"By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear." Hebrews 8:13
By saying this Paul demonstrated that either he knew nothing about what Jesus taught or it is you that doesn't know. The so called old law will never become obsolete, see Matthew 5:17-20. The only thing that became obsolete after the revelation of Jesus about the figurative nature of words used and consequently hidden subjects of the law was the wrong way to understand and comply with its demands, not the law itself, which is eternally relevant and will always be essential to the quality of life for the inhabitants of the earth for either good or evil.
The new covenant does not obsolete the law. They are different things, because the first covenant was that God's people were to obey the Law and they would be His people. As Jesus said, He came to fulfill the law, not destroy it. The covenant is God's deal with His people, and that has changed. I don't know if you noticed, but Gentiles are now welcome too.
To fulfill the law is to comply with its demands. The hidden purpose of God was never about demonstrating the futility of even trying to fulfill the law but to demonstrate, through Jesus, how easy it is. Remember? My yoke is easy"?
Jesus raised to bar to demonstrate how impossible it is to follow the Law, remember?
Matthew 5:
21 “You have heard that it was said to those [
d]of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother [
e]without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’[
f] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, [
g]‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of [
h]hell fire.
27 “You have heard that it was said [
i]to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Yes, His yoke is easy and His burden is light, because the Spirit is within us all the time, re-assuring us and guiding us, unlike the Law where you had to remember all on your own each and every thing it required, then had to bring sacrifice every time you broke even the smallest part of it.
If you do not eat the flesh of Jesus , accept his teaching, and drink his blood, follow his example, you cannot have the life promised for fulfilling the law in you. Life is in the blood. In the doing. Jesus fulfilling the law means nothing if you don't
Tell that to the thief on the cross, who walked into paradise with Jesus that day, despite no baptism, no communion, no catechism or anything like that.
Nonsense. If you have seen me you have seen the father just means that if you understood Jesus you will perceive God. It was not a claim to divinity, neither was Jesus saying that before Abraham was born I am.
Ah, but you do not understand the Jewish mind. They knew absolutely that Jesus was claiming to be God when He said, "before Abraham was, I AM". I AM is God's own name for Himself, and they were so angry they wanted to stone Him. That's not the only place, however:
Matthew 4
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’
and,
‘In
their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘
You shall not [a]tempt the Lord your God.’ ”
Matthew 9
9 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer;
your sins are forgiven you.”
3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”
4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘
Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that
the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
Who but God can forgive sins? Certainly not any of us.
By saying "But go and tell my brothers that I am ascending to my Father and your Father; my God and your God.", John 20:17, Jesus effectively eliminated any possibility that he either claimed to be or thought of himself as God. Thats the way the cookie crumbles.
Phillippians 2
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it [b]robbery to be equal with God, 7 but [
c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man,
He humbled Himself and became obedient to
the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him
and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Tell me, why would God give Jesus a name that was greater than His own name? Answer, He would not.
Been there done that. What then?
And answered.
I believe, I have faith.........why should I attempt to convince you of anything? "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling......" -- Phil. 2:12 I simply defend the truth and the faith/hope that resides IN ME..........NOT YOU. (1 Peter 3:15)
