What I understand concerning THE (OT) LAW

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hhhlga89

Senior Member
Apr 23, 2012
174
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16
1. Christians are not under the Law
(Romans 6:15, Colossians 2:14, Ephesians 2:15)

2. Christians are [now] under grace
(Romans 6:15, 2 Corinthians 5:19, Psalm 32:2)

3. The Law is still active
(Matthew 5:19, James 2:10, Romans 2:12)

a. It is there to judge Jews and those who know or have heard the Law, and those Gentiles who converted to Israel and placed themselves under the Law.
(Romans 2:12, Revelation 20:12, James 2:10)

b. It is going to be re-established during the millenial reign of Christ. (Feel free to disagree).
(Zechariah 14:16-19, Ezekiel 45, 46)
4. Christians use the Law

a. as a way to understand the nature of God.
(Hebrews 11:6-referenceing God's dealings with OT saints, 2 Peter 2:4)

b. as a way to show unbelievers their sins.
(Romans 3:19, Romans 2:12)

c. to understand prophecy.
(the book of Daniel -Daniel 8:26, Ezekial, etc)

d. as a way to gain godly principals and values.
(ex. Leviticus 20:13 - homosexuality is therefore wrong.)

5. Christians not being governed by the Law does not make them free to sin -there will be a penalty for sin (in this life and the life to come), but it will not be hell.
(Romans 6:1, Romans 6:15, Ephesians 5:5)

6. Christians will naturally obey the principals of the OT, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(1 John 1:5, 1 John 3:9)

7. The Christians are not in a covenant devoid of Laws, the NT is filled with commands/Laws.
(Matthew 5, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 5:18, almost every passage of the bible gives a command)

8. Our salvation is not based upon NT commands/Laws, but as I stated in point #6, we will be spiritually inclined to obey them.
(Romans 3:20, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 12:14, 1 John 3:9)

9. Those who observe OT Law are under the Law and hence cursed because no one is able to fully obey the Law.
(Galatians 3:10, Romans 4:15, 2 Corinthians 3:6)

10. The NT commandments are stricter then the OT Law anyways.
(John 6:60, Matthew 5)
 
The Old Testament 10 Commandments are what condemns us, so you can not say we are not under them because sin is a result of breaking one of those Commandments.

We are not saved by obeying them no, since we only need break one to be sentenced to death we can not undo the sentence by obeying them. Yahvah God had always planned our Salvation.

The only way to be pardoned is through Yahshua the Messiah.

It is Salvation that brings works, not works for Salvation....

It is that change of heart and mind given through accepting Yahshua the Messiah as our Lord and Saviour to be reconciled with Almighty Yahvah God that leads one to, out of love and gratitude for our gracious gift that we strive to be obedient and pleasing to our Yahvah God while we continue our journey home.
 
The moral law is every bit as relevant today as it was in the Old Testament, the only difference is how it is fulfilled. In the O.T. the law was fulfilled through ceremonies and sacrifices. However, just as Jesus Himself both taught and lived out for all to see, the law is now fulfilled through love for the Father and love for our fellow man. :)

(Romans 13: 9-10)

9 The commandments, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet (have an evil desire), and any other commandment, are summed up in the single command, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

10 Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.


(Galatians 5: 13-14)

13 For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your] freedom be an incentive to your flesh and an opportunity or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another.

14 For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is [complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.
 
The moral law is every bit as relevant today as it was in the Old Testament, the only difference is how it is fulfilled. In the O.T. the law was fulfilled through ceremonies and sacrifices. However, just as Jesus Himself both taught and lived out for all to see, the law is now fulfilled through love for the Father and love for our fellow man. :)

(Romans 3:31)

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

(Matthew 7:12)

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
 
hhhlga89,

Some of your points makes sense. Here are a few I don't agree on.

b. It is going to be re-established during the millenial reign of Christ. (Feel free to disagree). (Zechariah 14:16-19, Ezekiel 45, 46)
Certainly disagree on millenialism

5. Christians not being governed by the Law does not make them free to sin -there will be a penalty for sin (in this life and the life to come), but it will not be hell. (Romans 6:1, Romans 6:15, Ephesians 5:5
Not exactly sure what you mean here: But the question arises that if people live their lives in sin, and yet claim they are christians, does it make sense?

7. The Christians are not in a covenant devoid of Laws, the NT is filled with commands/Laws.
(Matthew 5, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 5:18, almost every passage of the bible gives a command)
Which are no new laws.

