Expanded from a Live CIAS Radio Talk Show on KCBC radio 2-28-99, 18:00 - 19:00

Hebrews 9

The Sanctuary

Alter & Neuer

First Angel's Message

Answers

First Advent

The Rapture

God's love & Hell

On the subject of presenting polemics or God's love only click here.

The Old and the New Covenant - Ex. 20; Deut. 5;

Hello, here we are back again to once again speak about some of the great subjects of the Bible. So please have paper and pencil handy to take some notes and write for the script if you cannot take some notes.

You know the word Bible means just `book'. Other times we hear this book referred to as `scriptures' (Mt. 21:42) but what does God call it? It is the word of God, His `holy word' (Luke 8:21) for God is holy (Joshua 24:19). Why `holy' (John 17:17)? Because it contains the truth, words which uplift us, make us whole, keep us in touch with our maker and redeemer. (Luke 11:28; The biblical definition of "bless" is found in Acts 3:26: "turning away ... from iniquity")

So we recognize what is sometimes referred to as the harmony of the gospels meaning there is agreement between `Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John'[30]. But this harmony is also found among all the rests of the canon of the Bible. And it is an amazing truth that these many, 66 authors of the word of God are not hopelessly in disagreement with each other because the same spirit led them to write the words for all time to come.

This harmony is emphasized in verses like these:

"For I am the Lord, I change not." Malachi 3:6

"Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to day, and forever." Hebrew 13:8

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves ... despisers of those that are good ... having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. ... Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ... Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. ... But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering ... But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ... 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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2.Tim. 3:1-17; Rom. 8:3-4.

This inspiration we always have to keep in mind when reading the Bible. Most often it is thought inspiration, thoughts and words of those raised and studied in the Word of God. Some passages are written as quotations what God said, family histories, and so on. We should know something about the contents and background of each Bible book. If we know the historical background we also will be better equipped to fathom what is being said.

In addition we can study how Jesus used the Thora. How he frequently cited short passages to underscore what he was trying to explain. Citing verses, therefore, is not without precedent. What may be different between the time of Jesus and our time, is, that too many people today are ignorant of the Bible, its themes, context and contents. Because they are not reading and searching in it daily. All we can do is explain and detail as much as possible. We cannot cite always the whole chapter or book or explain every single aspect or detail which may occur in someone's thought or in other sources. But we affirm the veracity and dependability of the Book which we know as the living Word of God. A harmonius book inspired by God over many centuries for our edification.

This harmony always attracted me to the word of God. His Word we can rely on, always.[50] But sometimes we come across something which is believed to have undergone a change. When that happens we have to be on guard and be very careful because now suddenly this harmony between the books of the Bible has been disrupted and we must find out why. Most the time we will recognize that the change has to take place in our thinking, not in God's plan.

As we learned last time the two institutions coming to us from creation week are the Sabbath which God blessed and made holy and marriage. This tells us, that the Sabbath was not a yoke or something leading us into bondage just the same as marriage is not a yoke. God would not bless such things. Instead, both of these institutions are based on love and still have God's blessing today without ever having been transferred to something else. But Satan was waiting at the gate by the tree and succeeded in sowing doubt in our first parents mind. So in time one of these institutions which God had blessed and made holy, for it is to be such for all times to come, was said to have been done away with while the other one is under siege [52]. It is said to be not binding anymore for Christians living today. Look out friends. Here we have an unscheduled change in the harmony of God's word.

At the heart of this question of keeping God's Sabbath day holy is how much do we love God. Do we really think he would change something like the day we worship him on when he plainly states he is a God who changes not? More than likely it is our weak human understanding of His intentions and purposes which needs changing. We probably misunderstand His holy word on this subject matter.

Here is a case in point, an illustration. Jesus said these words:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Mat. 5:17.

Now it says, `think not', banish any idea of doing away with the law. Other well meaning Christians take this other phrase `to fulfill' and say it means the law was fulfilled on the cross and now is no longer binding. But this does not harmonize with the first sentence in this verse in which Jesus declares he has not come to destroy. So what does `but to fulfill' mean? The key to understand this part of the verse is the little word `but'. Whenever you read `but' look out. What Jesus has in mind here is this:

I am come to `fill' the law full of meaning - by giving us today an example of perfect, Holy Spirit empowered obedience to the will of God as revealed in his holy word, the Bible.[70] This example Jesus gives is so, that this same law might be fulfilled in us, meaning kept by us, as we live our daily lives just like Jesus filled it full of meaning when he walked among people on earth. This same idea is also expressed by Paul in Romans 8:3 and 4:

"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak in the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh [72], and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

So we want to know what we should do to please God and not follow our own agenda. His plan was for us to always remember Him as the Creator not only until Charles Darwin came along. It means, the Sabbath existed before the Sinai event for it is eternal.

The Apostle Paul [73] also wrote:

"Christ is the end of the law." Romans 10:1-4

These words are also echoed in 1.Peter 1:9, 1.Tim. 1:5 and in James 5:11. What did Paul mean by making such a statement? A comparison with other Bible passages (Luke 16:17; Matth. 5:19) shows, that the popular view that the law came to an end, was terminated, "set aside" [74], is flawed. The `end' is better translated as "aim."[75] Paul was saying, "To come to Christ, to the foot of the cross, is the aim of the law so I realize my great need of His saving blood which was shed because of my sins." Many times, the epistles build or count on previously preached and taught knowledge among his readers. He does not spell out every detail in minute ways. He is not writing a doctoral thesis. - So we realize, we certainly cannot accuse any of the apostles that they used their influence against Jesus and His mission. The words of Jesus, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, ... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matth. 28:19-20) were certainly not contradicted by them.

But Paul also stated,

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:4

Paul clearly states the law should be fulfilled - namely in us and when we read `Christ is the end of the law', we know that means the following:

From the pen of John Wesley we learn this [80], those who urged that "the preaching of the gospel answers all the ends of the law," to them Wesley replied: "This we utterly deny. It does not answer the very first end of the law, namely, the convincing men of sin, the awakening of those who are still asleep on the brink of hell." The apostle Paul declares that "by the law is the knowledge of sin;" and not until man is convicted of sin, will he truly feel his need of the atoning blood of Christ.. . . `They that be whole,' as our Lord himself observes, 'need not a physician, but they that are sick.' It is absurd, therefore, to offer a physician to them that are whole, or that at least imagine themselves so to be. You are first to convince them that they are sick; otherwise they will not thank you for your labor. It is equally absurd to offer Christ to them whose heart is whole, having never yet been broken." "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." This we need to know and remember: Christ is the aim, goal, or purpose, of the law. The law condemns the sinner, and thus drives him to Christ for righteousness.

The other Paulinian statement much talked about is found in Romans 6:14:

"For sin shall have no dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace." [90]

This is Satan's argument. `You are under grace, not under the law, therefore you can sin and break the law all you want.'

The question then is, "Who is under this grace, the man who breaks the commandments, or the man who keeps them?"

"Is the man who lies, steals, commits murder, and does such things without repentance, under grace?"

You will say, "Of course not. It is the man who keeps all of the Ten Commandments who is under grace."

Grace is not having permission to sin or make it seem right to live a lifeless, inactive life instead of overcoming, Rom. 6:1,2,14-15. Jesus did not give consent for us to sin, but to win against sin. Like He was dependent on the Father for His power, so can we, Jh. 13:15; 17:19. The true good news of the Bible shows how by the grace of God we clean our body temple by cooperating with divine power in our human effort to control our thinking mind. The Bible says, the same power which resurrected Jesus from death, can empower us to live true to God's ideal, Jh. 11:25. Under the reign of sin, it is just as easy to do right, as it is to do wrong. If there would be not more power in grace to overcome sin, we would have no salvation from sin - but salvation we have, therefore take courage and sin no more. When we do as Jesus did, our self efforts do not exist - Jesus does it all, Rom. 6:7-13; Lk 9:23; 1.Cor. 15:31. But sin is of the devil. But it is quite plain that the reign of grace is the reign of God; and the reign of sin is the reign of Satan. Is it not just as easy to serve God by the power of God as it is to serve Satan with his power? Where then is the difficulty? The difficulty comes in when people try to serve God with the power of Satan. But that can never be. A thorny tree cannot produce peaches. Jesus was able to do always the right thing, because he never trusted "self". He had completely died to self and depended on God for all his power. What is the result according to our theme? If God works in you with all His might according to His glorious power, then the fulness of the Godhead bodily can dwell in us, provided we trust His works and not ours. The `divine nature' made His day holy, so should we keep it holy.

Actually, this was the beginning battle cry for Dr. Martin Luther the more he thought about what it means when the Bible says,

"The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:17; Hab. 2:4; Gal. 3:11; Hebr. 10:38.

