Then the poor Christian begins to follow suit and starts learning Hebrew, buys a menorrah, learns the the old laws, changes their diet, and starts honoring holy days. Before long, the person is nearly a full-blown Jew, with the exception of believing in Jesus Christ.
To such poor Christians I must ask, do you not realize that the laws of the OT in the torah were given only and specifically to the Jews? Literally, they applied only to the Jews, and Gentiles were not bound by them what-so-ever.
Ok, this being so, then how can you take laws that were LITERALLY not given to you, and LITERALLY did not apply to you, and say that because you're a SPIRITUAL (true) Jew, that these LITERAL laws, now LITERALLY must be followed, when they LITERALLY had nothing to do with you?
I usually get no answer after I pose that thought to the missionaries of this blight on Christianity. Not that I've never gotten answers before, but they've never been good ones.
First things first, people who have adopted the Judaizing theology will always jump on the verses that say "God doesn't change", and I agree, God does not change, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However, that says nothing about His particular rules not changing. If I were playing you in chess, and you were losing at it terribly, so I decided to change the rules a little and allow you to move twice per turn, I have not changed, you're still sitting across from the same man with the same personality, only the way the game is played has changed, I'm the same.
If I tell you one day that I like right handed people, so all right handers get free parking, then later I say I don't like right hands, I like lefties now...then I'VE changed.
So my example may sound a little silly, but I believe in keeping things simple and still getting the point across. If anything, God's ability to change the rules demonstrates His absolute authority and sovereignty--not even kings and monarchs had the power to reneg their orders once they made a decree.
If you're still not convinced at this, and you're still hooting and hollering "God doesn't change! You're example stinks!", then as a last resort I will bring up this. If you're going to declare that God doesn't change, therefore all of the laws given to the Jews in the OT still apply today, then I hope you are prepared for a mind bender.
How do you reconcile the fact that there was a time BEFORE all these laws, with your concept of God not changing?
It should be obvious, anyone who knows the scriptures knows that there was a time before the laws, because there was a time before there was a nation of Israel...yes people, there was a time before the Jews existed.
As shocking as that may be, it's true, Abraham was not a Jew, neither was Noah, Jared, Methuselah, Enos, Enoch, Adam, Eve, Seth, Arphaxad, etc etc etc. No temple, no temple laws, no Hebrews, no Hebrew laws. In written record, *most* of the laws came into being at the time of Moses. So why don't you raise a fuss about that? You should be screaming "How dare you give us these 600 extra laws! You're not supposed to change!". Or better yet "How dare you make a chosen people!"
We can only go by what we know and what has been written down, murder has always been wrong, stealing has always been wrong, fornication etc, but I've challenged people to show me even 300 torah laws that existed prior to Moses, I've even narrowed it down to 100. In fact, when it comes to kosher diets, I can show positively that God's choice of food has changed more than once since the beginning, Genesis 9:3-4 is proof of that to Noah. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
According to this verse, Noah was given permission to eat anything that didn't have the blood still in it. Adam wasn't given this permission, and it's a much broader spectrum than the kosher diet of Moses's law, where many animals were forbidden to eat under any circumstances. Different still, is the diet of the NT which I will show below, where now people can eat any animals without spiritual punishment.
As you can see, with most peoples understanding of God not changing, you have a much bigger problem on your hands than I do, but enough about that, now for the scriptures that prove the rules have changed, and the old laws were done away in Christ...
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John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses......
15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
2Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
3:13 And not as Moses,which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
1Tim 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at(overlooked); but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
17:31 Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained;(JESUS) whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.
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That last group of verses is an absolute 100 megaton explosion to the argument about sacred objects, 'godly' graven images of the temple, relics of the OT, and the such implications that these things matter now, or ever really did. God passed it by due to the peoples ignorance, and most likely influences of false religions after leaving Egypt. God never seemed to care about gold, jewels, polished silver, fine brass, or the fabric of holy robes prior to Moses leading Israel out of Egypt, yet from this point on, it seemed to matter a great deal. These verses just explained it all away, and that's why we as Christians are not instructed to carry on with these things.
Now that it should be apparent that most of the OT laws have been done away, what remains then? What's going on? Well, theres only 9 commandments that are reiterated in the NT*, but they are summarized by 1 new one. John 13:34 is where Jesus says a NEW commandment He was giving was to love one another as He loves us, and Romans 13:8 says to love one another is to fulfill all of the law. That is the law now, there it is, all of it, right there, for also in loving one another you will not do any ill will to anyone. Paul even clarifies it, just in case you were wondering what kind of love to have.
There is also Galatians 5:14 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Can it really get any clearer?
I will now take this one step further and show the Jesus was instituting this new set of rules even within His own life. Yes, Jesus Christ the Messiah was preparing people for a change, things were not going to be the way they were in the OT anymore, and this verse is painfully clear that a change was a comin'....
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
also....
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Kind of interesting isn't it? Jesus was well aware of all of the wars and fighting and bloodshed of the OT times and was putting an end to it once and for all. This was not the way of God, for He is love. The kingdom of heaven would no longer be able to be taken by violence, (from either side actually) because it would no longer be an earthly matter. We know this because of the examples the apostles set in peace and persecution through the first century church. They were not renegade assassins or anything like that.
So here come the verses that every Judaizer tries to hit me over the head with:
Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
5:18 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.
