God used Pentecost, not to perpetuate the law, but because Jews from all over the world would be gathered there, where the promise Holy Spirited was poured out upon the apostles to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a time of transformation from the law to salvation by grace through faith apart from the works of the law. As Paul stated:
"Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised."
"Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."
Before Christ came, the law was required to be kept along side of faith. As Jesus himself said, he came to fulfill the law, i.e. to meet its righteous requirements fully and completely, not to perpetuate it, but to bring it to its end and that on our behalf. Now, our salvation is through faith in the One who alone paid the penalty for our sins. Consequently, anyone who trusts in the works of the law as a requirement for salvation, is not trusting in the One who already provided it, Jesus Christ. Anyone who is trusting in anything else other than Christ will not enter into the kingdom of God.
Hello Ahwatukee,
You wrote: "God used Pentecost, not to perpetuate the law..."
My response: Then why is TORAH (Jer. 31:33) transferred directly into the New Covenant?
Because we should OBEY it! Torah is written upon our hearts, as the Spirit testifies (Heb. 10:15-16). Should we OBEY this Torah? Paul says YES (applying Dt. 30:14 to YOU in Rom. 10:8).
Thus, Paul took a vow to prove he "walked orderly in obedience to the law", even teaching Jewish believers to circumcise their infant males (Ac. 21). We should imitate Paul (1 Cor. 11:1; Php. 4:9).
Therefore, the law CONTINUES!
Jesus said we LIVE by Torah (Mt. 4:4)....he never said it no longer applies.
Jesus said Torah-obedience is sufficient for eternal life (Lk. 10:25-28).
Jesus taught OBEDIENCE to Torah (Mt. 23:23), even sending Torah-teachers (Gr. "grammateus", Mt. 23:34) to represent His Torah-obedient Torah-teaching ministry. We should IMITATE this walk of Torah-obedience as His disciples (Lk. 6:40; 1 Jn. 2:6).
Jesus COMMANDS us to teach these Torah-obedient teachings to disciples of all nations (Mt. 28:20).
So let's stop pretending the law no longer applies!
The Scriptures do NOT say that the law is terminated when Jesus comes.
Remember, the SAME PAUL you are quoting took a vow to prove TORAH STILL APPLIES (Ac. 21).
So let's stop pretending that Paul opposes Torah-obedience...when he PLAINLY told us to KEEP (not ignore!) God's commands (1 Cor. 7:19).
Moreover, Paul said we SHOULD judge (through shaming and admonishing, 2 Th. 3) those people who do not keep the traditions passed on by Paul...thus we MUST keep Passover (1 Cor. 5), just as Paul commands.
So let's not pretend that people are not allowed to "judge" what Paul commands that we judge!
You wrote: "As Jesus himself said, he came to fulfill the law, i.e. to meet its righteous requirements fully and completely, not to perpetuate it, but to bring it to its end and that on our behalf."
My response: Not sure what "Jesus" you are reading about...
"FULFILL" does not mean "REPLACE"...you can fulfill your covenant of marriage on a continuous ongoing basis...but does this mean you have TERMINATED that covenant? Of course not!
The Jesus of Mk. 7 is ANGRY at religious people who use man-made traditions as an excuse to DISOBEY Torah.
The Jesus of Mt. 22:37 applies Dt. 6 to YOU! What does Dt. 6 say? Obey ALL Torah (Dt. 6:25).
The Jesus of Mt. 7:21-23 casts away religious people who exemplify Torah-lessness (lawlessness, Gr. "anomia").
The Jesus of Mt. 13:41-42 warns of a horrible fate awaiting those who cause Torah-lessness.
The Jesus of Mt. 5:19 says our Torah-teaching and Torah-obedience DETERMINES our position in the forthcoming kingdom of God.
The Jesus of Mal. 3:1-4 comes to RESTORE the Levitical sacrificial system so that the offering will be again pleasing to YHVH as in the days of old as in former years.
The Jesus of Mt. 5:17 says that the Prophets are NOT abolished.
The Jesus of Zec. 6 comes to REBUILD the temple...and guess what happens in the temple? TORAH! Yes, even Levitical Torah, just as it is prophesied to occur in the future (Dt. 30:1-8; Zec. 14; Eze. 40-47; Is. 66; Jer. 33; Mal. 3).
Do you now stand opposed to the prophets?
Yikes! Please engage this Scriptural evidence....
Was Dt. 30:1-8 fulfilled yet? NO! Therefore, 100% Torah-obedience WILL return, as Moses prophesied, when we repent and turn to YHVH as Moses predicted.
Sure, Jesus ALONE paid for our sins...but that's no excuse to disobey God's instructions for us.
Sure, we are saved by grace through faith, NOT merely by works of the law. But that's no excuse to ignore God's commands!
You wrote: "Anyone who is trusting in anything else other than Christ will not enter into the kingdom of God."
My response: Of course we should trust in Christ.
BUT! Let's talk about that KINGDOM. Mt. 5:19 ---> If you disobey even the least of those commands, and teach others to do the same, then you will be called LEAST in the kingdom of heaven.
Why would you encourage people to disobey what Jesus says WE SHOULD OBEY?
Please defend your position in light of these Scriptural objections...
Thank you....
best....
BibleGuy