Actually, the phrase is an incomplete sentence. There can be no subject and verb construction without an object. The just shall live by faith in what? What or who is the object of their faith? Galatians 3:13ff contains the answer,

"The just shall live by faith ... "in Christ." Gal. 3:11,13; Hab. 2:4.

The object of the justified people living their lives has to do with them imitating the object - Jesus.

We should know by now that our problem is not the law but the dominion of sin still influencing our life. Law defines sin. It is not the problem itself. Real grace makes it possible for us to obey (listen to) the law. Thus the real grace of God makes righteous, Rom. 5:19.[95] The concept of justification by faith is broad and we cannot go into too many details about it, but try and explain the two words:

a) justification and
b) faith

Basically `justification' is a provided - not accomplished - condition and can result in sanctification. These two words may be separate in thought, but they are united in experience. For a believer, who is `justified by faith', there begins at the same time a new life of holiness [97], i.e. a life of obedience to the Word of God - right living, which is never forced but only by choice, 1.Peter 1:2. Justification means the saving of a soul from perdition, that he may obtain sanctification, and through sanctification, the life of heaven when Jesus comes again. Justification means that the conscience, purged from dead works, is placed where it can receive the blessings of sanctification. Justification is an ongoing, legal process. When we have need of legal work to be done we need someone qualified to do it. Jesus is the only one qualified to do it. Justification can only deal with our legal standing (our record) and not with us personally. When an evil doer is pardoned by a legal process of law, his standing before the law is changed but his character is unaffected. For this reason justification is credited righteousness. It is through justification that we are credited as obeying God's commandments. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. "The believer is not called upon to make his peace with God; he never has nor ever can do this. He is to accept Christ as his peace, for with Christ is God and peace." 1SM, 395.

The word `faith' does not mean our compliance to a set of creeds or doctrines.[100] `Faith' rather describes a personal relationship to Jesus Christ. It also means reliance on God's Word. Obedience to God, that results in a faith based hate of sin but not the sinner - like when we touch a hot stove or a source of infection, we pull back our hand - when we recognize sin, transgression of God's law, we also pull back. We do not really want to be infected by pernicious sin. Such a response and characteristic is honed by daily study of the Bible, occupying our mind with godly things, resulting invariably into a life of purity, holiness and issues in sanctification. In this manner the life of a Christian does not need to be a life of continual conflicts, it can now become a life of continual victories for "true obedince is the outworking of a principle within. It springs from the love of righteousness, the love of the law of God."[102] It is true, that none but Christ can fashion a new character that has been ruined by sin. Justification by faith derives from the grace of God and results in an experience which can truly be designated as `dead to sin' and `alive unto God.' Rom. 6:11.

Now we can take courage and test our faith and God's promises when He says:

"And when he had called unto him his 12 disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out ..." Matthew 10:1

We are to do something about those things around us which hinder a closer relationship with God. Is it our usual, daily routine which does not include time for God? That must then be changed.

But there is another topic which has to do with our understanding of keeping the law or instructions of God which we want to discuss tonight. That topic has to do with the Old and the New Covenant. Personally I'd rather call it the everlasting [new] and the temporary [old] covenant[110].

You recall that the temporary covenant originated at Mt. Sinai, was spoken and written by God; and came in two parts, these were the Ten Commandments (not suggestions) as well as the laws which later became known as the laws of Moses which he had written in a book placed in the side of the ark [112]. The temporary covenant therefore originating at Mt. Sinai and, since it was a contract or treaty between God and Israel as a nation, was also ratified at Mt. Sinai.

In contrast the New, Everlasting Covenant was known already long before New Testament times to Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer. 3; 24:7; 28; 31:33,34; 33:14,15,25,26; Ez. 3:17-19; 11:19; 18:21-23,31-32; 20:19-20; 36:26; Gal. 3:17). The main difference between the Temporary and the Everlasting Covenant was, that the Temporary was between God and the nation of Israel, and the Everlasting between God and individual believers, Genesis 17:7; 26:5; Psalm 105:43-45. It also was very different from the Temporary [113] in that it was founded on a love relationship between men and women and God and promises reconciliation between men and God. Galatians 3:17 shows that God's covenant with Abraham was "confirmed by God in Christ." It was not by law-keeping which was added (Gal. 3:19) because of transgression after the gospel of Christ (their willingess to offer Isaac) was given to Abraham. This is so, because the word "added" was not a mathematical addition but means "spoken", was "emphasized" or "entered" by God, Deut. 5:22; Hebr. 12:19; Rom. 5:20.[114]

God desired to establish the same spiritual relationship he had with Abraham [spiritual here means heart religion]. Ex. 6:7; Gen. 17:7,8; Deut. 29:13; Rom. 8:2-3 [115]. In the Old, Temporary, Sinaitic Covenant God did not offer a new means of salvation, but applied His everlasting plan to the present understanding and needs of His people. It was the transgression of the Decalogue which set in motion the entire ritual of the temple. And so God gave Israel the plans for building a sanctuary and the services to be conducted in it. The sanctuary and its services were to remind the people of their sinful condition, lead them to acknowledge and repent of their sins, and give them an opportunity to confess their faith in the promised Redeemer. As we realize that repentance is not a one time event but a continual turning back to God, we ought to become more humble. Therefore, this sanctuary was intended to teach them to look only to God for salvation and for power to obey. Without this component of the working of the covenants their understanding would be distorted. After all, the truth of salvation came only through God's covenant relations with sinners.

When the people promised to obey the covenant, they were not establishing the covenant, but they were establishing a relation to the announced covenant [120]. So do we, when we accept Jesus, we start a new relationship. In the Sinaitic covenant the people basically promised to make themselves holy which they were incapable of because they were in bondage to sin (Gal. 4:24); in the new, God says that he will do the work for them. When Israel violated their promise to obey the terms of the covenant (Exodus 19:3-8), the covenant was not destroyed, but what was needed was to renew the people's relationship to God's covenant. The human view is that because it had been violated it had been annulled. But in God's view this was not the case, the people still needed the education the covenant provided. While the old covenant had ordinances and a sanctuary (Hebr. (9:1), these were superadditions, not at all necessary to the covenant, but quite necessary as types of the sacrifice and priesthood of the new covenant for the blood of Christ had not been shed yet. We ought to refrain, when speaking of the covenant, from speaking in the next thought of prejudicial legalism. Instead, we ought to see God's loving care revealed in it to hedge us from sin -- that is death.

On this basis we can see why the Ten Commandments are referred to as "the covenant." Ex. 34:28.[122] They were not the result of an agreement between man and God, but man gave his assent to obey these divinely ordained commands, Exodus 19:3-8; Deut.4:13. The Sinai covenant was a commanded covenant which the people agreed to obey for the sake of the promised blessings. The temporary covenant was not a substitute for the everlasting, but an accessory to it. It was given to help man find the way to salvation. Heb.9:1.

The terms, that is the Ten Commandments, were to be written in the heart. The Temporary Covenant had been misconstrued by the Israelites to mean that by virtue of being born as a Jew they had already a place in the kingdom of God [125]. The Everlasting Covenant emphasized heart religion, love of God and our neighbors [126]. As such this Everlasting Covenant existed before the Temporary, in fact it always existed [130]. But because of the Israelites having been enslaved for so many years in Egypt they had forgotten all about the true God and that is why God showed himself in might and power during the days of Moses.

Conversly, today, some misconstrue the Everlasting Covenant to mean freedom from Sabbath keeping but being enslaved to Sunday keeping, they have no problem with. God, through Moses, taught Israel that by the observance of the Sabbath day they were to be distinguished from idolaters.

Those who claim on the basis of Ex., Deut. and Hebrews 8 that the Ten Commandments, being a part of this covenant, were done away with after the cross overlook the fact that the apostle John, who wrote the book the Revelation of Jesus Christ toward the end of the 1st century AD, some 30 years after the book of Hebrews was written, stresses in three places that God's people keep the commandments, Rev 12;17; 19:10; 22:14. Even though some claim that the word `commandments', as used in Revelation, does not refer to the Ten Commandments do so obviously in order to confirm their own idea which is not echoed by God's Word that the Law of God is not binding anymore, at the least the 7th day Sabbath is not binding according to their world view. So they are obliged to assume the word `commandments' means something else than the Hebrews would have understood it. They don't see that God does not play word games. He does not repeat over and over again all teachings to explain something like that for our age. These men, apparently, do not enjoy perfect obedience to God's Word, even though elsewhere they claim to be that way.[135] To be sure the Ten Commandments were involved in the Temporary Covenant,

Exodus 34:28 "And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments."
Deut.4:13 "And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."

But were they done away with? The law which the Psalmist and Jesus calls eternal (Ps. 111:7,8) and which was the reason Jesus had to die on calvary, could that be repealed, done away with so unceremoniously?

The caller last time from Ceres was right about the law being the covenant. But today we shall take a closer look and I am sure all of us will be able to appreciate our conclusions.

