K143. Do we still walk with God's commandments?

Many claim that we should only walk with the Lord, walk in the Spirit, Walk in wisdom, walk by the 'flow', or walk by the 'rhema' teaching of a certain anointed preacher. However, they have forgotten, walking with the Lord is simply walking after His commandments or walking in His will (having been restored to walk with God again).
Exo 25:22 KJV  And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Deu 8:6 KJV  Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
2Jn 1:6 KJV  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
Rom 8:1 KJV  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Gen 3:8 KJV  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
God's words said it so clearly: If we have His commandments, we will commune with Him and walk with Him. But if we do not keep His commandments, we will hide from Him, and then we will walk in the flesh or walk like the fallen Adam. Hence, walking in the flesh is the reverse of walking in the Spirit or walking with the commandments of God. If there is no commandment from God, men cannot walk with God or commune with God; men can only hear from the imagination of their hearts or the doctrine of the false prophets:
Jer 16:11-12 KJV  Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;  (12)  And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
Jud 1:18-19 KJV  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.  (19)  These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Walking with God's commandments vs walking with our own excuses
Hence, many who walk without God's commandment will walk after their own imagination or excuses. Their excuses for not walking with God's commandments can be almost inexhaustible. Many have come up with the following excuses:

1. that God had no plan to give any commandment to the Israelites until they boasted and said that they could obey all the commandments (Exo 19:7-8)?
I will tell them, That is not true. Please read Exo 19:7-8 again. Do you notice that God had already laid His words and commandments before their faces, even before they asked for the commandments ?
Exo 19:7-8 KJV  And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.  (8)  And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Hence, it is always the will of God to give His commandments (not just word of promises) to men from the very beginning, even before man rebelled (Gen 2:16-17). His will never change. Hence, if anyone tries to change it, remove it, or preaches against it, God will reject him even though he may have done many good things:
Mat 7:15-24 KJV Beware of false prophets, which come to you .. (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (24)  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Jesus said that many (not a few) will deny Him even though they argue vehemently that they hear, preach, or confess His name:
a. They could have denied Him by rejecting His logos words or written words
b. They could have lied by rejecting His words saying that they heard a voice, a sound, a 'chime', a small inner prompting, or a rhema revelation which can fit only their own doctrine or imagination
c. They are the false prophets who have rejected God's words because they lied and twisted God's words with their own words. When they always tell you that "God told me in a special dream .. ", "God said to me in a special vision ..", "God spoke to me in a special anointing", "God has a special word or blessing for you this year .." .. and etc, beware! It could be a strategy to get the people to believe that they are the 'anointed'.
Mat 24:23-26 KJV  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ (anointed), or there; believe it not.  (24)  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  (25)  Behold, I have told you before.  (26)  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

2. that Jesus preached against walking with God's commandments with the metaphors of plucking out your eye and cutting off your hand?
I will say, That is not true too because it contradicts what Jesus said when He told the disciples to keep His words and commandments which came from His Father.
Joh 14:24-31 KJV  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me .. (31) But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

3. that the Apostles did not want the believers to keep any law or commandment?
I will tell them, Yes, the Apostles did tell the believers not to keep the law; but they did not tell them to reject God's commandments. When the Apostles told the believers not to keep 'the law', they did not refer to the law in general (eg. the law of the country, the law of the society, or the law of God); they refer to 'the law' which is known only by the Jews. Please pay attention to 'the law' that the Apostles would warn the people about in Act 15:5-6, Act 15:24, Rom 2:25, and Gal 6:13. The believers were told not to keep 'the law' because the Apostles did not want the Gentile believers to be burdened by the law, requirement, and circumcision known and practiced only by the Jews under the law of Moses. It is not equivalent to the rejection of all the laws and commandments of God. I have explained about it in K140.

