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 Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:27 pm
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Erroneous Allegations Made Against the 4th Commandment
I was reading through Garland's thread [Links I have visited] and came across this link:
I found error in the article. And I'll post them below. These arguments are often passed around as sound logic when it is not. And they outright lie about what Scripture says.
On the bright side, the author does open up with a correct statement (that the bible at no point makes a distinction between “ceremonial law vs. moral law” and thus does not say to do away with one law, and keep the other law).
And that's true because, for example, Jesus will eat the Passover meal again, which contains the sacrificed animal (a lamb), when He returns*.
Luke 22:14-16 (NIV)
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Numbers 9:10-11 (NIV)
10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate the Lord’s Passover, 11 but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
*He didn't stay long enough to eat the Passover meal again with His disciples before ascending and leaving in the clouds. Thus He will be obeying this “ceremonial law” when He returns.
However the author of the article concluded that to do such a thing—to keep a "ceremonial" law (after saying that there is no such distinction)—is to hold on to a dead corpse.
He made arguments throughout the article that eliminate the possibility of Jesus doing what He said above, either due to unawareness of other verses, like the one I quoted above, (at best) or due to a heart of disobedience (at worst)—and this made him conclude the wrong thing, not to mention contradict his own words.
Without further ado, the errors / lies / deviations from truth:
Errors:
(posted below as individual replies) |
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:29 pm
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Not a moral command?
Quote: The Ten has one ceremonial command, the sabbath, which is not a moral command.
✘ Incorrect.
The weekly Sabbath is both quote-unquote “moral” and “ceremonial”.
The “moral” aspect of the Sabbath is to love others by not overworking them: be they your own family members, slaves, hired workers, people in the community, animals, etc. To not allow them to rest is oppression, and expresses lack of care for their physical well-being. This is also a careless attitude towards their spiritual well-being as well, never allowing them time to learn and grow in the knowledge of God; you're always keeping them busy. It is immoral to not allow people to rejuvenate physically and spiritually.
And it's not just love towards man, but love towards God when we guard His reputation: we keep His reputation holy (set-apart) by keeping His Sabbath holy; it declares that YHWH, unlike the gods and idols of the nations, created the heavens and the earth—and all that inhabits them—in six days, but rested on the seventh. We uphold the truth of God's testimony about creation by obeying this command. We also are tested for who we really serve: who determines our decisions (to work or not to work; to do business or not to do business): money/profit? family? or God's commands?
Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV)
8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Nehemiah 13:16-18 (NIV)
16 People from Tyre who lived in Jerusalem were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them in Jerusalem on the Sabbath to the people of Judah. 17 I rebuked the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this wicked thing you are doing—desecrating the Sabbath day? 18 Didn’t your ancestors do the same things, so that our God brought all this calamity on us and on this city? Now you are stirring up more wrath against Israel by desecrating the Sabbath.”
Ezekiel 22:26 (NIV)
26 Her priests do violence to my law and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common; they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean; and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
The “ceremonial” aspect of the Sabbath is the temple sacrifice. I don't think people realize that animals are sacrificed on a daily basis when the temple is up in Jerusalem. And depending on what kind of Sabbath it is (weekly, monthly, or annual), there are special sacrifices (commemorative and/or prophetic) made on top of the regular sacrifices. For example, the Day of Trumpets is an annual Sabbath, but it is also the beginning of the 7th month, and a day. So there's a daily sacrifice, the monthly sacrifice and the special sacrifice of that particular Sabbath offered all on that day.
The Weekly Sabbath
Numbers 28:9-10 (NIV)
9 “‘On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
Footnotes:
a. Numbers 28:9 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms; also in verses 12, 20 and 28
The Day of Trumpets
Numbers 29:1-6 (NIV)
29 “‘On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. 2 As an aroma pleasing to the Lord, offer a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 3 With the bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah[a] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; with the ram, two-tenths[b]; 4 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth.[c] 5 Include one male goat as a sin offering[d] to make atonement for you. 6 These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings as specified. They are food offerings presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma.