We start with the premise that the scriptures will not contradict each other.

"Study to show yourself approved unto God...rightly dividing the word of truth." 2.Tim. 2:15.

"... comparing spiritual things with spiritual..." 1.Cor.2:13,14.

"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth." Jh. 17:17.

"... the word of the Lord endureth forever." 1.Pet.1:24,25.

"For precept must be upon precept, ... line upon line; here a little, and there a little." Is.28:10

Of course not in such a way as to take scriptures out of context. We must frequently read the whole chapter and the whole book to know the setting in which a verse occurs - some of this comparing of line upon line we can do tonight but whole chapters you must read for yourself.

We have definite statements of Jesus himself and other Bible writers stating that the Commandments are still valid, they will always be in force. If they could have been abrogated Jesus wouldn't have had to die.

"Don't think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I didn't come to destroy but to fulfil. For truly, I am saying to you: `Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all be fulfilled."
Mat. 5:17,18; 19:16-21.

If one jot or tittle cannot be changed, how much less an entire commandment!

The apostle Paul upheld the law: "...law is holy ..." Ro. 7:12; 8:3,4; ... and so did those of the short list below.

We need to put these texts side by side and compare them in order to discover where the weight of the evidence points to. So listen carefully as we develop this and find the answer which will satisfy both requirements that, yes, something came to an end which had to do with Ten Commandments. But we need to balance that with the statement of Jesus that they are eternal. We need to discover how something about the Ten Commandments can be done away with and yet they are to endure forever, Ps 111:7,8.

Some think that "till all be fulfilled" means that after they are fulfilled they are done away with, but that does not explain Paul's and John's references to the validity of the law clear up to the end of the 1st century. The word "fulfilled" just means that the law was being obeyed and keeps on being obeyed. Compare Philippians 2:2:

"Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

Jesus and Paul here mean an ongoing thing, not something that comes to an end. To say it now, actually what must come to an end is our sinning.

Let us summarize once more the difference between the Temporary and the Everlasting covenant:

The law was not spoken exclusively for the Hebrews at Mt. Sinai.

Just like the Bible presents two laws, one changeless and eternal, the other provisional and temporary, so there are two covenants. The covenant of grace was first made with man in Eden, when after the Fall there was given a divine promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. [140] To all men this covenant offered pardon and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Christ. It also promised them eternal life on condition of fidelity to God's law. This way the `covenant of grace' was just as effective for Abraham as it was for believers living after the cross. [152]

We know Moses was not a law keeper. He had murdered a man. `In slaying the Egyptian, Moses had fallen into the same error so often committed by his fathers, of taking into their own hands the work that God had promised to do. It was not God's will to deliver His people by warfare, as Moses thought, but by His own mighty power, that the glory might be ascribed to Him alone. Yet even this rash act was overruled by God to accomplish His purposes. Moses was not prepared for his great work. He had yet to learn the same lesson of faith that Abraham and Jacob had been taught - not to rely upon human strength or wisdom, but upon the power of God for the fulfillment of His promises.[154] And there were other lessons that, amid the solitude of the mountains, Moses was to receive. In the school of self-denial and hardship he was to learn patience, to temper his passions. And that is why the Bible teaches that "self denial is a joy", Titus 2:11-14. Before he could govern wisely, he must be trained to obey. His own heart must be fully in harmony with God before he could teach the knowledge of His will to Israel. By his own experience he must be prepared to exercise a fatherly care over all who needed his help.'

`Humility and reverence should characterize the deportment of all who come into the presence of God. In the name of Jesus we may come before Him with confidence, but we must not approach Him with the boldness of presumption, as though He were on a level with ourselves. There are those who address the great and all-powerful and holy God, who dwelleth in light unapproachable, as they would address an equal, or even an inferior. There are those who conduct themselves in His house as they would not presume to do in the audience chamber of an earthly ruler. These should remember that they are in His sight whom seraphim adore, before whom angels veil their faces. God is greatly to be reverenced; all who truly realize His presence will bow in humility before Him, and, like Jacob beholding the vision of God, they will cry out, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.", Gen. 28:17.' [PP, p. 247ff. God's house is `dreadful' to a sinner for sin cannot stand in the presence of God who is to sin a consuming fire.]

What kind of an event was the proclamation of the Law of God on Mt. Sinai? Was it an event calculated to cause fear and trembling among the people?

`On the morning of the third day, as the eyes of all the people were turned toward the mount, its summit was covered with a thick cloud, which grew more black and dense, sweeping downward until the entire mountain was wrapped in darkness and awful mystery. Then a sound as of a trumpet was heard, summoning the people to meet with God; and Moses led them forth to the base of the mountain. From the thick darkness flashed vivid lightnings, while peals of thunder echoed and re-echoed among the surrounding heights. "And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly." "The glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount" in the sight of the assembled multitude. And "the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder." So terrible were the tokens of the Lord's presence that the hosts of Israel shook with fear, and fell upon their faces before the Lord. Even Moses exclaimed, "I exceedingly fear and quake." Hebrews 12:21.'

`And now the thunders ceased; the trumpet was no longer heard; the earth was still. There was a period of solemn silence, and then the voice of God was heard. Speaking out of the thick darkness that enshrouded Him, as He stood upon the mount, surrounded by a retinue of angels, the Lord made known His law. Moses, describing the scene, says: "The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mount Paran, and He came with ten thousands of saints: from His right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, He loved the people; all His saints are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; every one shall receive of Thy words." Deuteronomy 33:2,3.[156]

That is the attitude we should have toward God and His Law, the verbalization of the Character of the Most High.

`The Lord God revealed Himself, not alone in the awful majesty of the judge and lawgiver, but as the compassionate guardian of His people: "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage." He whom they had already known as their Guide and Deliverer, who had brought them forth from Egypt, making a way for them through the sea, and overthrowing Pharaoh and his hosts, who had thus shown Himself to be above all the gods of Egypt - He it was who now spoke His law.' [158]

The people of Israel were overwhelmed with terror. The awful power of God's utterances seemed more than their trembling hearts could bear. If they would follow the Word of God he will be to them a pillar of cloud (shade) by day and a pillar of fire (warmth) by night. The teachings of God are not to be ignored or perverted. He will guide those who desire to be led. Truth is truth which will enlighten all who seek for it with humble hearts, 2.Tim. 3:16-17. Error is error, and no amount of worldly philosophizing can make it truth. For as God's great rule of right was presented before them, they realized as never before the offensive character of sin, and their own guilt in the sight of a holy God. They shrank away from the mountain in fear and awe. The multitude cried out to Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." The leader answered, "Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not." The people, however, remained at a distance, gazing in terror upon the scene, while Moses "drew near unto the thick darkness where God was."

The minds of the people, blinded and debased by slavery and heathenism, were not prepared to appreciate fully the far-reaching principles of God's ten precepts. That the obligations of the Decalogue might be more fully understood and enforced, additional precepts were given, illustrating and applying the principles of the Ten Commandments. These laws were called judgments, both because they were framed in infinite wisdom and equity and because the magistrates were to give judgment according to them. Unlike the Ten Commandments, they were delivered privately to Moses, who was to communicate them to the people.

The first of these laws related to servants. In ancient times criminals were sometimes sold into slavery by the judges; in some cases, debtors were sold by their creditors; and poverty even led persons to sell themselves or their children. But a Hebrew could not be sold as a slave for life. His term of service was limited to six years; on the seventh he was to be set at liberty. Manstealing, deliberate murder, and rebellion against parental authority were to be punished with death. The holding of slaves not of Israelitish birth was permitted, but their life and person were strictly guarded. The murderer of a slave was to be punished; an injury inflicted upon one by his master, though no more than the loss of a tooth, entitled him to his freedom.

The Israelites had lately been servants themselves, and now that they were to have servants under them, they were to beware of indulging the spirit of cruelty and exaction from which they had suffered under their Egyptian taskmasters. The memory of their own bitter servitude should enable them to put themselves in the servant's place, leading them to be kind and compassionate, to deal with others as they would wish to be dealt with.

The rights of widows and orphans were especially guarded, and a tender regard for their helpless condition was enjoined. "If thou afflict them in any wise," the Lord declared, "and they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." Aliens who united themselves with Israel were to be protected from wrong or oppression. "Thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt."

The taking of usury from the poor was forbidden. A poor man's raiment or blanket taken as a pledge, must be restored to him at nightfall. He who was guilty of theft was required to restore double. Respect for magistrates and rulers was enjoined, and judges were warned against perverting judgment, aiding a false cause, or receiving bribes. Calumny and slander were prohibited, and acts of kindness enjoined, even toward personal enemies.

Again the people were reminded of the sacred obligation of the Sabbath. Yearly feasts were appointed, at which all the men of the nation were to assemble before the Lord, bringing to Him their offerings of gratitude and the first fruits of His bounties. The object of all these regulations was stated: they proceeded from no exercise of mere arbitrary sovereignty; all were given for the good of Israel. The Lord said, "Ye shall be holy men unto Me" - worthy to be acknowledged by a holy God.

