Friday, January 4, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
First Posting
welcome to my blog!
about two days ago i was reading through the book of Hebrews when i had a glorious illumination. i have been wondering the several uses for the Law for quite some time besides the cliched schoolmaster and wondering why it ceased to be practiced. i knew it had no saving power, for that belongs to the finished work of christ. but, why not still practice it as a way to express your faith similiar to the works described in the book of James? the works dont save, but without them faith is dead. so, anyhow, i came upon chapters seven and eight in hebrews. Gorious! i have found a very satisfying answer to the question in my mind (as well as many other minds i believe). Just as Paul defends salvation to the Gentiles by grace through faith in the epistle of Romans, the writer of Hebrews defends the New Testament (or covenant). Paul says that Abraham beleived God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. then he ask the question, was it while abraham was in circumcision or uncircumcision? it was in uncircumcision. and so if this was the way to be saved (which it was -the just shall live by faith) and it is available to the gentiles (abraham being a gentile at this time recieving the circumcision after this as a sign of his believe) then the Law which was 480 yrs (if the # of yrs are wrong, forgive me) later cannot void this covenant between God and Abraham. once a covenant is made and confirmed it cannot be changed. Likewise the writer of hebrews uses a prelaw covenant between Melchisedec and abraham to establish the validity of christ ushering in a New Testament or covenant and the passing away of the Old. for Melchisedec was greater than abraham for abraham paid him a tithe. melchisedec was the king of salem, meaning peace. also he had no lineage (heb 7:3). and so all of abrahams seed began paying tithes, even the levites. this was no doubt a pre-incarnation appearance of christ in the old testament, much like the forth man in the fire in the book of daniel described as "one like unto the Son of God". later after the law, the psalmist said of Messiah in ps. 110 he would be after the order of Melchisedec FOREVER! so before the Law you have a promised messiah who will live forever and be a high priest even though he was not a levite. also, the earthly high priest offered a blood sacrifice once a year for his and the people's sins which could not atone for the sin, for if they could why would they have to keep doin it every year? so then the messiah High Priest who is eternal offered his blood sacrifice ONCE because he was sinless and made the presence to the Holy of Holies available for all! this means that the Law was nothing more than a shodow or illustration of the New Testament having no bearing on anything, for the covenants or promises made to abraham cannot be changed or voided. faith in them (the messiah) is how old testament saints were saved and how we are saved (the difference being today the stand fulfilled). so it was established before the law that the law would be done away with at the time of the New Testament!
thanks for reading! if it was confusing just read the Book of Hebrews straight through atleast to chapter ten to get all of what im saying in context. an understnading of genesis, the levitical order and tabernacle is assumed. dont be intimidated, im no expert (as well may be known by now!)
the Word of God is the foundation of the Christian Faith.
about two days ago i was reading through the book of Hebrews when i had a glorious illumination. i have been wondering the several uses for the Law for quite some time besides the cliched schoolmaster and wondering why it ceased to be practiced. i knew it had no saving power, for that belongs to the finished work of christ. but, why not still practice it as a way to express your faith similiar to the works described in the book of James? the works dont save, but without them faith is dead. so, anyhow, i came upon chapters seven and eight in hebrews. Gorious! i have found a very satisfying answer to the question in my mind (as well as many other minds i believe). Just as Paul defends salvation to the Gentiles by grace through faith in the epistle of Romans, the writer of Hebrews defends the New Testament (or covenant). Paul says that Abraham beleived God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. then he ask the question, was it while abraham was in circumcision or uncircumcision? it was in uncircumcision. and so if this was the way to be saved (which it was -the just shall live by faith) and it is available to the gentiles (abraham being a gentile at this time recieving the circumcision after this as a sign of his believe) then the Law which was 480 yrs (if the # of yrs are wrong, forgive me) later cannot void this covenant between God and Abraham. once a covenant is made and confirmed it cannot be changed. Likewise the writer of hebrews uses a prelaw covenant between Melchisedec and abraham to establish the validity of christ ushering in a New Testament or covenant and the passing away of the Old. for Melchisedec was greater than abraham for abraham paid him a tithe. melchisedec was the king of salem, meaning peace. also he had no lineage (heb 7:3). and so all of abrahams seed began paying tithes, even the levites. this was no doubt a pre-incarnation appearance of christ in the old testament, much like the forth man in the fire in the book of daniel described as "one like unto the Son of God". later after the law, the psalmist said of Messiah in ps. 110 he would be after the order of Melchisedec FOREVER! so before the Law you have a promised messiah who will live forever and be a high priest even though he was not a levite. also, the earthly high priest offered a blood sacrifice once a year for his and the people's sins which could not atone for the sin, for if they could why would they have to keep doin it every year? so then the messiah High Priest who is eternal offered his blood sacrifice ONCE because he was sinless and made the presence to the Holy of Holies available for all! this means that the Law was nothing more than a shodow or illustration of the New Testament having no bearing on anything, for the covenants or promises made to abraham cannot be changed or voided. faith in them (the messiah) is how old testament saints were saved and how we are saved (the difference being today the stand fulfilled). so it was established before the law that the law would be done away with at the time of the New Testament!
thanks for reading! if it was confusing just read the Book of Hebrews straight through atleast to chapter ten to get all of what im saying in context. an understnading of genesis, the levitical order and tabernacle is assumed. dont be intimidated, im no expert (as well may be known by now!)
the Word of God is the foundation of the Christian Faith.
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