Proof That The Old Covenant Stood Before The Cross and Fell After The Cross.

Following is an article by Sal @ www.allexperts.com. Sal's specialty is answering questions regarding Seventh-day Adventism from a Biblical perspective. He gave me permission to post this 'question and answer' dialog on my blog.  Thanks again Sal!

Expert: Sal - 2/10/2011

Brother Sal -

On 1/2/2011, you stated, "If you would like I can prove from the Bible that the Old Covenant was one covenant containing moral, civil, and ceremonial laws all of which stood together before the cross and fell together after the cross."

Brother Sal, please prove this for me.  I truly appreciate your time and effort and the many years you have served Jesus Christ by answering people's questions.  - Brother Steve

Answer

Dear Brother Steve:

In Scripture, the Law of Moses is always spoken of as one unit comprised of 613 commandments. The purpose of this Old Covenant Law was to reveal God’s standard of righteousness and man’s sinfulness. This in turn teaches man that he needs a substitutionary atonement—a savior. The Old Covenant Law was a monitor over one immature in faith. When one moves to a mature faith, characterized by accepting the finished work of Christ, that person is no longer in the monitor’s charge (see Galatians 3:23-25). Therefore, the monitor has reached its goal and is dismissed. The entire Old Covenant Law becomes obsolete and the Christian comes under the Law of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2).

Even the SDAs realize that the vast majority of the Old Covenant laws are obsolete in the New Covenant. In the hope of salvaging their Sabbath keeping, sabbatarians try to force distinctions on the Mosaic Laws. The usual distinctions invented are to call some moral laws (the Ten Commandments), some ceremonial, and some legal or civil. The reason for these unbiblical categories is so that they can claim that Christians are not under the ceremonial or civil laws, but are still under the Ten Commandments especially the Sabbath.

It is crucial for the serious student of the Bible to understand that the Mosaic or Old Covenant laws, all 613 commands, are viewed as one unit in the Bible. The Bible nowhere gives us permission to separate the laws of the Old Covenant. The word “law” (Torah in Hebrew & Nomos in the Greek) when applied to the Mosaic or Old Covenant Law is always singular even though it contains 613 separate commandments. For example, “This is the law which Moses set before the Israelites. These are the ordinances, statutes, and decrees which he proclaimed to them when they came out of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 4:44-45). Clearly “the law” here is all 613 laws not just the Decalogue. “Then were read aloud all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, exactly as written in the book of the law. Every single word that Moses had commanded, Joshua read aloud…” (Joshua 8:34-35). Again all the law without separation is referred to. “Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the Law of Moses…” (1 Kings 2:3). All the requirements are the Law. One final example of many, “Many nations will come and say, ‘Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths’.  The Law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Micah 4:2). Other passages showing that the Law of the Old Covenant is one unit include Leviticus 18:5; 24:22; Deuteronomy 4:1, 5, 8; 6:25; 31:12-13; 28:58; Joshua 1:7-8; 2 Kings 17:3; 18:12; 21:8; 23:25; 1 Chronicles 16:40; 2 Chronicles 33:8; Ezra 7:6; Psalm 78:5; 119:1, 55, 108, 137, 174; 147:20; Proverbs 31:4-5; Isaiah 5:24; Jeremiah 18:18; Lamentations 2:9; Ezekiel 7:26; Hosea 4:6; Amos 2:4; Habakkuk 1:4; Zephaniah 3:4; Zechariah 7:12; Malachi 2:9; Mark 15:31; John 1:17; Acts 13:39; Galatians 3:10; Ephesians 2:14-15; I Timothy 1:7-8; Titus 3:9; Hebrews 10:28; James 2:10.

The idea that the Law of the Lord equals the Ten Commandments and that the Law of Moses equals the now obsolete ceremonial law is not supported by Scripture. The ceremonial law is called “the Law of the Lord” numerous times in Scripture. “From his own wealth the king allotted a portion for holocausts, those of morning and evening and those on Sabbaths, new moons and festivals, as prescribed in the law of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 31:3). This obvious reference to the ceremonial laws (weekly, monthly, yearly sequence) is called the Law of the Lord and not that of Moses as the SDA thesis requires. In Nehemiah 8 we have the example of the “Law of Moses” and the “Law of the God” being used to refer to the same books. “…they called upon Ezra the scribe to bring forth the book of the law of Moses…” (v.1). “Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God…” (v. 8). In a clear reference to the ceremonial law we read, “They found it written in the law prescribed by the Lord through Moses that the Israelites must dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month” (v. 14; see Leviticus 23:33-36). From what book was this read? “Ezra read from the book of the law of God…” (v.18). This passage from Nehemiah 8 uses the two terms in question interchangeably. Other passages where the ceremonial law is called the Law of the Lord/God are Exodus 13:7-9; 1 Chronicles 16:40; 2 Chronicles 31:3-4.