9. Those who observe OT Law are under the Law and hence cursed because no one is able to fully obey the Law.
(Galatians 3:10, Romans 4:15, 2 Corinthians 3:6)
You can't go with this one. There are many "OT" laws that still apply to every christian. The scriptures you refer to here would speak against the vanity of trying to achieve righteousness through the law (thinking that one's effort to keep the law recommends one to God). They do not speak against law keeping as such and absolutely not against the law itself. The difference between keeping the law because one is justified (made righteous) through Christ and to seek to attain righteousness through one's lawkeeping is not small but HUGE and worlds apart in nature and implications.

10. The NT commandments are stricter then the OT Law anyways.
(John 6:60, Matthew 5)
God gave but one single law, once and for all. There are no specific "NT" commandments. Jesus taught no "new law", but showed us how the law should be kept. He rebuked the traditions and commandments of apostate men had shrouded the original intents of the perfect law of liberty.
 
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The Old Testament 10 Commandments are what condemns us, so you can not say we are not under them because sin is a result of breaking one of those Commandments.

We are not saved by obeying them no, since we only need break one to be sentenced to death we can not undo the sentence by obeying them. Yahvah God had always planned our Salvation.

The only way to be pardoned is through Yahshua the Messiah.

It is Salvation that brings works, not works for Salvation....

It is that change of heart and mind given through accepting Yahshua the Messiah as our Lord and Saviour to be reconciled with Almighty Yahvah God that leads one to, out of love and gratitude for our gracious gift that we strive to be obedient and pleasing to our Yahvah God while we continue our journey home.

I would agree that the 10 commandments condemns the Jew and those who know the OT law, but not the Gentile who has never even heard of the God of the Jews, God seems to be indicating in Romans 2 that those who aren't under the Law are judged by their God given conscious, which is essential the same as a written law, because the internal concept of Good and Bad are given by the same one who gave the Law.

Romans 2:14-16 -
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

---

Crossfire I think we are in agreement, I just didn't use the correct theological term. I believe the point your making is the same one I am in point #4d. and I agree with loveme1 that it is a problem with semantics.
 
hhhlga89,

Some of your points makes sense. Here are a few I don't agree on.

Certainly disagree on millenialism
That's ok, what do you hold to? Just curious.


Not exactly sure what you mean here: But the question arises that if people live their lives in sin, and yet claim they are christians, does it make sense?
Well I am speaking more theoretically, but there are times when a Christian may fall into a pattern of sin, he can rest assured knowing that he is still going to heaven if he is truely saved, but if he never repents it is clear he never was. That life of disobediance, not habitual unrepentant lifestyle but one that is lack luster, will cost him in the age to come, just not his soul.

Which are no new laws.
I would agree that they are the same, essentially, but the OT Law NEVER dealt with root issue -the sinful heart. The command ‘You shall not commit adultery' was just a restriction on the actual act, a man could lust in his heart all he wanted and not break that law, of course he was not saved, but we are talking about the Law and not the man. Jesus takes this law to an extreme and says the man cannot even lust (matt. 5:28). In that sense it is different. And many of the NT Laws deal not only with the act, but the root cause of it as well.

You can't go with this one. There are many "OT" laws that still apply to every christian. The scriptures you refer to here would speak against the vanity of trying to achieve righteousness through the law (thinking that one's effort to keep the law recommends one to God). They do not speak against law keeping as such and absolutely not against the law itself. The difference between keeping the law because one is justified (made righteous) through Christ and to seek to attain righteousness through one's lawkeeping is not small but HUGE and worlds apart in nature and implications.
I agree with what your saying, but if you are saying that if we neglect something written in the OT (that you claim is still in effect today) it would be cosidered sin. Can you tell me what things have been translated into the new covenant? I believe he makes a sweeping abolishment of the OT in

Eph. 2:15 - by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,

Col. 2:16-23 -
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,d puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

God gave but one single law, once and for all. There are no specific "NT" commandments. Jesus taught no "new law", but showed us how the law should be kept. He rebuked the traditions and commandments of apostate men had shrouded the original intents of the perfect law of liberty.
Yeah, I agree. I think our problem is with semantics. I agree that the New is just how the O was intended to be kept, but saying the NT is a new covenant imply new law itself.

John 13;34 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

That this is a new commandment, implys that it was never there in the Old. The point I am trying to make is that the bible is the word of God, therefore anything Paul says to do (by the HS), is a "law". If the old difference between the OT and NT is the gospel, then there would be no point in writting letters to the churches since they already knew the gospel.
 
