NT Establishing the OT

[BobRyan]

Both dispensations (old and new) focus on the same primary issue--obedience to God, except the Law could only teach how it's done, and the new dispensation, by the Spirit using the life of Christ, makes it a reality in the believer.

The OT saints in Heb 11 were saved under only one Gopsel according to Gal 1:6-11 and in Heb 4:2 (and Gal 3:7) it is the same as our Gospel.

If we say that the OT and the NT are all valid - but that the Law must be brought internally under the New Covenant of Jer 31:31-33 then we are being consistent with the text of both OT and NT. This is the only way anyone could be saved in all of time.

There could never have been such a thing as earning one's way to heaven by works that are merely external and no changed life internally. Jesus makes this same point in John 3 - before the cross.

Jesus says in John 3 that anyone who is a "teacher in Israel" who has knowledge of the scripture -- should have known this pre-cross.

in Christ,

Bob

 

[BobRyan]

The key to Acts 21 is that there had to be such an unquestioned acceptance of the OT scripture - as valid in the NT that not only is the Moral Law of God quoted from (as in the case of Eph 6 quoting the Ex 20:12 commandment verbatim) but even the ceremonial laws (that we all agree are ended) were open for observance by those who chose to do so as we see in Romans 14

All the "Scripture" texts quoted in the NT - are from the OT.

All the "it is written" texts quoted in the NT - are from the OT.

All references "to scripture" in general (except for 1) are references to the OT in the NT text.

With that as the "context" there is no way to expect the NT saints not to be upholding the OT text as the Word of God. In fact NT authors report that it is the "Word of God" - and as shown from Acts and from Eph 6 (and many other places if we wanted to go there) it is repeatedly used to establish correct NT doctrine and practice.

This is the only way the post-Pentecost Apostolic church in Jerusalem could have been insisting that Paul prove his faithful compliance with the ceremonial law and insist that he also pay for others to join him in doing so as a demonstration of his teaching that is in harmony with it and a "proof" that those who claimed he was teaching Jews to ignore the ceremonial law once they become Christian - was totally false.

in Christ,

Bob