4. that since no one can really keep all the commandments, we do not need to keep any commandment?
I will tell them, That is an excuse. It is like saying: "Since no one can really obey, we do not need to obey", "Since no one can really be humble, we do not need to be humble", "Since no one is honest, no need to be honest ..", "Since no one is doing it, we don't do it .." That is not true. That is the most irresponsible thinking or teaching from a lawless preacher. It is from the principle of the flesh; not the principle of God. The sinners lie and lust, and they would say among themselves, "Since all of us do the same things and we can never change, we do not change." But do we, the believers, say the same things among ourselves too. No. However, many lawless preachers will mock at the teaching of Christ as the doctrine of amputation theatre and say, "The believers lie and lust too. Do you ask them to pluck out their eyes and cut off their limbs too? No wonder, your churches are filled with the lame and the one-eyed jacks."
I will tell them, Yes, I will take it as a compliment, and we are not ashamed to believe that the metaphor is applicable to the sinners and the broken people like us because:
1. it was taught as a METAPHOR by JESUS on the pursue for holiness
2. it was SERIOUSLY taught as a metaphor to the DISCIPLES and followers, not the Pharisees or unrepentant sinners
3. it can still be taught as a GODLINESS STANDARD to all the believers who believe and are serious about going to heaven today
4. the metaphor must be interpreted as a metaphor; otherwise it shows the stupidity of the preachers, or the hearers (refer to https://plus.google.com/103386467367636094616/posts/FUg75zhD4ye)
Mat 5:1-30 KJV  And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:  (2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,  (3)  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven .. .. (28) But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.  (29)  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  (30)  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

5. that the sermon and the doctrine of the Lord in Mat 5:1-30 is not for the New Testament believers?
I will tell them, That is not true. If you read His sermon again, you will know that His high expectation for the believers not to sin is for all His disciples; not just for the Jews who were under the law. If you really hear Jesus only, you would hear and preach His words.
Some may still argue, "No, you have misunderstood us because we still keep the high standard of godliness by telling our believers not to sin or watch pornography. Most of our believers can testify that they have stopped watching pornography. So please do not falsely accuse us as irresponsible preachers." I will ask them, If you would expect your believers not to sin or watch pornography, why do you preach that the sermon or the doctrine of the Lord is obsolete and impractical? Do you think that your doctrine is more relevant, practical, or better than the doctrine of the Lord?
The doctrine of the Lord is still practical if we know that his extreme illustration of plucking your eyes in Mat 5 is a metaphorical way of how we must stop sinning and pursue godliness.

6. that if we walk with grace, we cannot walk with  commandments?
I will tell them, That is an excuse. Grace is not a gift of God to remove or replace another gift of God; grace is a gift of God to preserve, keep, protect, or establish the law of God in His people:
Tit 2:11-14 KJV  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,  (12)  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  (13)  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  (14)  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Heb 8:10 KJV  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Hence, the grace of God which brings salvation must teach with the law of God or sound doctrine too. Otherwise, it is not from God. The Bible verses above are for the believers because after:
a. we hear and we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ,
b. we must walk, be sustained, and be established by the law, word, and doctrine of God for good words and works
Mat 4:4 KJV  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
2Th 2:17 KJV  Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Jesus had spoken the truth that is: (although we are not saved by the word or the law of God) we cannot live without the word. It is not just hearing the word; but doing the word also. Hence, TRUE SALVATION is when we:
a. hear the word of His grace, and
b. walk with the word of His commandments
However, many would just hear the word of grace, but walk in the lawless philosophies of the false prophets:
Act 20:29-32 KJV  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  (30)  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  (31)  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.  (32)  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Col 3:16-17 KJV  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  (17)  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Many claim that they hear Jesus only. But do they really hear or do they only hear like king Saul? Why did Jesus tell us to 'hear' twice:
Luk 8:8 KJV  And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
It was not a repetition. Jesus did not want the people to hear with their ears only; He wanted them to hear with their hearts too. This could only be done from an understanding heart, fruitful heart, or obedient heart; in another words, the heart must be an obedient heart which is 'soft' to the word and law of God; otherwise, they will hear and hear (with their ears), but they will still not hear (with understanding) !
1Ki 3:12-15 KJV  Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart ..  (14) And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days ..
Mat 13:14-15 KJV  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: ..
Many false preachers today would tell you to keep hearing the 'rhema' word of God (or the voice of God) from them; but what they won't tell you is that: When their 'rhema' word cannot work in your situation, you must go back to the 'logos' word, the written words, or the commandments of God.