I would agree that the 10 commandments condemns the Jew and those who know the OT law, but not the Gentile who has never even heard of the God of the Jews, God seems to be indicating in Romans 2 that those who aren't under the Law are judged by their God given conscious, which is essential the same as a written law, because the internal concept of Good and Bad are given by the same one who gave the Law.

Romans 2:14-16 -
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

---

Crossfire I think we are in agreement, I just didn't use the correct theological term. I believe the point your making is the same one I am in point #4d. and I agree with loveme1 that it is a problem with semantics.


The New covenant is:
Yahshua the Messiah is the only way to cleaned and receive the New Covenant.

Each of us fall on the rock differently, it is a process working in our life that transforms us from our old self into one that dies to self and lives for Yahvah God and Yahshua the Messiah i believe this is an ongoing change while life endures. The more given the more expected of us..

I witness to the point you made, only after I fell on the rock did I receive Yahvah God's Law, only after I accepted Yahshua the Messiah into my heart did I feel new and had a desire in my heart and on my mind to want to please Yahvah God and Yahshua the Messiah by a loving obedience that is within me.

I was without any understanding and believed that I would die and stand in front of Yahvah God and plead my case to be allowed into heaven...... and I think most are still with this understanding...

Lack of knowledge is holding people back from the truth.

When I consider my life it seems like I was silencing my calling because I was trying to fit in with the people of this world... I knew right from wrong, but because everyone else was doing it, it seemed okay....
I'm forever grateful that despite my ignorance and disobedience that the door remained unlocked, I had to open it and though it may of took some very dark days for me to seek the light, it was what I had always been searching for.


16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Glory to Yahvah God and Yahshua the Messiah always true always Faithful.
 
1. Christians are not under the Law
(Romans 6:15, Colossians 2:14, Ephesians 2:15)
agree.
2. Christians are [now] under grace
(Romans 6:15, 2 Corinthians 5:19, Psalm 32:2)
Agree, yet grace in itself has laws to be followed - Tit 2:12

3. The Law is still active
(Matthew 5:19, James 2:10, Romans 2:12)
No the law of Moses is not active upon anyone, Jews or Gentiles. The Jewish Christians are under the law of Christ, as well as the Gentiles.
Christ did give many "New laws" in the NT. We have laws concerning the church, sin, inner thoughts, etc.
The Apostles as well gave us commands that are not found in the OT.
These must be new laws, because under the old laws many things were done away with, i.e. animal sacrifice, burning of incense, to go back to these for anyone is sin - See the book of Hebrews, Rom, Gal.

a. It is there to judge Jews and those who know or have heard the Law, and those Gentiles who converted to Israel and placed themselves under the Law.
(Romans 2:12, Revelation 20:12, James 2:10)
I would say "was there" - not anymore, all must adhere to Christ - not the laws of the OT. - including the 10 commandments - Col 2:14-16.
b. It is going to be re-established during the millenial reign of Christ. (Feel free to disagree).
(Zechariah 14:16-19, Ezekiel 45, 46)
Dont agree at all, never does the Bible teach this, nor will their ever be a time in which Christ nullifies his commands and goes back to a law that was only a shadow of his coming - Heb 9:1, 10:1.
4. Christians use the Law
Yes the perfiect law of liberty, the law of Chirst - James 1:22, Gal 6:2
a. as a way to understand the nature of God.
(Hebrews 11:6-referenceing God's dealings with OT saints, 2 Peter 2:4)
Oh yea I agree with that - Rom 15:4

b. as a way to show unbelievers their sins.
(Romans 3:19, Romans 2:12)
This would be done by the gospel, not the Law of MOses - Rom 1:16.
c. to understand prophecy.
(the book of Daniel -Daniel 8:26, Ezekial, etc)
agree

5. Christians not being governed by the Law does not make them free to sin -there will be a penalty for sin (in this life and the life to come), but it will not be hell.
(Romans 6:1, Romans 6:15, Ephesians 5:5)
Yes, and this law is found in the NT - Heb 10:26.

6. Christians will naturally obey the principals of the OT, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
(1 John 1:5, 1 John 3:9)
Now I would feel we should obey the NT as that is the covenant we are under, not the OT.

7. The Christians are not in a covenant devoid of Laws, the NT is filled with commands/Laws.
(Matthew 5, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 5:18, almost every passage of the bible gives a command)
Agree.