Footnotes:
a. Numbers 29:3 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms; also in verses 9 and 14
b. Numbers 29:3 That is, probably about 7 pounds or about 3.2 kilograms; also in verses 9 and 14
c. Numbers 29:4 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms; also in verses 10 and 15
d. Numbers 29:5 Or purification offering; also elsewhere in this chapter
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:32 pm
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Never commanded to be a communal day of worship?
Quote: Sabbath keeping was given to Israel as a weekly ritual "to rest" from labor. It was never commanded as a communal day of worship.
✘ Incorrect.
If by “communal day of worship” he meant “to gather together with other believers”, then yes the command does mention it...
Leviticus 23:3 (NIV)
3 “‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.
That said, we are commanded to worship God 24/7 (all day, everyday, in every decision we make). But we are NOT commanded to hold a holy convocation / a day of sacred assembly every moment of our lives, in the way we are commanded to worship, as His living sacrifices.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
There are people who never come out of the temple (i.e. Anna, in Luke 2:36-37), dedicated to spiritual things (e.g. fasting and praying) all day, every day, but that is voluntary, not a command. |
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:33 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:34 pm
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Sabbath given to one nation?
Quote: Adventists teach that the sabbath is binding on all nations and all people for all time when in fact it was given only to one nation—Israel.
✘ Incorrect.
First of all, it's not just Adventists who make that claim.
The prophets (thus YHWH Himself) say as much too:
Isaiah 56:6-8 (NIV)
6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
to minister to him,
to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant—
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.”
8 The Sovereign Lord declares—
he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
“I will gather still others to them
besides those already gathered.”
Second of all, as clearly demonstrated above, it is not just people of one nation keeping the Sabbath.
But yes, it is only “Israel” (God's holy / set-apart people—native-born and foreigner residing amongst them alike), who keep the Sabbath, though they come from different nations.
Romans 9:6 (NIV)
6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
Romans 11:25-26 (NIV)
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way[a] all Israel will be saved. As it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
Footnotes:
a. Romans 11:26 Or and so
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:35 pm
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When is the law a witness against someone?
& The purpose behind giving the law to Israel?
Quote: The law was a witness against Israel not Christians. God gave the law to Israel to show them their sins and the law was a witness to it. They were a stiff-necked, rebellious, idolatrous, faithless nation.
✘ Incorrect on so many levels:
God gave the Law to Israel so that they would prosper.
Deuteronomy 5:29 (NIV)
29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NIV)
12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Joshua 1:8 (NIV)
8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
When it becomes a witness against them: when they would disobey and forsake YHWH's Way, instead go after the ways of other gods, the ways of the nations, not living in accord with their Creator's Law. When all the calamity would come upon them, as YHWH promised, then the book of the Law of YHWH would testify against them about why that is.
Hence Deut 31.
Deuteronomy 31:24-27 (NIV)
24 After Moses finished writing in a book the words of this law from beginning to end, 25 he gave this command to the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord: 26 “Take this Book of the Law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. There it will remain as a witness against you. 27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die!
And why are they being obstinate and rebellious? What exactly does YHWH find so odious / abominable? Answer: that they're behaving like the Gentiles.
Deuteronomy 31:16-18 (NIV)
16 And the Lord said to Moses: “You are going to rest with your ancestors, and these people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering. They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 And in that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and calamities will come on them, and in that day they will ask, ‘Have not these disasters come on us because our God is not with us?’ 18 And I will certainly hide my face in that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.
The Gentiles / Goyim (the rest of the nations) were in rebellion against the Creator just as much as the Israelites. Yes, the Law would witness against the Israelites, when they forsook the covenant. BUT what was the whole purpose behind the Israelites formation as a nation? To put the Gentiles to shame. They were suppose to be a witness against the nations, by the way they lived (in accord with the Commands) because in response to their way of living—according to the Commands of YHWH—everything would go well for them, God would bless them in everything they put their hands to; the Israelites were to obey all of God's commands and God would honor them, thus proving to the nations that all their Gentile ways of living, being, doing thinking, all their idolatries and myths were useless and worthless practices. There's only one Way that YHWH approves and blesses.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8 (NIV)
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
Deuteronomy 26:18-19 (NIV)
18 And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. 19 He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised.
