(Re: Sometime after the first century AD, did not the Church lose its identity with Israel, and were not the Jews considered outcasts, so that any Jewish Christian had to give up his Judaism and Jewishness to become part of the Church?)
In the Bible, no non-Christian elect Jew is an outcast entirely (Romans 11:23), but is beloved by God, even before becoming a Christian (Romans 11:28). And the only thing that Jewish Christians have to give up is the mistaken idea that people, whether Jews or Gentiles, have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (2 Corinthians 3:6-18, Galatians 3:2-25, Galatians 4:21 to 5:8, Galatians 2:11-21). For it was abolished, even for Jews, on the New Covenant Cross of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Hebrews 7:18-19, Hebrews 10:1-23, Matthew 26:28).
(See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 above)
~
(Re: Could not Jews say that you are anti-Semitic for what you have said about the law?)
If they did, they would be mistaken, and would be wrongly employing a false charge of anti-Semitism as a catch-all bludgeon to intimidate a Christian into not reminding them of what the Bible itself so clearly shows.
~
(Re: If the fruit is bad, then what does that say about the tree?)
The bad fruit of anti-Semitism is not the fruit of the good tree of Biblical truth which has been presented above, but rather the fruit solely of the evil in the hearts of individuals (Mark 7:21), who are themselves the bad trees (Matthew 7:15-20), who do not obey Jesus Christ's teachings (Matthew 7:21-27) to love everyone (Matthew 5:44), and to harm no one (Matthew 5:39, Matthew 10:16, Matthew 26:52).
~
(Re: When Jews are being persecuted, will you join them and receive the punches?)
Hopefully, every Christian would be willing to suffer to protest the persecution of any people, just because those people are fellow human beings (Acts 17:26), without regard to whether they are Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Hindus, atheistic communists, gays, or anything else; and without regard to whether they are genetic Jews, Arabs, Blacks, Chinese, Irish, or anything else.
But Christians as individuals cannot really know how they will react if they are actually confronted with a threatening situation. For they could boast ahead of time that they will be courageous (Luke 22:33), when in fact they will be cowards (Luke 22:34). Or, they could say that they cannot imagine being anything but cowards, when in fact, a "fight or flight" adrenaline rush could take over their nervous system to the point where they will, without even a moment of conscious deliberation or fear, immediately and boldly enter the fray to protest the mistreatment of other human beings, whoever they may be.
But any protest by Christians must not involve any violence on their part.
(See Matthew 5:39 above)
~
(Re: The *sabbath)
Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, do not have to keep the sabbath of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For even the letter of the Ten Commandments, written and engraven in stones (2 Corinthians 3:7, Deuteronomy 4:13), was part of the abolished Old Covenant Mosaic law's ministration of death (2 Corinthians 3:6-7, Exodus 31:15b), which has been replaced by the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) ministration of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6-18), in which all Christians are delivered from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law and keep the spirit (Romans 7:6) of all of the Old Covenant Mosaic law's commandments by loving others (Romans 13:8-10).
Saying that Christians have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath is just as mistaken as saying that Christians have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law circumcision (Acts 15:1-11). If Christians keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath thinking that they have to because it is part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, then they are as fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) as Christians who keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law circumcision thinking that they have to because it is part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 5:2). They have become debtors to perform the letter of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 5:3). They have placed themselves under its curse (Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26).
So no Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should ever desire to go back into bondage under the letter of any part of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 4:21 to 5:8). Christians need to keep the sabbath only in spirit, not in the letter (Romans 7:6). Christians must never judge other Christians for not keeping the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath (Colossians 2:16), which letter was abolished on the New Covenant Cross of Jesus Christ, along with all of the rest of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Colossians 2:14-17, Ephesians 2:15-16, Romans 7:6, Hebrews 7:18-19, Hebrews 10:9b, Hebrews 10:1-23, Matthew 26:28).
For its letter was merely a shadow, now it all comes down to Jesus Christ Himself (Colossians 2:17). Jesus' New Covenant sabbath rest (Matthew 11:28-30), which all Christians enter by faith (Hebrews 4:3-4), exceeds in righteousness (cf. Matthew 5:20) the abolished letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath. For under the New Covenant sabbath, Christians must cease from their own works, as in those works done apart from abiding in Jesus (John 15:4-5), every day of the week (Hebrews 4:3,10, Luke 9:23). And they can esteem every day of the week (Romans 14:5).