8. Our salvation is not based upon NT commands/Laws, but as I stated in point #6, we will be spiritually inclined to obey them.
(Romans 3:20, 2 Timothy 1:9, Hebrews 12:14, 1 John 3:9)
Yet if we choose not to obey them, we do not have salvation - Heb 5:9, 10:26. So they are essential to our salvation, for they show if we truly believe and love Christ - Jn 14:15, 15:14.
9. Those who observe OT Law are under the Law and hence cursed because no one is able to fully obey the Law.
(Galatians 3:10, Romans 4:15, 2 Corinthians 3:6)
agree
10. The NT commandments are stricter then the OT Law anyways.
(John 6:60, Matthew 5)
Yes in the sense they show us the spirutal side of the law, and condemn even our inner thoughts as shown in Matt 7. "Ye have heard it said of them of old...But I say unto you..."
 
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The Old Testament proves that we are unable to live up to God's holiness which is why we need Jesus. Jesus summed up all the commandment we must live by in 2: Love God and love others. If you 100% love God and 100% love others that covers everything
 
The Old Testament proves that we are unable to live up to God's holiness which is why we need Jesus. Jesus summed up all the commandment we must live by in 2: Love God and love others. If you 100% love God and 100% love others that covers everything


Yes and those that love Yahvah God keep his commandments.


6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.


Love is what brings us into obedience to Yahvah God.
 
That's ok, what do you hold to? Just curious.

Primarily amillenialism. But I can go with a form of postmillenialism, depending upon what one puts into that term. No premillenialism.

Well I am speaking more theoretically, but there are times when a Christian may fall into a pattern of sin, he can rest assured knowing that he is still going to heaven if he is truely saved, but if he never repents it is clear he never was. That life of disobediance, not habitual unrepentant lifestyle but one that is lack luster, will cost him in the age to come, just not his soul.
I hope this is just a matter of semantics. Because I can not see any difference between "a pattern of sin" and "habitual sin". A pattern means something one does on a regular basis and it is actually (or at least will become) a habit, right? While I believe that a christian can slip into the ditch, and then rise up again, I do not believe that he can make that as a pattern or habitually. There is a big difference here. The new birth does not only affect our attitude towards sin but also give us power to resist it. The normal status of a christian is dominion over sin.

I would agree that they are the same, essentially, but the OT Law NEVER dealt with root issue -the sinful heart. The command ‘You shall not commit adultery' was just a restriction on the actual act, a man could lust in his heart all he wanted and not break that law, of course he was not saved, but we are talking about the Law and not the man. Jesus takes this law to an extreme and says the man cannot even lust (matt. 5:28). In that sense it is different. And many of the NT Laws deal not only with the act, but the root cause of it as well.
I believe this is totally wrong. The OT absolutely and clearly dealt with internal (or heart/mind) sin as well as external sin. Lust and covetousness was just about as much sin in the days of Noah and Abraham as it was in Jesus' day and as it is in our day. Those who never dealt with internal sin was the school of pharisees (with their man-made traditions and commandments) that always disputed Jesus and which He rebuked. Notice that He always pointed to the Torah and His teachings on the nature of sin when addressing them. The sermon of the Mount has references to the law all over it. Nothing new there.

I agree with what your saying, but if you are saying that if we neglect something written in the OT (that you claim is still in effect today) it would be cosidered sin.
I am not teaching that we today are to literally follow all the regulations that pertained to the temple service. I just want to be consequent and in line with pauline doctrine and apply the law in its entire totality to the concept of sin. Else it will be disastrous results.

Can you tell me what things have been translated into the new covenant? I believe he makes a sweeping abolishment of the OT in

Eph. 2:15 - by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
This one is not that easy. There is more but one way to interpret this scripture, its reference in Col.2 does not refer to the law of God for example. Whatever that verse says it does not say that "the OT is abolished".

Col. 2:16-23 -
16Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions,d puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
These words are no condemnation against the sabbath or the feasts in and by themselves (Paul kept these feasts himself). He is saying that it is the work of the body of Christ (i e under the leadership of himself and the other apostles) to judge on these issues: not outsiders.

20If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21“Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22(referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
I really do hope you do not ascribe these words to the law of God!!!

Yeah, I agree. I think our problem is with semantics. I agree that the New is just how the O was intended to be kept, but saying the NT is a new covenant imply new law itself.
I understand where you're coming from. I am of the position that there is actually but one single abrahamic covenant of grace, renewed and fulfilled in the person and work of Christ.

John 13;34 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

That this is a new commandment, implys that it was never there in the Old.
Well, literalism might want to put it that way, but, that commandment is actually not literally and strictly "new" as it harmonizes 100% with the two greatest commandments, given in the Torah.

