Quote:
Originally Posted by Amanah
Additional points to ponder:
* the church as the Israel of God
* what did Jesus mean when he said he came to fulfill the law not destroy it
* how does the Sabbath tie into eschatology
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Good points to consider!
The church and Israel. The church is the called-out separated congregation or assembly of God. Israel was called-out and separated to be God's assembly of people. They joined in a covenant with God, but broke that covenant repeatedly, so God made a new covenant with them. The church is therefore Israel under the new covenant. Not that the church is a different entity that has had Israel's name and perogatives transferred to it, but rather that Israel has transitioned from the Sinaitic covenant to the Messianic covenant. It's the same nation Israel, just under a new covenant. Now, God's laws have been written in Israel's hearts and minds, whereas before they were external, on tables of stone etc.
Fulfilling the law. Matthew 5:17 KJV
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
This is about the law and the prophets, that is, the Scriptures. Jesus did not come to destroy the Word of God, but to fulfil it. This includes, of course, God's commandments.
Matthew 5:18-20 KJV
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. [19] Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least 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. [20] 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.
Jesus further explains that He is NOT talking about the old covenant, as a covenant, but the Word of God and the divine instructions given to the people of God (contained in the law and the prophets). The kingdom of God places priority on the commandments of God. Those who break the least of God's commandments shall be considered least in the kingdom, and vice versa. Far from doing away with God's instructions, Jesus is upholding their vital importance. The citizens of the kingdom are more righteous than the Pharisees, because as the NT depicts, the Pharisees did NOT keep God's commandments, but constantly found religious and pious-sounding loopholes to excuse their commandment breaking.
Romans 2:22-29 KJV
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? [23] Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? [24] For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. [25] For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou
keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. [26] Therefore if the uncircumcision
keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27] And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature,
if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? [28] For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and
circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Fulfilling the law means doing what it says, sincerely, from the heart.
Romans 8:3-8 KJV
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the
righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [5] For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. [6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. [7] Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Again, here in ch 8, fulfilling the law is contrasted with not being subject to the law of God.
James 2:8-10 KJV
If ye
fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: [9] But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. [10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point , he is guilty of all.
Again, fulfilling the law means obeying it, contrasted with sinning or transgressing the law of God. Fulfilling the law does NOT mean discovering a pious and esoteric reason to NOT do what God actually commanded.
Sabbath and eschatology. This could be a whole book in itself. But, Sabbath points to completion, eschatological finality, the consummation of all God has been doing. The entire divine calendar provides a general outline of the divine plan for mankind, and the weekly Sabbath is a key part. In fact, the whole calendar seems to be based on the Sabbath, it is the seed of the whole larger system of time keeping as it were. In any event, Sabbath points back to Creation, and forward to the End and completion of God's plan. It serves as a sort of interruption into our regular lives, where eternity intervenes in our life, bringing the beginning and the end together as one, in which we participate.
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