AboutErnie Laurence, Jr. Expertise I am capable of answering any questions concerning doctrines of the church of Christ. I specialize in Creation vs. Evolution topics, the book of Revelation and other Biblical prophecies, and other apologetics related topics such as distinctions from denominational doctrines.
Experience My experience in this area includes: having been raised by members of the church of Christ from infancy, having been immersed into the church of Christ at age ten, having taken an active role in worship/service leadership (song leading, teaching, preaching, youth ministry) since age fourteen through the present, and participating in numerous formal debates, research projects, and online discussions.
Organizations The church of Christ
Publications Local congregations.
Education/Credentials I hold a bachelor's degree in computer information systems (CIS) from Tarleton State University which focuses on business communication and management. This provided training for how to deal professionally with individuals and organizations if not direct training in the field of religion. See experience section for informal education experience.
I have had a Jewish person tell me that the New Covenant cannot replace the Old Covenant because the Mosaic Covenant was supposed to be eternal. He sited the following Biblical quotes to prove his argument. What do you say? How can the New Covenant of grace and of Jesus Christ replace the Old Covenant, when the Old Covenant was supposed to be eternal. Please look at the Bible quotes I have listed below, which someone else has pointed out to me.
GENESIS 17:9-10 - "God said to abraham, 'and as for you, you shall keep my covenant-you and your offsrping after you THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS"
EXODUS 31:16 - "the children of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to make the sabbath an ETERNAL covenant for their generations"
DEUTERONOMY 11:1 - "you shall love H-shem, your G-d, and you shall safeguard his charge, his decrees, his ordinances, and his commandment, ALL THE DAYS"
DEUTERONOMY 28:46 - "they (the commandments) will be a sign and a wonder, in you and in your offsrping, FOREVER"
DEUTERONOMY 29:28 - "the hidden (sins) are for H-shem, our G-D, but the revealed (sins) are for us and our children FOREVER, to carry out all the words of this torah"
PSALM 111:7-9 - "his handiwork is truth and justice, faithful are all his orders, they are steadfast FOREVER, for ETERNITY, accomplished in truth and fairness. he sent redemption to his people; he commanded his covenant for eternity"
2 KINGS 17:37 - "and the decrees and the laws, and the torah and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall OBSERVE TO DO ALL THE DAYS; and you shall not fear the gods of others""
Thank you: Alex
Answer Hey Alex,
Good question.
The short answer is that God's promises are always conditional. The best response to your Jewish friend is to read Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 32 to him. God said "If you obey me, I'll bless you forever. If you disobey me, I'll destroy you." All through the entire Old Testament we read of the rebellion and disobedience of the Jews. Isaiah 1:21 says that Jerusalem, the capital of the Jews had once been a faithful city (like a faithful wife) but had become a harlot (a prostitute). We see this imagery again in the book of Revelation contrasting the bride of chapter 21 (the church) and the whore of chapter 17-18 (the Jews).
Each time the word "forever" is used, it means for the "full amount of time". Ask your friend what the original promise to Abraham was (that all the nations would be blessed through his seed - i.e. the Messiah) and what the purpose of the Jewish nation served in Biblical times (to bring about the Messiah, which they rejected). When the Jews rebelled against God, ultimately killed His Son, Jesus, and began persecuting the church, God was done with them. His patience ended and as is His prerogative, He destroyed their system of things in AD 67-73 just as was prophesied in Daniel 9:24-27. Those seven years (67-73) were the last set of sevens determined upon the Jews to finish and fulfill their purpose of existence.
Ask your Jewish friend if the Old Covenant is everlasting, why they don't still keep it as written (Temple worship, Levitical priesthood, animal sacrifices, etc.).
Hope that answers your question. If you need more, please ask. I'll expand.