(Re: *Sunday meetings/worship)
Also, Christians should be worshipping God every day of the week (Hebrews 13:15, cf. Psalms 145:2). And they should be meeting together every day of the week (Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:25), at least in some fashion (Matthew 18:20), such as on this forum. The early Church started assembling together on the Lord's day (commonly called Sunday) instead of on the sabbath (commonly called Saturday) because the Lord's day, the first day of the week, was the day on which Jesus Christ physically resurrected (Mark 16:9) from the dead: "no longer observing the sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him" (Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, chapter 9. Ignatius was a contemporary of the apostle John. Compare John's reference to "the Lord's day" in Revelation 1:10).
But it is not a requirement for Christians to assemble together only on the Lord's day, or to esteem the Lord's day above every other day of the week. It is also okay for Christians to choose to assemble together on the sabbath because they esteem the sabbath above every other day of the week. It is also okay for Christians to esteem every day of the week (Romans 14:5). Christians are never to judge each other over this matter, but are simply to do what they believe that Jesus Christ wants them as individuals to do (Romans 14:4-13). So the point is not for Christians to esteem days, but to focus on the person of Jesus Himself (Colossians 2:16-17).
Also, how do those who think that they must keep the letter of the Old Covenant sabbath keep the letter of the sabbath of Leviticus 25?
~
(Re: Does the Bible show that Sunday is the first day of the week?)
Yes, for Matthew 28:1 shows that the sabbath ends right before the first day of the week begins. The sabbath is the seventh day of the week (Exodus 20:10), commonly called Saturday. And Saturday ends right before Sunday begins. So Sunday is the first day of the week.
~
(Re: *Tithing / *Tithe)
Tithing is not a New Covenant/New Testament commandment, but was a part of the Old Covenant, the letter of which Jesus Christ abolished on the Cross (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Romans 7:6). Christians thinking that they have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant tithe is just as mistaken as Christians thinking that they have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant circumcision (Acts 15:1-11). If Christians keep the letter of the Old Covenant tithe thinking that they have to, then they are as fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) as Christians who keep the letter of the Old Covenant circumcision thinking that they have to (Galatians 5:2). They have become debtors to perform the letter of the entire Old Covenant law (Galatians 5:3). They have placed themselves under its curse (Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26). It is sad that some pastors even go out of their way to lay the specific, Old Covenant curse of Malachi 3:8-9 on their congregations.
Jesus Christ taught that Christians have to obey His New Covenant/New Testament commandments (John 15:10), such as those He gave in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:19 to 7:29) and in the epistles of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 14:37). Jesus' New Covenant commandments exceed in righteousness the abolished letter of the Old Covenant commandments (Matthew 5:20-48), for Jesus' New Covenant requirement is that Christians do much more than merely tithe. They must forsake everything that they have (Luke 14:33).
(See Luke 14:33 above)
~
(Re: *Circumcision)
Whether or not someone is physically circumcised does not matter to Christians (Colossians 3:11, Galatians 6:15, Galatians 5:6). Instead, the only circumcision that matters is the spiritual circumcision (Philippians 3:3) of water-immersion (burial) baptism into Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:11-13).
If Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, get physically circumcised thinking that they have to (Acts 15:1,5) because it was commanded to Abraham (Genesis 17:10) and was part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Leviticus 12:3), then Christ will profit them nothing (Galatians 5:2). They have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) and placed themselves under the curse of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26).
Under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, physical circumcision was required for a male, whether Jew or Gentile, whether infant or adult, to become part of Israel (Exodus 12:48). But under the New Covenant, physical circumcision is not required for a Jew or Gentile to become part of Israel. All that is required is faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29). This is one of the ways in which the New Covenant is not according to the Old Covenant (Jeremiah 31:32). The letter of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic law was abolished on Jesus' Cross (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Romans 7:6).
Also, unlike the abolished physical circumcision of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, the spiritual circumcision of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:11-13, Philippians 3:3, Romans 2:29) makes no distinction between males and females (Galatians 3:28-29).
Also, under the New Covenant, a non-Christian, genetic Jew, even though he may be physically circumcised, he is spiritually uncircumcised (Acts 7:51), and so spiritually is not a Jew (Romans 2:28-29, Revelation 2:9b, Revelation 3:9). He has been broken off in spirit from the good olive tree of Israel, the genetic Jews' own tree (Romans 11:20,24). Yet he will be grafted in again if he comes into faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:23-32), who is Himself a Jew (John 4:9,22, Luke 2:21).
