Category Archives: Essential Christian Beliefs

28 Fundamental Christian Beliefs-#2-Creation

Creation

Proof Each Week

God has revealed in Scripture the authentic and historical account of His creative activity.  He created the universe, and in a recent six-day creation the Lord made “the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them” and rested on the seventh day. Thus He established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of the work He performed and completed during six literal days that together with the Sabbath constituted the same unit of time that we call a week today.  The first man and woman were made in the image of God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the world was finished it was “very good,” declaring the glory of God.

(Gen. 1-2; 5; 11; Exod. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Isa. 45:12, 18; Acts 17:24; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2; 11:3; Rev. 10:6; 14:7.)

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A 7-Day week.  The Creator’s Signature

By the cycle of a 7-day week, we are reminded at least 52 times a year that God is the great Creator.  The 7-day week shouts loudly the we did not make ourselves and that the Lord  is responsible for our existence:

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;

Psalm 100:3

The movements of the observable and measurable tracks of heavenly bodies such as the sun, the moon, and the stars mark reliable length of days, months, and years. But, the weekly cycle has no other basis for its length other than the words of a powerful Creator. God said, “and the evening and the morning was the first day…the second day…the third day…the fourth day…the fifth day… the sixth day.  Then He rested on the 7th day and proclaimed it holy.

beautiful-earth-original-212

This memorial of rest and remembrance of the works of His hand was so important to our Creator that He enshrined the last day of the week as the 4th commandment. The seventh-day Sabbath  was instituted long before there was a Jew or Moses. It is not just a law to be obeyed, it is a point in the week designed to remind man, woman, and child of His existence and creative powers.  Additionally, Jesus (The Lord of the Sabbath) said it was made for man…A blessing often overlooked by His creation.

The Sabbath was made for mankind.  

Mark 2:27

Yes,  even in our modern society, this ancient proclamation of rest by God is meant to bless and restore those who take time to see that all God has made is good.  Only the unbeliever and the religion of legalism miss out on the benefits of remembering the Sabbath each week.

If mankind, from the beginning, had remembered the Sabbath and took time to consider the works of the Creators hand, man would be changed by it.  One writer said this,

The Sabbath enjoined by the fourth commandment was instituted to commemorate the work of creation, thus to keep the minds of men ever directed to the true and living God. Had the Sabbath always been kept, there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel.”

Signs of the Times, November 1, 1899 E. G. White

God’s Creation Provides the Proof of His Existence and Character

Paul states, that God’s creation provides a path to help us understand the deep things about God. Further, it provides enough evidence of Himself that there is no excuse for anyone to disbelieve:

 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Romans 1:20

fall-trees1

But, sadly, mankind is too busy to rest and observe.  Many are unbelievers because they forget rather than remember.  A great many fall into unbelief because they refuse to stop each week to observe the complexity and beauty of God’s wonderful creation. As a result, the bible tells us they take a path of error:

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Romans 1:21-23

Paul seems to be talking about our day where scientists disregard the obvious and diminish the glory of God’s creation to the error of evolution.   They want an answer for our existence outside of intelligent working even though God’s creative signature is all around us and in us every moment.  In effect, the theory of evolution reduces God’s image found in us all to our supposed ancestors of the animal world…”four-footed beasts,” etc.

evolution-of-man

Darwin and Transitional fossils.

There is no evidence of any of the four fictitious characters in the middle of the picture above.

Darwin said,

“ … the number of intermediate varieties, which have formerly existed on the earth, [must] be truly enormous. Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be urged against my theory. The explanation lies, as I believe, in the extreme imperfection of the geological record. … We should not forget that only a small portion of the world is known with accuracy.”

Darwin expected that once researchers looked for the in-between, transitional fossils they would find them. However, in 150 years they have not found any verifiable specimens. As Robert Carroll, well-known paleontologist, said:

“What is missing are the many intermediate forms hypothesized by Darwin …

Darwin’s appeal to the incompleteness of knowledge at the time (“fossils of the gaps”) has not been vindicated. He was wrong about the fossils.

Evolution. A Leap Of Faith

Science is a wonderful part of our lives.  The few who can claim to be legitimate scientists (doctorate in a field of science) have helped discover worlds small and large.  Without the scientific method of observation, research, measurement, experimentation, and testing of hypotheses, society would not have the conveniences, the medicine, and the knowledge we have today. But, man is not the creator of science, he is the discoverer of science and the laws already in place.

