In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said frequently "You have heard ... but I say". Jesus is telling us "I am the appropriate interpreter of the faith and how we should practice the faith. He is clear on this as He interprets the law in a God-intended way instead of the way 'sold' by the Pharisees. In terms of Revelation Jesus is saying, "You can choose to live in Fallen Babylon or in the Kingdom of God."
It seems that this conflict between God's plan and our rationalization was a common thread throughout history. It is no wonder that Scripture continues to take us to God's plan ... not the failed/humanized law ... not our wits ... not religion ... not empty ritual ... not festivals and 'lip service' of priests. In the New Testament the law is mentioned over 275 times and over half of those mentions involve something negative (a condemnation of how the law is used, a condemnation of the teachers of the law, a caution that the law has it's power in death, and multiple instances of the law being used to apply racism/exclusionary practices. All this is not to condemn the law but to point out that the law doesn't mix well with people (except Christ). It is why Christ offers a better way of grace, truth and a full amplification of God's intent when the law was given. Jesus made it simple enough for a 'cave man' to understand ... love God and love people and that 'law' stuff will work out. Then we (God's people) can become His treasure, his kingdom of priests (those who proclaim the universal reign of God) and a nation who does the most holy thing ever ... follow God completely. The world, religions, doctrinal statements say lots of things that seem to be overwhelming ... but Jesus says, "follow me." That is the message to seven churches that represent the totality of churches both then, in history, now and in the future (from the God that was, is, and is to come). Pastor Randy
Some think that the New Testament replaced the Old Testament and the Old Testament became irrelavant, and that Christians replaced Jews as God's chosen people. Can you clarify the importance of the Old Testament (not throwing out the 10 Commandments with the bath water!)and the joining of old and new?
ReplyDeleteThe word I would use is 'fulfillment' which has the context of completion and the Hebrew idea of 'rest' (also completion). The OT is the foundation for the Gospels (Matthew quoted OT events being fulfilled in Jesus). The NT cannot be understood without the OT and the NT is incomplete without the OT. If you read Revelation carefully the OT covenant is fulfilled (see 5:9) in the blessing of all nations, tribes, languages and people. Further, the 10 Commandments are 'completed' in Jesus and the Great Commandment to love God and other people. My point in the blog was to discourage the idea that some have that we are returning to a time/place in the Torah when we (or the Jews) were in concert with God through the following of the Law, the rituals/festivals and the liturgical structure defined in Leviticus. In the Bible (except for the pre-fall garden in Genesis) that time/place does not exist. I am reminding readers that we go to a new heaven and a new earth that changes everything. But this should newer dilute the necessary prescriptive and descriptive OT witness.
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