The point I am trying to make is that the bible is the word of God, therefore anything Paul says to do (by the HS), is a "law". If the old difference between the OT and NT is the gospel, then there would be no point in writting letters to the churches since they already knew the gospel.
I see what you are saying. I do not agree. Paul never claimed to have any authority in and by himself. let alone the authority to abolish laws and come up with new laws. He followed His Lord, Jesus, who said that He had NOT come to destroy the law and the prophets. All the commandments that Paul reiterated were all from the law and the prophets. Nothing new.

Was the gospel also preached in the OT? Yes! Indeed in every book of the OT. Why then would we need a NT? Since the NT highlights the Messiah that was to come, the One that the law and prophets testifies of, fulfilling prophecy and completing the revelation of God and therefore gives more light to children of men.
 
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Remember that Yahshua the Messiah summarized the 10 Commandments with these two:

Matthew 22

36Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

If you love Yahvah God with all your heart, soul and mind you will desire to please him by his Commandments, and by this first you feel the desire to Love thy neighbour as thyself... it all goes hand in hand...

It is our way of knowing what is pleasing to our Yahvah God and if we love him then we will love his Commandments they are good, it is only us that can make them a burden by loving ourselves more than we love our Yahvah God...

If I love myself I will put "me first".

Love he that is always Faithful to those that love and obey him.
 
Tribesman wrote:
9. Those who observe OT Law are under the Law and hence cursed because no one is able to fully obey the Law.
(Galatians 3:10, Romans 4:15, 2 Corinthians 3:6)

You can't go with this one. There are many "OT" laws that still apply to every Christian. The scriptures you refer to here would speak against the vanity of trying to achieve righteousness through the law (thinking that one's effort to keep the law recommends one to God). They do not speak against law keeping as such and absolutely not against the law itself. The difference between keeping the law because one is justified (made righteous) through Christ and to seek to attain righteousness through one's law keeping is not small but HUGE and worlds apart in nature and implications.
This is the part I concur with! Most of you are not looking at the entire scripture at all; you are picking out verses here and there. To understand God through His word it must be seen as a unified whole. God had a plan for us from the time of Adam, for God is eternal and knows all, not divided by time. God principles are for always, not different for different ages. Christ was from Adam’s time as it explains in John. No one was saved except by grace from Adam’s time. God is Holy, do you think that man could ever become Holy after the fall? It could not be. It is now as always through grace.

God operates our world by laws, and during the time of Moses God tried to teach man about those laws. It doesn’t say so in the bible, but gravity is one of those laws. So is the law to not take life in anger. When we understand how grace works we understand another of the ways our world works. To know the law is a blessing.

God communicates with us through his word; both the written word as it is now (at first it was by word of mouth) and the word communicated to believers though the HS. There is absolute unity in all of God’s word. Christ was a dividing point in our time when he lived on earth for awhile, but he was before He lived here. The sacrificial system was based on Christ, Christ fulfilled it more completely. We have Moses in the NT and Christ in the OT.

The principles are the same throughout the bible. After Christ came, when Pentecost happened, the enphasis was on how we thought. It was to “love your Lord with your whole heart and mind and others as yourself”. This is also taught in the OT. But they talked a lot about the law in the OT, and some people believed if you obeyed law, especially ceremonial law, that was enough. In the epistles we are told that it is grace and love that is to be thought and talked about most, and to put the law in its proper place. But some think that its proper place is “out of here” and that is not scripture.

I realize there is a lot more to it. There is what Christ means to our being today, to understanding what Christ did for us. You are all expressing this. I am bringing up some of the things that you are not bringing out.
 
