Sorry, I have been very busy with my business today. You asked me how I interpreted the word fulfill. Jesus came to accomplish the purpose of the law. He said he did not come to abolish the law, but to accomplish its purpose.
We are unable to keep the law. If you break one command in the law, you are breaking them all. There is no temple where we worship, we are not sacrificing animals and men, for example, do get their hair cut! So the law is broken right there before we even look at the other parts of it.
Mathew 5:18 is not saying that the law will not be done away with till the earth is done away with, It is saying that the law will not be abolished until its purpose is achieved. Jesus came to accomplish that. He said so Himself in Luke 22:202 "In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying,“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." (NIV) Animal sacrifices as required by the law were no longer necessary because Jesus' blood took the place of the blood of animals.
The New Covenant in the Old Testament was given to Israel, but in the New Testament (Covenant), Gentiles are now covered by the blood of Jesus" : 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Gentiles who are Christians are now part of the Covenant because of Jesus' shed blood. Under the New Covenant we are given the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ by Faith and to accept salvation as a free gift through Grace. Jesus' sacrificial death abolished the need for the death of animals and the need for us to try to follow every detail of the law.
Hebrews 7:21-22 says it better than I can: 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
“The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
‘You are a priest forever.’”[b]
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
Also Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
So, the New Testament is pretty clear about where the law now stands! It has its place, but we can't keep it. Our salvation is through faith in Christ alone.
Blessings!
Gentiles always had a place, even in the Old Covenant. Remember Rahab and Ruth as prime examples, but the scriptures are clear
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
Exodus 12:49 KJV
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the Lord your God.
Leviticus 24:22 KJV
The scriptures make it clear, if you want to be in covenant with God you must accept his law and strive to obey it.
I agree that yes Jesus blood paid the penalty of sin but that does not mean we have a free pass to live as we please. God gave his law for a reason, to show us how to live, and to live a blessed life. I agree, no one can keep the law perfectly, only Jesus has been able to do that but again that does not mean we shouldn't strive to keep it as best as we can. I also agree there is no temple or Levitical priesthood so it's impossible to make any sacrifices BUT if we had both, then sacrifices and offerings would be required. There were more than just sacrifices for sin.
Now to address some of your specific statements. Me get their hair cut. There is no command that tells men not to cut their hair. That is a very common misinterpretation. The verse you reference instructs us not to burn or mutilate our hair or to pull it out by the roots.
In your interpretation of Matthew 5:18 your saying he said the law would not be done away with til it's purpose was fulfilled. I see the purpose of the law being, as I previously stated, to show us how to live. That would still apply today. So what do you see the purpose of the law being since you do not think it is for today?
Is everything permissible now because of Jesus blood? Are we allowed to live as we please doing whatever we want? I sure hope you say no to that, for what kind of Christian would you be if you think it's ok to murder, or steal, or commit adultery.
So then let me ask you, how do you go about picking and choosing which laws you follow? There is no list anywhere in the new testament that says these laws here no longer apply to you. So how do you say murder and stealing are wrong but say eating pork and not observing the Sabbath are ok, just to name a big few.
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To cut a long story short, I have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ. I don't strive to obey anything. I don't need to. My desire is to please Him. If I wanted to kill or steal, it's not likely I would have a relationship with Him.
With all due respect, I see no point in carrying on this conversation. I don't agree with your interpretation of the Bible, and you don't agree with mine. If we are both saved through faith, then the non-essentials are not worth worrying about.
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This isn't about salvation. This is about obedience. You said you desire to please him. Do you know how to please him? To love him? This is what Jesus said.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:15 KJV
You just stated you don't strive to obey anything, that being his Commandments, so are you really showing him love in the way he asked you to show him love?
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Please, this conversation is over! I have no desire to argue. My focus is on Jesus Christ ! End of story. Please respect my wishes.
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As you wish but as a final word of warning, let me point out that in the end even Satan does not concern himself with those who do not obey the commands of God.
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 12:17 KJV
I don't know about you but I want to be one that lives my life in such a way that Satan makes war with me rather than one who the Messiah says he never knew.
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV
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Before you go saying Acts 10 makes unclean animals clean, look at what Peter said the vision meant. It was about men, not food.
And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Acts 10:28 KJV
He never once says it's about food. He had the vision 3 times and right after that 3 men show up looking for him.
Also you did a great job at quoting the writings of Paul but you misinterpret what he is saying. First of all I want to point out that Paul is a man like you and me, and like you and me he does not have the authority to change that which God has established. Secondly I would also like to point out there are several laws Paul mentions in his writings.
How do you know then he is talking about the Torah?
Thirdly I would like to quote Peter again for you when he said this of Paul's writings.
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:15-16 KJV
I am by no means discrediting Paul at all, I'm just saying he is grossly misunderstood as Peter predicted.
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