These verses have cause alot of confusion in the faith, especially in light of the massive amount of verses I have already laid down in this section. Something needs to be made clear here. When Jesus was referring to "the law" in those verses, He was not referring to the law of MOSES. In fact, Jesus and the apostles differentiate between the law of God and the law of Moses in many places, this is a key point. Jesus proves that He is not talking about the law of Moses in some of the very next verses where He lists the commandments now, and even updates a few, making them stricter.....He says "anyone who breaks the least of THESE commandments shall be least in the kingdom." What commandments? He didn't name any yet, BUT HE WAS ABOUT TO. Remember, according to Hebrews 7 that there was a changing of the priesthood, therefore a changing of the law.
Mat 5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
I have debated these verses with Judaizers at length. Sometimes, when the person is more Jewish than Christian, they will rely on the writings of the Talmud to prove that Jesus said nothing that rabbis had not said previously (to greatly paraphrase). That "eye for an eye" is merely equal measures in justice. However, the debate always ends when I press the issue, and establish the following position...
If you slap me, I can react in 3 different ways...
1. I can hit you back (equal justice)
2. I can do nothing and forgive you (righteousness)
3. I can bless you and ask if there's anything I can help you with (crazy unbalanced Jesus thing to do)
Nowhere in any Jewish writing will you find such a looney act that Jesus ordered Christians to do in Matthew 5:39-41, there is without a doubt a complete change of the OT law, in that I am not allowed to return like for like, in fact, if you commit an injustice to me, I have to do something NICE for you in return. If you sue me and take my jacket, I have to give you my shoes too. This almost always ends any debate with Judaizers who claim nothing has changed between the OT and NT, and that Jesus merely quotes rabbis. It is an extremely hard commandment to follow, but I have known a few true Christians who do. To find out why Jesus told us to do this, read Real Free Will.
Further proof that the law of God/Christ is different from the law of Moses is in...
John 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you NOT that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the TRUE bread from heaven.
Mat 19:7-8 and Mark 10:4-5 Jesus is asked about divorce and His answer is that MOSES gave them that precept because of the hardness of their hearts, and that it was not so from the beginning. Proving again that the law has changed more than once. Jesus then forbade it except in adultery.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ.
John 8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could NOT be justified by the law of Moses.
Act 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
We also know from 1st Samuel 8:1 that God gave the people kings because they whined that they wanted a human king, He would have been their king. We also know that God sent them quails when they were tired of manna, so they ate meat until they got sick of it. Apparently God has always wanted a better way, but the Jews simply would not listen, so finally when Christ came, He came teaching the true way of the Father.
As far as certain OT prophecies like Zechariah 14:16-19, which talks about there being observance of the feast of tabernacles by all people...simply read verse 8 and you will see this is all figurative/spiritual. Verse 8 talks about living waters flowing from Jerusalem. How can water be 'living'? In the NT, living waters are talked about as something spiritual and not physical. Better proof is found back in Zech 12:4 where it says that every horse will be struck with astonishment and blindness, and their riders will go mad. Literally this verse is pointless, horses aren't used for transportation anymore, they're hardly even used for labor. Will cars and tractors go blind instead?
The last thing to address is the oft repeated argument of the promises of God, and verses about His perpetual covenant with Israel, such as in Exodus 31:16 that sabbath day keeping would be a part of this covenant, among other things like diet in Lev 3:17. These things all became nullified when the covenant was broken, and Israel was cast off. Think it didn't happen? See Holy Racism to find out how and when... Israel became heathen, and eventually rejected their own messiah and the true ways of God (Matt 8:11-12, Matt 12:7, Matt 5:21-46, Matt 21:43, John 8:47, John 1:18, Act 2:36, Rom 11:20, Col 1:15, etc etc. see also Sacrifices, and OT violence for more info). As a result of their wickedness, God made good on His word and proved He did not make idle warnings to Israel (1Kings 9:6-7, Josh 24:20, 1Ch 28:9, 2Ch 7:19-20, 2Ch 15:2) which came to a climax with the destruction of the temple and scattering of the nation in 70 ad. These events dissolved the covenant, and THEREFORE nullified many OT prophecies of the coming days for Israel. Get out of the mindset that says God will keep His end of the bargain even if you don't keep yours, see OSAS and Salvation by Works if you need help coming to terms with the conditions of God's words. If you want to know what the end times will be now, you need the New Testament.
Every Christian needs to know the things I have put forth here, and address these issues to evangelize to the Jews, it's that easy to prove the case for Christ, and I am not anti-semitic.
In conclusion, God's law hasn't been done away, it's the law of Moses that is no more. We now have the true way, demonstrated in the New Testament through the life of Christ.
*9 of the commandments were reiterated in the NT, the missing one is the 4th, the KEEPING of the sabbath day
1st commandment in Mat 22:37, 1Cor. 8:5-6
Only the sabbath rest is mentioned in the NT, which is Christ, and not the keeping of the sabbath law.
2nd commandment in 1John. 5:21, also Col 3:5 and Eph 5:5
3rd commandment in Col 3:8
5th commandment in Eph 6:1-3
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th commandments in Rom 13:8-10, Mat 19:18, Gal 5:14, 1Cor 6:9-10, and Gal 5:19-21.
See Dan Corner's site on the 4th commandment and Dan Corner's site on sabbath keepers
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