Results 1 - 4 of 4
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | abide | 1 John 2:3 | Asis | 216905 | ||
John I thank you for your words they contain much truth. The thing I am wondering about is this. Jesus is the word made flesh. The word that was made flesh was what we call the Old Testament. So if Jesus is that word made flesh and he annulled part of the old then He annulled part of Himself. When a thing is fulfilled it is not done away with it is complete or perfected. The law or more appropriately the Torah was never meant to save but is God's instruction for living. I have heard many a preacher call the Bible "God's instruction manual." Are some of the instructions to be followed and others not? Galatians is and instruction to those people that they do not have to follow the rabbinical law to be saved. Circumcision of the flesh does not save. Salvation is only obtained through faith in Jesus. His substitution on the cross gives us the gift of God. We are free. Free to follow God's instructions because we want to not because we have to. Not a jot or tittle will pass away, so how can we follow some but not others. Is there really two covenants. I am not sure. God made a covenant with Noah and we didn't start a new book, He made a covenant with Abraham and we didn't start a new book, He made a covenant with David and we didn't start a new book. But when He restores His covenant through the work of Jesus and the giving of the Holy Spirit to give us the ability to follow His instructions, now we make a new book and say that the part of the old book is annulled. I have to believe that God wants us to follow all His instructions. All the sacrifices have been substituted by the awesome sacrifice of Jesus. Once and for all. I want to understand how God wants us to worship him in truth. His word is the truth and that word is all the Bible both books, it seems to me. I am just a man living for God, following Jesus, loving and being loved. Jeff |
||||||
2 | abide | 1 John 2:3 | Morant61 | 216908 | ||
Part 2... Gal. 4:1 - "What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘‘Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. Paul’s Concern for the Galatians 8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you." Gal. 5:1 - "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. 7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 ‘‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. 11 Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! 13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." This is a lengthy series of quotes, but it is important for us to understand our relationship to the Law as Christians. The law was only intended to be a guardian over us until Christ came. It was never intended to save, or to rule over us for ever. The Galatians were being taught by the Judiazers that obedience to the Law was ALSO necessary. Certainly, their focus was primarily on circumcision, but Paul made it very clear that to 'obey' (in the sense of necessity) the Law on any point was to be made a slave to it again. Paul also clearly makes the case that there are in fact two covenants (Gal. 4.24). The newer one though is the Law, while the older one is the covenant of promise with Abraham. The problem so many today seem to have is understanding that Paul makes a clean break with the covenant of Law. Paul's point is not that we are free to sin as Christians. We now have the Spirit within us and live in accordance to His will. But, we have no relationship whatsoever with the Mosaic Law as Christians, to do so in any way makes us slaves again and is a rejection of grace. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
||||||
3 | abide | 1 John 2:3 | grafted in | 216909 | ||
Good morning Tim, Nicely put together post. You said, "The problem so many today seem to have is understanding that Paul makes a clean break with the covenant of Law" So, I must ask you the same thing I asked John about the vows Paul took part in. (He hasn't answered yet. It's still below.) I know your parents probably told you the same thing I was told coming up - actions speak louder than words (and words can very easily be misinterpreted, when it suits one's purpose). We have statements about Paul's actions that refute the statement that he made a clean break from the Law. :o) |
||||||
4 | abide | 1 John 2:3 | Morant61 | 216910 | ||
Good Morning Grafted In! I would differ with your characterization just a little in that while actions certainly are import, in terms of theology, Paul's words are much more important. :-) We have very clear didactic material concerning the Law from Paul's pen, these passages should take precedence over everything else. Having said that, I will try to touch upon your questions. 1) Acts 18:18 tells us that Paul had taken a vow. Some assume that a Nazarite vow was in view, and that after the time of the vow was over, Paul cut his hair. However, this is an assumption. The verse actually says that he cut his 'for he had taken a vow'. So, it is not clear that a Nazarite vow was in view at all. All we can say for sure is that Paul had made a vow. This really has no relevancy to the question at hand. 2) Acts 15:20-21 simply encourages Gentile believers not to do things that would be extremely offensive to Jewish believers. The justification for the request is given in v. 21, that Moses had been preached in the synagogue of every city. By no means, is that saying that Gentiles (or anyone) was obligated to keep the Law. It would be like a Christian woman wearing a head covering in a muslim country in order not to offend the native citizins. 3) Acts 21:20-24: Now, this passage is much more applicable to the question at hand. There are two main points that I would raise in regard to this passage. First, Paul again was simply trying to not deliberately provide offense. Would we call him a hypocrite for doing that? I wouldn't. :-) Second, the passage (a narrative) certainly does state that there were a large number of Jewish converts who were 'zealous for the Law'. However, this is a narrative, not a didactic teaching. Were they right for being zealous for the Law? This passage doesn't address that question, but Galatians does. Interestingly, Paul's attempt to lessen his offense to the Jews did not work. He was beaten and arrested. :-) Well, I need to get some work done! Thanks for the interaction my friend! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
||||||