~
(One new man)
All Gentile Christians have always been, since the beginning of the Church down until this day, made one "new man" with all Jewish Christians (Ephesians 2:15).
(See also the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above)
--
*Ephesians 2:17 / *Eph. 2:17 -
This refers to the fact that, for example, Jesus Christ preached in John 10:16 that He had "other sheep", meaning Gentiles, who would become believers in Him (that is, become Christians), and that He would bring them into "this fold" of Israel, which is the same as the "one fold" of the Church, which includes all Jewish and Gentile Christians (1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 4:4-6, Revelation 21:9,12).
--
*Ephesians 2:21 / *Eph. 2:21 -
(Re: The future, third Jewish temple)
See the "Is not the Church now the only temple of God?" section of Revelation 11:1 below.
--
*Ephesians 3:1-2 / *Eph. 3:1 / *Eph. 3:2 -
(Re: *Dispensationalism)
Dispensationalism seems to be based on the mistaken idea that Ephesians 3:2 refers to a period of time, a so-called age of grace, or Church age, which does not include Israel, and which will end when the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 begins.
(But see section 2 of Ephesians 1:21 above. Also, see the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above. And see Matthew 24:31 above)
~
(Re: Is Dispensationalism anti-Semitic?)
Not intentionally or consciously, but deep-down, subconsciously, yes. For Dispensationalism being "United for Israel" does not ultimately mean that it is united for Israel itself, but for Israel being separate from the Church. For Dispensationalism mistakenly thinks that only Israel will have to go through the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, while what Dispensationalism calls "the Gentile Church" will not have to. So Dispensationalism, in a fear of the Tribulation, places Israel on a pedestal, but only as the scapegoat, the one who will have to go away into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:10, Revelation 12:6), into the suffering of the Tribulation, while the so-called "Gentile Church" will supposedly be raptured into heaven.
Most Jews are probably unaware that Dispensationalism thinks that only Jews will have to go into the Tribulation, while "the Gentile Church" is too special for God to let it go into the Tribulation; just as most Jews are probably unaware that Dispensationalism denies Jews any of what Dispensationalism calls the superior, "heavenly promises", which are reserved solely for "the Gentile Church", while Jews get only the scraps of the inferior, "earthly promises". So most Jews are probably unaware that Dispensationalism (subconsciously, ultimately) thinks of them as people think of their pet dogs: good enough to pet and stroke and throw scraps down to, but certainly not good enough to actually sit at the table with God in heaven like "the Gentile Church" will.
Some Jews are fully aware that Dispensationalism relegates them to the status of second-class citizens; that Dispensationalism, in effect, sews yellow stars on Jews and calls it a badge of honor; that Dispensationalism, to show its "full support for Israel", would drive Israel to the train station, see Israel onto the train, blow kisses to Israel as the train heads out of the station on its way to the gas chambers of the Antichrist, all because this so encourages Dispensationalism, to think that "the Gentile Church" will not have to be on that train, to think that, thank God, "It is only for the Jews".
Many Jews are fully aware of all of this; they are not stupid. But they will take the donation checks and political support of Dispensationalists nonetheless, for every little bit helps. And in a world full of deadly enemies of Israel, there is no use in driving away people who claim that they are Israel's best friends, and do Israel no actual harm. Of course, Israel may consider its Dispensationalist friends, not to mention other Christian Futurists, to be a little bit nutty. But Israel may feel that it does not have to fear their weird notions of "the future Tribulation" and "the future Antichrist", because it does not believe in any of that stuff anyway. But, hey, if it motivates fearful Dispensationalists to praise and to stuff the pockets of the scapegoat, where is the harm?
(See also the "Gentile Church?" and "Church age?" sections of Ephesians 3:21 below. And see Matthew 24:31 above)
--
*Ephesians 3:4 / *Eph. 3:4 -
(*Mystery)
The "mystery" in Romans 16:25-26 and Colossians 1:26 is "made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets" (Romans 16:26).
For example...
(See Isaiah 49:6 above)
Also, the apostle Paul quotes four Old Testament verses in Romans 15:9-12 which foretold the salvation of Gentiles (2 Samuel 22:50/Psalms 18:49, Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalms 117:1, Isaiah 11:10).
And God chose the apostle Peter to be the first apostle to take Jesus Christ's Gospel of salvation to Gentiles (Acts 15:7, Acts 10:34-48), to make Gentile Christians partakers of the Jews' spiritual things (Romans 15:27, John 4:22b), just as the apostle Paul sometimes preached the Gospel to Jews (Acts 13:16-41).
