That’s a great chapter. Paul is saying that Israel has lost sight of God’s righteousness. They were still living by the book of the law, under the administration of Levites. They were an example of works without faith.
After the exodus: Moses went up Mt Sinai for 40 days while Israel stayed in the wilderness below. They broke their new covenant with God by erecting a golden calf and sacrificing to it (Exodus 32). The penalty of this broken covenant was death, but because of Moses’ pleading, they were spared, and placed under the book of the law. It stood as a witness against Israel until one would come to pay the death penalty.
Jesus had to go to the same wilderness and get tempted for 40 days, just like Israel did (where they failed). Jesus righted the wrongs of Israel, paid the death penalty, and used his blood upon the alter for atonement. He ended the Levitical law curse, and allowed a new covenant to begin, essentially replacing the first covenant, but with a new Israel. The book of the covenant (10 commandments etc) is still binding. Those who call themselves Christians (actual Israel) that don’t keep all of God’s commandments are falling into the same sins that the first Israel did.
The first Israel was promised a land in exchange for willing obedience to God. True Israel is given the same offer, albeit our promised land will be Heaven and everlasting life. Just like those that broke the covenant didn’t get to see their promised land: so will it be for true Israel should we break our covenant.
You wrote:
>The book of the covenant (10 commandments etc) is still binding.
How true that is. Jesus Himself said "Think not that I have come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it".
Amen brother
Great summation brother Joey!
Such beautiful consistency and inspiration between the Old Testament and the fulfillment of the New Testament! If any man is successful in proving that the Bible was written by man alone, I will eat my shoes.
That's a false gospel. I am going to the judgement seat without any works of my own. Sure, what I have done will be tested as through a fire - and I might stink like smoke from all that has burned away - but Jesus paid it all.
The "good news" is that we can't earn or contribute to our salvation. What you believe is just as cursed as any other religion.
2 Peter 2:21, NIV: "It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them."
1 John 5:3, NIV: "In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,"
Revelation 14:12, NIV: "This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus."
Revelation 12:17, NIV: "Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring--those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus."
1 Chronicles 28:8, NIV: "So now I charge you in the sight of all Israel and of the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God: Be careful to follow all the commands of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land and pass it on as an inheritance to your descendants forever."
Deuteronomy 11:1, NIV: "Love the LORD your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always."
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, NIV: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.“
Alright! Let's see what a quick look reveals...
2 Peter 2:21 - This whole chapter appears to be talking about the false prophets introduced in the first verse. For supporting the idea that we have to earn our salvation (or that we risk losing it due to bad/certain behavior), that might have been a better reference since it mentions "denying the Master who bought them." There are MANY serious details about these people in 2 Peter chapter 2, but one contrast is drawn in verse 9: "... then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgement,,,"
These people are the unrighteous. Surely your perspective would require that this be interpreted as anyone who does everything in [those 7 references in your previous post] is godly; everyone else is unrighteous. But that's just circular. Why didn't Peter say in 1:8 that "these things would keep you from hell/judgement?" We have great promises, and they don't depend on our behavior.
1 John 5:3 - definitely. The whole gospel of John (where we find more statements about love --> obey) uses BELIEF as the criteria for being born again. "Your faith has saved you." Love is great, and I hope everyone would love and obey God more and more, but "the work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:29)
Rev 14:12 - inconclusive. This verse is in context of refusing (or accepting) the mark of the beast. It's not salvific.
Rev 12:17 - inconclusive. Not salvific.
(the rest) - It is good to be ordered/exhorted/commanded/directed to follow God's ways! When he brings every one of my deeds into judgement, they will be covered by the blood of Jesus, who paid for ALL of my sin before I was born.
I appreciate you taking the time to send a bunch of verses my way, but you are not going to convince me to be subject to the law again. Jesus fulfilled it. He made one sacrifice for all time. The more you push, the more I'm going to just read Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. I hope you will trust in Him alone for your salvation, which is "not of ourselves."
(post is archived)