- Jun 29, 2019
- 650
- 168
- 60
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Married
Every Christian Bible that I’ve seen, includes the Old Testament. Safe to say that the Old Testament places emphasis on works with the 400 some-odd Laws, and the New Testament places emphasis on faith to the point where the required works of the Old Testament are practically discarded. Indeed, the Hebrews are told in Hebrews 6:1 to “leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” What is the “elementary doctrine of Christ” but his summation of the Law into his two great commandments described in Matthew 22:37-40? Beyond the elementary doctrine comes the matter of faith.
It may leave some to wonder if they need only rely on faith to be considered righteous, and if the New Testament emphasizes that, then why is it necessary to know the Old Testament with its rules that play to one’s works? I don’t know the answer to that right now, but since the Old Testament is part of the Scriptures which, according to 2 Timothy 3:16 have been breathed out by God...perhaps THAT”S the answer...then I believe it can be included in any discussion involving one’s faith in God. Indeed, it gives one pause that the Old Testament, which reflects one’s works, says in Genesis 15:6 that Abraham’s faith in God was counted as righteousness.
Which brings us to Galatians 3:29 which says, “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.” The Promise is described in Genesis 12:2 in which God says to Abraham, then known as Abram, “...I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
Here, there were no strings attached, so to speak, no Laws that Abraham was required to abide by. The Laws came later, when the Hebrews were freed from bondage in Egypt. The New Testament essentially says that our faith in God through Jesus is based on the faith that Abraham had in God, when no Laws existed. Which explains, perhaps, why Christians have concluded that the Law has nothing to do with them...the roots of Christianity goes back to Abraham, not to when Moses received God’s Law, it appears.
This may lead one to wonder why Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that he came to fulfill the Law. Perhaps he meant this statement for the benefit of only the Jews who were skeptical of his stature. But then again, the “elementary doctrine of Christ” includes the Law. And it wasn’t Jesus that said we should leave the Law, since he summed up the Law in his two great commandments in Matthew 22:37-40, it was the person who wrote the Book of Hebrews.
But inasmuch as the Book of Hebrews is part of the Scriptures which was breathed out by God, then it is through faith that we are directed to know that our Godly inheritance is based on Abraham.
It may leave some to wonder if they need only rely on faith to be considered righteous, and if the New Testament emphasizes that, then why is it necessary to know the Old Testament with its rules that play to one’s works? I don’t know the answer to that right now, but since the Old Testament is part of the Scriptures which, according to 2 Timothy 3:16 have been breathed out by God...perhaps THAT”S the answer...then I believe it can be included in any discussion involving one’s faith in God. Indeed, it gives one pause that the Old Testament, which reflects one’s works, says in Genesis 15:6 that Abraham’s faith in God was counted as righteousness.
Which brings us to Galatians 3:29 which says, “And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.” The Promise is described in Genesis 12:2 in which God says to Abraham, then known as Abram, “...I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”
Here, there were no strings attached, so to speak, no Laws that Abraham was required to abide by. The Laws came later, when the Hebrews were freed from bondage in Egypt. The New Testament essentially says that our faith in God through Jesus is based on the faith that Abraham had in God, when no Laws existed. Which explains, perhaps, why Christians have concluded that the Law has nothing to do with them...the roots of Christianity goes back to Abraham, not to when Moses received God’s Law, it appears.
This may lead one to wonder why Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that he came to fulfill the Law. Perhaps he meant this statement for the benefit of only the Jews who were skeptical of his stature. But then again, the “elementary doctrine of Christ” includes the Law. And it wasn’t Jesus that said we should leave the Law, since he summed up the Law in his two great commandments in Matthew 22:37-40, it was the person who wrote the Book of Hebrews.
But inasmuch as the Book of Hebrews is part of the Scriptures which was breathed out by God, then it is through faith that we are directed to know that our Godly inheritance is based on Abraham.
