Expert: Brenda Martin - 2/26/2010

Question
QUESTION: Regarding a post Feb 6th and ‘the Law’

You said:
“The Law covenant came to an end, but MANY (not all) of its basic laws and principles were adopted into Christianity.”
“To illustrate – The constitution under an old government might be canceled and replaced, but the new constitution may keep many of the laws of the old one.”

Your illustration is seriously flawed. You are comparing mans constitutions, with God’s Law.
1.   Constitutions of Nations (men) are amended NOT canceled or replaced.
2.   Only when a Nation is conquered (externally or internally) is its constitution replaced with the constitution of the conquering Nation. This is only trading one set of mans imperfect laws with another – arbitrary, not divine.
3.   God’s Government is NOT of men and cannot be conquered, canceled or replaced!!!
4.   Unlike man’s laws, God’s Law is divine. It is PERFECT!!! (Ps 19:7), HOLY!!! (Rom 7:12), and ETERNAL!!! (1 Chron. 16:17; Ps 105:10; Is 24:5).

You said:
So Christians are urged to “fulfill the law of the Christ,” rather than to keep the Ten Commandments. Jesus gave many commands and instructions, and by our obeying them we are keeping or fulfilling his law.

Christ Never broke God’s Law. He Never urged others to do so.

According to your reasoning, Christ was able to give a set of commands and instructions that succeeded where the COMMANDMENTS OF GOD ALMIGHTY FAILED?
Has it escaped your notice that Christ’s ‘commands’ are even more stringent than God’s.

Under ‘Christ’s law’ we are condemned as ‘guilty’ NOT by committing the act but by merely THINKING it! (Mt 5:28)
Eternal life is not gained by keeping the Law of God all of our lives, we must do that and then also “sell all we have and give it to the poor” (Mt 19:16-21)

Point in fact, Christ did not abolish any of God’s Laws. He clarified them in a way that demonstrated that Salvation is NOT EARNED (Eph 2:8,9). Our relationship with our Father in Heaven is solely dependent upon our relationship with Jesus. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 John 5:11-13)

(Mt. 5:17-19)
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
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.
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.”

The writers of the New Covenant Scriptures also understood that Christ did not do away with God’s Law.

(James 2:10)
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in ONE [point], he is guilty of all.

(Rom 3:31)
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we ESTABLISH the law.

God made covenants with Noah, Abram, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and David…
God has never made void His preceding covenants by establishing subsequent covenants.

Noah:
The prohibition against murder and eating blood (Gen 9:4,5) and the promise never to destroy the earth by flood (Gen 9:11) was given to ALL mankind through Noah and was not abrogated when God later made a covenant with Abram.

Abram:
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph never lived in the land God covenanted to them (Gen 13:15, 15:18). The fulfillment of that promise waits for the very soon return of Messiah and the establishment of His 1,000-year earthly kingdom.

Note:
–   During the Millennial reign the LAW will go forth from Zion and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Is 2:3; Mic 4:2). There is no ambiguity as to which “LAW “ the Scriptures refer to.

Moses:
The covenant God made at Sinai did not abolish or replace the Covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or Joseph.

God made 2 covenants with the Children of Israel through Moses in the wilderness; one at Horeb (Ex 3:1) and another at Moab (Deut 29:1).
No Biblical scholar interprets the Moab covenant as “canceling or replacing” the Horeb covenant.

Note:
–   As peculiar a notion as it is to think that a Gentile could be accepted into God’s covenant, is it to be assumed that because their “only burden”, to abstain from 4 things; idols, fornication, things strangled, and blood (Acts 15:20), which was rampant in the pagan culture of the time, that it was OK for Gentiles to violate the rest of God’s Law? You would agree such an assumption violates the context and makes a mockery of Scripture?

(Acts 15:20, 21)
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood.
FOR MOSES OF OLD TIME HATH IN EVERY CITY THEM THAT PREACH HIM, BEING READ IN THE SYNAGOGUES EVERY SABBATH DAY.

What is conspicuous by its absence is the fact that “LOVE” is NOT mentioned.
‘Love’, the whole sum of the “Law covenant”, is NOT REQUIRED of Gentiles?
Remember, the context concerned the covenant of circumcision not whether obedience to God was optional.