Evolution is not a science,  because  the theory builds a philosophy about beginnings  rather than concerning itself with ongoing research and testing as science gains more knowledge. Its claims are boldly stated as truth, but no other falsifying information is allowed.   Because no one was at the beginning of time and it cannot be observed or tested, they are left to surmise on what they think they see rather than what can be investigated in a laboratory.

Evolution is a beloved theory not because of the so-called proof, but because it takes God out of the picture and accounts for  our being and intelligence on the passing of large amount of times, accidents, and random acts of nature…a toss of the dice as it were.  While Darwinist claim we are evolving forward through evolution, it violates the law of thermodynamics, which is the proven idea of entropy. Entropy says we are winding down, not going forward.

 The obvious conclusion of evolution is mankind’s existence is meaningless and purposeless, which is a philosophical interpretation. To them, our existence is a mere wisp of progression towards perfection in the long travel of time. As one prominent scientists stated, “We are nothing more than star dust.”

However, as additional knowledge about life is learned and real science is applied, the theory of evolution becomes weaker and begins to fall apart.  Even to the point, that many scientists have forsaken its teaching. Those who hang on often do so due to pride.

The Pride of Evolution

 “Evolution is perhaps unique among major scientific theories in that the appeal for its acceptance is NOT there is EVIDENCE for it, but that any other proposed interpretation is wholly incredible.

Charles Singer, A Short History of Science, Published by Oxford University Press

Statements like this demonstrate the desperation of scientists to protect it from testing and further research and/or modification.  Any other theory than their own is pronounced as “wholly incredible.”

Yet W. R. Thompson a well-known and respected Entomologist cites  Charles Singer’s hypocritical opinion and the danger to science of forcing it upon the unscientific community. He states,

“the evidence (for evolution) is unsatisfactory and does NOT permit any certain conclusion…attempting to maintain its credit with the public by the suppression of criticism and the elimination of difficulties, is abnormal and undesirable in science.”

Paul Ehrlich and L. C. Birch, Professors of Biology at Stanford University,

Another scientist states:

“Our theory of evolution…is thus outside of empirical science {verifiable observation}…No one can think of ways in which to TEST it. Ideas, either without basis or based on a few laboratory experiments carried out in extremely simplified systems, have attained currency far beyond their validity.  They have become part of an evolutionary DOGMA accepted by most of us as part of our training.”

Evolutionary History and Population Biology, Nature, Volume 214 (April 22, 1967), p. 352

Dogma is a religious word.  Indeed, evolution is a religion based on faith with followers, creed, the laboratory as their temple, and DOGMA (articles of faith).

The simple cell?

Evolutionists who say we started from the simple cell are way behind the time.  The cell and genetics were a mystery to Darwin and every other scientists during his time, but then came along the Electron Microscope allowing man to see even small components in the “simple cell.”

Darwin said,

“If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive slight modification my theory would absolutely break down.”

chapter 6 (p.189) of On the Origin of Species (1859, Murray: London)

As time has passed, science has been able to show that complex organs do exist and to be functional all their components must be up and running at the same time.

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The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Psalm 14:1 

Did life created itself? Irreducible Complexity

Consider the circulatory system made up primarily of the heart, blood, and blood vessels that transport oxygen to the cells.  This is going on right now as you read this.

Which came first in the long time of evolution?  The heart?  What did it pump if blood was not yet evolved?  How did the blood move if there was no heart?  How could it move the blood if there was no vessels?

This is known as irreducible complexity.  All components had to be present and functional at the same time for life to work.  The circulatory system is just one part of what it takes to have life.  What did life do while it waited on the eye to see? Legs to walk? How did it move its limbs if the brain had not yet evolve?

Circulatory system

 

The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”

Psalm 14:1

Indeed, it is foolish to say there is not God.  Evolutionist would have us believe this formula:

Nothing produced Everything

Chaos produced order

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Theistic Evolution-A valid compromise?