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:36 pm
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Failing to stone Sabbath-breakers, failing to stay in your house on the Sabbath.
Quote: They refuse to kill sabbath breakers and stay at home on sabbaths as the law requires. Thus they are lawbreakers, and subject to the condemnation of that law.
✘ Ignorance of how the Law is applied:
First of all, if the nation had YHWH's Law as the law of the land, and thus rendered justice via a Sanhedrin, they would get stoned to death. But YHWH's Law is not the law of the land. So, no one is getting punished according to YHWH's Law. You don't pick up a rock and stone your neighbor; you bring them to the courts/judges; they make a thorough investigation—both in YHWH's set-apart nation and in Gentile nations.
Second of all, the command that prohibits “leaving one's place” on the Sabbath, prohibits traveling distances that exhaust you. Not that you don't leave your house, full stop, because: neither Jesus, nor anyone else, on the Sabbath profaned the Sabbath by having a holy convocation / a sacred assembly (e.g. by attending synagogue, thus leaving their house), or gathering with other believers on that day to talk / argue spiritual matters.
Exodus 16:29 (KJV)
29 See, for that the Lord hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
Luke 4:16 (NIV)
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
Acts 17:2 (NIV)
2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:37 pm
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The law of hostility is...?
Quote: Jesus Abolished Israel's Old Covenant law with Ten Commandments and regulations.
Eph 2:15 (NIV) ...by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.
✘ Incorrect and dishonest cropping of the verse:
Paul mentions a Law that we're slaves to in the mind, as saved people in Christ, vs another law that we're released from. The law—with its hostility, commandments, and regulations—that was done away with, because it divided us from each other and from God, is the law of sin in our flesh, not God's Law.
Quoting the NIV honestly:
Ephesians 2:14-16 (NIV)
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
Romans 8:7-9 (NIV)
7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
Romans 7:25 (NIV)
25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature[a] a slave to the law of sin.
Footnotes:
A. Romans 7:25 Or in the flesh
Romans 6:6 (NIV)
6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin—
Footnotes:
a. Romans 6:6 Or be rendered powerless
Leviticus 26:27-28 (NIV)
27 “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, 28 then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.
Law of sin of the flesh is put to death, no longer slaves to sin, no longer hostile to God's Law.
Law of God put on our minds, made slaves to righteousness from within.
(we're saved from the inward desire to sin / inward desire to transgress the Law) |
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:38 pm
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What was nailed to the cross?
In a section about what was nailed to the cross (alluding that it was the Law of YHWH):
Quote: Col 2:13-14 (NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
[...]
Jesus was taken down from the cross, and the law with the sabbath remains nailed to the cross for eternity. SDAs try their best to pry the nails from the cross to make the sabbath binding on Christians.
✘ Dishonest and incorrect.
He changed what the NIV actually says (and in fact, I can't find a bible version that reads the way he typed it above):
Colossians 2:13-14 (NIV)
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Footnotes:
a. Colossians 2:13 Some manuscripts us
Not the Law of YHWH, but our record of sins was nailed to the cross.
The Law of YHWH defines what is sin in the first place—and still defines what sin is (ergo, the Law of God didn't go anywhere).
1 John 3:4 (NIV)
4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:39 pm
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Ministration
Quote: The Ten Commandments were a ministration of death and condemnation.
2 Cor 3:6-9 (NIV)
He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
Only one who was a party to that law/sabbath could die to that law/sabbath.
✘ Incorrect.