Conformity to God’s Word did not come to the Gentiles with the arrival of a letter telling them to turn from their idolatrous ways. From the context it is clear that the Gentiles would learn the rest of the Law (“Moses”), the sum of which IS LOVE, by attending synagogue every Shabbat.

Through the Blood of Messiah Gentiles are NO LONGER
–   “Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel”, (they are members of it)
–   “Strangers from the covenants of promise”, (they are partakers of it)
–   “Having no hope, and without God in the world” (they have a relationship with Him)
(Eph 2:12,13)

Since you hold the position that you are not under God’s Law, there must be laws you feel comfortable disobeying.
Pardon my inability to understand that reasoning – my religion does not allow me the prerogative to say, “Not Thy will, but Mine, be done.”

I simply ask ONE Yes or No Question –

Question:
During the Millennial Kingdom when the “Law goes forth from Zion and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem”, will you still be teaching others we are NOT under God’s Law?

Let your “Yes” be yes, or your “No” be no.
Do not leave the question unanswered by dancing around trying to justify some middle ground.

ANSWER: “MANY (NOT ALL) OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE ADOPTED INTO CHRISTIANITY.”

What the Bible says at Galatians 4:8-11; Colossians 2:16, 17 & Romans 14:5 shows that Christians are NOT under God’s law given to the Israelites, with its requirement to keep the weekly Sabbath and to observe other special days in the year.

Also even if the Law still existed today; The Law was NOT given to all humankind. Jehovah made a covenant, or an agreement, with the descendants of Jacob, who became the nation of Israel. Jehovah gave his laws to THIS NATION ONLY. The Bible makes this clear at Deuteronomy 5:1-3 and Psalm 147:19, 20.

"CHRIST NEVER BROKE GOD’S LAW. HE NEVER URGED OTHERS TO DO SO".

Jesus kept the Law perfectly because, until his death it was still in operation. When Jesus was asked however, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” did he isolate the Ten Commandments? Instead, he replied: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets.” (Matt. 22:35-40)

In clinging to the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6-21), saying that they are binding on Christians, you are actually rejecting what Jesus said (quoting Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18) as to which commandments are the greatest.

CHRIST WAS ABLE TO GIVE A SET OF COMMANDS AND INSTRUCTIONS THAT SUCCEEDED WHERE THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD ALMIGHTY FAILED?

The special purpose of the Law was to PROTECT and GUIDE the nation of Israel so that they might be ready to accept Christ when he arrived. The many sacrifices required by the Law reminded the Israelites that they were sinners who needed a Savior.—Hebrews 10:1-4.

The apostle Paul asked the question: “Why, then, the Law?” for what purpose did Jehovah give his law to Israel? Paul answered: “To make transgressions manifest, UNTIL the seed should arrive to whom the promise had been made . . . Consequently the Law has become our TUTOR [or, teacher] LEADING to Christ.” (Galatians 3:19-24)

The Law didn’t “fail” it served its purpose perfectly.

JAMES 2:10)--FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL KEEP THE WHOLE LAW, AND YET OFFEND IN ONE [POINT], HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.

James was merely explaining how impossible it was for them to live by the Mosaic law, it showed all to be sinners because no one could keep it perfectly. He was contrasting the OLD Law covenant with the NEW one they were now under.

James goes on in verse 12 to show this—“ Keep on speaking in such a way and keep on doing in such a way as those do who are going to be judged by the law of a FREE people.”

The law of the Christ is repeatedly associated with freedom. (John 8:31, 32) It is referred to as “the law of a free people” and “the perfect law that belongs to freedom.” (James 1:25) This law offers far greater freedom than its predecessor, the Mosaic Law.

In what ways? - For one thing, no one is born under the law of the Christ. Such factors as race and place of birth are irrelevant. True Christians freely choose in their hearts to accept the yoke of obedience to this law. (Matthew 11:28-30)

The Mosaic Law was designed to teach man that he is sinful and in dire need of a ransom sacrifice to redeem him. (Galatians 3:19)

The law of the Christ teaches that the Messiah has come, paid the ransom price with his life, and opened the way for us to be freed from the terrible oppression of sin and death! (Romans 5:20, 21)

Only through faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice can forgiveness of sin and real relief come. Christ was the one man who kept the Law in all its parts, perfectly. He fulfilled the whole Law and therefore was used in the abolition of it. (Eph. 2:15)

(ROM 3:31)

Paul forcefully told these Christians that “A man is declared righteous by faith APART from works of law.” V.28, then understanding how difficult it was for some to understand that; faith was replacing, living by the Mosaic Law, he softened his words in verse 31

“Do we, then, abolish law by means of our faith? Never may that happen! On the contrary, we establish law.”

