Question to all my brothers and sisters in Christ..
Posted : 18 Mar, 2013 09:01 PM
If Paul told us that the Scriptures are all we need (through the guidance of the Holy Spirit) to be taught, reproved, corrected, and equipped in our walk (2 Tim. 3:16-17), then wouldn't it seem that these apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers that he mentions in Ephesians 4:11 are the ones in the Scriptures and not the modern day pastors in the churches?
What are your thoughts on this? I'm eager to know what you think.
looks like BBreturns is doing a lot of condemning lately considering the profile was looking for Bobbins and had to make a public topic about it.
but it seems as if people who can't contribute anything worth discussing usually can't control themselves into trying to control other conversations by slandering, or spreading rumors.
may the peace of Christ indwell in and upon all who read.
thanks for your contribution, sister. I know you were trying to help in all that you posted. it really was a nice attempt to try to explain how you felt on the matter as far as you are taught and I thank you again.
by the way, just so you and I are clear on the subject, Jesus was not at the Passover meal when he instituted the supper as a way to remember him by, because he was slain on the eve of the Sabbath(Friday evening) which turned out to be the 14th of Abbib where the Passover lamb was to be prepared for the feast...
May the Lord Jesus warmly shine His light upon you sister Janet.
And please accept my apologies if it seemed as if I was harshly responding to you, because it was not my intent.
This forum is funnier than the secular religion and philosophy forums I frequent. The sad part is that the Christians here act just like the Christians who don't really read the Word in the secular forums.
Plus the non-believers seem to be more Christ like in their behavior towards others compared to the believing Christians...
PJ Says: Rejection of truth is always unbelief, no matter how you call it. Faith comes from hearing the word of God. It does not come from a covenant.
The father never changes, his will is always revealed from his word, his will for man was the same from the book of Genesis to the Book of Revelation.
ME: I agree, PJ. So then why do we follow the tradition of men that came about in the 600AD of tithing? This was something that was instituted by men who owned lands and charged churches to collect the taxes in forms of "tithes" this practice eventually was adopted by the "clergy" as a form of payment for their services. Ironically, this land tax law ended in the late 1000 ADs, but the practice of collections never did.
Again, this is all researchable. And as you said, rejection of the truth is unbelief.
Sister Janet, Thank you for your contribution, but you seem a bit judgmental and assumptive as to what i know of the Scriptures and interpretations without you actually having any sort of Scripturally accurate responses in return.
Let me quote what you said and re-address your statements and then expect you to explain why it is that makes you feel that I am wrong with something from the Scriptures.
Your said in your first post:
Agapeton,
The problem with your analysis is that you have learned the beginning from the end rather that the end from the beginning which is the problem for many Christians. Therefore interpretation becomes a problem.
ME: That is very assumptive dear sister, I assure you. But it is your opinion which does not really concern me here more than your attempt to explain what makes you understand and interpret Scripture in light of what the Scriptures say.
You said: You have divided the word and separated the people of G-d by creating a different new covenant. G-d did not give one way of life to one people and another way of life to Gentiles. There is only one Word of God for all people. The first five books of the Bible (Torah) is complete way of life. The rest is a chronology, prophetic, teaching and fulfillment. The times of G-d and when he will reveal Himself to His people are defined and we as believers never learn their meanings or celebrate them.
ME: Again, I thank you for this, but let us look to the Scriptures for some truths before I ask you the same question again (and hope you answer it the next time).
" You have divided the word and separated the people of G-d by creating a different new covenant."
ME: Actually, sis. God gave the Jews one covenant in the beginning that DID NOT INCLUDE THE GENTILE. And if you can find a verse where it shows that the Old Covenant was made with the Gentiles, then I would certainly love to see it.
Let us look at a few.
Exo 19:1 On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain, 3 while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say TO THE HOUSE OF JACOB, AND TELL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL: 4 You your selves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT YOU SHALL SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL." 7 So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. 8 All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.