7. that walking with God is just walking with a good opinion of God or having the consciousness that God is good?
I will tell them, That is not true. The Pharisee had a good opinion of God and thought that they would be justified, but Jesus did not think so:
Luk 18:10-14 KJV  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  (11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  (13)  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Today many can sing and confess the name of the Lord with their lips; but their hearts are far away from Him. They argue, "How can it be possible? Don't you know that we are the believers? we are forever saved?"
I will tell them, It is possible because the Bible said so. When you do not have the law of God in your hearts, whatever you confess or do is based on your vain doctrine or lawless philosophies of men. You may even do great things; but they are abomination in His eyes:
Mat 7:22-23 LITV  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power?  (23)  And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"
Mat 15:5-9 KJV  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;  (6)  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.  (7)  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,  (8)  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.  (9)  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mar 7:6-8 KJV  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  (7)  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  (8)  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

8. that washing of pots and cups can do better than keeping the commandments of God?
I will tell them, That is an abomination. Jesus used the metaphor of the 'washing of pots and cups' to describe the deeds of the Pharisees as merely their outward effort, work, or tradition to show off and justify themselves. They went through the ceremony and the motion without really obeying God's commandments. If the Pharisees used the things like the washing of 'pots and cups' to replace God's commandments, the false prophets would use anything to replace God's commandments too. They will use 'the bread and the cup' to lay aside the commandments of God thereby taking the Holy Communion in an 'unworthily' manner:
1Co 11:24-32 KJV  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me .. .. (27)  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord .. .. (29)  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  (30)  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.  (31)  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  (32)  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Thinking or changing the purpose of taking the bread and the cup as something merely to gratify our lawless conscience and desires is taking it unworthily. Instead of thinking and knowing that it is the sacrifice of God or the body of Jesus, many think of it merely as a thing, a commodity, or a merchandise for their carnal flesh, or an excuse for their lawless conscience, thereby removing the sacrifice of God for themselves. That is an abomination worse than the washing of 'pots and cups' by the Pharisees. It could be as abominable as the one committed by king Belshazzar and his men:
Dan 5:1-6 KJV  Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand .. (3)  Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.  (4)  They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.  (5)  In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.  (6)  Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
King Belshazzar and his princes were having good fun and doing fine initially when they drank wine and boasted about the 'God' of their wealth, their armies, their power, their pleasures, their prosperity, their riches, their jobs, their business, their houses, or their temple. However, things suddenly turned bizarre when they saw a finger writing on the wall.
Obviously Belshazzar and his princes were a type of the dragon and beasts in the book of Revelation too. They corrupted the things of God (or the things used for the sacrifices of God) in their palace. But nothing is more abominable when that is done by the beast of the Revelation 13 in God's temple later (in the body of Christ). The 'cup' in God's temple is a metaphor of God's redemption for us. When we fill His 'cup' with our vain imagination or lawless desires , we will contaminate it with our own abomination. That will remove the daily sacrifice of God for ourselves too. Daniel prophesied about the abomination and the fallen king Belshazzar; do we know that he prophesied about the abomination and the fallen 'kings' later in Dan 11 and 12 too? That is also the prophecy of Jesus for the end time churches too:
Dan 11:31 KJV  And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Dan 12:9-11 KJV  And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.  (10)  Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.  (11)  And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Mat 24:14-15 KJV  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.  (15)  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:)
Mar 13:14 KJV  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
Rev 22:10-12 KJV  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.  (11)  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.  (12)  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

9. that walking in wisdom is to prosper in everything and that is the highest blessing for all the believers?
I will tell them, No, that is not true. When John told his children that they might prosper, he did not say that it was his number one wish:
3Jn 1:2-4 KJV  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.  (3)  For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.  (4)  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
John's number one wish for his children was not just to walk in prosperity; but to walk in truth or walk in the commandments of God. However, it is a pity to know that many preachers' number one wish for their 'children' now is just to walk in prosperity. They can only see one prosperity Bible verse and become blind to all the letters of John:
1Jn 1:6 KJV  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
2Jn 1:6  And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
1Jn 2:3-8 KJV  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  (4)  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  (5)  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  (6)  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.  (7)  Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.  (8)  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
1Jn 3:22-24 KJV  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  (23)  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  (24)  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
1Jn 5:2-3 KJV  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  (3)  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
It is clear to us that to walk in wisdom and walk with the Lord is to keep His commandments.

