice how the serpent enticed Eve. He placed doubt into her mind, twisting the very words of God. He caused her to question what God had commanded, even the extent of the command. He caused her to question the consequences of disobedience to the command of God by telling her that she would not die, and instead she will be like God, knowing good from evil. Her passion was aroused as she looked at the fruit, and she ate, thus sinning against God.

James tells us that the power of temptation lies in the arousal of our passions. We read, 

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. (James 1:14-15 NASB)

We all have desires, we all see things that we would like to have, or like to do. The problem is that these things are not always right. Sometimes, a thought enters our minds, a desire to do something that is wrong. What we now do with this desire determines if we live or die spiritually. When we continue to gaze upon the forbidden fruit, That is, to think upon our desire, to let it grow within our hearts, we will find that object more and more attractive, and we will also find ourselves more and more willing to commit the evil act. Our conscience will become quiet within us, or rather, we will drown it out, as we seek to justify our action, much like Eve, as she listened to what the serpent had to say. We sin when we give in to the gratification of our desires. This is something that we have all experienced, and far too many of us still experience the bitter reality of failure in our Christian lives as well.

We often find consolation in telling ourselves that we are too weak, the temptation is too strong, and we just cannot help ourselves. Some of us may fancy that our situation is unique to us, and no one else can understand the temptations that we face. Again, the Word of God speaks to this as well, 

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:13 NASB)

This verse tells us that our temptations are not unique to us, that others face the same things that we do, and that God Himself knows our limits, and will not allow the temptation to be more that we can endure. He is faithful to provide the way of escape. We have no excuse, we can say no to sin! This is a solemn verse in that it strips away our feeble excuses and our poor attempts at justifying our actions. We should at the same time be encouraged, that we can face temptation and gain victory over the sins that so easily beset us (Heb 12:1). 

Jesus faced temptation in the same way that we do. (Matt 4:1-11; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:1-13). We read that even though He was tempted Just as we are, yet He did not sin (Heb 4:15). Satan tried to reach Jesus through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. He twisted scripture, but Jesus recognized this. How important it is for us to know and understand the Word of God as well. It is a powerful weapon to use when we are assailed by the enemy of our souls as well, but it does us no good if we do not know the scriptures inside out, and hide them within our hearts, like we would hide a valuable treasure (Psalm 119:11).  

We find hope and consolation in the fact that because He was tempted, Jesus, as our great high priest, can sympathize with our weaknesses. We read, 

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do  not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4: 14-16 NASB)

Far too often we will approach the throne of grace for pardon after we have fallen. While it is true that we have an advocate with God the Father in the person of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1), and we can and should go to Him with the guilt of our sin, how much more should we go to Him for the wisdom and grace we need to escape temptation before we sin? Jesus was tempted in the things that He suffered. He is able to come to our aid (Heb 2:18). As we have seen, through Christ, we can be over comers. We do not need to fall, in fact, we have everything needful to not fall! 

Diligence.

Diligence is a word that somehow seems to be forgotten. It is seldom mentioned from the pulpit, overlooked by the best selling "Christian" authors of the day, and has been replaced with a more passive type of "faith" by modern Bible teachers. It is far more comfortable to be passive, easier to just sit back and "trust" Jesus. After all, the work of the cross is a finished work.

 It is true that the work of Christ is a finished work in the sense that there is nothing we can do or add to it, it is equally true that we must actively participate in our salvation. As Paul states in Philippians 2:12, we are called to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Faith is an active faith, and salvation in its true sense is a life to be lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20, Romans 8:13-14).

Diligence means to give wholehearted effort to something. A diligent person is one who takes great care, goes to great length, and perseveres against all odds, to accomplish a purpose. They accomplish what they set out to do, because it is of utmost importance to them.

Contrary to those who claim that this amounts to mere works done in a legalistic spirit, the Bible sets forth plainly that we are to be diligent in our Christianity. There are two passages in 2 Peter that we will look at. 

Grace and peace be multiplied to you, in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or shortsighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. (2 Peter 1:2-11 NASB)

This is working out our salvation with fear and trembling! We are not working for our salvation as if it were something we could earn or accomplish on our own, but working out what God is working in our lives (Phil 2:12-13). We have God given faith, we have God's promises to us as found in His word, and we are made partakers of His divine nature. We now must yield to Him, submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in obedience to His word. We, like Paul the Apostle, are to press on to maturity (Phil 3:7-17). The Christian life is a life of continual growth. It is impossible to remain stationary, and yet be alive as a Christian. We must be diligent in this or we risk drifting away from the hope of our salvation (Hebrews 2:1-3). This passages ends with the exhortation to make our calling and election sure. Again, this is not self effort, not a call to salvation by works, but an admonition to persevere in our life in Christ. If we are not following Jesus, if we are not walking in the Spirit, we are falling away from Christ, and risk our very souls. Salvation is a radical transformation of heart and life. It must be lived out in our daily lives if it is real.