Primarily amillenialism. But I can go with a form of postmillenialism, depending upon what one puts into that term. No premillenialism.
Yeah I put that for anyone who may be inclined to believe in a millennial reign. I'm not too keen on escatology so I try to limit my say in the discussion, however I am optomistic enough to consider myself a postmillenialist.
I hope this is just a matter of semantics. Because I can not see any difference between "a pattern of sin" and "habitual sin". A pattern means something one does on a regular basis and it is actually (or at least will become) a habit, right? While I believe that a christian can slip into the ditch, and then rise up again, I do not believe that he can make that as a pattern or habitually. There is a big difference here. The new birth does not only affect our attitude towards sin but also give us power to resist it. The normal status of a christian is dominion over sin.
a "pattern of sin" is differnt from "habitual unrepentant sin" is what I am differentiating. Let me say, I do not believe in such thing as a carnal Christian. Habitual unrepenant has to do with both action and will, whereas a "pattern of sin" is just an action, which really doesn't say much about the will of the person in bondage. Romans 7:19 is clear that ones actions don't neccesarily imply that that is their desire. (whethere Paul was saved or not during that time is irrelivant). Yes we have the power to overcome, but I think if we are honest (or maybe we have yet to encounter that issue), we will agree that there are times when we constantily fall into the same sin, whether it be lust or fornication.
I believe this is totally wrong. The OT absolutely and clearly dealt with internal (or heart/mind) sin as well as external sin. Lust and covetousness was just about as much sin in the days of Noah and Abraham as it was in Jesus' day and as it is in our day. Those who never dealt with internal sin was the school of pharisees (with their man-made traditions and commandments) that always disputed Jesus and which He rebuked. Notice that He always pointed to the Torah and His teachings on the nature of sin when addressing them. The sermon of the Mount has references to the law all over it. Nothing new there.
I disagree, the OT does not tell anyone not to lust, or hate, etc (granted it does tell us not to covet though- that is internal, but for the most part it does not). I do agree that these were just as much sins back then as they are today; but it was not WRITTEN that it was. Through deep reflection on the law im sure it could be discovered that the internal was what God was getting at. Jesus shed light on those things which were not known. Even the Pharasees did not understand that God was really getting at the heart and not the action, even the faithful didnt:
Matthew 15:10-20 -
And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14Let them alone; they are blind guides.c And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?d 18But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
I am not teaching that we today are to literally follow all the regulations that pertained to the temple service. I just want to be consequent and in line with pauline doctrine and apply the law in its entire totality to the concept of sin. Else it will be disastrous results.
Im not sure I catch you here...are you refering to the moral law Crossfire was speaking of?
This one is not that easy. There is more but one way to interpret this scripture, its reference in Col.2 does not refer to the law of God for example. Whatever that verse says it does not say that "the OT is abolished".
Yes I agree. But I will say nothing is required to be kept in the OT, but we are to permitted (or required) to gleen from the OT in regards to Christian NT ethics. Perhaps when he speaks of "commandments and ordinances" we can gleen from a verse in the OT and see where, for example, shouldn't suffer a witch to live, but not obey the commands and ordinance to stone them to death. idk if that makes sense to you..
These words are no condemnation against the sabbath or the feasts in and by themselves (Paul kept these feasts himself). He is saying that it is the work of the body of Christ (i e under the leadership of himself and the other apostles) to judge on these issues: not outsiders.
Yes but the principal is that, if one thing is no longer to be kept in the OT, then none is required to be kept. Just like if one thing is to be kept, all of it is. If some is [required to be kept], Paul would have to go throught the whole OT and tell us yes or no or leave it to us to decide and it becomes a subjective thing.
I really do hope you do not ascribe these words to the law of God!!!

I'm not sure I understand you?
I understand where you're coming from. I am of the position that there is actually but one single abrahamic covenant of grace, renewed and fulfilled in the person and work of Christ.
Yes each covenant comes down to salvation by grace through faith, but each coventant has its own exclusive rules. for example, sacrifices for the Old, Lords supper for the New. I'm looking at each covenant distincly and holistically.
Well, literalism might want to put it that way, but, that commandment is actually not literally and strictly "new" as it harmonizes 100% with the two greatest commandments, given in the Torah.
Good point.
I see what you are saying. I do not agree. Paul never claimed to have any authority in and by himself. let alone the authority to abolish laws and come up with new laws. He followed His Lord, Jesus, who said that He had NOT come to destroy the law and the prophets. All the commandments that Paul reiterated were all from the law and the prophets. Nothing new.

Was the gospel also preached in the OT? Yes! Indeed in every book of the OT. Why then would we need a NT? Since the NT highlights the Messiah that was to come, the One that the law and prophets testifies of, fulfilling prophecy and completing the revelation of God and therefore gives more light to children of men.[/quote]
I didn not say Paul was an authority inandof himself, I said "by the HS". He was simply God's scribe. God doesn not abolish the law, like i said - it is my understand that the law is still active now for the jews and those who know of it (they are undoubtedly condemned by it), but NT christians are not, we are under a new law.
Jeremiah 31:31,32 -
31“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.
I think you need to be carful there. The gospel (as we know it) was not preached. repentance and faith was preached, but not christ crucified. Not living in idoltary and obeying the Law (not neccesarrily believeing that the blood of goats would save you...but thats for another forum). It was clear that the gospel was a mystery/not known.
2 Peter 1:10-12 -
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
So yes the prophets knew about Christ crucified for salvation by faith, but it was not for there time but for ours in the NT dispensation.