These laws were to be recorded by Moses, and carefully treasured as the foundation of the national law. The Ten precepts were given to illustrate the condition of the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.

During his stay in the mount, Moses received directions for the building of a sanctuary in which the divine presence would be specially manifested. "Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them" [Exodus 25:8], was the command of God. For the third time the observance of the Sabbath was enjoined. "It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever," the Lord declared, "that ye may know that I am Jehovah that doth sanctify you. Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you. . . . Whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people." Exodus 31:17,13, 14.

Directions had just been given for the immediate erection of the tabernacle for the service of God. Since the object of the worship conducted in the tabernacle had in view to glorify God, and because of their great, pressing need of a place of worship, God knew the people might think themselves justified in working at the building on the Sabbath day. To guard them from this error, the warning we just read was given. Even the sacredness and urgency of that special work for God must not lead them to infringe upon His holy rest day.

Henceforth the people were to be honored with the abiding presence of their King. "I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God," "and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory" [Exodus 29:45, 43], was the assurance given to Moses. As the symbol of God's authority and the embodiment of His will, there was delivered to Moses a copy of the Decalogue engraved by the finger of God Himself upon two tables of stone [Deuteronomy 9:10; Exodus 32:15, 16] to be sacredly enshrined in the sanctuary, which, when made, was to be the visible center of the nation's worship.

From a people group of slaves the Israelites had been exalted above all nations to be the peculiar treasure of the King of kings. God had separated them from the world, that He might commit to them a sacred trust. He had made them the depositaries of His law, and He purposed, through them, to preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Thus the light of heaven was to shine out to a world enshrouded in darkness, and a voice was to be heard appealing to all peoples to turn from their idolatry to serve the living God. If the Israelites would be true to their trust, they would become a power in the world. God would be their defense, and He would exalt them above all other nations. His light and truth would be revealed through them, and they would stand forth under His wise and holy rule as an example of the superiority of His worship over every form of idolatry.

The Cross, the Law, the Fault and Changes

God honored Israel to be the guardians of His law, it was to be held as a sacred trust for the whole world. - missionary work - Deut 4:6-9; 7:12-15; Deut 30:9,10; Is 27:6; Jer 33:9; Zech 8:21-23; 14:16!; Mal 3:8-12;

While the Sabbath was given especially to Israel but not exclusively, the Christian church as spiritual Israel is to carry on this "forever" obedience to God's holy day. This "forever" did not stop at resurrection day.

We have to ask "What exactly was done away with besides the ceremonial law when the Old, Provisional, Temporary Covenant came to an end?" Were the Ten Commandments done away with? Can we now steal? Can we now worship idols or take the name of God in vain?

Now to come up with the correct answer we must go back to Exodus chapter 24 which presents the scene when the Provisional, Temporary Covenant was established, ratified and written out by Moses, not God. Like any legal document or treaty between parties, these need to be approved or ratified by the `board'. In this case it was the congregation of the nation of Israel who voted unanimously to obey the laws given to them. They thought they had the moral fortitude to be able to keep these laws on their own volition. They made this agreement with God:

"And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do." v.3.

In Vers 7 and 8 we then read how the agreement was sealed with the blood offering of a sacrifice and he said,

"Behold, the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning all these words." v.8

This event was a turning point in the history of Israel. But Israel was not keeping its terms of the covenant. They were unfaithful to the Lord who tried repeatedly to draw His people back to Him. Originally the Sabbath was made for a sinless world inviting a free response to a gracious Creator. By freely choosing to make themselves available for God on that day, human beings were to experience physical, mental, and spiritual renewal and enrichment. These needs were only more important after the fall of Adam and Eve. As a result, the moral, universal, and perpetual functions of the Sabbath precept were repeated later in the form of a commandment. Thus the Law of God is an eternally valid proclamation and was not terminated at the cross. The cross is not the line of demarcation between the Old and New Covenant, law and grace, the Sabbath and Sunday. Such distinctions are imaginative but not biblical for it wars against biblical consistency in matters of God's government and morals. It was the "shadow" of the cross that was taken away by the appearance of the body of Christ on the cross itself according to Col. 2:16,17. It is evident that Christ came, not to change the moral requirements of God's Ten Laws, the Ten Principles of Love, but to atone for our transgression against those requirements as evidenced in Mark 8:29,31; Luke 24:7; John 12:31-34; Romans 4:25; 5:8-9; 8:1-3; 7:12; 1.Tim. 1:8.

Please note that in John 12:34-37,

"The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever ..."

The law is the whole of the writings of Moses, the Psalms and Prophets - it is the righteousness of God, Isa. 51:6,7. It is also a faint allusion to Creation aftermath, as God rested on the 7th day with Adam and Eve joining Him. They had not witnessed creation, they had to believe God on His Word that He made it all. This relationship between the Creator and man was meant to last forever. Sin disrupted it.

"... and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him."

Jesus gives no hint whatsoever that any of His law would be changed, replaced just by love or replaced by rest. Those who preach that "love" fulfills the law, because if you love you do not trespass laws 5 through 10, and may be laws 1 through 3, but not the 4th commandment, and yet have preached about digging deep and building on the rock, the Word of God which never speaks of Sunday as a holy day but only God's chosen, seventh day, have not yet discerned the shallowness of their own understanding. Shining the light on the tables of the law knows only one law, as published on Mt. Sinai, the wedding vow of God with His people. Sunday keepers divorce themselves from God and His Law. For the law of the beginnings is always of paramount binding importance (Mark 13:19). For Adam and Eve at first it was a request, a law of grace to imitate Christ, who showed them how to keep it. This tranquil scene was never meant to or needed to be changed into another. God's law is the signet ring of his right hand which he impresses in the heart of those who obey Him. In ancient times a king would impress his signet ring in the middle of a tablet. God's seal is contained in the middle of His tablet.

What was done away with at the cross then were not actually the Ten Commandments themselves. It couldn't have been the Ten Commandments for elsewhere Jesus stressed the eternal nature of the Decalogue:

"...never shall one letter or dot be abolished from the Ten Commandment law."

"My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips." Matthew 5:18; Ps. 89:34.

Therefore, the answer lies somewhere else, here biblical exegesis becomes important for the scriptures to agree with themselves, we must look for the meanings and understandings of the passages involved. It was the agreement which was done away with, in fact replaced with a new agreement.

The agreement had to do with Israel trying to keep God's law on their own terms, in their own strength.

Satan uses also this argument to discourage followers of Christ who want to obey His Word. He says in effect, "Jesus fulfilled the law, thereby doing away with it, so you do not need to worry about it any more."

"And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain ... if ye will obey my voice ... And all the people answered together ... we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord." Exodus 19:3-8; 24:7.

"For if the first covenant had been FAULTLESS, then should no place have been sought for the second. For FINDING FAULT WITH THEM, he says, Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant." Hebrews 8:7,8

They thought to please God by strict obedience, by being law keepers, not realizing or underestimating the human propensity to sin. They failed to understand that covenants of God address the needs of sinners, as such they would parallel each other for the functions they were designed for. Just like each commandment points to God's grace, so too, does each sacrifice.

God's Law Not A Series of Prohibitions

When the commandment says, "Thou shalt not", what does it say? It says that God charged Himself with our salvation, reconciling the world unto Himself, so He Himself becomes responsible for the obedience of every one who sees and acknowledges Him.

Why should we say that?

Because if God only commanded something for man, whom he does not lead around on a leash, but who has freedom of choice, then God charges Himself with seeing to it that we can live responsibly, using our freedom of choice correctly, so He does not have to destroy us for the righteous sake among us.

As long as we keep in Christ, we have in our mind to glorify God in all we do and the `Thou shalt not' becomes a, `Oh, look at all the other things I can do like love my neighbor as myself, trust and obey . . .'

But for the Jews, words were written in their heart, but not love of God and a knowledge of true salvation. The rest is history on exactly how they tried to please God. They had it all figured out, or so they thought. A Jew could walk only a mile on the Sabbath day, he could only do this or that much, not more. The rabbinical laws were plentiful. Formalism was rampant in the Jewish nation. By virtue of being born a Jew they thought they had a place in the kingdom of God. The deep down `agape' love meaning of the words of the law were to be written in their hearts and minds from now on. Did that change the wording of the Ten Commandments? Of course not, they were now to be internalized, become a habit, obey them without thinking, something that comes naturally - including the 4th commandment. The aspect of `fault' therefore has to do with faulty interpretation of the intent of the Law, the promises, on the part of the Jews. The Law of God, the transcript of His character, cannot be called `faulty'. Our relation to it is `faulty'. Therefore, when Paul writes, "if the first covenant had been faultless" he does not mean to say that the Law of God was not faultless, that is faulty, but the relationship of the people to the covenant was not faultless because of a mistaken application and interpretation of Its intend by the Jews having to do with the promise, Hebr. 8:6,7.