Paul was saying; is the Christian law easier, so that they can live up to it? No; the law of the Christian system of things is of an even higher standard.

GOD HAS NEVER MADE VOID HIS PRECEDING COVENANTS BY ESTABLISHING SUBSEQUENT COVENANTS.

Shortly before his death, Jesus told his followers that his shed blood was the “blood of the NEW covenant.” (Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20)

Ten days after he ascended to heaven, the new covenant was seen to be in operation when holy spirit was poured out on about 120 disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:15; 2:1-4)

The bringing of these 120 disciples into the new covenant showed that the “former” covenant, the Law covenant, was now obsolete.—Hebrews 8:13.

Was the old covenant a failure? Not at all. Before the Law was replaced it accomplished much. For centuries, it provided a way of approach to God and protection from false religion. It contained fore-gleams of the new covenant and, with its repeated sacrifices, demonstrated man’s desperate need of redemption from sin and death. Indeed, the Law was a “tutor leading to Christ.” (Galatians 3:19, 24; Romans 3:20; 4:15; 5:12; Hebrews 10:1, 2) However, it was through the new covenant that the blessing promised to Abraham would be realized in full.

After Jesus’ death, Jews who accepted him as the Messiah and became his disciples came under a new covenant, which replaced the old Law covenant. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7-13) Under this new covenant, they—and non-Jewish believers who later joined them—became part of a new, spiritual nation that replaced fleshly Israel as God’s special people. (Romans 9:25, 26;

DURING THE MILLENNIAL REIGN THE LAW WILL GO FORTH FROM ZION AND THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM. (IS 2:3;  MIC 4:2).

Isaiah tells us about those who embrace pure worship TODAY; For example, every year the Witnesses spend hundreds of millions of hours in speaking to people about God’s Kingdom and conducting free home Bible studies with those interested in examining the facts. All this time is given free of charge. The ones doing the work are from every walk of life, of all ages, and from about every profession imaginable.

These are the ones described at Isaiah 2:3; It is a worldwide educational program with two objectives: (1) Inform people in every nation that God’s Kingdom is ruling and tell them exactly what it will soon do, and (2) educate, free of charge, all those who want to examine the facts and serve the living God according to his wishes.

In these last days, it is Jehovah’s Witnesses who have become ‘a light to the nations.’ (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6) They are the only international brotherhood serving Jehovah God unitedly and peacefully under the direction of the Messiah, “the root of Jesse,” whom they proclaim to be the ‘signal’ for the nations.—Isaiah 11:10

The ones who are streaming to the SYMBOLIC mountain of pure worship are persons who are being instructed in Jehovah’s peace-loving ways and who walk according to his purpose and requirements. They are not people who remain in their previous religions, divided by conflicting doctrines and practices. Instead, they are gathered together as Micah 2:12 foretold: “In unity I shall set them, like a flock in the pen.”

The result of this educational work is that over 7 million people in all the earth have become proclaimers of the “good news of the kingdom.” They have become peaceful persons, and under no circumstance will they take the life of their fellowman. Just as Micah foretold, they have already beaten “their swords into plowshares . . . ; neither will they learn war anymore.” And many millions of other interested people throughout the earth are being taught by them.

Jehovah’s Witnesses look forward to the harmonious new world in which Micah 4:4 will be fulfilled toward all mankind: “They will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble; for the very mouth of Jehovah of [heavenly] armies has spoken it.”

ABSTAIN FROM; IDOLS, FORNICATION, THINGS STRANGLED, AND BLOOD (ACTS 15:20), BUT OK FOR GENTILES TO VIOLATE THE REST OF GOD’S LAW?

Taken in context; with the great influx of non-Jews, the question arises whether these should be CIRCUMCISED. Paul and Barnabas take the issue to the apostles and the older men in Jerusalem, where the disciple James presides and arranges to send out the unanimous decision by formal letter: “The holy spirit and we ourselves have favoured adding no further burden to you, except these necessary things, to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication.” (15:28, 29)

Purposely leaving out CIRCUMCISION, to end the debate, that had raged for 30 years, so no it wasn’t “ok” to do all sorts of wrong, the letter was merely dealing with the issue of circumcision, which by the way also proves the Law was now abolished.

