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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Wearing the clothes of the Priests? | Lev 19:19 | maxpower | 193451 | ||
While it is well argued that the moral law has an application as a sentry for believers, the ceremonial law has no application (for righteousness sake) to those who have placed their faith in Christ. For this reason the writer of the book of Hebrews indicates, “For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness.” (Heb 7:18) Further, Paul wrote to the Colossians, “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch’,” (Col 2:20-21) insisting that, “these are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom ...but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” (Col 2:23) This further illustrates, that adherence to rules of the flesh, no matter the source of rule, do not convert the ungodly to the godly. Further, Mark writes, regarding Jesus, “And He said to them, ‘Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?’ Thus He declared all foods clean.” (Mar 7:18,19) By this He set the foundation for what Paul clearly taught; that, “…we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” (Rom 3:28) In short, ‘Yes, any time,’ since this command has no application to believers in the way of righteousness. For what reason would we be seeking to observe these statutes, other than for the sake of righteousness. If, therefore, we are seeking to be justified by the observance thereof, then "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." (Gal 5:4) So, in this sense the Law of Moses ‘is not’ still valid, given that Paul also wrote, “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, ‘the righteous man shall live by faith.’ However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘he who practices them shall live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us…” (Gal 3:11-13) |
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2 | Wearing the clothes of the Priests? | Lev 19:19 | MJH | 193462 | ||
First, thank you for your well thought out response. I do appreciate it any time someone seriously provides an answer to a question concerning Scripture. Curious, however, how you might view Paul in light of Acts 21 and on. James (the Righteous/Just) and Paul seem to be hatching a plan to prove something to the Jewish believers in Jesus as the Messiah who are all “zealous for the Law." What is it that they are trying to prove to the "Hebrews" or the Messianic Jews in Jerusalem? MJH |
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3 | Wearing the clothes of the Priests? | Lev 19:19 | maxpower | 193515 | ||
MJH - I believe this passage is one of the great illustrations of Paul’s brilliance in his presentation of the Gospel. Another would be Acts 17:16-31 (esp. vs. 23), where just like chapter 21, Paul assimilates himself to those around him that he might obtain the greatest hearing of God’s message. While the Mosaic covenant was quite insignificant, even an offense, to most Gentiles, it was obviously not to Jews. Paul did not mind walking in accordance with that which he had, his entire life, held so dear, especially if it afforded him an opportunity to preach the Gospel to his countrymen. So, he recognized and had already been confronted with the conflict that arose where freedom and legalism clash, even the legalism of God’s own covenant. Now Paul new, that the Law was good (Rom 7:12), so it was understandable to him that Jewish believers would indeed become more ‘zealous for the Law,’ once converted to faith in Christ. I believe the scriptures make clear that the Jews, beginning with Peter (Acts 10:9-48), were quite resistant to the type of freedom from the Law, that believers had in Christ, and that this resistance created the division described by these verses (Ch 21, etc). But, Paul realized from the beginning that believers, especially Gentile believers, had no obligation to be under the Law in order to obtain and maintain salvation. At his point we can view the events of vs. 22-24 in one of two ways; that this inner circle of believers had come to understand fully the Gospel that Paul preached; that possibly they were, like Paul, making an effort to create an acceptable environment for him to present the Gospel to his Jewish brethren. Or that they still perceived a difference between Jewish and Greek believers, which may be indicated by vs. 25; and were simply trying to prevent a riot. Either way the Holy Spirit’s intent on merging these two peoples into ‘one new man’ (Eph 2:15), is quite clear throughout the New Testament, most notably in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, his letter to the Romans, as well as illustrations peppered throughout all his writings. This transition from the ‘old’ to the ‘new’ was evidently quite painful for all, to the extent that even the aged Peter may have been still awed by the magnificence of this grace, evidenced by his comments in 2 Peter 3:14-16. Being that Paul’s intent was that all men hear and receive the Gospel, and that he had special affection for his countrymen, it is no surprise that he would take most any measure to gain an audience. Forgive me, but this is just a long-winded way of saying what he wrote so adequately of himself in 1 Cor 9:19-23: "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it" P.S. How long it was before Paul realized exactly, the implications of his message, and, whether James, in his zeal for righteousness, was ever more than a passenger in this quest is of personal curiosity to me but doesn’t seemed to be indicated anywhere in the scriptures. mp |
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