Subject: New Perspective of Sha'ul |
Bible Note: Hello Talmid, Thank you for your reply. You wrote: "it is by faith that we are saved" and that is true but that statement can mean many different things to many different people and it does but there is only "one Faith" that will save us, Eph 4:4-7. In Mt 6:33, Jesus Christ told us to seek first God's Kingdom and God's Righteousness. In Ro 1:16-21, we read what Paul wrote about that same saving Faith and that same saving Righteousness. What we must find also has everything to do with the narrow Gate and the narrow Road, Mt 7. What, exactly, must we find according to Mt 6:33? I think you have misunderstood me. Please, read my previous comments again. I can't list them here due to a space requirement by the site. The "split" you mentioned took place in Ac 11 where the believing Jews learned that Gentiles are saved just like them -- through repentance and faith. Are you a child of Abraham? All true Christians must be the Children of Abraham. Did Abraham have the Torah or any other Scriptures? When was Abraham credited with Righteousness from God and why? The Scriptures remain the "letter that kills" for everyone who does not have the exact "one Faith", 2Co 3-4. Do you think those who did not have access to the Scriptures or those who never heard a true Christian preach had no opportunity to be saved? Well, they all have and only the exact original Gospel Truth can explain it. However, more will be required from those of us with the Scriptures and Jesus Christ's request in Mt 6:33 is very specific. What, exactly, must we find first of all? Those who have found, will certainly know exactly what they found and how. As far as the Reformation and whom to "cite", i would highly recommend that you read Robert Barclay's "Apology for the True Christian Divinity" written over 300 years ago. Let me ask you this: How is it possible that i learned what is written in that book 3 and 1/2 years before i knew about it or about the people who believed in its teaching? Except for an occasional very minor non-salvation issue, i had also believed what was written by those true Christians, 3 and 1/2 years before i knew what they had believed in and what they had written. Over 150 years after it was written, Barclay's book alone remained on a controversial shelf at Oxford where all other writings had been successfully disputed and removed. Only Barclay's Apology remained 150 years later and that is no surprise since what is written in it totally agrees with the Teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and all of His true servants. As far as Paul and the Law: Paul knew that the New Covenant must be spiritual. God is Spirit and He must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth, Jn 4:1-26. All true Christians will have God's Law of Faith written on their heart and in their minds, Heb 8-10. Do you understand what Paul meant when he wrote about the letter that kills? Do you understand how true Christians must exceed the old Law and how that becomes possible? Of course, not all Jews had a problem with Gentiles not being circumcised but there were other issues, like eating together and the kinds of foods and the washing rituals. It took time for some to adjust and others never did but those problems and the people who caused them were symbolic of others who would come and cause similar problems. Although in Galatians, Paul primarily focused on the specific problem of physical circumcisions, what Paul wrote there also applies to all other physical rituals from the OT Law. You said, AMEN, to the repentance and faith that leads to obedience. What, exactly, must we believe as we read in Mk 1:14-15 and many other Scriptures? You also agreed with Mt 5:17-20 but you didn't answer my simple question about Eph 2. It does appear that Paul was contradicting what Jesus Christ said about not abolishing the Law but he didn't. What was Paul teaching us there? You are right that not one of us has deserved to be saved through Jesus Christ. We cannot be saved without receiving Righteousness from God, that is true but how, exactly, do we receive it? We must seek first and that command must be taken in a very large context of the Gospels, Mt 1-7, minimum, but all of Mt 1-13 and Lk 10-13 are even better. God's entire Holy Bible is about His Righteousness, His Righteous Requirements, His Gift of Righteousness and His Righteous Judgment. More will be required from those who have more and those of us with the Scriptures were told to seek first and we must find first but it is in plain sight. I'd also like to remind everyone that it is always a very good idea to take Mt 23:8-12 and Jn 6:45 very seriously, anne |