This mystery (Ephesians 3:4) is also explained in Ephesians 3:6.
(See the entry below. Also, see the "Paul's gospel" section of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 above)
--
*Ephesians 3:6 / *Eph. 3:6 -
This means that Gentile Christians become fellowheirs with Jewish (Israelite) Christians, and of the same body as Israel, and partakers of God's promise in Jesus Christ made to Israel.
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above)
--
*Ephesians 3:10 / *Eph. 3:10 -
The original Greek word (polupoikilos: G4182) translated as "manifold", like the English word, can refer to something consisting of many diverse elements.
--
*Ephesians 3:17-19 / *Eph. 3:17 -
(Re: Does God's love mean once-saved-always-saved?)
No, see Jude 1:21 below. Also, see the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below.
--
*Ephesians 3:20 / *Eph. 3:20 -
See 2 Corinthians 5:9 above.
--
*Ephesians 3:21 / *Eph. 3:21 -
When Ephesians 3:21 says: "world without end", it is not contradicting that God in Noah's Flood destroyed the literal heaven (the first heaven, the sky, the atmosphere) and the earth (the dry land) which "were of old" (2 Peter 3:5-6), which were the literal heaven and earth of Genesis 1:7-10. Likewise, "world without end" does not contradict that in our future, God will destroy by fire, instead of flood, the literal heaven and earth "which are now" (2 Peter 3:7-12), and He will then create a new, literal heaven and earth (2 Peter 3:13) in the sense of a new atmosphere and surface for the earth.
When Ephesians 3:21 says: "throughout all ages" (Greek: genea, G1074), or all generations (cf. Luke 1:48b), it means throughout all future ages or generations. It does not mean that God will let the present world's non-Christian generation of mankind (Luke 16:8, Philippians 2:15) continue on forever. For He will not. Its day of doom will come (Revelation 20:15, Matthew 25:41,46).
Likewise, the "world" (aion: G0165) without end in Ephesians 3:21 is not the present, fallen world (Ephesians 6:12, Galatians 1:4; 2 Timothy 4:10, Titus 2:12), but the world "which is to come" (Ephesians 1:21, Hebrews 6:5, Matthew 12:32, Mark 10:30, Luke 18:30, Luke 20:35). For the present world will end (Matthew 13:39-40,49, Matthew 28:20).
~
(Re: *Church age?)
Note that there is no such thing as the Church age, because the Church will continue in the world throughout all ages (Ephesians 3:21, John 17:15). For just as the Church will continue in the world throughout the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:9-13, Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6), and then throughout the subsequent Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29), so the Church will then continue forever on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1 to 22:5), as in a new surface for the earth.
(See also section 2 of Ephesians 1:21 above)
~
(Re: *Gentile Church?)
Note that there is no such thing as "the Gentile Church", because the Church includes all Jewish and Gentile Christians (1 Corinthians 12:13).
~
(Re: Will the future Millennium be different than now, because people will be able to see the returned Jesus?)
(See Matthew 16:16 above)
The current period since Jesus Christ's first coming in the first century AD will include the future Millennium, even with regard to Jesus' physical presence with people on the earth, and with regard to faith and obedience. For at Jesus' first coming, even though He was physically present with people on the earth, some of them still failed to believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God (John 1:10-11, John 20:31). And even though, later, the resurrected Jesus was physically present with the apostle Thomas, Thomas was still told to believe in Jesus' resurrection (John 20:27). It will be the same during the future Millennium. Even though the returned Jesus will again be physically present with people on the earth (Zechariah 14:4-21, Zechariah 13:6, Zechariah 12:10), some people will still fail to believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God. And so they will refuse to come up to Jerusalem to worship Him (Zechariah 14:16-19). Jesus and the Church will have to rule non-Christians with a rod of iron during the Millennium (Revelation 2:26-29, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6, Psalms 2).
Just as with people ever since Jesus' first coming, in order for people in the future Millennium to be saved they will have to believe that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22-23) and the human/divine Son of God (John 3:36), and that at His first coming He suffered and died on the Cross for our sins and rose physically from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). And just as with Christians ever since Jesus' first coming, in order for Christians in the Millennium to be saved ultimately, they will have to actually obey Jesus (Hebrews 5:9).
