Old Laws Still Valid?

To put it simply, Jesus didn't do away with a single Law, rather, Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law-- essentially, He IS the Law. But this isn't an easy answer. I will support this by quoting from the Bible."Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." -Matthew 5:17-18Jesus here is saying that the Law good and that what was transcribed by Moses is accurate. In Hebrew, He flatly states that not even a "jot" or a "tittle" will pass away until His advent. A jot is the smallest character in the Hebrew alphabet and a title is like an apostrophe or like the crossing of a "t" or the dotting of an "i." That's how thorough and adamant He is about the Halacha (Jewish Law)."Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:19-20Jesus' audience here is Jewish, and they are required to follow all 613 Laws. In the next verses, He gives a discourse on murder and adultery. Notice the context He uses. He isn't changing the Law, He is actually clarifying it, as apparently the meaning behind it had become muddled."You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment... You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away." -Matthew 5:21-21 and 27-29Paul, formerly a Pharisee, someone highly trained in the Halacha, gives his exegesis on the Law and how we are to view it in relation to Jesus."All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

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(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)

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This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares." -Romans 2:12-16As you see, Paul is stating that Gentiles (non-Jews) are not under the same law as Jews are and were never required to follow the dietary laws, and whatnot. He explicitly states that they have become "a law unto themselves" because God has written His Law already in heart of mankind. This is why absolute morality is taught. There is a 'natural' consensus on many things. And Paul here is saying that the conscience of a person will bear witness to that individual and will instruct him when he is doing wrong.This makes perfect sense when we see the married man trying to stealthily enter the porn shop. Why so covert? Because he knows what he is doing is wrong, and his conscience is screaming at him.Paul nexts goes onto describe how Jews must come to Christ in relation to the Law."Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth” you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." -Romans 2:17-21Paul is saying, why brag about the Law if you can't even keep it yourself? Don't you know that if you break one commandment that you've broken them all? Paul goes on to explain ho the Law, by itself, is nothing. Its a Teacher; its a Schoolmaster: its a Guide-- but there is no life in the Law alone. Rather, it is by faith in grace that we understand why the Law is important. And that is what gives the Law, life. [i]"For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey”whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."[i] -Romans 6:14-18"Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet." But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead.

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Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.

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For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

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We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do”this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

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So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God”through Jesus Christ our Lord!" -Romans 7:7-25See, this where Christians and Jews differ. Jews see Christians not caring about God's Law, and Christians see Jews as going through, stale, ritualistic motions that completely misses the point of the Law.Indeed, I know quite a bit of Jews who observe every dietary law, and yet, commit fornication without batting an eyelash. Their priorities have become obscured through mindless repetition, rather than a focus on God Himself.Perhaps this is why Jesus said, [i]"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them... You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices”mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the [b]more important matters of the law[b]” justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."[/i] -Matthew 23

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Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust, vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. You cannot see Him just now, you cannot fully understand what He's doing, but you know that you know Him." -Oswald Chambers

If Jesus was such a poor communicator, why is He the most quoted person in human history? Seems to me that if He can speak to us after two thousand years that He is, perhaps, the greatest Orator of all time. Profundity is often found in cryptic statements that forces the listener/reader to ponder. Parables do just that. I think we all know quite a few maxims and proverbs, that in one sentence, can alter how we view a certain subject, or that its simplicity finds its mark with superb accuracy. Parables summarize an entire story in just a few, carefully placed words.If you want Jesus to speak plainly, you are going to have to wait for His advent."O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old." -Psalm 78:1-2"The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:

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But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." -Matthew 13:10-13"Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that Day you will ask in my Name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

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Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."

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"You believe at last!" Jesus answered. "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

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"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." -John 16:25-33 "One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"

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He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."

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Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." -Mark 2:23-28 How do they "deny" others from the same privilege? Those employees are slotted to work that day from their management. And when I have to work on Sundays, I do so. Just so you know, the Sabbath is every day. And the Sabbath has two purposes-- one spiritual, the other practical. The practical portion is that every person should be entitled to at least one day of rejuvenation. The other is about entering into rest with the Lord."For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

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It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:

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For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience." -Hebrews 4:2-11As the Proverbs say, "There is no rest for the wicked." Edited by nemesis_juggernaut, : typo

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"With derision the atheist points out that there can be no God because this world is so unfair. Without hesitation, I concur with him. Indeed, we live in an unfair world because of all sorts of social ills and perils. I must not contend with such a sentiment because it is factual-- we don't live in a fair world. Grace is unambiguous proof that we live in an unfair world. I received salvation when I deserved condemnation. Yes, indeed this world is unfair." -Andrew Jaramillo-

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If Jesus was such a poor communicator, why is He the most quoted person in human history?

