I know many things have been posted on this topic as is to be acpected , so I will try not to cover ground already trodden , but let us look at this New Covenant spoken of in Jer. 31:31 .
He made this New Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah (31) , and then defines what the Covanant is (33) , saying " I will put My Law in their inward parts , and write it in their hearts "
So we know by the very mouth of God the Father that His Law is what the New Covenant is built around , so the question that was posted on this forum was ,
Do We as Christians Keep the Mosaic Law?
Mark S wrote many of the things that are a rubber stamp of sorts as far as doctrine goes in our places of worship , but as we know the doctrine of men do not contain salvation and can offten lead us to hell's gate , so lets look at what the Word says about this topic and try best we can to listen , learn and teach just those things written .
In Matt. 5 we find the Christ sitting on a mountain speaking to what is called a multitude , from all over the region , some Greek , some Hebrew , as the story is told ( Galilee , Decapolis , Jerusalem , Judaea ) .
Beggining in verse 17 the Christ begins to speak of the Law ,
:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
We offten hear this scripture quoted and many have much to say concerning it , but rarely do we find a man that will finish the words of the Christ in full .
19 : Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 :For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
ok , so some say , oh but this was before the cross and He was teaching things that would have no value to anyone after He died on the cross , a stance I would never take by the way . So lets look further into this subject . Although there are many accounts of His followers obeying the Law after He died on the cross for our sins , lets look at the written word instead of the actions of His followers since many will claim even after following Him about for years they still didnt understand .
Acts 15 and 21 are great examples of the Holy Spirit as well as the apostles working through this very topic
Acts 15:1 "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6
And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
So here is the very question being asked in scripture , I'll not post the whole bible of course , you must read the entire account for yourself , let us go to the answer they came to on this matter . But notice if you will this question was only for the Gentiles , not the Hebrew .
9 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11
But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
So here is how the Gentiles are saved , the sme way the Hebrew are of course , but this still doesnt answer the question as we ask it .
19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
28
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Of course we always stay in context , and that is " obey the Law to be saved ? ", here we see the words " lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;"
Necessary for what ? , Salvation , after all that is the context that has been set , but still the question is not fully answered , let us look further .
Acts 21:20 :And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
21And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
22What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Here we see Paul being told of this accusation about the Law and the customs of MNoses , lets see what he says and how he replies .
23Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
24Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Ok , so here is his answer , the accusation is a lie , " nothing " , and also lets notice the end of that verse , where we see these words "keepest the law "
It's quite plain that Paul kept the law as well as those other Hebrews of the faith , now lets read on
25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
We see again there is a differance in who is to obey what concerning the Law and salvation , lets read on .
26
Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.
Here we see the works of the Law in play with not only the Apostle of Christ but also Hebrew men around him , purification , offerings , the Temple , all such things as the Law requires .
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I was trained in a place that people call " anti's " , so without aligning myself with any peticular group , which we know is not biblical , I will tell you that there they like to teach " the Law is abolished " , and if we speak in context of justification , indeed it is . But they teach it is abolished in any context having no place in our lives at all . Let us look for scripture that either supports that or denies such .
Romans 3:31 : Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
The word " void " used in Greek is " katargeo" , it means abolish , cease , destroy , make void . So we see that the Law is not gone , rather He says " we establish the Law "
In Hebrews 7:12 we see another place where the Law is mentioned , not in past tense , but rather in active use
12:For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Now Brethern we know that no flesh shall be saved by the works of the Law , but we also know that the Law is not abolished , but has place in our walk with the Christ .
in brotherly love , the lowest servant of the Most High God