Excuses can be a form of serious rebellion
The nine excuses above are just some of the most common ones preached by some of the hyper grace preachers. However, if a preacher twists the words of God, Jesus, and the Apostles with all the excuses above, and change the word of the warnings in Jud 1:4, Heb 6:4-6, Heb 10:26-29, 1 John 1:9, .. and etc, he will lie on almost everything, including his conscience, his miracles, his men, his pasts, his childhood, his testimonies, and his weaknesses. In another words, he is not just a small liar who will exaggerate and make others misunderstand or feel jealous of him; he is a great liar who has seared conscience, and he would keep using the scripture to deceive, distract, and confuse the believers. He is doing what he is doing now because of the seared conscience which cannot be convicted by even the Holy Spirit (1Ti 4:1, 2Th 2:5-12). I have explained about it in K142.
The nine excuses above are not just misunderstanding or ignorance; they are rebellion, doctrine of lawlessness, or serious offense against God's doctrine and principles of His laws and the law of Christ.
Some preachers today are worst than the religious sinners outside the churches. When they find that they do not like the law of God, they will just blame it as evil, as the bondage, as the demand, as the hindrance which will rob them of their desires, or as something which is too grievous for them; however, when they suffer for the lack of law and order in their country, they will just blame the world, the leaders, the legalistic, the companies, the devils, the terrorists, or the churches. Similarly when Adam and Eve were deceived to think that the law was not meant for their good, they rebelled. But when they suffered and they were judged, they immediately shift the blame to the  serpent.
Today many still blame others. They argue vehemently that they have been condemned, misunderstood, or falsely accused as the antinomian preachers. They argue that they have only preached against the Ten Commandments; not God's commandments. I will tell them, No, God's preachers have not misunderstood you having known that your lawless excuses, imaginations, examples, or typologies are carefully planned and intended preaching against all the laws and commandments of God, not just against the Ten Commandments only. If you have preached the denials or excuses against God's commandments above, it is hard to believe that you have been misunderstood. It is one thing to preach ignorantly against God's commandments; but it another to preach radically against God's commandments and then give people the idea that you have been falsely accused by God's preachers. If king Saul was judged or punished for his ignorance of God's commandment, how much more sorer will your punishment be if you plot or scheme against God's commandment:
1. to exalt yourselves above all others
2. to falsely accuse God's preachers or God's prophets
3. to justify the removal of the Ten Commandments, but subtly making all the words or commandments of God of none effect too
Mar 7:10-13 KJV  For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:  (11)  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.  (12)  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;  (13)  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Mat 15:5-6 KJV  But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;  (6)  And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition (Do you notice that the commandment of God is the word of God? It is still the word of God and it cannot become obsolete.)
Mat 7:12 KJV  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Mat 22:37-40 KJV  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God .. (39)  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  (40)  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The law and the prophets will not pass away forever
It means that all commandments of the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) hang or cram into the two commandments (Jesus Christ):
Luk 9:29-31 KJV  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.  (30)  And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:  (31)  Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.
Luk 16:16-17 KJV  The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.  (17)  And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.
Men may fail; but the law of God never fail. The Law or the Word is now a Spirit in men after it is accomplished and fulfilled through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Hence, the death of Jesus Christ does not signify the death of the law and the prophets; it signifies a new chapter for the law of God to rule in men's lives. Do we remember the two olive trees in the book of Revelation? They were known as the two candlesticks, the two witnesses, or the two prophets of the Lord too:
Rev 11:3-4 KJV  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.  (4)  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:9-11 KJV  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.  (10)  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.  (11)  And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
The people of the world wished them dead, but they came alive and ascended up to heaven in a cloud. It mirrored the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ too. However, I notice a big difference between death of our Lord and the death of the two witnesses.
Rev 11:8-9 KJV  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  (9)  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
While the Bible scholars are still debating on the actual physical location of 'Sodom and Egypt' in v(8) to decide if it is a place which can be identified in our map, I will just want to point out an interesting fact in the death of the two prophets: their bodies remained in the open for 3 1/2 day without being put in graves. This reminds me of the cross which could be the picture of them hanging there while the 'lawless world' was still rejoicing over their death. Hence, whenever I am reminded of an empty tomb, I will see an empty cross too. It is the cross which is now in us and we must still carry it daily because of what Jesus did on it to fulfill it:
Mat 10:38-42 KJV  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.  (39)  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.  (40)  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.  (41)  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.  (42)  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward .. .. (11:1) And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

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