(See also Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 9:11 above)
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Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Dec 19, 2018
In the Bible, no non-Christian elect Jew is an outcast entirely (Romans 11:23), but is beloved by God, even before becoming a Christian (Romans 11:28). And the only thing that Jewish Christians have to give up is the mistaken idea that people, whether Jews or Gentiles, have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (2 Corinthians 3:6-18, Galatians 3:2-25, Galatians 4:21 to 5:8, Galatians 2:11-21). For it was abolished, even for Jews, on the New Covenant Cross of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Hebrews 7:18-19, Hebrews 10:1-23, Matthew 26:28).
(See the "Law" section of Ephesians 2:15 above)
~
(Re: Could not Jews say that you are anti-Semitic for what you have said about the law?)
If they did, they would be mistaken, and would be wrongly employing a false charge of anti-Semitism as a catch-all bludgeon to intimidate a Christian into not reminding them of what the Bible itself so clearly shows.
~
(Re: If the fruit is bad, then what does that say about the tree?)
The bad fruit of anti-Semitism is not the fruit of the good tree of Biblical truth which has been presented above, but rather the fruit solely of the evil in the hearts of individuals (Mark 7:21), who are themselves the bad trees (Matthew 7:15-20), who do not obey Jesus Christ's teachings (Matthew 7:21-27) to love everyone (Matthew 5:44), and to harm no one (Matthew 5:39, Matthew 10:16, Matthew 26:52).
~
(Re: When Jews are being persecuted, will you join them and receive the punches?)
Hopefully, every Christian would be willing to suffer to protest the persecution of any people, just because those people are fellow human beings (Acts 17:26), without regard to whether they are Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Hindus, atheistic communists, gays, or anything else; and without regard to whether they are genetic Jews, Arabs, Blacks, Chinese, Irish, or anything else.
But Christians as individuals cannot really know how they will react if they are actually confronted with a threatening situation. For they could boast ahead of time that they will be courageous (Luke 22:33), when in fact they will be cowards (Luke 22:34). Or, they could say that they cannot imagine being anything but cowards, when in fact, a "fight or flight" adrenaline rush could take over their nervous system to the point where they will, without even a moment of conscious deliberation or fear, immediately and boldly enter the fray to protest the mistreatment of other human beings, whoever they may be.
But any protest by Christians must not involve any violence on their part.
(See Matthew 5:39 above)
~
(Re: The *sabbath)
Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, do not have to keep the sabbath of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law. For even the letter of the Ten Commandments, written and engraven in stones (2 Corinthians 3:7, Deuteronomy 4:13), was part of the abolished Old Covenant Mosaic law's ministration of death (2 Corinthians 3:6-7, Exodus 31:15b), which has been replaced by the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) ministration of the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6-18), in which all Christians are delivered from the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law and keep the spirit (Romans 7:6) of all of the Old Covenant Mosaic law's commandments by loving others (Romans 13:8-10).
Saying that Christians have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath is just as mistaken as saying that Christians have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law circumcision (Acts 15:1-11). If Christians keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath thinking that they have to because it is part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, then they are as fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) as Christians who keep the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law circumcision thinking that they have to because it is part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 5:2). They have become debtors to perform the letter of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 5:3). They have placed themselves under its curse (Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26).
So no Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should ever desire to go back into bondage under the letter of any part of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 4:21 to 5:8). Christians need to keep the sabbath only in spirit, not in the letter (Romans 7:6). Christians must never judge other Christians for not keeping the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath (Colossians 2:16), which letter was abolished on the New Covenant Cross of Jesus Christ, along with all of the rest of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Colossians 2:14-17, Ephesians 2:15-16, Romans 7:6, Hebrews 7:18-19, Hebrews 10:9b, Hebrews 10:1-23, Matthew 26:28).
For its letter was merely a shadow, now it all comes down to Jesus Christ Himself (Colossians 2:17). Jesus' New Covenant sabbath rest (Matthew 11:28-30), which all Christians enter by faith (Hebrews 4:3-4), exceeds in righteousness (cf. Matthew 5:20) the abolished letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic-law sabbath. For under the New Covenant sabbath, Christians must cease from their own works, as in those works done apart from abiding in Jesus (John 15:4-5), every day of the week (Hebrews 4:3,10, Luke 9:23). And they can esteem every day of the week (Romans 14:5).
