The New covenant sealed by the blood that Christ Jesus shed on the cross makes all the other covenants obsolete only in the sense that it fulfilled the righteous requirements of those other covenants.
Those covenants have not disappeared.
The Mosaic covenant, by which the Law was given, has not disappeared.
The Law is still operational - it tells us in no uncertain terms what constitutes sin and what the penalties are for transgression both on earth and in heaven.
The Law is not obsolete even in the sense of righteousness - one can still attempt to attain righteousness by adherence to the Law - a feat not attained by mortal man.
However, the New covenant offers an alternative path for righteousness before God, bought by the blood of Christ Jesus, shed on the cross, accessible to man by grace through faith.
In this sense the Law is obsolete, since no man could find righteousness by the Law however man can find righteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ.
This righteousness cannot be bought, nor can it be earned - this righteousness can only be accepted by grace through faith.
Our friend DM believes that in order to a Christian one has to become a Jew.
In this respect he believes that all the laws, the feasts, the days etc that Jews were obliged to observe in order to become Jews are incumbent on those who wish to call themselves Christians.
This despite the Bible clearly outlining that Gentiles are not required to observe Jewish customs and laws. The details are outlined in Acts where the Council of Jerusalem unequivocally affirms that one does not need to be a Jew to be a Christian or that one in order to be a Christian needs to be a Jew as well.
The whole book of Galatians also deals with the same issue of the Judaizers where Jewish believers try to force Gentile believers into becoming Jews in order to be Christian. Reading Galatians one is struck not only by the anger expressed by Paul toward these Judaizing individuals but also his dismissive attitude toward them.
There is no place in the New covenant for individuals who would force conditions on others apart from just believing in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Righteousness does not, and never has, come from obeying laws and days and feasts.
Others have correctly pointed out that these laws, days and feasts do point to Christ and His saving work on the cross, but merely obeying and observing these things while NOT accepting what Jesus did for us on the cross is pointless and earns only condemnation according to the righteous demands of the law.
DM wants us to believe that observing Christmas and Easter is fraudulent.
His argument is that there is no specific Biblical "command" to do this.
What he quite misses is the fact that Christians are not under the laws that he wants to impose on us.
In addition I actually could not care less what day or days Christmas and Easter occur or whether they correspond exactly with the days that Jesus was supposed to have been born, crucified, and resurrected.
And the reason for this is very simple.
I can celebrate the birth, life, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ Jesus on any and every day of the year.
I am NOT restricted to any specific day of the week or the year in this.
This is exactly the sort of freedom afforded us by the New covenant.
Exactly the same argument applies to the day of worship that DM has tried so hard, and unsuccessfully, to convince us must be the Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday).
As Christians none of us need wait for any day of the week to worship God - any and every day we worship is acceptable and pleasing to God.
So let us use our freedom in Christ to worship Him and what He has done for us free of any shackles of legalism and human restraint.
Those covenants have not disappeared.
The Mosaic covenant, by which the Law was given, has not disappeared.
The Law is still operational - it tells us in no uncertain terms what constitutes sin and what the penalties are for transgression both on earth and in heaven.
The Law is not obsolete even in the sense of righteousness - one can still attempt to attain righteousness by adherence to the Law - a feat not attained by mortal man.
However, the New covenant offers an alternative path for righteousness before God, bought by the blood of Christ Jesus, shed on the cross, accessible to man by grace through faith.
In this sense the Law is obsolete, since no man could find righteousness by the Law however man can find righteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ.
This righteousness cannot be bought, nor can it be earned - this righteousness can only be accepted by grace through faith.
Our friend DM believes that in order to a Christian one has to become a Jew.
In this respect he believes that all the laws, the feasts, the days etc that Jews were obliged to observe in order to become Jews are incumbent on those who wish to call themselves Christians.
This despite the Bible clearly outlining that Gentiles are not required to observe Jewish customs and laws. The details are outlined in Acts where the Council of Jerusalem unequivocally affirms that one does not need to be a Jew to be a Christian or that one in order to be a Christian needs to be a Jew as well.
The whole book of Galatians also deals with the same issue of the Judaizers where Jewish believers try to force Gentile believers into becoming Jews in order to be Christian. Reading Galatians one is struck not only by the anger expressed by Paul toward these Judaizing individuals but also his dismissive attitude toward them.
There is no place in the New covenant for individuals who would force conditions on others apart from just believing in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Righteousness does not, and never has, come from obeying laws and days and feasts.
Others have correctly pointed out that these laws, days and feasts do point to Christ and His saving work on the cross, but merely obeying and observing these things while NOT accepting what Jesus did for us on the cross is pointless and earns only condemnation according to the righteous demands of the law.
DM wants us to believe that observing Christmas and Easter is fraudulent.
His argument is that there is no specific Biblical "command" to do this.
What he quite misses is the fact that Christians are not under the laws that he wants to impose on us.
In addition I actually could not care less what day or days Christmas and Easter occur or whether they correspond exactly with the days that Jesus was supposed to have been born, crucified, and resurrected.
And the reason for this is very simple.
I can celebrate the birth, life, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ Jesus on any and every day of the year.
I am NOT restricted to any specific day of the week or the year in this.
This is exactly the sort of freedom afforded us by the New covenant.
Exactly the same argument applies to the day of worship that DM has tried so hard, and unsuccessfully, to convince us must be the Sabbath (sundown Friday to sundown Saturday).
As Christians none of us need wait for any day of the week to worship God - any and every day we worship is acceptable and pleasing to God.
So let us use our freedom in Christ to worship Him and what He has done for us free of any shackles of legalism and human restraint.
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