Two things:
(1) How people apply the Law is a ministration. Death and condemnation? or mercy and reconciliation? But the Law remains the same, still condemning your sin as wrong. For example, the same laws from the Old Testament—that stoned people to death—are what Paul uses to base his decision to separate from unrepentant believers:
1 Corinthians 5:12-13 (NIV)
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”[a]
Footnotes:
a. 1 Corinthians 5:13 Deut. 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7
The commands from Deuteronomy are about stoning the Israelite to death (thus eliminating the unrepentant believer from amongst us). We don't stone them to death, however, because they've been lawfully pardoned by God. That said, getting lawfully pardoned (forgiven) doesn't mean the Law ceases to exist. Nor does getting lawfully pardoned (forgiven), under the New Covenant, guarantee that you'll continue living amongst YHWH's set-apart people either—just like in the Old Covenant, separation happens. The only difference is that it doesn't have to be permanently, as stoning to death would have been, leaving you in your condemnation. There is a chance to reconcile and be forgiven (a chance you did not get under the ministration of condemnation if you were an idolater, a blasphemer, an adulterer, a Sabbath breaker, a pre-meditated murderer, etc).
But even that chance to reconcile has its limits. Governments / law enforcement can still put you to death.
Romans 13:1-5 (NIV)
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
Not to mention, the Corinthians are living under Gentile government anyway, thus added reason why they're not stoning to death as the form of capital punishment; Corinth was a Gentile nation that did not submit to YHWH's Law as the law of the land. Had there been a Sanhedrin, however, the government would be putting to death according to YHWH's Law, not Gentile law (which uses the sword, or electric chair, or euthanasia via injection, etc).
(2) The Spirit doesn't give us new commands. He reminds us of them. And the goal of the New Covenant is to kill off “the desire to sin” within us, so we are not killed off (the sin in our body is put to death instead of us).
Romans 8:13 (NIV)
13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Colossians 3:5-10 (NIV)
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[a] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Footnotes:
a. Colossians 3:6 Some early manuscripts coming on those who are disobedient
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:41 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:42 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:43 pm
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For rebellious Israel? Christians don't need commands?
Quote: The law was made for rebellious Israel, not Christians with the spirit of God. Do Christians need a law to tell them not to worship idols, not to murder and steal?
✘ Incorrect and Yes.
The Law was given to show mankind, through Israel, our rebellion and why our myths, our superstition, and our idolatries are worthless.
2 Kings 17:15 (NIV)
15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”
Many nations will obey the Law one day.
Micah 4:2 (NIV)
2 Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Secondly, this is why the bible exists: to tell us, Christian and non-Christian, that it is wrong to worship idols, to murder and to steal; the letters exist to inform us of God's Commands, in spirit and in truth. The Holy Spirit brings to remembrance. He does not inform us, out of thin air, but reminds us of what His Commands say after we have read them / been informed of them. He reminds us of both the essence of the command and what it literally says, so that we don't commit adultery, we don't murder, we don't covet, we don't oppress others, we don't profane the sabbath (in ways HE said profane, not that man says), nor take His Name in vain (in ways HE said take His Name in vain, not that man says), etc, in spirit and in truth, externally and internally, with the body and with the thoughts of the heart. The Gentiles are being taught the Law; thus writing letters to the Gentiles to inform them of Old Testament Laws (e.g. to not eat blood, to not eat meat of strangled animals, to not eat sacrifices made to idols, etc). |
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2016 7:44 pm
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Under the Law?
Quote: Paul was not under the Law. Be like Paul and win SDAs and other sabbatarians that put themselves under the law.
✘ Incorrect.
Coming under the Law (condemnation of it) is not the same thing as living in obedience to the Law—which Paul did, even "ceremonial" laws like the Nazirite Vows and the head shaving that comes upon completion of the vow.
Acts 21:19-25 (NIV)
19 Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21 They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22 What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23 so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.
25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
As it relates to verse 25, the prohibition against eating blood is from the Old Testament Law; it's the Law of Moses. The prohibition to not eat the meat of strangled animals is from Old Testament Law; it's the Law of Moses. Gentiles are told to keep those commands.
This article is a classic case of twisting Paul's epistles to teach lawlessness.
2 Peter 3:15-17 (NIV)
15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.
So because the author is filtering information through ideas and definitions that are not even biblically-sound, he's distorting what the verses say. And clearly is not aware of the verses mentioned in this thread.
I'll link to another thread [Details in the New Testament that Get Ignored] for many more examples from the New Testament that suffer this same mis-treatment, including Jesus' words and words of the other apostles that get twisted to teach lawlessness. |
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