Image result for images of theistic evolution

Theistic evolution–as opposed to the Godless, atheistic variety–is man’s attempt to harmonize the Bible and evolutionary theory.  It’s a kind of half-way house midway between atheism and the settled faith of those honoring God as Creator.  It’s a philosophy which says there IS a God and He IS the Creator–but He uses evolution as His tool or method.  Theistic evolutionists think the Bible tells us WHO created, and evolution tells us How…

…(but) this miserable marriage is doomed to fail because too many irreconcilable differences exist between the two!

7 Mysteries Solved, Howard Peth P. 151

Here are a few reasons why Theistic Evolution does  not work:

  1. It attacks and undermines the Scriptures The Bible speaks out on Creation from page one.
  2. Evolution suggest that Homo sapiens are descended not from one set of parents but from many, thus making a literal Adam and Eve quite unlikely. But the Bible has a very accurate and precise accounting of the ancestry of well-known families including Jesus back to one set of parents–Adam, Eve. The New Testament writers also support and quote from these ancient prophets. (See Genesis 5 & 11)
  3. Contradicts Scripture’s “finished” creation. “Creation was not merely BEGUN at that time spoken of in the opening chapters of Genesis.  The inspired Record states that it was FINISHED, and the seventh day we set apart as a special day to commemorate the COMPLETION of God’s great work.” 7 Mysteries Solved, Howard Peth, p. 157
  4. Theorizes that death came at the wrong time. The Scriptures plainly teach that there was no suffering and death in the world before Adam sinned.  Death entered the world as a direct result of Man’s sin. In the closing paragraphs of his book The Origin of Species, Darwin wrote that “the production of the higher animals” was brought about by the “WAR of nature, from famine and DEATH.” In the first place, ask yourself: Does “the war of nature, from famine and death” sound like the means God would use to create a world He pronounced all “very good?”
  5. Overlooks or ignores the fall of man. It does away with the need for Jesus Christ as a Savior. The only “Fall” allowed in evolution is a fall UPWARD, for underlying evolutionary thought is the basic idea of PROGRESS. Evolution teach man is not a FALLEN creature in need of a Savior, but a DEVELOPING organism on the road to perfection.
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When I was an atheists and believed in evolution, I had a moment where I realized there must be a Creator.  On a cross country bicycle trip with some friends, I cycled ahead from the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff Arizona.  As I felt the strength in my legs and lungs and observed the beauty of the blinding blue skies and the majestic snow-covered mountains in the distant, I began to follow a different course of reason than before.  I imaged how I would feel if I found something  I had never seen before.  Let’s say, I was walking down the beach and found an old pocket watch made of Gold and engraved with beautiful markings.  As I observed it over a period of time, I would notice the little gears and springs that clicked along movement by moment.  After a while, I would notice that the little hands on the face of the object kept perfect time with the rising of the sun and the movement of time in my life.

How ridiculous it would be for me to say that the watch created itself or evolved gear by gear.  It must have all its components present and functional at once in order to be a viable useful object.  There must be a watchmaker who put all this together! So, how could I say that the  eye created itself.  The eye is more complex than any watch! And how about the lungs, the heart, the brain, arms, fingers, legs, the digestive system, etc.

That summer on that road to Flagstaff, I asked for God to reveal himself to me.  Later that year, I began to study the Bible on a dare from my wife.  As I studied, I became convinced there was someone named Jesus who worked with God (and was God)  to create life and all that we can observe.

mountain-and-road

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made…

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1: 1-3

God’s word has proven itself, Darwin has not.

The reliable word of God says,

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

Please consider this.  Evolution does not account for beauty, love and all the emotions we feel.  The theory of evolution is purely functional in nature. So why then the beauty of a delicate pink flower or the inspirational sunset?  Why colors? Why love? Why the beautiful markings on animals, birds, and fish? Why the soothing sound of birds waking up the start of a new day? It is because God has demonstrated and is love.  He loves His Creation.  It was very good at one time.  Now we have marred it and His voice is lost in the traffic and smoke of our doings.

We leave this short study with a reminder of the final warning from the angel in Revelation. It is at a moment in time when God is appealing to a generation of people who have forgotten God.  It is a plea to glorify God who created…..because judgment has come.

“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelation 14:7

Now is the time to put all our faith in what is obvious.  God is our Creator and we were made in his image for a purpose.  That purpose is fully realized when we escape the corruption of the world through a knowledge of our Lord and Savior. When we become familiar with God’s dealing with sinful man has found in scripture.