Therefore, we may read the above scripture in a free rendition this way,

`For if the first covenant had been faultlessly obeyed by you (the Jews), then should no place have been sought for the second. For FINDING FAULT WITH THEM (the Jews), he says, Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant.' In other words, we should never suppose that a perfect God sets up faulty stipulations or laws. Sinful man is full of faults, not God.[160]

But some may ask, `Wasn't the joy the Jewish converts of Phoenicia and Samaria felt upon the news of the conversion of many Gentiles to the gospel,' a result of them not having to obey the temporary Mosaic law any longer? (Based on Acts 15.)[165]

Yes, certainly.

They were filled with joy not to have to sacrifice sheep and lambs anymore, for the real Lamb of God, Jesus, had died and fulfilled these ancient rites. But this relates to the temporary Mosaic law, not the Ten Laws of God, the health laws and some laws which were still needed to govern a balanced, healthy society for things which caused sickness in the days of Moses still caused sickness in the days of the apostles and today..

The Everlasting Covenant teaches us to trust in Christ, let Him fight the good fight of faith in our behalf. It is our duty to abide in Christ, daily, every hour, every minute by being in his word. While the blood of animals does not atone for sin and we are not to bring such sacrifices after the cross, the application of the once shed blood of Christ Himself is still taking place in the heavenly sanctuary, thus the lasting nature of that covenant (from Abel to Christ's ministry in heaven) still lingers today, until sin will be no more.

For we live "by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

In our Christian walk the scriptures teach it is Christ's part to defeat Satan. That is the beauty of the New, Everlasting Covenant. There really was nothing wrong with the Temporary Covenant, what was wrong was, how the people went about it to fulfill its claims. [170] All the changes which had to be made were in the life of the people, not the law. They needed to understand, how by placing their trust in God through faith in the life of Christ, Satan has to flee. How He, our Savior, takes our place and fights the enemy for us. We are much too weak and unskilled to defeat the temptations of Satan ourselves, we need to leave that to Jesus. A promise which relies on human strength has no value. What we are required to do is to abide in Jesus, seek Him, pray to Him, take God's promise that we shall not fall, remember His commandments to keep us from stumbling, and in that is where our effort should lie to keep this relationship with Him going, lean on Him rather than ourselves every day and every hour of every day.

"He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same produces much fruit, for without me, you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast away as a branch, and will wither, and men collect them, and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you want, and it shall be done for you. ... If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:5-7,10.

Now, that is good news to me, how about you? What does it mean to abide in Jesus? Through reading his word, occupying our thoughts, our mind, with things pertaining to Jesus, salvation, God and prayer. Does this give us license to ask God for frivolous things? Of course not. In a loving relationship we would never ask something not advantageous to our relationship. But `love' is an abstract word, how is `love' displayed free from rationalizations? That is where the law comes in again. Without law, mankind cannot relate objectively to love. God's law, the expression of his character, gives us night and day, rain and sunshine, pretty flowers and all kinds of living things, laughter and music, safety and a home, awareness of things to come and evangelism to further his work. - For the day of His Appearing draws very nigh.

By faith we are saved. Faith that Jesus will do the fighting for us as we do the resisting. And even faith itself is not of ourselves but a gift from God.

"But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
... we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. And they overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony..." 1.Cor 15:57; Rom. 8:37; Rev 12:11.

But we have the privilege in working with God for the saving of our own soul. We are to receive Christ as our personal Savior and believe in Him. RECEIVING AND BELIEVING IS OUR PART OF THE CONTRACT. That is the same meaning of abiding in Jesus. Our effort should lie in abiding in Jesus not in fighting Satan.

"He that sent Me is with Me, the Father has not left Me alone, for I do always those things that please him." John 8:29

But some may ask how about this verse...

"... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12

From this we learn that there has to be a balance in between. The life of a Christian should always be one of balance. Abiding in Christ does not mean we can be lazy and let the devil sneak up on us. Fearing separation from God is what Jesus suffered in Gethsemane and Jacob in Bethel. We must be vigilant, don't put yourself in harms way, don't go to places which led you into sin before your conversion.

"Now we see like in a mirror but then face to face" 1.Cor 13:12.

So the method has changed. When we are baptized, we agree to keep the main points of our understanding of the faith we have to allow for growth, (but we should keep them all) diligently. There is nothing wrong with the Ten Commandments. But there is something wrong with us. For many, just like Israel did, are trying to live their faith on their own strength and merits. That is to be shunned, to be done away with, that kind of thinking. Christ does it for us - in the context of faith and obedience on our part. Therefore do we love the Savior so much for He will strengthen us to be strong so we can abide in Him from day to day.[180] Remove the things which tempt you every day from your surroundings and occupy your mind with the life of Christ and measure all your actions on the great standard of the Law of God for by it we shall be judged.

Let us emphasize again we are not saved by doing works, i.e. going out and doing missionary work. We are also not saved by keeping the law. We are saved by grace alone, Ephesians 2:8-9 and Luke 18:10-14. But the works we don't seek are dead works, Jesus says, "... He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my father." John 14:12. (See also Acts 9:36; 1 Timothy 2:10, 5:10, 25; 6:18; 2 Timothy 3:17; Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14; Hebrews 10:24; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 2:12; Revelation 14:13.)

Faith based on works reveals itself in yet other ways. Some think they are saved because they are associated with some (successful) ministry. They think that because of it they have a special pass to the throne of God. After all they led so many to accept the faith. It may be a situation like the following,

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matthew 7:22,23.

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Daniel 12:1.

It is the experience of Jacob they will go through.

"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it." Jeremiah 30:7.

a) to follow the world which is under the rule of Satan, a false Christ, or
b) to be part of those in the world which are under the rule of Christ.

The answer is simple, `Because to break them would be to fall from grace and to live in sin, Mt. 1:21; 1 Jh. 3:4.'

"While good works will not save even one soul, yet it is impossible for even one soul to be saved without good works. God saves us under a law, that we must ask if we would receive, seek if we would find, and knock if we would have the door opened unto us." [190]

Dead works, spiritually dead works, are those we do on our own volition. We add in effect law keeping to salvation by grace. But we soon discover that it cannot be done. Salvation by works and salvation by grace are two opposites, for the gospel is not "I plus Christ" but only "I in Christ." So it is that salvation is through the righteousness by faith in Christ alone. Christ took our sins and died and gave us His life to live through Him. And we look on His life and see that it was one of obedience. Obedience to the Law of God. That law, the detector of sin, drives us to the foot of the cross and we pray. Without prayer guidance, works can be such that they do not lead people to Jesus Christ as their Saviour. While we must have carpenters, plumbers, preachers and physicians, etc., we do not need workers who teach purposely unbiblical doctrines and misrepresent God's people. Most any page in the Bible tells that we must be doing something, but do not forget Ephesians 2:8-9. Therefore, Jesus has in mind the exacting and plentious, additional laws made up by the Pharisees. Their additional laws are like Sunday keeping - that day was not pronounced holy by God. Sunday is a man made law. The Bible promises that Christ in us will motivate us to keep His law based on love. Now our bahavior, our physical deportment, is only of value if the sinful conditions in us are laid upon the Lamb of God who died on the cross so we can die to self and not remain slaves to sin.

We are also not saved by not keeping the law, for the Ten Commandments are the standard by which we shall be judged on Judgment Day [200]. But God is not conducting this Judgment in such a way that He is trying to find reasons to keep people out of heaven, far from it, He is looking for reasons to get us into heaven, 2.Pet 3:9; Mt 18:14.

Here are the scriptures to show this is true:

"... I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." Jeremiah 31:3.

The Apostle Paul explains in Galatians that Hagar represents righteousness by works, Abraham's own doing when his faith wavered, while Sarah represents righteousness by faith in Jesus who kept the (Greek) `entole' commandment law perfectly for us. Galatians 5 explains that our view of the `entole' law has changed, we internalize now the law instead of obeying it (Hagar) because we heard about it but are not convinced, converted, of it. Therefore, the New Covenant is a covenant of faith, a faith that is automatically obedient to the will of God because we love Him. True faith does not view the Law of God as a burden but as an expression of His love to safe and protect us - keep us in tune with heaven amongst a world permeated by Satan's devices.

What kind of faith avails much with God?

"For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision (or for that matter Sabbathkeeping, if it is done as a formality), but faith which worketh by love." Galatians 5:6.

But those who only talk, and do nothing about it, they are not men of faith. The kind of faith which pleases God will take God at his word and submit to him, be obedient. But obedient to what? To His Ten Commandment law which is an expression of God's character and only He knows what is in men's heart.