The Apostle peter, in speaking of the return of Christ and the end of the age, has this to say,

But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless. (2 Peter 3:13-14 NASB)

Those who are longing for the return of Christ are to be diligent in their conduct today! John admonishes us to abide in Him so that we will not be ashamed at His coming (1 John 2:28-29). This involves living righteously. Again he writes that those who are looking for the appearance of Christ will purify themselves just as Christ is pure. Once again, this is speaking of the purity of our heart and actions (1 John 3:3-6). We are told that no one who abides in Him sins, as He has come to take away sins. We must be ever so diligent in our daily lives, each and every moment, that we are not led away from Christ through complacency or allowing sin in our lives. This takes effort, diligence. 

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NASB) 

Two Kingdoms: An Anabaptist Perspective on Warfare | Dean Taylor

Ashamed Of Jesus.

"I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. And I say unto you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before angels of God. (Luke 12:4-9 NASB)

 Jesus warns us that we are not to fear man, who can only kill the body. Rather, we are to fear the one who after He has killed the body, can cast it into hell. This is a very solemn warning that we need to pay more careful attention to. It can be so easy to remain silent when those around us are mocking Christianity. Like the ten spies sent into the land of Canaan, we too are often overwhelmed by fear, and perceive that those who stand in opposition to Jesus Christ are much larger than they really are. Yet, as Jesus says, they can only kill the body and no more. We are not to fear them, but to fear God.We also receive the comforting promise that God cares for us. The same God who cares for the birds, cares for us as well. We read of Stephen, as the enraged mob was about to stone him,  

But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." (Acts 7:55-56 NASB)

God gave Stephen what he needed to face the hour of trial, the Lord Jesus himself standing up for His faithful martyr. 

We are given the promise that if we confess Christ before men, He will confess us before the angels. We are also given the warning that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us. In Mark 8:38 we read, 

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of Him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38 NASB) 

Indeed, we live in an adulterous and sinful generation. There are many who compromise with the world around them. There are those who choose to remain silent out of fear, or out of a desire not to offend someone. To them, Jesus' warning is clear and sobering. We dare not be ashamed of the one who gave His life for us. His words are truth and bring life. How can we, His followers, be ashamed of Him and His words? Yet, the temptation is very real, and like Peter, even though we may say we would never deny Him, we so often do (Matt 26:33-35). 

The same Peter who denied Christ, was filled with boldness on the day of Pentecost, as he stood before the jeering crowd and boldly proclaimed Christ crucified and risen from the dead. From that point on, we see the boldness and zeal of the early Church, as they spread the gospel in the face of persecution. May we possess that same spirit today, and boldly stand for Christ in our generation.

Was Jesus Teaching Law Instead Of The Gospel?

The teaching exists, and is in fact quite common, that what Jesus taught in the gospels is not gospel, but law. The idea is that Jesus came to people who were under the Old covenant; who were under law, therefore what He said to them has little or no application for us today. One must go to the writings of the Apostle Paul, they say, to understand the gospel of grace under the New Covenant.

The Sermon on the Mount, his teachings on anger, forgiveness, worry, laying up treasures, divorce and remarriage, turning the other cheek, etc. were all law given to people under law, and while they may have some merit today, they are quite unnecessary, as they have nothing to do with salvation in this day of grace. Many teachers exist, indeed have existed in the past as well, who explain  away all of His teachings found in the gospels in this manner.

Jesus taught much in the three and a half years He walked upon this earth. Could it be true that what He taught, what He emphasized was only for a brief transition period between the dispensations of law and grace? Could it be possible that what He taught His disciples the night of His betrayal and arrest on obedience, abiding in the vine, and bearing fruit (John 14:21, 15:1-11), could be safely disregarded within the next few days after His resurrection? What about His severe statement found in Matthew 7:21-23? He states that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of His Father in heaven will enter. Those who live disobedient lives will be cast out on the day of judgment, as workers of lawlessness. Is this a mere legalistic statement that we can now safely ignore as those who are not under law but grace? What about the sheep and goat judgment found in Matthew 25:31-46? Has this threat now passed from us under the New Covenant?

Look at what Jesus began to proclaim from the very start of His ministry.

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

(Matt 4:17 NASB)

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord."