Our meaning, purpose, and peace will come from Jesus if we simply yield to the pull of the Holy Spirit to give ourselves to Him by faith.

He said,

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Revelation 3:20

man-in-dark

One last thing God has created:  Peace

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Colossians 1:9

made-peace

If you hear the knock and his voice, let Him come in and change you.  You will find peace like a river. Evolution does not give peace, but Jesus does!

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

28 Fundamental Christian Beliefs-#1-The Holy Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures

The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration. The inspired authors spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to humanity the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history.

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How Does the Old Testament relate to the modern Christian?

The great dividing mark in the experience of many Christians is that space between Malachi and Matthew.  The proclamation of many churches is, “We are a New Testament church, who live by the new testament. The old testament was done away with at the cross”

Some will go so far as to say, “The old testament was about obedience to God’s law, the new testament is about grace and forgiveness.” They will go on to say, “We couldn’t keep it so Jesus kept it for us and we are no longer under the law, so we don’t have to keep the letter, we just keep it in our hearts.” I will address this misunderstanding throughout and, hopefully, provide a better reasoning that will lead to a better experience.

Jesus said,

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

Matthew 4:4-(Quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3)

This is from Genesis to Revelation!

At the time Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, there was no new testament.

There is a huge misunderstanding about the old testament and it relevancy to us today;  mostly because much of the teaching in our churches look through the tinted glasses of denominationalism rather than  every word of God.

The books of the Tanakh (The old testament, as referred to by the Jews) are often confused with the old covenant and the new covenant.  Did you know that the new covenant can be found in the old testament? This we will explore from scripture itself.

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Jesus spoke very plainly to the Sadducees about their error on a doctrinal topic.  Why did they “err” in their understanding on the religious topic being discussed?  Two things:

Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.”

Matthew 22: 29

It is important that each individual who follows Jesus understand and know every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and experience His power in their own lives.

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What are the scriptures and the power of God?

A few decades after the cross (66-67 AD), Paul encouraged young Timothy about the Holy Scriptures:

 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Then he goes on to say in the next verse:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3: 14-17

Let’s break this down and observe a few points knowing that the new testament writings and letters were not considered scripture until later.  So, Paul is talking to Timothy about the old testament (aka Tanakh)

1.) Paul encourages Timothy to pay attention to what he has learned since childhood from the Scriptures.  The Scriptures were (at this time) only the old testament.  There was no new testament when Paul encouraged Timothy.

2.) The Holy Scriptures will make him “wise about salvation that comes through faith in Jesus.”  Again, the only scripture at that time was the old testament. If it is true for Timothy, it is true for us!  The old testament can make us wise about salvation through faith in Jesus.

3.) All Scripture (old testament) is profitable for:

Doctrine

Reproof

Correction

Instruction in Righteousness

To equip the worker for God

Look at all that is missing in the Christian experience if we don’t live by EVERY word that proceeds from the mouth of God! Is our experience with Jesus not all it can be because we limit our “living by every word of God” to the New Testament books only?

Jesus Used the Old Testament to Teach and Encourage

When Luke described the story of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of Christ’s resurrection, he referred to the books of Genesis through Malachi as “Scripture.”

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

“Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

Luke 24: 27, 32

Think of how deep the understanding about Jesus would be if more people were searching Him in the books of the Old Testament

Scripture is God’s word and it is what changes a sinful human being.  It has power to sanctify us (grow in our experience with Christ). Jesus prayed to the Father:

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

John 17:17

Jesus is actually praying to God the Father to “sanctify” His followers through the books of the old testament.  In addition, Jesus is referred to as the Word (John 1).  He is the embodiment of God’s written word!

Jesus’ prayer demonstrates that growing in Christ and moving from sinful habits to sanctified habits happens through a right understanding of God and His  word. This includes the old testament!

God’s word is powerful for those who come in contact with it. It will affect their  thoughts and their attitudes.

But, did you notice that it is God The Father’s words that are truth.  When Jesus prayed this prayer it included the Tanakh (old testament books) as well as when he inspired men of the new testament books to write His words.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

It provides a light to direct the daily walk through life:

Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

But, the words must be mixed with a personal knowledge and experience with the Giver of the Word:

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

John 17:3

Eternal life is more than just memorizing words.  It is having a personal relationship with the Giver of the Word and Jesus Christ.  By doing so, you become to know Him!  By studying Jesus (referred to as “The Word” in John 1), we can get a clear picture of God the Father:

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.