Sorry if there are any typos, i write my responces on notepad then paste them.
 
[quote
Hhh89 said: I would agree that they are the same, essentially, but the OT Law NEVER dealt with root issue -the sinful heart. The command ‘You shall not commit adultery' was just a restriction on the actual act, a man could lust in his heart all he wanted and not break that law, of course he was not saved, but we are talking about the Law and not the man. Jesus takes this law to an extreme and says the man cannot even lust (matt. 5:28). In that sense it is different. And many of the NT Laws deal not only with the act, but the root cause of it as well.
[/quote]
Just because their language and thinking was different from ours it certainly does not mean OT did not deal with the sinful heart.

This is an example of needing more study and understanding of the culture and language of the times and people any scripture is written around. The Hebrew
people did not think in the abstract about their emotions. This made it very difficult for translators to interpret Hebrew into English. For instance one word translated love actually means, in Hebrew, bringing gifts. A word translated as fear is actually quaking. or the physical expression of the fear. The Hebrews understood that when they said they were shivering in reaction to something, it was fear. So you say that they dealt only with the act. In the same way, you could say that with our way of thinking we deal only with the emotion without any of the acts!! Is that why many mention the abstract idea and never the act that should follow? The Hebrews well understood that it took love to shower someone with gifts, and if they were shivering with fear it was fear that caused it.

This is one part of the misunderstanding many of us have. At its worst, some say that the new covenant wiped out all the old. They work to see the newness in Christ when the facts are that Christ was from the beginning, Christ is a fulfillment, a completion of what always was. They say we are now under grace, not law. Never has scripture said that we live with Him in His Kingdom through law. Scripture all teaches grace. If you study the sacrificial system, item by item, you see Christ. Blood is a symbol of life, blood must be shed for the redemption of sin.

This has been a wonderful discussion with many good points brought out.
 
*BUMP* I'm keeping this thread alive since I think it's an important topic.

...a "pattern of sin" is differnt from "habitual unrepentant sin" is what I am differentiating. Let me say, I do not believe in such thing as a carnal Christian. Habitual unrepenant has to do with both action and will, whereas a "pattern of sin" is just an action, which really doesn't say much about the will of the person in bondage. Romans 7:19 is clear that ones actions don't neccesarily imply that that is their desire. (whethere Paul was saved or not during that time is irrelivant). Yes we have the power to overcome, but I think if we are honest (or maybe we have yet to encounter that issue), we will agree that there are times when we constantily fall into the same sin, whether it be lust or fornication.

Agreed that there are no "carnal christians". It's a matter of semantics as well. I would not use the word "pattern", but would rather use "weakness". Because of a christian's weakness, against his will/desire, what you mention might happen. But I would not see it as something like a habitude (for the record I believe it is very relevant that Paul WAS saved and spoke of himself as such in Rom.7, and that to suggest something else is false). By the way, there are far more sins than lust or fornication. The sin if neglecting to do what one ought to do inclusive. My basic position is that christians do not live in sin, but yet they are still not totally sin free by themselves. Those who think they are, are simply either ignorant about what sin is (and therefore cannot yet be convicted of it - a very harmful and dangerous condition for a soul) or just plain dishonest.

I disagree, the OT does not tell anyone not to lust, or hate, etc (granted it does tell us not to covet though- that is internal, but for the most part it does not). I do agree that these were just as much sins back then as they are today; but it was not WRITTEN that it was. Through deep reflection on the law im sure it could be discovered that the internal was what God was getting at. Jesus shed light on those things which were not known. Even the Pharasees did not understand that God was really getting at the heart and not the action, even the faithful didnt:

Matthew 15:10-20 -
And he called the people to him and said to them, “Hear and understand: 11it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” 12Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14Let them alone; they are blind guides.c And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” 15But Peter said to him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16And he said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?d 18But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. 20These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”
I believe these things were clearly written in the OT as well and that the OT Saints experienced regeneration and sanctification (which was needed to understand the scriptures) just like the NT Saints. Jesus showed very well in the Sermon of the Mount what the Law said. The apostate pharisees (who did not represent all of pharasaism or judaism for that matter) that Jesus often rebuked had gone far astray from the understanding of the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.

