FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
| click on your selection: Question #1 > Question: Is the Old “Covenant” made up of two parts: “the Law of the Lord” and “the Ceremonial Law” ? |
THE LAW OF THE LORD VS. THE CEREMONIAL LAW
Here are some misunderstandings about what the Bible teaches on this subject that I characterize as “errors”.
ERROR The law of the Lord and the law of sacrifice were different laws. BIBLE: Luke 2: 24: “And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons. "
OBSERVE: This scripture put the offering of turtledove and pigeons "in the law of the Lord"! This mighty "hammer" (Jeremiah 23:29) . "breaks" down the much-boasted "wall of partition." between a "moral" and a "ceremonial" laws. Dare any man "put asunder" what God has joined together! -Matt. 19:6.
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ERROR The Ten Commandments were not “the ‘Old’ covenant” given exclusively to the Hebrew nation through Moses.
Bible: Deuteronomy 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."
Note: In chapter 5 Moses reminds the children of Israel that this covenant (the Ten Commandments) had been given exclusively to them... not to their fathers (including Abraham).
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ERROR The Ten Commandment law" was kept by Adam and Eve in the garden. Bible. Exodus 20: 12: "Honour thy father and thy mother. "
QUERY:
How could Adam and Eve honor their mother?
Remember that above we have pointed out from Deuteronomy 5:1-4 that the Ten Commandment covenant had not been given to Israel's forefathers but to them that were alive that day.
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ERROR . God made this covenant with Abraham and the fathers before Israel's day. Bible. Deuteronomy 5: 2, 3: "The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. " __________________________________________________
ERROR This covenant was between God and the whole world.
Bible. Deuteronomy 5: I: "Hear, 0 Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day." __________________________________________________
ERROR The law made everything perfect.
Bible. Hebrews 7:19 “For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did." The Law was referring to the 10 Commandment Covenant.
NOTE: The Ten Commandments did not forbid every evil.
They do not forbid HATE.
They do not forbid LUST.
They deal principally with ACTS.
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ERROR The glory of the Ten Commandments was never to he done away.
Bible. 2 Corinthians 3: 7, 8: But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?"
Note: The Ten Commandments were the glory written in stones by the finger of God. But it was to be done away in Christ, the Seed (Galatians 3:25ff), the Faith of the New Testament.
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ERROR The covenant engraven in stones was never abolished. Bible. 2 Cor. 3: 13: And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished."
See also Ephesians 2:15-17; Colossians 2:14-17.
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ERROR Not one jot or tittle shall pass from the law under any condition.
Bible. Matthew 5: 18: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."
"TILL ALL BE FULFILLED"
Christ came to “fulfill” -Matthew 5:17. He came to fulfill all righteousness Matthew 3:15. He nailed the law to His cross. - Colossians 2:14. He declared, "It is finished"-John 19:30.
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NOTE ON THE "UNMERITED FAVOR" DOCTRINE
These teachers do not understand that the Law of Moses, the Old Covenant, was nailed to the cross of Jesus. Hence, every reference in the New that mentions "works" of that Israelite Law is automatically classified as referring to the Law of Faith or Law of Christ. And since one is fallen from grace (favor of God) if he goes back to that Law, these teachers deduce that obeying God's New Testament Law endangers their grace that saves.
It would be humorous if it were not serious that when they do this they will excuse their obedience to the New Testamentin preference for the Ten Commandments as God "working in them." However, as a rule they will even pervert the Ten Commandments to suit themselves.
Actually obeying the Law of Moses which would include the Sabbath Law is exactly what is condemned. The Ten Commandments were connected to the circumcision which is bound upon anyone who would obey the 10 Commandments. Man's obedience is supposed to be to the Faith in the New Testament that is taught by God's Grace (Titus 2:10-14). Grace teaches more than forbidding adultery, the physical act; grace forbides our looking at the opposite sex to lust after them in our hearts, etc.
I would also add that the 10 Commandments require the sanctity of the seventh day (Saturday) as the Sabbath. The Law required that offenders be stoned. Yet these that claim God is working in them to obey the Sabbath are violating the Law themselves. Would they claim that God is causing them to be stoned? I think not. But there's the logic.
"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.
If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;God said, "Let's reason together" (Isaiah 1:18, 19, NKJV).