Deuteronomy 5:1-3 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them, "Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the rules that I speak in your hearing today, and you shall learn them and be careful to do them. 2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. 3 Not with our fathers did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today.
" The first five books of the Bible (Torah) is complete way of life."
Me: Again, sister. Considering this covenant was made with the Jews, WHAT exactly should be lived out by way of Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers according to them? Shall we also sacrifice and have temple priests when Scripture shows that only Christ is our festivals, sabbath, priest, and free will offering for atonement by his blood? Again, I would love to see your response to this considering Hebrews 7 shows that Christ has taken all of these things out of the way since He is the only Priest, King, and sin offering.
" The times of G-d and when he will reveal Himself to His people are defined and we as believers never learn their meanings or celebrate them."
ME: God has revealed Himself to us by His son who told us all we need to know. Scripture clearly shows that THE ONLY SUBSTANCE TO ANY TYPE OF FOOD, DRINK, FESTIVAL, NEW MOON, AND SABBATH IS CHRIST. Do you agree sister? Because all of these feasts point to Him and He only do they speak of.
The revelation of the Scriptures was given by G-d to the Hebrew people to reveal to the nations. He said His Glory would be revealed through them. One misses the width and depth of the Word without the richness and true understanding from the Jewish people.
ME: I agree sister, but the Jewish people are no longer a a nation of God now. True, they were chosen by God to reveal Himself through them, but the people of God are circumcised of heart (Rom. 2:28-29) and faith in Christ (Gal.3:28-29) now. Do you agree?
"Nothing, I mean nothing of the First Covenant is done away with to bring forth the New Covenant. It is fulfilled in the New Covenant. "
Scripture shows otherwise.
Heb 8:6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
Heb 8:8 For he finds fault with them when he says: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
Heb 8:9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."
Heb 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
As I said, the Old Testament says it also.
Jer 31:31 "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
Jer 31:32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.
You said: "Let me share some examples. Many Christians believe that the first evidence of what Christians practice as communion was first presented at what you call the "last supper". Well I submit to you that happened in Genesis 14:18 as the king of Salem, Melchizedek. And the reference of the "last supper" as the final Passover Seder would not allow Yeshua (Jesus) to return for the true wedding feast of the Lamb. For He said, But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom. If you have understanding of the Passover Seder you would know which cup that is. Without that understanding you are left to just a single cup and lost to define it yourself. "
ME: Sister, you presented, but you have not proved. The Passover Sader cup? Do you know that the Jewish Sader meal evolved throughout the centuries? I do like the idea of the empty seat and the feather, but to be honest with you, they have all been added on by various Jewish sects and have different aspects surrounding the the Passover that was instituted by the Lord.
Exo 12:1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
Exo 12:2 "This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you.
Exo 12:3 Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household.
Exo 12:4 And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb.
Exo 12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats,
Exo 12:6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.
Exo 12:7 "Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.
Exo 12:8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Exo 12:9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts.
Exo 12:10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.
Exo 12:11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.
Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.
Exo 12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
Exo 12:14 "This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.
Exo 12:15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.
Exo 12:16 On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you.
Exo 12:17 And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever.
Exo 12:18 In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.
Exo 12:19 For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land.
Exo 12:20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread."
Exo 12:21 Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb.
Exo 12:22 Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.
Exo 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.
Exo 12:24 You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever.
Exo 12:25 And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service.
Exo 12:26 And when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?'
Exo 12:27 you shall say, 'It is the sacrifice of the LORD's Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.'" And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.
Exo 12:28 Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
Exo 12:29 At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.
Exo 12:30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.
Exo 12:31 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said.
Exo 12:32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!"
Exo 12:33 The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead."
Exo 12:34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders.
Exo 12:35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.
Exo 12:36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
Exo 12:37 And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.
Exo 12:38 A mixed multitude also went up with them, and very much livestock, both flocks and herds.
Exo 12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.
Exo 12:40 The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years.