"And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people and obeyed their voice." 1.Sam. 15:24.

That is the dilemma of many Christians today, friends. Some sin because they actually think it is the mucho thing to do not realizing that those they try to impress may abandon them at the slightest difficulty, at the drop of a hat.

Jesus, Pharisees and Preachers

Remind yourself what charge Jesus laid against the Pharisees:

"And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." Mark 7:9.

What is genuine faith? What effect did the preaching of Jesus and the apostles have on their converts?

"And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." Acts 6:7.

"For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not done by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed." Rom. 15:18.

"He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." Is.42:21.

Some Jews thought Jesus had come to destroy the law just like today some Christians claim the same thing. But what was Jesus' answer?

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one iota or one letter shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever shall break one of the least of these 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. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Mat.5:17-20.

Satan likes to use this argument: Many of us have heard the idea that we as sinful human beings cannot keep the law of God.[218] We hear people say, `Just believe', that is all we can do.

This view is easily reached considering the wide chasm between sinful humanity and the righteous, perfect God of heaven.[220] This God sent His only son to die for the sins of all in the world. But only those, who would recognize their true condition, confess, repent, ask for forgiveness and forsake their sin will benefit in the end. We may follow these steps and not commit some sin realizing there seems to be always another one which demands our coming before God in supplication for forgiveness. How, if ever, can we please God and be found worthy of his grace? This is a great question among Christian believers. We also read that we must be found perfect before God. How can we ever reach such a condition? Are we to conclude, `We cannot' and forget about it and never want to hear about it again? But Jesus modeled and lived a life he wanted us to imitate. He wanted his disciples to become like him, Romans chapter 12. Jesus died daily to self, to ego. We need the real grace of God, not the false kind limited to an imagined forgiveness without obedience, an off and on agape love, the life of defeat. We cannot increase God's grace, we can only agree to, receive it, and cooperate with God's grace. We must learn how to die to self, selfishness, our ego - daily - just like Jesus did. (Phil. 2:5-7; Gal. 2:20; 1.Cor. 15:21; Luke 9:23,24; John 12:24; Eph. 3:16; Rom. 6:3,4;) [230]

Jesus' intentions were not to nullify but to clarify the meaning of the fourth commandment. In the gospels He acts repeatedly as the supreme interpreter of the law by attacking external obedience and human traditions which often obscured the spirit and intent of God's commandments. (Mt. 5:21,22,27-28; 9:13;12:7; 23:1-39)

Jesus showed that the Sabbath was a day "to do good", "to save life", "to show mercy" and to lose people from physical and spiritual bonds rather then mere religiosity, Mk. 3:4; Mt. 12:7. Sabbath is a day to go out of our way not to be critical to our fellow brothers and sisters and have a forgiving attitude - treat others like we would like to be treated when we make a mistake.

Keeping the seventh day holy recognizes the spiritual salvation-rest provided by the physical Sabbath rest.[232] God invites us to cease from our physical work each seventh day, Sabbath day, so that we may participate more fully and freely in the spiritual rest. In that, the Lord's Supper and the Sabbath are not superfluous memorials, but they are designed to help us conceptualize and internalize the spiritual realities they represent.[233]

Christian preachers frequently speak on the subject of grace. On listening, many times this grace seems to be of the cheaper variety - one of easy, effortless religion. How did they come to their conclusions? Didn't Jesus say,

"If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15?

Considering such a clear statement, how then can grace coming from the same source as the commandments be so antagonistic to God's law? Didn't they see that God calls His law,

"... My commandments"? [Ex. 20:6]

"... My grace ..." 2. Cor. 12:9?

Well, we show that there is no conflict if Christians obey. Only disobedience produces the notion of conflict - and so we remember that He who condemns the sinner, will not deny us the means of changing our life. For that purpose the Bible shows Him to be now in His heavenly sanctuary to transmit the power of His atonement in our behalf on His terms. Removal of sin is not an outward white-wash, but an inward wash-white.

"The Bible does not teach us that God calls us righteous simply because Jesus of Nazareth was righteous 1800 years ago. It says that by His Holy Spirit empowered obedience we are made righteous. Notice that it is present, actual righteousness. The trouble with those who object to the righteousness of Christ being imputed to believers is that they do not take into consideration the fact that Jesus lives. He is alive today, as much as when He was in Judea. ... His life is as perfectly in harmony with the law now as it was then. And He lives in the hearts of those who believe in Him. Therefore it is Christ's present obedience in believers that makes them righteous. They can of themselves do nothing, and so God in His love does it in them. ... People are not simply counted righteous, but actually made righteous, by the obedience of Christ, who is as righteous as He ever was, and who lives today in those who yield to Him. His ability to live in human beings is shown in the fact that He took human flesh 1800 years ago. What God did in the person of the Carpenter of Nazareth, He is willing and anxious to do in every man and woman that believes." [235]

Jesus gives us what we need, the kind of grace that makes us righteous before God. The grace which purifies our mind and body so we may reflect the life of Jesus. Jesus words, "sin no more" (Jh. 5:14;8:11), are fulfilled among those of the last generation before the Lord comes again.[LGT]

How are we to Understand those OT Restrictions?

Well, I ran into some detractors arguments and try to answer them here for a while until we had enough of it. Sunday preachers often say, `The Old Testament contains lists of Sabbath restrictions (see Exodus 16:23, 29; 20:10; 31:14-15; 34:21; 35:3; Nehemiah 13:19; Jeremiah 17:21-22), and the penalty for Sabbath violation-death-is made perfectly clear (see Exodus 31:14-15; 35:2; Numbers 15:35-36).'

God uses His divine prerogative to lay down the ground rules by which man ought to live in order to please His Maker. How would you like to go to some sport event and not know the rules by which to play?

That is what is wrong with such inuendos. As already pointed out, God's Law is not a set of restrictions, which is the legalists view of it, but rather a set of `Can does'. While you do not worship a nail in the wall, you can worship the true God with all your heart like the angels do, Luke 2:23,24. Those who grudgingly keep God's law are like Satan who nit picked on all the good things God had provided for all beings in the universe. While you do not dishonor your parents, you can love them and help them at their house like you would like your children to help you at your house. While you cannot murder someone, you can make friends, try to understand, hold your peace, pray, work for solutions, etc... While you cannot steal, you can provide. . . . So, God's law leads us to take advantage of all kinds of opportunities to make this world a better place.

But the critic complains some more. He puts himself up as the expert on God's holy day by claiming God doesn't know what He is doing when He asks Christians to keep His day holy. He says,

`The New Testament, however, contains no list of Sabbath restrictions and never is Sabbath-breaking listed among New Testament sins (see Mark 7:21-22; Romans 1:29-32; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:1-4; Revelation 21:8).'

As you can see, he demands a special, custom made directive to tell him he should keep the Sabbath rather than the Sunday holy. Where could we find such a directive? (It's here)

Of course, the critic's knowledge of history and the Bible seems to be a blank sheet. He doesn't tell people that in the days of Jesus and the apostles everyone in Palestine knew that God's holy day was the Sabbath of the Lord, unless they lived out on the fringes and were steeped in paganism.

So he defends paganism. Please read again what he says above. Didn't the Pharisees claim Jesus broke the Sabbath? Didn't they have all kinds of man made restrictions?

See, that is what is wrong with these critics, they think of God's Sabbath as if it was the Sabbath of the Pharisees. Why can't he see it through the eyes of Jesus?

Jesus taught acceptable Sabbath keeping, to worship, to visit and help those in need. Is that so hard? Are those restrictions? - because then people cannot do what they themselves rather like to do on that day? [When the NT speaks of theft and covetousness. Isn't ignoring the 4th commandment stealing time which was designed to be spent with God? Isn't ignoring God's holy day and instead keeping the Sunday, the sin of covetousness since you lust after a day held in awe by the pagans? Isn't advertising Sunday in place of Sabbath worship disobedience to your parent - to God? Isn't it boasting, covenant breaking, pride, enviousness, fornication (following false teachings) with idols, works of the flesh, variance, sedition, heresy, unholiness, highmindedness and persuing a form of godliness? Most certainly it is at least that.]

The Apostle Paul who wrote much to the Gentile converts never even once mentioned that keeping the Sabbath was of any importance.

Actually, a little careful study shows that God's Sabbath is to God of the greatest importance.

Where does God say that?

Well, we said already he says that in Matthew 12:8 and in Luke 6:5. Each time Jesus says to people, `sin no more' (Jh. 5:14; 8:11), `keep my commandments' (Mt. 19:17; Rev. 12:17; 14:12) or `sin is the transgression of the law' (1.Jh. 3:4), he tells them, `Do not trespass any of the 10 commandments anymore.'

He also never mentioned to the Gentiles how they were supposed to keep this Jewish weekly festival. All this is strange, indeed, if the 7th day Sabbath is still a requirement in the New Covenant as the SDA claims.