THE GENTILES WOULD LEARN THE REST OF THE LAW (“MOSES”), THE SUM OF WHICH IS LOVE, BY ATTENDING SYNAGOGUE EVERY SHABBAT.

Following Pentecost of 33 C.E. and the establishment of the Christian congregation, the apostles, particularly Paul, did much preaching in the synagogues. When entering a city, Paul usually went first to the synagogue and preached there, giving the Jews the first opportunity of hearing the good news of the Kingdom, afterward going to the Gentiles. In some cases he spent considerable time, preaching for several Sabbaths, in the synagogue.

In Ephesus he taught in the synagogue for three months, and after opposition arose, he withdrew the disciples who believed and used the school auditorium of Tyrannus for about two years.—Ac 13:14; 17:1, 2, 10, 17; 18:4, 19; 19:8-10.

Paul was NOT using the Jewish synagogues as places of meeting for a Christian congregation.

When Paul learned the truth about Jesus Christ, he did not procrastinate. “Immediately . . . he began to preach JESUS, that this One is the SON OF GOD.” (Acts 9:20) He appreciated God’s undeserved kindness to him and he realized that everyone needed the good news that he had received. According to the custom of the day, since he was a Jew he went to the synagogues, which were Jewish places of public assembly, TO GIVE A WITNESS.

He also preached from house to house and reasoned with people in the marketplace. And he was willing to move out into new territories to publish the good news.—Acts 17:17; 20:20; Rom. 15:23, 24.

The gentiles who wanted to stick to the OLD Law covenant & reject Jesus, went too the synagogues to have the “ears tickled”; those who believed Jesus to be the Son of God LEFT the synagogues & started Christianity (the way of truth)

ALL THE BEST
BRENDA





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Original Question:
During the Millennial Kingdom when the “Law goes forth from Zion and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem”, will you still be teaching others we are NOT under God’s Law?

Your 1700+ words to justify "Yes" prompts another question,

According to your religion,
What is the consequence of WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE during the Millennial Kingdom?

ANSWER: "During the Millennial Kingdom when the “Law goes forth from Zion and the Word of the LORD from Jerusalem”, will you still be teaching others we are NOT under God’s Law?"

firstly this prophecy is being fulfilled right NOW, not in the millenium.


"What is the consequence of WILLFUL DISOBEDIENCE during the Millennial Kingdom?"

Death with no resurrection.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Brenda,

That’s swell.

If God is sending forth THE LAW of His Government NOW – and we are NOT to obey it, then He is sending it out IN VAIN.

You are mixing apples and lawn chairs.

The LAW NEVER had the ability to SAVE… ever!
As I said about one covenant NOT making void a previous covenant…

Jesus did not come along to make a different way to salvation, making void the previous way…
Since before Man left the garden he has known the ONLY means that God has provided for Salvation (Gen 3:15)

There was never 2 ways of salvation:
The Law prior to the cross and the Name of Jesus after the cross.

The Scriptures tell us those who died in faith before the cross were ‘made perfect’ in the same way we are made perfect (Heb 11:40)

I do not fear 'losing my salvation' by NOT obeying the Law any more than I hope to 'gain my salvation' by KEEPING the Law... by virtue of the fact that they are two separate and distinct covenants that do not oppose, cancel, or replace each other.

Answer
"For out of Zion LAW will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. 4 And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore".

youve lost me? why are we "not to obey?"

I agree the Old "law never had the ability to save"

(Gen 3:15)- Yes the first prophecy concerning Jesus & Satan, Jesus would ultimately save mankind.

"never 2 ways of salvation"

I agree; salvation was always to come through Jesus, the law was only introduced to LEAD Israel UNTIL the "seed", Jesus, arrived.

Heb 11:40)

JW's believe these faithful men of pre-Christian times,will be “made perfect”when they are resurrected,restorated to life,“set free from enslavement to corruption” by the services of the priesthood of Christ Jesus and his underpriests during the Millennial Rule.

During the Millennium, Christ and his 144,000 anointed brothers in heaven will act as kings and priests and dispense the benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice on earth. The other sheep will thus “be made perfect” in body and mind.—Revelation 22:1, 2.

all the best
Brenda