(Re: *Sunday meetings/worship)
Also, Christians should be worshipping God every day of the week (Hebrews 13:15, cf. Psalms 145:2). And they should be meeting together every day of the week (Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:25), at least in some fashion (Matthew 18:20), such as on this forum. The early Church started assembling together on the Lord's day (commonly called Sunday) instead of on the sabbath (commonly called Saturday) because the Lord's day, the first day of the week, was the day on which Jesus Christ physically resurrected (Mark 16:9) from the dead: "no longer observing the sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which also our life has sprung up again by Him" (Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians, chapter 9. Ignatius was a contemporary of the apostle John. Compare John's reference to "the Lord's day" in Revelation 1:10).
But it is not a requirement for Christians to assemble together only on the Lord's day, or to esteem the Lord's day above every other day of the week. It is also okay for Christians to choose to assemble together on the sabbath because they esteem the sabbath above every other day of the week. It is also okay for Christians to esteem every day of the week (Romans 14:5). Christians are never to judge each other over this matter, but are simply to do what they believe that Jesus Christ wants them as individuals to do (Romans 14:4-13). So the point is not for Christians to esteem days, but to focus on the person of Jesus Himself (Colossians 2:16-17).
Also, how do those who think that they must keep the letter of the Old Covenant sabbath keep the letter of the sabbath of Leviticus 25?
~
(Re: Does the Bible show that Sunday is the first day of the week?)
Yes, for Matthew 28:1 shows that the sabbath ends right before the first day of the week begins. The sabbath is the seventh day of the week (Exodus 20:10), commonly called Saturday. And Saturday ends right before Sunday begins. So Sunday is the first day of the week.
~
(Re: *Tithing / *Tithe)
Tithing is not a New Covenant/New Testament commandment, but was a part of the Old Covenant, the letter of which Jesus Christ abolished on the Cross (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Romans 7:6). Christians thinking that they have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant tithe is just as mistaken as Christians thinking that they have to keep the letter of the Old Covenant circumcision (Acts 15:1-11). If Christians keep the letter of the Old Covenant tithe thinking that they have to, then they are as fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) as Christians who keep the letter of the Old Covenant circumcision thinking that they have to (Galatians 5:2). They have become debtors to perform the letter of the entire Old Covenant law (Galatians 5:3). They have placed themselves under its curse (Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26). It is sad that some pastors even go out of their way to lay the specific, Old Covenant curse of Malachi 3:8-9 on their congregations.
Jesus Christ taught that Christians have to obey His New Covenant/New Testament commandments (John 15:10), such as those He gave in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:19 to 7:29) and in the epistles of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 14:37). Jesus' New Covenant commandments exceed in righteousness the abolished letter of the Old Covenant commandments (Matthew 5:20-48), for Jesus' New Covenant requirement is that Christians do much more than merely tithe. They must forsake everything that they have (Luke 14:33).
(See Luke 14:33 above)
~
(Re: *Circumcision)
Whether or not someone is physically circumcised does not matter to Christians (Colossians 3:11, Galatians 6:15, Galatians 5:6). Instead, the only circumcision that matters is the spiritual circumcision (Philippians 3:3) of water-immersion (burial) baptism into Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:11-13).
If Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, get physically circumcised thinking that they have to (Acts 15:1,5) because it was commanded to Abraham (Genesis 17:10) and was part of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Leviticus 12:3), then Christ will profit them nothing (Galatians 5:2). They have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4) and placed themselves under the curse of the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26).
Under the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, physical circumcision was required for a male, whether Jew or Gentile, whether infant or adult, to become part of Israel (Exodus 12:48). But under the New Covenant, physical circumcision is not required for a Jew or Gentile to become part of Israel. All that is required is faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:17,24, Ephesians 2:12,19, Galatians 3:29). This is one of the ways in which the New Covenant is not according to the Old Covenant (Jeremiah 31:32). The letter of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic law was abolished on Jesus' Cross (Ephesians 2:15-16, Colossians 2:14-17, Romans 7:6).
Also, unlike the abolished physical circumcision of the Old Covenant Mosaic law, the spiritual circumcision of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:11-13, Philippians 3:3, Romans 2:29) makes no distinction between males and females (Galatians 3:28-29).
Also, under the New Covenant, a non-Christian, genetic Jew, even though he may be physically circumcised, he is spiritually uncircumcised (Acts 7:51), and so spiritually is not a Jew (Romans 2:28-29, Revelation 2:9b, Revelation 3:9). He has been broken off in spirit from the good olive tree of Israel, the genetic Jews' own tree (Romans 11:20,24). Yet he will be grafted in again if he comes into faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:23-32), who is Himself a Jew (John 4:9,22, Luke 2:21).