John 14:7

I believe we can safely say,  “Knowing Him is not limited to the words of the New Testament.”

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Here is an interesting fact:

Scripture is used 53 times in the entire Bible, but only once in the Old Testament. The other 52 times are all used in the New Testament referring back to the Old Testament.

We can safely conclude the word “Scripture” as found in the both the old and new testament is referring only to the old testament.  Jesus and all the disciples quoted it and used it to prove Jesus was the Messiah and to give hope.

Proof of Jesus in the Old Testament:

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

John 5:39

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.

Acts 8:35

Which word did Philip open?  It was the books of the old testament!

The Old Testament Teaches us and Gives Us Hope:

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Romans 15:4

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Peter said,

 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1: 19-21

The prophetic word  (reference to the old testament) should  be heeded until the lights start to come on about Jesus!

Many of the problems with appreciating and following the books from Genesis to Malachi are the words “old” and “new”

The Old and New Covenant

Paul said,

 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 8:13

What is ready to vanish?  Is it the books of the old testament?  No! It is the old covenant!

John said,

Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

1 John 2:7

There is a difference between concept of the “old covenant” and the “”old commandments.” While the “old covenant” is “vanishing away,” we must be careful that we don’t throw out the baby with the bath water!

Jesus confirms this:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:17

Some will reason incorrectly, “Well, Jesus fulfill the Law and the Prophets therefore it has vanished away.”

But listen to the remainder of the words and ask if Jesus has destroyed the law and prophets by fulfilling the requirements and the prophecies.

 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Matthew 5:18

The Naysayers will continue to teach, for example, that the ten commandments have been replaced by grace.

But again, let’s let Jesus tells us what He is talking about.

 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19 

Is there any doubt that our Lord expects us keep or obey the great 10 commandment law written by the finger of God?  Which one of the laws would you feel comfortable breaking?  Which one is the least of the commandments?

If we break one, we have broken them all

 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

James 2:10

But, never forget that we cannot obey our way into eternal life.  It is first the grace of God,  the death of Jesus for our breaking of the law (aka sin), and  then faith in Him and His word that gives eternal life to us from a life of sin and eternal death:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ephesians 2:8

But, this grace and faith does not make the need for the law to go away.

Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

Romans 3:31

This 10 commandment law was given by God Himself in the Old Testament.  It has never gone away or nailed to the cross.

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalm 119:160

 We must be sure to not confuse the books of the old testament with the old covenant.

Paul said this about the old covenant:

But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.  Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

2 Corinthians 3: 14-16 

There was a covenant with the people of God referred to as the old covenant and this “veil” blinds them unless they turn to the Lord  their eyes would be opened.

When someone reads about the old covenant (not the old testament books) they cannot see spiritually, but when they insert Jesus into it, the veil is taken away. This happened to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus and the other disciples when they were meeting in fear and Jesus showed up.  Jesus himself lifted the veil of understanding about Himself.

What is it we should see?  Jesus was the point of the sacrificial system, the feast days, circumcision.  All of these pointed to Jesus and demonstrated His character, God the Father’s character and how salvation works.  They were all shadows of the actual work and being of Jesus.

Image result for images of shadow of God's word

These shadows had their end when Jesus died on the cross:

The law (sacrificial and ceremonial) is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Hebrews 10:1-2

Notice that the context is the “sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year.”  It is not talking about the 10 commandment law or even the old testament books rather the system of worship and teaching that came to an end with Jesus. This system was a teacher to introduce the work and being of Jesus:

Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor

Galatians 3:24

Those sacrificial laws God gave to Moses was to teach them about Christ.  When Christ came, they were no longer obligated to perform these sacrificial and ceremonial laws.

It also demonstrated that we were all sinners and could not save ourselves, nor work our way into God’s salvation.  There has never been two methods of salvation i.e. By works in the old testament and grace/faith in the new testament.  We are saved only by the grace God provides and faith (trust) in Him.  God even supplies us the faith if we are willing.