Well, does this critic think that the gentiles were so blind or ignorant in those days? Did they not know exactly what the Sabbath was all about? Many of them living right among all those Sabbath keepers everywhere? Does he have to have everything spelled out to the `t'? Doesn't he know the gentiles kept the Sabbath gladly? See here!

Yes, friends, God's Word expects a little more common sense. He likes us to accept what He says in Exodus to still be good in Revelation. Especially when it comes to the Law of God, the foundation of the government of God. It is not in any human beings best interest to try and undo God's eternally valid 10 Commandment Law. Jesus death on the cross occurred precisely because the law cannot be canceled. He died because the New Covenant is not new in the sense that it was brand new, it was a new emphasis of the everlasting covenant that God wants to save as many sinners as possible. God does not issue covenants that are inadequate or outdate. People just don't take time to study these things out and there is a problem with accepting God's requirements instead of man's traditions.

Biblical Sabbath keeping is a powerful antidote against legalism and sectarianism!

How so? Because the Sabbath teaches us not to work for our salvation (legalism), but to cease from all our works, in order, as Calvin stated, "to allow God to work in us." [240]

A Sabbath keeping Christian gives priority to God in his/ her thinking and living. We allow the omnipotent grace of God to work more fully and freely in our lives. It epitomizes the gospel, the good news of God's invitation to meet with Him each week in a spiritual-rest as we cease from works. The Sabbath, framed and highlighted like the posts of a gate by the death of Christ on Friday and His resurrection on the first day Sunday, memorializes God's provision for rest as well as His creative and redemptive power for we read: "And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy." Nehemiah 13:22.

A balanced view of Bible truth looks at both posts, the cross and the resurrection and how it cradled the Lord in this place of death, waiting for the resurrection - thus additionally teaching that no immortal soul of Jesus spent the weekend in heaven.

Outside these gates may be the enemy waiting to kill, "But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him." Acts 9:24.

To these gates come also those who strife against the commands of God, "Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. ... when Barnabas and Paul heard ... Why ... you should turn from these vanities unto the living God." Acts 14:13-15.

But in the end the pearly gates are the focus of where God's faithful people enter into the city, "And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ... of ... transparent glass. ... And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it ... And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day ... And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." Revelation 21.

Sabbath keeping has come under constant controversy throughout Christian history because that day summons people to offer to God not just lip service, but the dedicated service of their total weekly living set aside for a 24 hour period at the end. So it is today. As people want to partake of the pleasure of this world, they feel encumbered by such a demand of God's law to alter their life on that one day to suit God's purposes. Running after money - sports, shopping, entertainment - has taken over their imaginations. But God cannot be mocked. His Law Stands for All Time! Sabbath demands our taking of sides in favor of God's published plan at Sinai.

So, friends, do not be angry with me when I present this message. I am doing this because this is what the Word of God teaches, which has been misunderstood by thousands and thousands of Christians, good, well-meaning Christians. There were also many sincere Pharisees, you see?

Ask yourself if God had intended to do away with the Ten Commandments or the 7th Day Sabbath, don't you think he would have broadcasted that all over the pages of the Bible and made sure we had no chance of misunderstanding that? So the burden is on those who claim that the Ten Commandments were done away with and I know, and you do too, all they really want to do away with by saying that is the 4th, Sabbath commandment. The others they go along with. Except may be one church which also did away with the 2nd commandment, split the 10th into two in order to have 10. Because this church wanted to worship images and statues in their churches, plus keep their own day of the sun, rather than obey God, they made this change. That way the pagan population of the Roman Empire found it easy to become members of the so called Christian church.

But we still must show that the Ten Commandments are the standard by which we shall be judged. When Jesus comes again as the "King of kings, and Lord of lords" (Rev.19:16), what will He then do for each person?

"For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward each man according to his works." Mat.16:27 - Rev.22:12.

"Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Don't you know that we shall judge the (evil) angels? how much more things that have to do with this life?" 1.Cor.6:2,3.

"...the judgment was set and the books were opened." Dan.7:9,10;

"Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples. ... To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Is.8:16,20.

Isaiah is saying that God is looking for people who determined in their heart to obey the law and pay attention to God's prophets. The apostle Paul is echoing these words in Ephesians 4:30 when he writes: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are sealed ..." The Holy Spirit, the protector of all the Bible and seeker after hearts of obedient faith to God seals only those who keep the commandments and do not limit God's prophets who test as God's prophets in any way. This is a time honored key test of true teachers on the biblical subject of the law and testimony which is the spirit of prophecy, Rev. 19:10. False teachers do not keep all the commandments and belittle the Spirit of Prophecy thus declaring that God cannot have a prophet when they do not think someone else then themselves could be such a person.

"Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13,14.
(A God fearing life because we repented and confessed our sins to Jesus and know we are forgiven.[241])

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul..." Ps. 19:7.

[Also the whole of Ps. 37.]

"I delight to do thy will, o my God; thy law is within my heart." Ps.40:8.

"The works of his hands are truthful (verity) and just (judgment); all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness." Ps.111:7,8.

"Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. v.11
.. I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. v.19
.. You have rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from your commandments. v.21
.. I will run the way of your commandments, when you will enlarge my heart. v 32
.. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. v.33
.. give me understanding and I shall keep your law. v.34
.. Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law. v.35

"This is what the Lord says: `Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil."

"And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast in my covenant - these will I bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer." Isaiah 66:1,2,6,7; NIV

There is not a real, demanding hint in all the Bible that God's people, at any time in history, ought to forsake God's Sabbath commandment and transfer it to another day. Only sinful men and women have and still are, closing their ears and eyes to God's Word. Having begun on this slippery path of disobedience to God's law, they lost control of the situation and today, the Sabbath day is polluted with all kinds of ungodly activities all around the world. But you and I need to obey the Lord. [246]

Never since the dawn of sacred history, has Truth found Itself born in halls of learning, or in the minds of so-called great and wise, but only when and where "holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2. Peter 1:21.

We must realize that the book of Hebrews is based on the premise that the Temporary Testament is the inspired word of God. We just start at the beginning and look for verses which relate to the law of God in some way.

Heb 1:8: "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom."

Can any kingdom exist without a law governing its affairs? Isaiah 9:6,7. Does right doing have anything to do with law? How do we know what is right or wrong unless we have something to compare it to?

So in the first chapter the law is upheld. Will that change in later chapters of Hebrews? Or is it something else that changes?

For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change also of the law ... Which law, the law pertaining to the priesthood? or the Ten Commandments? Heb.7:12. Dr.Martin Luthers Bible, in the margin, says it refers to the law regulating the priesthood, the ceremonial law in this case.

"Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." Heb 7:16.

What does that mean? Jesus is not a priest by reason of being a member of the tribe of Levi [the carnal commandment], but he is a priest because he is the source of all life, he is eternal God.

So `carnal commandment' is not meant to say it is a bad commandment, it just means it is the one having been in use throughout the history of Israel.

Hebrew 8 is loaded with meaning, it mentions offering of sacrifices according to the law - that must be the ceremonial law which regulated what qualifies as a sacrifice.

"And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord God; These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon." Ez. 43:17

Looking at the cross, what do you see? First we ought to see that we, like Christ, must die to self. Then we may consider the end of the sacrificial system by the Sacrifice of all sacrifices. Jesus completed the `ordinances of the altar' of sacrifice. These ordinances (in the OT) never condemned anyone but looked forward to the gospel as shadowed in their system of sacrifices and offerings while the NT looks back. Ezekiel shows that the services having to do with the altar of burned offerings were done away with after being fulfilled at the cross, Colossians 2:14.

What else do we see?

Christ's death did not automatically give us life, freedom from condemnation, and happiness; His substitutionary death offered it.

"... Christ also has loved us and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweat smelling savour." Ephesians 5:2.[250]

Some claim that Christ gave fullness of life, freedom from condemnation, and happiness when He died. Do we see around us in this world such abundant life, peace, and happiness? Do we see freedom from the guilt which brings a sense of condemnation? No, we do not see that. It is not ours until we accept Christ in sincerity of heart, and afterward by His grace obey Him and put away sin. So it stands that our condemnation was not automatically removed at Calvary. According to John 3:18, we are already condemned, until we accept Jesus and begin a life of believing, abiding, trusting and obeying, John 3:16.

