Necessity of the Law & a Chosen Nation
Verse Observations: Jer 31:7, Rom 5:20, 7:5, 7, I Cor 15:56, Gal 3:22, 19, 21
*sinlessness without the Law - Jn 9:41
*the physical & spiritual as relates to the Old & New Covenants
- Heb 9:9-10
*sinlessness without the Law - Jn 9:41
*the physical & spiritual as relates to the Old & New Covenants
- Heb 9:9-10
Why do we even have nations?
Yes indeed a new covenant was needed (Heb 8:8-13). But how is this to be realized? What is there to make it any different from the old one, since our natures are dead? (Rom 7:15-24) In what way is the new covenant different that it can truly be vehicle for the renewal of people through the pouring out of the Spirit? (Acts 2:17, Jer 31:31-33) There were saints in OT times, very few. And now, why so many more? So what’s this difference in the way the Spirit is manifested between the old and new covenants?
Jer 32:40 Why didn’t God do this from the beginning (enact a covenant that would be effective)?
Why would God set up a faulty first covenant? (Heb 8:7)
If salvation has always been by faith, what was the purpose of having the old covenant?
Why Jews first? And how? (Rom 2:9-10)
OT/NT differences --
a)justice vs mercy morality. Also outward vs inward morality.
EX: don't kill or oppress people vs don't judge and be patient. NT morality is a lot deeper and more intensive.
b) male vs female. (Not saying that Christian morality is feminine, but that it also applies to women).
I feel that a lot of the sins and temptations which the OT rails against don't really apply to women. I don't think women are really into hunting the poor down or being consumed by (violent) ambition (something that you'll see lots of complaints about in the Psalms). Women are more into pettiness, materialism, vanity, jealousy, indulgence, etc. Women aren't so violent. They're more subtle.
Why did God demand of the new inhabitants of the land after the Israelites had been exiled that they worship him, when they were not Jews, and had nothing to do with the Jews except that they were living in their land? (I Kgs 17:24-28)
Why didn’t Jesus want the disciples to go anywhere except to the Jews, not the Gentiles nor the Samaritans, who were half Jewish? (Mt 10:5-6)
Why did Paul continue to follow the Law of Moses? In Galatians, doesn’t it say that the one who sacrifices after having been saved has “lost his salvation” (“must follow the whole law”)? (Acts 21:24-25, Gal 5:2-4, Acts 15:23-24, 28-31)
What was the Law to the early Jewish believers? If they wrote it off so lightly to the Gentiles (Acts 15:1-34 [The Jerusalem Council]), why did they take it so seriously (Acts 21:24-25), and what's the true perspective on the Law, since Paul said it was good? (I Tm 1:8)
I don't see how Israel's rejection of Jesus would open him up for acceptance by the Gentiles. (Rom 11:11-12, 25, 28, 30)
Rom 11:30-31 What is the greater significance of this? I mean, why this dichotomy? Because the Gentiles will be saved through another's downfall, the Jews because of another's rise to glory.
There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. (Rom 2:9-10)What does this mean? Why should the Jews be first in everything?
How are drink, food, new moons, sabbaths and festivals shadows of things to come? (Col 2:16-17)
The book of Ezekiel talks about a temple. What’s that all about? (Ezk 40-48)
Why would there be different sacrifices (procedures) for the Passover and Feast of Booths in Ezekiel from what was mandated in Numbers? (Ezk 45:21-25, Nm 28:17-25, 29:12-38)
Why would the Passover be eaten in the kingdom of God? (Lk 22:15-16)
How could God be so present among his people by revealing such plain answers by Urim and Thummim? (I Sm 14:41, 28:6, Ezr 2:63)
Will God in any way reduce the reward of those who followed the parts of the Mosaic Law forbidden in the new covenant? How is it fair that those of the old covenant could have many wives, and they did not sin in this, but now a man must be satisfied with one wife? Will all things be balanced out in the end?
Yes indeed a new covenant was needed (Heb 8:8-13). But how is this to be realized? What is there to make it any different from the old one, since our natures are dead? (Rom 7:15-24) In what way is the new covenant different that it can truly be vehicle for the renewal of people through the pouring out of the Spirit? (Acts 2:17, Jer 31:31-33) There were saints in OT times, very few. And now, why so many more? So what’s this difference in the way the Spirit is manifested between the old and new covenants?
Jer 32:40 Why didn’t God do this from the beginning (enact a covenant that would be effective)?
Why would God set up a faulty first covenant? (Heb 8:7)
If salvation has always been by faith, what was the purpose of having the old covenant?
Why Jews first? And how? (Rom 2:9-10)
OT/NT differences --
a)justice vs mercy morality. Also outward vs inward morality.
EX: don't kill or oppress people vs don't judge and be patient. NT morality is a lot deeper and more intensive.
b) male vs female. (Not saying that Christian morality is feminine, but that it also applies to women).
I feel that a lot of the sins and temptations which the OT rails against don't really apply to women. I don't think women are really into hunting the poor down or being consumed by (violent) ambition (something that you'll see lots of complaints about in the Psalms). Women are more into pettiness, materialism, vanity, jealousy, indulgence, etc. Women aren't so violent. They're more subtle.
Why did God demand of the new inhabitants of the land after the Israelites had been exiled that they worship him, when they were not Jews, and had nothing to do with the Jews except that they were living in their land? (I Kgs 17:24-28)
Why didn’t Jesus want the disciples to go anywhere except to the Jews, not the Gentiles nor the Samaritans, who were half Jewish? (Mt 10:5-6)
Why did Paul continue to follow the Law of Moses? In Galatians, doesn’t it say that the one who sacrifices after having been saved has “lost his salvation” (“must follow the whole law”)? (Acts 21:24-25, Gal 5:2-4, Acts 15:23-24, 28-31)
What was the Law to the early Jewish believers? If they wrote it off so lightly to the Gentiles (Acts 15:1-34 [The Jerusalem Council]), why did they take it so seriously (Acts 21:24-25), and what's the true perspective on the Law, since Paul said it was good? (I Tm 1:8)
I don't see how Israel's rejection of Jesus would open him up for acceptance by the Gentiles. (Rom 11:11-12, 25, 28, 30)
Rom 11:30-31 What is the greater significance of this? I mean, why this dichotomy? Because the Gentiles will be saved through another's downfall, the Jews because of another's rise to glory.
There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. (Rom 2:9-10)What does this mean? Why should the Jews be first in everything?
How are drink, food, new moons, sabbaths and festivals shadows of things to come? (Col 2:16-17)
The book of Ezekiel talks about a temple. What’s that all about? (Ezk 40-48)
Why would there be different sacrifices (procedures) for the Passover and Feast of Booths in Ezekiel from what was mandated in Numbers? (Ezk 45:21-25, Nm 28:17-25, 29:12-38)
Why would the Passover be eaten in the kingdom of God? (Lk 22:15-16)
How could God be so present among his people by revealing such plain answers by Urim and Thummim? (I Sm 14:41, 28:6, Ezr 2:63)
Will God in any way reduce the reward of those who followed the parts of the Mosaic Law forbidden in the new covenant? How is it fair that those of the old covenant could have many wives, and they did not sin in this, but now a man must be satisfied with one wife? Will all things be balanced out in the end?