The New Covenant and God’s Law

So we can see there are some things in the old testament books that came to an end, but not the old testament books themselves.  The old covenant came to an end, but what is it compared to the new covenant.  Let’s look at a couple of verses:

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

Hebrews 8:10 (Paul quotes Jeremiah 31:33)

Notice the new covenant still includes the law (law of morality contained in the 10 commandments), but it is written on the hearts.  It cannot include those laws that passed away.  Therefore, it must include the laws that remain i.e., the eternal law that we have had from the beginning

I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning.

1 John 2: 7

There was something wrong with the first covenant that required a new covenant. But, did God make a mistake and had to rewrite the covenant?  Paul explains the problem was not with God, but with a people who would not keep their end of the agreement.

 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second.  Because finding fault with them, He says:“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judahnot according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

Hebrews 8: 7-9

So the old covenant had to be disregarded because it was made null and void by the people who would not continue in the Lord’s covenant.

Paul then tells us because of the failure on the part of the people, the Lord does something dramatic:

The New Covenant and Better Promises

But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 (NIV)

God did not make a mediocre promise and then a better promise. The problem with the first covenant was with the people.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them

Hebrews 8: 7

Did you catch that?  The second covenant (new covenant)  would not have been needed if the first one was faultless.  The agreement was not bad, but the fault was with the people.  They disobeyed!  Why?  Because they were not living by trust and faith in the Lord even though they agreed to do everything the Lord asked.

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him.

And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

Exodus 19: 7-8

Exodus 19:8 above is their promise that went bad.  They did not obey God and they broke their covenant often.

So God’s covenant with His people (those in Christ who are the real Israel) will follow and obey the Lord’s will because His laws are written upon their heart and their will be a relationship between God and His people:

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 8:10-12

So you can see that both the old and new covenant dealt with obeying the will of God which are contained in His law. Not the ceremonial and sacrificial laws, but the law that remains forever written upon the hearts of people.  It is the moral law contained in the 10 commandments.

 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Hebrew 8: 7-13

The following chart should help see the difference between God’s word found in the old testament and the old and new covenants found therein.

Old Testament Books
Old Covenant
New Covenant
Jesus and His disciples used it to teach and encourage God made an agreement with the people of Israel God makes a new agreement. The old one vanishes when Jesus’ is revealed.
  Eternal  Becomes obsolete  Eternal
Is a light and perfect Had faults because of the people. They made a promise they didn’t keep God writes the law on the heart which perpetuates obedience to his law.
 Testifies of Jesus Based on poor promises of the people. They failed to believe God  Based on better promises because of Jesus
 Has all wisdom, instruction, and revelation to make one secure in the Lord  God kept his part of the covenant. The people made a promise they couldn’t keep without God in their hearts.  They rejected Him.  Through Christ, the person is born again. The attitude about sin changes. The person obeys God from a new heart and a desire to glorify Him.
Endures forever: 

The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.

Isaiah 40:8

The people’s promise Obsolete. Vanished

Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:13

New Covenant is eternal

But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one. Hebrews 8: 6

 

Summary:

All of scripture (including the old testament) was inspired by God.  It is good for the Christian to base His or Her belief in Jesus and discover more about Him in its pages.  It also contains important information about God’s plan of salvation.  To ignore it or claim it is no longer valid is to miss not only guidance, but also encouragement and more information about Jesus.

The old agreement that the people made with God never worked because they made an empty promise and it is replaced by a covenant where Jesus becomes the mediator and puts God’s law in our heart.  Note: if it is in the heart, a born-again person will obey the letter.

Referring back to beginning of this post What if I told my wife, “I can not keep the law regarding adultery, but it is written in my heart so that excuses me from keeping the letter of the law. Therefore, I am free to take my girlfriend out to supper and spend the night with her.”

I wouldn’t have a wife long if I said this.

Under the new covenant, that law is written on the heart, that means you will obey because your heart has been changed and you love God and your wife.  So you obey the letter, but motivated by a born-again heart that desires to do the will of God.

There is so much confusion in God’s community about the old testament VS the old covenant.  I hope this has helped in someway to demonstrate the value of the books of the old testament; the failure of God’s people who did not obey God; and the people under the new covenant who obey because the Lord has changed them.

Next time, we will look at fundamental belief #2, The Trinity.  Until then, may the Lord bless and keep you and your family.