The Bible teaches that salvation, justification, and no-condemnation were not all completed at the cross. They were actually postponed until some later time after A.D. 31,—the delay was obviously made to grant those gifts to only certain people who would before calvary and after it meet certain conditions [254]. The redeemed are a special people in the eyes of God who accepted the sacrifice of His Son and decided to follow in His footsteps to victory. God's Word does not promise wholesale, `faceless' justification. Justification indiscriminately given to everyone, regardless of his present or future conduct, would be wholesale acquittal. That is not within the provisions of God for the world. It only makes a pleasing gospel, one with no effort or persistence to crucify self and remain right before God.[257]

That is why we have individual choice in salvation and why those who lived during the 4000 years before calvary also could be drawn by the Holy Spirit, converted, and saved. It is important that we realize that the gift of salvation could be given before Calvary, not only after the event. For all of us, individual choice is required. Salvation is not the result of an arbitrary act of God alone. We still need to knock to have the door of salvation opened to us (Mt. 7:7; Lk. 11:9). We must personally choose to be on guard, and immediately resist sin and choose the right at every step. This is vital. We do not float into heaven. It takes work, effort on our part to get there. We must dwell in His Word, daily. While God's part in this effort is great and ours small, He will not save us unless we do our small part which involves "agape" love, the power to do is faith in the "name" of Jesus. Lazy Christians will not have provided their lamps with enough oil and therefore are not ready when the Master comes again.

It was the prophet Daniel who defines what was to cease at the time of the sacrifice of Christ.

"And he [Jesus] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease ..." Daniel 9:27.

These sacrifices and oblations were the animal sacrifices and grain, oil, and wine offerings. Daniel spoke of nothing else ceasing at the cross. After the public rehearsal of the 10 commandment law (Deut. 5), Moses completed the work of writing all the laws, the statutes, and the judgments which God had given him, and all the regulations or ordinances concerning the sacrificial system.[260]

"But now we have obtained a more excellent ministry ... a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." Hebr. 8.

What is the difference of the promises between the Temporary and the Everlasting covenant?

Old - obey and live, disobey and die. Ez. 20:11; Lev. 18:5.
New - the law is in our hearts - heart religion. Jer. 31:33,34.
Heb.8:10.

Now, when we read this we should remember that in the New Covenant, the unrepentend sinner still is not granted eternal life. In that the difference is not all that great between the Old and the New Covenant, the emphasis, how we put it, is what makes it appear different. The more we tend toward sin, the more we tend to block out Jesus in our life and the law condemns us - no matter what time we live in.

Next we must ask, were the Ten Commandments only a fixed feature of the Old Covenant but not of the New?

Heb 8:13 "A new covenant, he has made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."

Having shown the goodness of the law of God in both, the Old and the New Testament, how can we balance that with Heb 8:13?

May I remind you again that the New Covenant pre-dated and out existed the Old Covenant!! Jer. 31:31-33; Ex. 2:24; Gen 15:18; 22:18; 26:3; 28:13,14. Actually this means that the two covenants are not matters of dispensations or time; they span the ages side by side together for they are based on conviction in the heart, they are matters of the everlasting gospel. By these covenant promises God creates a new desire in us to live in harmony with His law. The other group, the Jews, had no one desire to find themselves under condemnation, they rather wanted to obey or die. Christians rather know that God is to live in them for others to see and want it too, 1.Cor. 14:21-24. There is no incompatibility here between the goodness or grace of God and the law. During the centuries of the time of Israel there was no incompatibility between grace and the "ceremonial" law, for until Jesus died the rites and sacrifices were God's appointed way of directing the eye of faith to the coming Saviour. Not until the offering of the Lamb of God, once for all, was the ceremonial law abolished (Eph. 2:15). After that, insistence upon the ceremonial observances became a denial of faith in the all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ, Acts 15:1,10; Gal. 5:1-2. The everlasting covenant, later ratified by the blood of Jesus (Hebr. 8:6-13; Mt.26:28), and mediated by His heavenly ministry (Hebr. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24) - the covenant promising the divine writing of the law in the heart, with the indwelling of the Spirit, which produces the righteousness of the law in the life (Rom. 8:4) - is never at variance with the moral law of God, then and now. In fact,we are indebted to the apostle Paul for our understanding about the distinction between the moral law and the ceremonial law. If you compare Romans 7 and Hebrews 7 and also Colossians 2 and Ephesians 2, you will find very clearly how he laid out the two laws in comparison one with another. [Click here for the comparison.]

What is the answer to the question, `What decayed and waxed old' and `How do we know what is right or wrong?'

The laws written by the hand of Moses in a book, detailing how sacrifices were to be made, how the ceremonial sabbaths were to be celebrated, they had lost their application after calvary. Now we look in the mirror, the 10 commandments, to know how God wants us to live. They will show us what is right or wrong.

Highlighting the participants in the figures of speech in Genesis 3:15.

"And I will put enmity between you [Satan] and the woman [God's church], and between your seed [Satan's followers] and her seed [other Christians], it [Jesus] shall bruise your [Satan's] head, and you [Satan] shall bruise his [Jesus's] heel [when Jesus died on the cross]." Gen 3:15. [265]

To all men this covenant offered pardon and the assisting grace of God for future obedience through faith in Jesus. It also promised them eternal life on condition of fidelity to God's law. This way the patriarchs received the hope of salvation.

"In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" Gen 22:18 was an enlargement of the original covenant from Gen 3:15. This promise pointed forward to Jesus.

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, And to seeds, as if there were many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before God in Christ, the law, which was 430 years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of no effect." Gal 3:16,17.

Did the law exist before Sinai? Here is Bible evidence that the principles of the Ten Commandments were known before they were given on Mt. Sinai:

Some view the Old Testament as a bit inferior compared to the New Testament and therefore believe that our doctrines must only come from the New Testament. How does the Bible see itself on this subject?

To answer the question we let the Bible speak for itself:

"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 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2. Tim. 3:16-17.

Which `scripture' does Paul have in mind? Of course the Old Testament. The New Testament did not exist at this time. Study of these scriptures may help us realize that much of it represents case histories, rather than fixed codes. It teaches us that we must not only know the Bible, we must know God. How? Your prayer life will guide you and let you know. Prayer which provides interaction with God. You voice your concerns and in your study you find answers. If you keep on praying, God opens your understanding of heavenly things. If you neglect prayer, the open channel begins to close. We cooperate with the divine will. Prayer is between us, God, and the Holy Spirit:

"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost." 2. Peter 1:21

"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2. Peter 1:9-11

It was `everlasting' also from before the coming of the Messiah in human flesh and creation week.

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 24:27,44.

Jesus filled the Old Testament sayings full of meaning during his earthly ministry. But it is true, `Two cannot walk together unless they are agreed', Amos 3:3.

Even though we have already provided answers to this question, we try once more with the following Bible verses:

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." Genesis 2:1-3

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the Lord thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: For [in] six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it." Exodus 20:8-11

God's Word says we are to keep the Sabbath day. It does not say a Sabbath day. We are not free to keep any day of one in seven, but God pronounced only the seventh day holy.[270]

"Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] the Lord that sanctify them. But the house of Israel (so today also some Christians) rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them. But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given [them], flowing with milk and honey, which [is] the glory of all lands; Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: I am the Lord your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God." Ezekiel 20:12-20

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read." Luke 4:16

Every day young Jesus could be found in the wood shop of Joseph, the husband of Mary, his adopted father. He would stand there with his saw and cut a piece of round tree trunk into flat boards. Then he would take a planer and smooth the surface to a soft shine as his hand would feel the texture if it was good. Some wood was soft and some was hard. Some good for spoons and some for shelves. His home must have shown the products of loving labor in wood working. Joseph's cabinet shop supplied his neighbors needs but each week when the sixth day came to its end, Jesus laid down his tools and prepared for Sabbath. This great respect and regard that Jesus put upon the Sabbath day during his life in the wood working shop he also showed during his public ministry. It was the custom of Jesus to be in the house of worship each Sabbath at the appointed time for he was the owner of the Sabbath day, he had made it.

"And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city (of Antioch in Pisidia) together to hear the word of God." Acts 13:42-44; John 17:5.

"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:" Matthew 24:20 [273]

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, ..." Revelation 1:10

But notice, the apostle John who wrote the Book of Revelation called the day Jesus was resurrected on the `first day' and not `Lord's Day' in his gospel. He should have known if there was to be any change and would have written of it.

"Early in the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary of Magdala went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance." John 20:1

In contrast, `the Lord's Day' is regularly found to be the 7th day Sabbath.[274] Before John wrote the phrase, "the Lord's day" (Verse 10) he references creation week by writing Christ "has made us" and "to him be glory ..." (Verse 6), the kind of language which refers back to creation week from whence the Sabbath day originates. In addition do we read,

"For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day." Matthew 12:8

"And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." Luke 6:5

"For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, [that] from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." Isaiah 66:22-23; See also Revelation 22:14. See also Ex. 31:15;35:2.

The prophet Ezekiel says the name of the city of God is, "The Lord is there." Ez. 48:35.

Words echoed by the apostle John, when he writes, "... God is with men." Rev. 21:3. Because at this time those redeemed among mankind are in the heavenly city of God.

Therefore, dear reader, follow the Bible on which day to keep holy and not the Bible twisting confusion of Babylon and its false tea