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(One new man)
All Gentile Christians have always been, since the beginning of the Church down until this day, made one "new man" with all Jewish Christians (Ephesians 2:15).
(See also the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above)
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*Ephesians 2:17 / *Eph. 2:17 -
This refers to the fact that, for example, Jesus Christ preached in John 10:16 that He had "other sheep", meaning Gentiles, who would become believers in Him (that is, become Christians), and that He would bring them into "this fold" of Israel, which is the same as the "one fold" of the Church, which includes all Jewish and Gentile Christians (1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 4:4-6, Revelation 21:9,12).
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*Ephesians 2:21 / *Eph. 2:21 -
(Re: The future, third Jewish temple)
See the "Is not the Church now the only temple of God?" section of Revelation 11:1 below.
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*Ephesians 3:1-2 / *Eph. 3:1 / *Eph. 3:2 -
(Re: *Dispensationalism)
Dispensationalism seems to be based on the mistaken idea that Ephesians 3:2 refers to a period of time, a so-called age of grace, or Church age, which does not include Israel, and which will end when the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 begins.
(But see section 2 of Ephesians 1:21 above. Also, see the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above. And see Matthew 24:31 above)
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(Re: Is Dispensationalism anti-Semitic?)
Not intentionally or consciously, but deep-down, subconsciously, yes. For Dispensationalism being "United for Israel" does not ultimately mean that it is united for Israel itself, but for Israel being separate from the Church. For Dispensationalism mistakenly thinks that only Israel will have to go through the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, while what Dispensationalism calls "the Gentile Church" will not have to. So Dispensationalism, in a fear of the Tribulation, places Israel on a pedestal, but only as the scapegoat, the one who will have to go away into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:10, Revelation 12:6), into the suffering of the Tribulation, while the so-called "Gentile Church" will supposedly be raptured into heaven.
Most Jews are probably unaware that Dispensationalism thinks that only Jews will have to go into the Tribulation, while "the Gentile Church" is too special for God to let it go into the Tribulation; just as most Jews are probably unaware that Dispensationalism denies Jews any of what Dispensationalism calls the superior, "heavenly promises", which are reserved solely for "the Gentile Church", while Jews get only the scraps of the inferior, "earthly promises". So most Jews are probably unaware that Dispensationalism (subconsciously, ultimately) thinks of them as people think of their pet dogs: good enough to pet and stroke and throw scraps down to, but certainly not good enough to actually sit at the table with God in heaven like "the Gentile Church" will.
Some Jews are fully aware that Dispensationalism relegates them to the status of second-class citizens; that Dispensationalism, in effect, sews yellow stars on Jews and calls it a badge of honor; that Dispensationalism, to show its "full support for Israel", would drive Israel to the train station, see Israel onto the train, blow kisses to Israel as the train heads out of the station on its way to the gas chambers of the Antichrist, all because this so encourages Dispensationalism, to think that "the Gentile Church" will not have to be on that train, to think that, thank God, "It is only for the Jews".
Many Jews are fully aware of all of this; they are not stupid. But they will take the donation checks and political support of Dispensationalists nonetheless, for every little bit helps. And in a world full of deadly enemies of Israel, there is no use in driving away people who claim that they are Israel's best friends, and do Israel no actual harm. Of course, Israel may consider its Dispensationalist friends, not to mention other Christian Futurists, to be a little bit nutty. But Israel may feel that it does not have to fear their weird notions of "the future Tribulation" and "the future Antichrist", because it does not believe in any of that stuff anyway. But, hey, if it motivates fearful Dispensationalists to praise and to stuff the pockets of the scapegoat, where is the harm?
(See also the "Gentile Church?" and "Church age?" sections of Ephesians 3:21 below. And see Matthew 24:31 above)
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*Ephesians 3:4 / *Eph. 3:4 -
(*Mystery)
The "mystery" in Romans 16:25-26 and Colossians 1:26 is "made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets" (Romans 16:26).
For example...
(See Isaiah 49:6 above)
Also, the apostle Paul quotes four Old Testament verses in Romans 15:9-12 which foretold the salvation of Gentiles (2 Samuel 22:50/Psalms 18:49, Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalms 117:1, Isaiah 11:10).
And God chose the apostle Peter to be the first apostle to take Jesus Christ's Gospel of salvation to Gentiles (Acts 15:7, Acts 10:34-48), to make Gentile Christians partakers of the Jews' spiritual things (Romans 15:27, John 4:22b), just as the apostle Paul sometimes preached the Gospel to Jews (Acts 13:16-41).
