Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
-Jesus
This past weekend Jake and I talked about the Old Covenant vs New Covenant, Old testament vs new testament. He gave me this CD teaching by Jim Staley on the book of Hebrews.
The cover has the scripture
If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.
-Hebrews 8:7
Jim talks from the perspective that this must mean God made a mistake if I take it at face value... But that isn't necessarily true. He talks about throwing the baby out with the bath water all the time but I feel like that's exactly what Jim is doing.
The tabernacle had purpose for a season but then it's time passed. Did God make a mistake there? No.
Manna appeared 6 out of 7 mornings a week for a season then it's time passed. Did God make a mistake there? No.
The temple was built as the only place to worship You Abba for a season then it's time passed. Did God make a mistake there? No.
The Old Covenant has it's purpose for a season then it was fulfilled. Did God make a mistake there? No.
All the mistakes have been with me. I need a new testament because I can't be in Your presence on my own merit.
But the law isn't done away with. The law isn't abolished, but rather it is fulfilled it's purpose has been completed.
not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.
-Jesus
Jim focuses on becoming Jewish and joining the Jewish people. He talks about the importance of being a descendant of Abraham but You don't care who's descendant I am. You only care about my heart.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
-John The Baptizer
Being a descendant of Abraham means nothing.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.
-Paul
It isn't about being Jewish it's about clinging to Jesus, Clinging to You! and having faith that through You and You alone I am clean.
I haven't listened to all of Jim's teaching yet but it really seems like he's grasping at straws. Every verse he must pull it and stretch it to get out of it what he wants. I'm sure he could argue the same for those who believe Jesus fulfilled the old covenant. He speaks a lot of truth but I don't think it's as complicated as he'd like it to be.
People seem to think they must use a secret "key" to "unlock" the secrets in the scriptures and it takes a really wise noble scholar to figure out what it takes. But that isn't at all what You taught Jesus.
Your yoke is simple, Your burden is light. If fishermen, hookers, lepers, crippled, blind, thieves handing on a cross, uneducated people can get it. Then maybe it simply takes child-like faith and trust in You Jesus. Maybe it isn't about staring at a book for hours, or talking about the book for hours, or going to seminary, or reading articles and hearing countless teachings. Maybe it's about living it. Maybe it's about Loving God and Loving people. And that's it. Maybe it's about letting everyone in instead of keeping everyone out. Maybe it's for the sick not those who think they are righteous.
The Law shows me how much I need a savior. The law teaching me my dependance on You Jesus. The law has been fulfilled.
Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.
-Jesus
Jesus You are the new cloth. And You rip away from the old covenant. You are the new wine and the old wineskins just can't contain You.
-Jesus
This past weekend Jake and I talked about the Old Covenant vs New Covenant, Old testament vs new testament. He gave me this CD teaching by Jim Staley on the book of Hebrews.
The cover has the scripture
If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.
-Hebrews 8:7
Jim talks from the perspective that this must mean God made a mistake if I take it at face value... But that isn't necessarily true. He talks about throwing the baby out with the bath water all the time but I feel like that's exactly what Jim is doing.
The tabernacle had purpose for a season but then it's time passed. Did God make a mistake there? No.
Manna appeared 6 out of 7 mornings a week for a season then it's time passed. Did God make a mistake there? No.
The temple was built as the only place to worship You Abba for a season then it's time passed. Did God make a mistake there? No.
The Old Covenant has it's purpose for a season then it was fulfilled. Did God make a mistake there? No.
All the mistakes have been with me. I need a new testament because I can't be in Your presence on my own merit.
But the law isn't done away with. The law isn't abolished, but rather it is fulfilled it's purpose has been completed.
not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.
-Jesus
Jim focuses on becoming Jewish and joining the Jewish people. He talks about the importance of being a descendant of Abraham but You don't care who's descendant I am. You only care about my heart.
But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
-John The Baptizer
Being a descendant of Abraham means nothing.
For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.
-Paul
It isn't about being Jewish it's about clinging to Jesus, Clinging to You! and having faith that through You and You alone I am clean.
I haven't listened to all of Jim's teaching yet but it really seems like he's grasping at straws. Every verse he must pull it and stretch it to get out of it what he wants. I'm sure he could argue the same for those who believe Jesus fulfilled the old covenant. He speaks a lot of truth but I don't think it's as complicated as he'd like it to be.
People seem to think they must use a secret "key" to "unlock" the secrets in the scriptures and it takes a really wise noble scholar to figure out what it takes. But that isn't at all what You taught Jesus.
Your yoke is simple, Your burden is light. If fishermen, hookers, lepers, crippled, blind, thieves handing on a cross, uneducated people can get it. Then maybe it simply takes child-like faith and trust in You Jesus. Maybe it isn't about staring at a book for hours, or talking about the book for hours, or going to seminary, or reading articles and hearing countless teachings. Maybe it's about living it. Maybe it's about Loving God and Loving people. And that's it. Maybe it's about letting everyone in instead of keeping everyone out. Maybe it's for the sick not those who think they are righteous.
The Law shows me how much I need a savior. The law teaching me my dependance on You Jesus. The law has been fulfilled.
Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.
-Jesus
Jesus You are the new cloth. And You rip away from the old covenant. You are the new wine and the old wineskins just can't contain You.