And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

(Luke 4:17-21 NASB)

Jesus begins His ministry preaching the kingdom of heaven. This is a new thing, not the chosen kingdom of Israel with all of it's rituals and laws, but the kingdom of heaven. He is proclaiming the gospel to the poor, and release to the captives, sight to the blind, and freedom for the spiritually oppressed. This is good news, as that is what is meant by the term gospel. This is not law, as so many believe, but the good news, the gospel. This same gospel of the kingdom was proclaimed by Philip (Acts 8:12), and the Apostle Paul (Acts 20:25, 28:30-31). Jesus was not teaching something temporary during a transition from law to grace, but was teaching the same gospel that was later proclaimed after His ascension. Jesus states, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come " (Matt 24:14 NASB)

When John the Baptist sent his disciples to question Jesus if He was the Messiah, Jesus replied to them in a similar manner. "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them (Luke 7:22 NASB). Once again, Jesus is not claiming to preach law, but the gospel. We read later on in Luke's gospel that the law and prophets were proclaimed until John (the Baptist). Since that time, the gospel of the kingdom of God is being preached (Luke 16:16). Once again the good news of the gospel, not law.

Prior to His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples the "great commission." They were to go into all the world and make disciples, (Mark records Preach the gospel), teaching them to observe all that Jesus had commanded them (Matt 28:19-20). Jesus emphasized obedience to His commands.

God has always had a moral standard of righteousness that He requires from each and everyone of us. This has been true from the very beginning. In the Old Testament, as well as the New, we read that we are to be holy, as God is holy (Lev 11:45; 1 Peter 1:15-16), we are to love God with supreme love (Deut 6:5; Matt 22:37), and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev 19:18; Matt 19:19; Luke 10:25-28). Jesus summed up the law and prophets by telling us to treat others in the same way we would like them to treat us (Matt 7:12). When God gave Israel the ten commandments (the moral law), He was not giving them some terrible, burdensome commandments to make life miserable for them. To the contrary, He was showing them how He expected them to live; how they were to worship and love Him, and how they were to treat one another. Paul repeats this theme in his epistle to the  Romans when he states that loving our neighbor is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8-10). 

When Jesus ministered upon this earth, He set about to uphold the law, which had become twisted and made of non effect through the vain teachings of the scribes and Pharisees of the day. He was not imposing legal standards that must be rigidly kept if one was to be saved, but He was holding forth, for the world to see, God's holy standard of righteousness; what He expects from all people, namely, that we would give up our selfish devotion to our own welfare and lusts, and instead love God with supreme love, and love our neighbor as ourselves. 

To refuse to do this, to selfishly pursue our own interests at the expense of our devotion to God, and our care for our fellow man, is rebellion. Paul tells us that the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, refusing to be subject to the law of God. There is that word law again. Paul teaches us that if we are not in subjection to the law of God, we are His enemies, and are dead spiritually (Romans 8:6-8). Jesus teaches us that those who love Him will obey Him, and be loved by God, the Father (John 14:21). Once again, remember the solemn warning found in Matthew 7:21-23. God has always, and will always, expect obedience. this applies to the New Covenant, as well as the Old Covenant. God's standard of righteousness has not changed.

We read in Hebrews 8, 

For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant which I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not care for them, says the Lord. 

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

(Heb 8:7-10 NASB)

We also read this in Romans 8,

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

(Romans 8:3-4 NASB)

The problem was not the law, the law is holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12). The problem lies within us. We do not wish to submit to it. the law serves to show us God's standard, but it does not empower us to obey it. The entire chapter of Romans 7 is a lesson on the futility of a person under the law trying to be good on his or her own. It cannot be done. Jesus tells us that the problem is found within the heart of man (Mark 7:20-23). The one who commits sin is the slave of sin (John 8:34). Paul agrees with this (Romans 6:16), as does Peter (2 Peter 2:19).

What the New Covenant provides is the willingness and power to subject ourselves to God's standard and will for our lives. We can now live victorious lives in freedom from the dominion and power of sin. Instead of being forgiven in our sin, we are forgiven and set free from the power of sin, and enabled to be obedient to the law of God. This is not a slavish obedience, but a loving surrender to the rule of Jesus Christ over every area of our lives. Jesus said that the one whom He sets free is free indeed (John 3:36). Back up a few verses, and you will read that it is essential to continue in His word if we would be His disciples, and find the truth that makes us free (John 8:31-32). Once again, obedience is essential to the life of a true disciple. Not legalism, but love.

We read that Jesus came to redeem us from this present evil age (Gal 1:4); that He came to destroy the devil's works, and as a result, the one born of God does not sin (1 John 3:8-9). Yes, we must be forgiven our past, as it stands between us and God. but it is also true that we are in desperate need of transformation, if we are to live a life pleasing to God by faith.

To many, it may appear that Jesus was teaching commandments and laws, while Paul was teaching salvation by grace through faith, but a careful reading of the epistles of Paul, as well as Peter, James, and the epistles of John, show us that it is all the same message, the same gospel that Jesus proclaimed as well. We must heed His warnings to the disobedient. We dare not become careless or complacent when it comes to His commands and teachings, for He requires of us that we be obedient to the faith, as Paul also agrees with (Romans 1:5; Titus 3:11-13). 

Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness."

(2 Tim 2:19 NASB)