This mystery (Ephesians 3:4) is also explained in Ephesians 3:6.
(See the entry below. Also, see the "Paul's gospel" section of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 above)
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*Ephesians 3:6 / *Eph. 3:6 -
This means that Gentile Christians become fellowheirs with Jewish (Israelite) Christians, and of the same body as Israel, and partakers of God's promise in Jesus Christ made to Israel.
(See the "Tribes" section of Romans 11:17 above)
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*Ephesians 3:10 / *Eph. 3:10 -
The original Greek word (polupoikilos: G4182) translated as "manifold", like the English word, can refer to something consisting of many diverse elements.
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*Ephesians 3:17-19 / *Eph. 3:17 -
(Re: Does God's love mean once-saved-always-saved?)
No, see Jude 1:21 below. Also, see the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below.
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*Ephesians 3:20 / *Eph. 3:20 -
See 2 Corinthians 5:9 above.
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*Ephesians 3:21 / *Eph. 3:21 -
When Ephesians 3:21 says: "world without end", it is not contradicting that God in Noah's Flood destroyed the literal heaven (the first heaven, the sky, the atmosphere) and the earth (the dry land) which "were of old" (2 Peter 3:5-6), which were the literal heaven and earth of Genesis 1:7-10. Likewise, "world without end" does not contradict that in our future, God will destroy by fire, instead of flood, the literal heaven and earth "which are now" (2 Peter 3:7-12), and He will then create a new, literal heaven and earth (2 Peter 3:13) in the sense of a new atmosphere and surface for the earth.
When Ephesians 3:21 says: "throughout all ages" (Greek: genea, G1074), or all generations (cf. Luke 1:48b), it means throughout all future ages or generations. It does not mean that God will let the present world's non-Christian generation of mankind (Luke 16:8, Philippians 2:15) continue on forever. For He will not. Its day of doom will come (Revelation 20:15, Matthew 25:41,46).
Likewise, the "world" (aion: G0165) without end in Ephesians 3:21 is not the present, fallen world (Ephesians 6:12, Galatians 1:4; 2 Timothy 4:10, Titus 2:12), but the world "which is to come" (Ephesians 1:21, Hebrews 6:5, Matthew 12:32, Mark 10:30, Luke 18:30, Luke 20:35). For the present world will end (Matthew 13:39-40,49, Matthew 28:20).
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(Re: *Church age?)
Note that there is no such thing as the Church age, because the Church will continue in the world throughout all ages (Ephesians 3:21, John 17:15). For just as the Church will continue in the world throughout the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:9-13, Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6), and then throughout the subsequent Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29), so the Church will then continue forever on the New Earth (Revelation 21:1 to 22:5), as in a new surface for the earth.
(See also section 2 of Ephesians 1:21 above)
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(Re: *Gentile Church?)
Note that there is no such thing as "the Gentile Church", because the Church includes all Jewish and Gentile Christians (1 Corinthians 12:13).
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(Re: Will the future Millennium be different than now, because people will be able to see the returned Jesus?)
(See Matthew 16:16 above)
The current period since Jesus Christ's first coming in the first century AD will include the future Millennium, even with regard to Jesus' physical presence with people on the earth, and with regard to faith and obedience. For at Jesus' first coming, even though He was physically present with people on the earth, some of them still failed to believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God (John 1:10-11, John 20:31). And even though, later, the resurrected Jesus was physically present with the apostle Thomas, Thomas was still told to believe in Jesus' resurrection (John 20:27). It will be the same during the future Millennium. Even though the returned Jesus will again be physically present with people on the earth (Zechariah 14:4-21, Zechariah 13:6, Zechariah 12:10), some people will still fail to believe in Him as the Christ, the Son of God. And so they will refuse to come up to Jerusalem to worship Him (Zechariah 14:16-19). Jesus and the Church will have to rule non-Christians with a rod of iron during the Millennium (Revelation 2:26-29, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:4-6, Psalms 2).
Just as with people ever since Jesus' first coming, in order for people in the future Millennium to be saved they will have to believe that Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22-23) and the human/divine Son of God (John 3:36), and that at His first coming He suffered and died on the Cross for our sins and rose physically from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). And just as with Christians ever since Jesus' first coming, in order for Christians in the Millennium to be saved ultimately, they will have to actually obey Jesus (Hebrews 5:9).
(See also Ephesians 2:8 and Romans 9:11 above)
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