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That isn't immaterial, nor is it only true in our culture (whatever culture that may be), because the gospel is preached on every corner of the globe. I agree that there are many versions, denominations, and interpretations about Christianity, but the central message is crystal clear. There is something fairly well-known amongst Christians, and those are called the "essentials" and "non-essentials." The essentials lead to salvation and the non-essentials are just as the name implies-- non-essential.Some expository examples from Scripture:Every Saturday I see people walking to their church on the Sabbath. They don't ride in cars because for some odd reason, walking is considered less work than driving. Anyway, all the women and girls cover their heads. (I think they are Seventh Day Adventists). They have decided that it is a good thing for women to keep their head veiled. So let it be. At the same time, some women do not feel it is necessary to show piety towards God by veiling themselves. So let it be. According to 1^st Corinthians 10:13-16, this is a non-essential. Its really not a matter of urgency.There is also a considerable amount of controversy concerning the End Times and the Rapture. We have three main divisions, (Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, and Post-Trib). Although I really like eschatology and have my own beliefs, specifically, Pre-Trib, in the end this is the kind of quarreling that can lead to a more serious division in the Church. I think arguing our points is important in honing in on our interpretations, but it can take on an unhealthy approach too.In other words, all three groups have some evidence to help support their claim and we can discuss it in a constructive manner, but should it get more serious, this is placing non-essential above the essentials. I mean, all three groups believe that Jesus will return for His Bride. Lets never forget that instead of focusing on when. Did I? How would know either way unless you have some esoteric knowledge that the rest of us aren't privy to? That means that you have some insight on Scripture that they don't. Maybe its your interpretation that's convoluted. There still is an eternal covenant. We are under a Law of Grace. Jesus is the Lamb. He is the eternal propitiation of sin. Didn't you read Paul's discourse? He explained it perfectly. My staying home means nothing. It would require everyone to follow the Sabbath. Since you are an unbeliever, what reason do you have for observing the Sabbath? I would be "contributing to their delinquency" no more than you would.

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Just so you know, the Sabbath is every day.

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First of all, its biblical, not extra-biblical. Secondly, the Scripture I gave was exactly about that. Let me give you a very straightforward passage to help you understand what the Sabbath means and what it doesn't mean."See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

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For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the Head over every power and authority. In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

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When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

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Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body." -Colossians 2:8-19What does circumcision mean? What does the Sabbath mean? What does animal sacrifice mean? What does the Temple represent? These were shadows of things to come. First man must understand the Law, that he is incapable of keeping it in full in order to understand love and grace, that he needs it. It had to be this way for a season. If the Sabbath or being circumcised becomes a ritual that you do, then it loses its meaning. Its never been about going through the motions. We only thought it was until Mashiach came to give us the bigger picture.Many Jews to this day go through repetitious motions, daily, in observance to the Law. There is nothing wrong with keeping the Law. However, being under the Law means being accountable to it. And since no man is good, no, not even one, there must be a propitiation. Jesus is the New Covenant. He is the One who takes away sin, who becomes our Law of Grace, who nailed it all on a cross. He is the Suffering Servant, spoken about in Isaiah. First He had to come as Mashiac ben Yosef. But in a short time, he will come as Mashiac ben David in power and glory and honor, Amen.We see people throughout history trying to work their toward God-- trying to gain approval and acceptance. But this is deceiving. This is someone trying to purchase their "fire insurance."

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"With derision the atheist points out that there can be no God because this world is so unfair. Without hesitation, I concur with him. Indeed, we live in an unfair world because of all sorts of social ills and perils. I must not contend with such a sentiment because it is factual-- we don't live in a fair world. Grace is unambiguous proof that we live in an unfair world. I received salvation when I deserved condemnation. Yes, indeed this world is unfair." -Andrew Jaramillo-