CCP-Boys,
I thought I'd put this BLOG up as a place where we could share our thoughts about things, especially Biblical things. I have a lot to teach you guys about God, so the sooner we start the better.
I actually have an idea in mind to start. I've been studying a book called THE DEATH OF THE CUSTODIAN. It's available to read online: http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/wcketcherside/tdotc/
Let's start with a few simple questions:
1. Are we under the Old Covenant?
2. What exactly is the "Old Covenant"?
3. How many Covenants has God made with mankind?
4. How do the books of the "Old Testament" and "New Testament" relate to these Covenants?
More to come...
In Him,
Keith
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2 comments:
I definitely agree that God deals with us through covenants. That is why this subject seems very important to me.
The first covenant was somewhat unique in that mankind had no responsibility. It was simply God telling us what he was going to do. Notice in Genesis 9:15, the rainbow is a reminder to God, not to us. And why not, it's God's responsibility not to flood the earth again.
God first makes several promises to Abraham. Genesis 12:2-3 says:
2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Then he makes a covenant (or two covenants if you'd like) to fulfill these promises (Gen 15 and Gen 17).
Finally God makes his covenant with Moses (Deut 5). This covenant IS the Ten Commandments. The implication is if you follow these commands, I will be your God and you will be my people. The people agreed and in fact asked for more (verse 27) so God provided them with the Law. The 10 commandments were kept in the Ark of the Covenant (ark = contain/protector). The Law was kept near the ark, but not in it (Deut 31:26).
It is important to understand that God had a relationship with many people WITH OUT a law. The Law was given because Israel was about to become an established nation with its own land. It is not necessary for a relationship with God.
Why does this matter? Because we are not under Law, but Grace (Gal 2:21, 3:18, 5:4 and the book of Hebrews). We call the Bible the "Old Testament" (AKA Old Covenant) and the "New Testament" (AKA New Covenant) but this is a horrible name for the Bible. Only a few books in the "Old Testament" deal directly with the covenant and no books are the covenant. Same with the "New Testament". This naming distorts the reality that the books of the Bible are ABOUT the covenants God has made with people and are NOT the covenants themselves. We do not worship the Bible. It is not a Law that can save us.
It does, however, teach us about God and his covenants with us, which is very important.
Consider Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Hebrews 8). I am in no way discrediting the Bible, but it is not a law for us to follow. Too often, partly because of this naming convention, we look at it that way. Remember, we’re not saved because of what we do; it’s because we’re saved that we do what we do.
-Keith
Kevin (fungus),
There are definitely different ways to interpret the Bible, which will never change. Some used to be very strict on divorce, though this view had no definite support in the Bible, it was an interpretation. Some also think that if an unmarried couple became pregnant, they must marry. That's just stupid. The point of this discussion though is that such interpretations are innately invalid, as the Bible is not a rulebook. When we attempt to make it one, we're wrong, no matter what the subject is.
I'm not sure I agree with your perspective on studying the Bible. Are you suggesting that "smarter" or "wiser" people are better able to understand the will of God from the scriptures? If so, I definitely disagree and I feel this is shortcoming of those that feel the need to provide "proof-text" for all their theology. Why should I have to prove my faith to someone else? It's between God and I.
Paul, who was taught in heaven by God (2 Corinthians 12:2), would not "Lord it over" or take "dominion over" another person's faith (2 Corinthians 1:24). So why should I, or anyone else, tell someone how to have faith in God.
I do agree with you though that each of us is at a different maturity level and will understand things differently. We should be accepting of this discrepancy, and not condemning of it.
I also agree that what God says is clearly correct, but what does God say about Orphanages, kitchens in the church building, or women serving communion? Nothing directly, so we have some thinking to do on our own. This should not be a problem for us since God's Spirit dwells in us and he has written his laws on our hearts (Jer 31:31). Proof-texts aren't going to do the trick here though.
You mentioned, "Once saved always saved" earlier, but I still don't see the connection with this topic. Could you explain?
I get a common reaction from people when I discuss this initially and that is that I'm trying to throw away the Bible/the rules and do whatever I want and call it God's will. That is actually the opposite of what I'm saying. If I wanted you to follow a dotted line I could give you a set of rules for doing so:
1. Stay within 10 feet of the line.
2. No jumping; you must walk.
3. No handstands.
4. Don't push other people off the line.
The question is do these rules help people who WANT to follow the dotted line? Or are they rules for those who would cause trouble? (1 Timothy 1:9)
We don't need the "stay within these boundaries" rules unless we're interested in getting as close to the edge as we're allowed. If we actually want to follow the line, the rules don't help us in any way.
Viewing the Bible as a love-story and not a rulebook means people don't have scriptures and proof-texts to use as bullets in their arguments about Women's role, musical instraments, communion, baptism, and on and on. Are these subjects what God wants us to be worrying about? Is that why we were created? No way! There are REAL things to be doing for God: giving to those in need, worship, encouraging people, teaching people (not indoctrinating people), basically LOVE. Jesus summed it up in Matthew 22:36-40:
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Notice that the law hangs on the commands to love, not the other way around. Who will follow the line closer: the one who wants to follow it, or the one who just trying not to break any of the rules, but still do what he wants to do in the mean time.
We're not talking about the freedom to ignore God, but the freedom to serve Him better.
-Keith
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