Im not sure I catch you here...are you refering to the moral law Crossfire was speaking of?
Personally I'm not into this moral/ceremonial distinction too much at all as I often find it falling far short of presenting a tenable description of the law. There are still several "ceremonies" in function such as baptism, penance, communion, confession, absolution etc that are highly "moral" in nature. Many who say that they believe that the "moral law" is in effect would downplay or even deny these. I cannot see how it can be "moral" not to keep the sabbath. These are just a few examples.

Yes I agree. But I will say nothing is required to be kept in the OT, but we are to permitted (or required) to gleen from the OT in regards to Christian NT ethics. Perhaps when he speaks of "commandments and ordinances" we can gleen from a verse in the OT and see where, for example, shouldn't suffer a witch to live, but not obey the commands and ordinance to stone them to death. idk if that makes sense to you..
Well, these things would apply also today somehow, if there was a theocracy.

Yes but the principal is that, if one thing is no longer to be kept in the OT, then none is required to be kept. Just like if one thing is to be kept, all of it is. If some is [required to be kept], Paul would have to go throught the whole OT and tell us yes or no or leave it to us to decide and it becomes a subjective thing.
I believe this topic is handled very well in the Book of Hebrews. The ordinances are still there, but they have in some cases taken on new "forms"; as the melchizedek priesthood has replaced the aaronic priesthood, but principally they are still the same.

I'm not sure I understand you?
Col.2.20-23 is not speaking of the law of God. Obviously and sadly many yet teaches this, which explains why many christians have a negative view of the law.

Yes each covenant comes down to salvation by grace through faith, but each coventant has its own exclusive rules. for example, sacrifices for the Old, Lords supper for the New. I'm looking at each covenant distincly and holistically.
As said above, I believe that they are the same in nature, although their forms may have changed.

I didn not say Paul was an authority inandof himself, I said "by the HS". He was simply God's scribe. God doesn not abolish the law, like i said - it is my understand that the law is still active now for the jews and those who know of it (they are undoubtedly condemned by it), but NT christians are not, we are under a new law.
Jeremiah 31:31,32 -
31“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.
I see no need to complicate these things. Paul confessed that he believed ALL THINGS which are written in the law and the prophets (Acts 24:14). He kept the whole law. He had no intention to modify these laws let alone give new ones. The HS would of course not suffer him to do so. What Paul taught on this wise was nothing but the law itself. And, yes, Jeremiah 31:31-32 does describe how in the new birth God's law is written on our hearts.

I think you need to be carful there. The gospel (as we know it) was not preached. repentance and faith was preached, but not christ crucified. Not living in idoltary and obeying the Law (not neccesarrily believeing that the blood of goats would save you...but thats for another forum). It was clear that the gospel was a mystery/not known.
2 Peter 1:10-12 -
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
So yes the prophets knew about Christ crucified for salvation by faith, but it was not for there time but for ours in the NT dispensation.
Careful with what? It is abundantly clear from scripture that the gospel was always preached and that the way of salvation is equal in OT as NT. The difference lies in the FULFILLMENT of prophecies, atonement-redemption and covenant. Better be careful with NOT teaching these facts, I'd say. :)

Thanks for the convo.
 
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The law is nothing more then man thinking he can be somebody before god WRONG! I believe we are under the spirit of life now and not the law of man for his pride anymore. the two are like oil and vingear that don't mix or can they.
 
For those who bring in the annulment of much of the OT, or that the Jews are to be looked at differently than we are other than they were chosen to be trained about God in a godless world, then they are, according to scripture false prophets, as was Paul. I don’t think Paul was a false prophet at all, I think some understanding of scripture through him is not right. Look at these scriptures:

Deuteronomy 13:1-5 The False Prophet
13 “If a prophet or someone who has dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, 2 and that sign or wonder he has promised you comes about, but he says, ‘Let us follow other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us worship them,’ 3 do not listen to that prophet’s words or to that dreamer. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul. 4 You must follow the Lord your God and fear Him. You must keep His commands and listen to His voice; you must worship Him and remain faithful to Him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has urged rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the place of slavery, to turn you from the way the Lord your God has commanded you to walk. You must purge the evil from you.

As for the Jews being so separate from us it says:
Galatians 3:28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In the OT there is verse after verse that tells of the believing gentile to be treated the same as the Jew. The Hebrew word for gentile is “ger” that is usually translated as stranger. Not long ago Christians labeled Jews as “Christi killers”, quoting scripture.

Leviticus 19:34 You must regard the foreigner who lives with you as the native-born among you. You are to love him as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt/ I am Yahweh your God.

Christ said he didn’t change either the law or the prophets , how could scripture then say Christ did change and make everything new?

Matthew 5:17Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:18 For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.