Exo 12:41 At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
Exo 12:42 It was a night of watching by the LORD, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.
Exo 12:43 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it,
Exo 12:44 but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him.
Exo 12:45 No foreigner or hired servant may eat of it.
Exo 12:46 It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones.
Exo 12:47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
Exo 12:48 If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
Exo 12:49 There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you."
Exo 12:50 All the people of Israel did just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron.
Exo 12:51 And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.
Here it is again from Deuteronomy 16:
Deu 16:1 "Observe the month of Abib and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.
Deu 16:2 And you shall offer the Passover sacrifice to the LORD your God, from the flock or the herd, at the place that the LORD will choose, to make his name dwell there.
Deu 16:3 You shall eat no leavened bread with it. Seven days you shall eat it with unleavened bread, the bread of affliction--for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste--that all the days of your life you may remember the day when you came out of the land of Egypt.
Deu 16:4 No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days, nor shall any of the flesh that you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain all night until morning.
Deu 16:5 You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you,
Deu 16:6 but at the place that the LORD your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, at the time you came out of Egypt.
Deu 16:7 And you shall cook it and eat it at the place that the LORD your God will choose. And in the morning you shall turn and go to your tents.
Deu 16:8 For six days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD your God. You shall do no work on it.
The coming of the Lord for His bride is best known in the Jewish wedding ceremony, sis. There is where the understanding of what Jesus meant by drinking it with us. Again, Jesus is the Passover (1 Cor. 5:7) Lamb that has been sacrificed for the whole world (John 1:29, 36).
You said: "The second example is immersion or what you call baptism. One of the traditions of the Hebrew/Jewish people was immersion. Whenever a man or woman would leave one way of life for another way of life was to be immersed in water. From peace to war, from war to peace, from single to marriage, before Sabbath begins, after slaughtering animals for food etc. It was not a New Covenant experience. The Hebrew/Jewish people knew what John was saying."
Sister, Let us look at bathing in the Scriptures. Shall we?
Lepers would have to bathe. (Leviticus 14)
Men who had a discharge and women who were menstruating or had a discharge would bathe. (ALL OF LEVITICUS 15)
Anf priests had to bathe for ceremonial cleanliness. (Leviticus 16).
The Jews, did not have "baptism for proselytes" UNTIL 500 YEARS LATER according to the Mishnah and Moses of Maimonides ( A Jewish cleric in the late 1000 ADs). That is why the Jews came to John asking if He was the Christ or Elijah since ONLY HE WAS BAPTIZING.
Look at the text:
Joh 1:21 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
Joh 1:22 So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
Joh 1:23 He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."
Joh 1:24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)
Joh 1:25 They asked him, "Then WHY ARE YOU BAPTIZING, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
Joh 1:26 John answered them, "I BAPTIZE WITH WATER, but among you stands one you do not know,
Joh 1:27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
Joh 1:28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Joh 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Joh 1:30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.'
Joh 1:31 I myself did not know him, but FOR THIS PURPOSE I CAM BAPTIZING WITH WATER, that he might be revealed to Israel."
Joh 1:32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
Joh 1:33 I myself did not know him, but HE WHO SENT ME TO BAPTIZE WITH WATER said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
This is WHY Jesus ASKED THE PRIESTS WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE BAPTISM OF JOHN WHETHER IT WAS FROM MAN OR HEAVEN (Mat. 21:25; Mark. 11:30; Luke 20:4). Because ONLY HE CAME DOING IT WHICH THE JEWS KNEW THAT ELIJAH OR THE CHRIST WOULD DO AT HIS COMING.
So again, can you show proof of what you state without the "Your questions reveal your lack of understanding because you have rejected the First Covenant" stuff? Because Scripture clearly shows the First covenant has been done away with.
Hebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
You said to my question ( Sister candle, I have one question regarding the Torah statement. what exactly should be lived out by way of Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and numbers according to them?):
First I can see you are a passionate man desiring to know the G-d of your salvation and I would like to say you have asked more than one question. In order for you to understand from a the spiritual the significance and symbolism of these books and their reference to the Sacrifice or the Messiah it would take many sessions. You have not had the opportunity to see the First Covenant through the eyes of its intent, only the stories that have been gleaned through a lack of understanding. Spending time with the Jewish people as your older brother and His beloved would benefit you greatly.
ME: Sis, ONLY GOD CAN REVEAL THE SCRIPTURES, dear. No MAN can. And and again, you avoided the question. Can you please reconcile what you said earlier with your statement? Thanks.
You responded to my statement and question (Also, baptisms were for pregnant women, lepers and priests. where is the baptism of repentance anywhere within it?) with: First, the word baptism is a Hellenistic word for the term immersion. The act of repentance was and is entwined in the everyday prayers of the Jewish people along with immersion and during the Feast of Trumpets and Day of Atonment ( Yom Kippur). Have you ever heard them pray? or celebrated the Sabbath with them on Friday evening and Saturday? One cannot understand that which one has so severely rejected as not relevant.
ME: Hearing them pray, or watch them celebrate does not answer my questions from the Scriptures, dear. Jews did not baptize proselytes until way later in history. The Jews kept mitzvah because almost anything made them unclean, but they got to the point of going overboard with it in the 2nd temple period. By the way, since we are on the subject of baptism, did you know that originally, one did not get dunked by anyone in the water? The person merely immersed himself under water. Evidence shows it when Jesus "came out of the water (in stead of being taken out of the water)" in Matthew 3:16 and Mark 1:10.
Your response to my "by the way, Jesus did mot eat the Passover meal because he was the slain lamb of it" statement was: "Really, who told you that?"
1 Corinthians 5:7 told me. See? 1 Corinthian 5:7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
Teach, thanks for the verses, but within context, these are for Israel as God commanded Moses to tell them to do for the land.
Leviticus 27:30-34 ESV
"Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is the Lord's; it is holy to the Lord. If a man wishes to redeem some of his tithe, he shall add a fifth to it. And every tithe of herds and flocks, every tenth animal of all that pass under the herdsman's staff, shall be holy to the Lord. One shall not differentiate between good or bad, neither shall he make a substitute for it; and if he does substitute for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed." These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.
Deut. 12:10-11 also shows that when Israel crosses over the Jordan they are to do it. Again, it was for the Jews living in Israel.
Deuteronomy 12:10-11 ESV
But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.
As you see, these were specifically for the Jews. Even the Malachi verses you posted show that the Lord was speaking to the Priests for not giving a worthy sacrifice offering to the Lord.
the Nehemiah verse shows support for Levites working on the temple and it was not a money tithe. it was because they had no inheritance. these are all examples of people under the Law of Moses of the Old covenant. even the Matthew verse and the Luke ones were for people under the law. and I already explained the Matthew verse.
Sister candle, I have one question regarding the Torah statement. what exactly should be lived out by way of Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and numbers according to them?
Also, baptisms were for pregnant women, lepers and priests. where is the baptism of repentance anywhere within it.
as for the safer meal, Jesus referenced himself as the bread and wine from exodus 12. where do you get the lords supper from the Abraham event.
by the way, Jesus did mot eat the Passover meal because he was the slain lamb of it.
I never said that the NT nullified the OT, sis. I said the old covenant is done away by bringing in the New.
Jesus, by fulfilling all of the Law and the Prophets, did away with the old covenant and gave us the new one. That is what Hebrews is pretty much saying.
That's why the eighth chapter says:
Hebrews 8:1-13 ESV
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to build uperect the tent, he was in by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain." But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says:
"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more."
In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
So, you see. The NT says the old covenant was abolished. Do you agree?
Why? Because people are tithing, or that the Mormons have unknowingly shown the unbiblical nature of the whole practice enough to raise an unbiased search for the Biblical truth regarding this?