In the New Testament we read from the lips of our Lord, “Have you not read in the Law how the priests on temple duty break the Sabbath rest without incurring guilt?” (Matthew 12:5). This is a clear reference to the ceremonial law called by Jesus “the Law”. This indicates that Jesus considered the Old Covenant Law to be one inseparable unit—the Law. When Jesus was asked which of the commandments of the Law was the greatest he quoted two commandments neither of which was from the so-called moral law, that is the Ten Commandments (see Matthew 22:34-40). Instead he quoted from the so-called ceremonial or civil law (see Deuteronomy 6:5 & Leviticus 19:18). Again it seems that Jesus understood the Mosaic Law to be one inseparable unit. One final New Testament example, “When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, the couple brought him up to Jerusalem so that he could be presented to the Lord, for it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every first born male shall be consecrated to the Lord’. They came to offer in sacrifice ‘a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons’, in accord with the dictates in the law of the Lord (Luke 2:22-24). Here we see once again the Law of Moses and the Law of the Lord equated. The ceremonial law is clearly in view, as also can be seen in Luke 2:39, and is referred to as the “Law of the Lord.”

The obvious truth is that the Bible never even once makes any distinction in terms of the Law between one moral and one ceremonial. On the contrary the 613 laws of the Old Covenant are always viewed as one unit. This helps to explain why we read, “Cursed be he who fails to fulfill any of the provisions of this law!” (Deuteronomy 27:26). “It is written, ‘Cursed is he who does not abide by everything written in the book of the law and carry it out’” (Galatians 3:10). “Whoever falls into sin on one point of the Law, even though he keeps the entire remainder, he has become guilty on all counts” (James 2:10). These Scripture makes perfect sense if the Law is one inseparable unit. The Old Testament has over 200 references to the Law. The much shorter New Testament has almost 200 references. The New Testament is full of discussions on the Law. Yet in all of these discussions never is the observance of the Ten Commandments mentioned as necessary for Christians. It is never stated to be our standard. The reason is simply because the Ten Commandments were treated as 10 of the 613 commandments God gave the Israelites through Moses. The New Testament is very clear that the entire Old Covenant is no longer binding on Christians. We have a new covenant. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Corinthians 11:25). “When he says, ‘a new covenant’, he declares the first one obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13). In the New Covenant we are obliged to follow a much higher moral standard (see Matthew 5:20-48). The New Testament appeals to Jesus when telling us to be moral, it never appeals to any of the Ten Commandments (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

In conclusion, the Bible knows nothing of the man-made divisions of the Old Covenant Law. It is all one unit all of which has become obsolete.  

I hope this answers your question. If I can be of further help please let me know.

God Bless You,

Brother Sal 

Is The Gospel ALL We Really Need?

Is the Gospel ALL we REALLY need to be saved? What about 'my works' and keeping the law? 

According to the Bible, the Gospel is Good News or Good Tidings. When Jesus was about to be born, The Bible Says in Luke 2:10-11..

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

When Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose again, that, too, was Good News. As a matter of fact, the BEST news.  The Bible Says in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4....

"Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel (Good News) I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,"

The Bible Says in Romans 4:23-25 (referring to Abraham)...

'The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

Many believe that they have a 'work' to do in order to be saved like keeping the Ten Commandments and attending church on the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday). The Bible Says in John 6:29 KJV...

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

When Peter, Paul, John and the Apostles preached to the Gentiles, they preached pure Gospel. They stressed relationship with Jesus, not law-keeping. Their focus was not on how well they were performing by keeping laws but on the importance of them allowing the Holy Spirit to lead them into all that is holy on a daily basis.

Salvation is so simple. We are saved by grace through faith. As humans, we have been raised on the merit system (performance based) and it is difficult to conceive, let alone believe, that all we have to do is believe and accept what Jesus has already done for us in order to be saved. When Jesus said, "It is finished" He meant every word.  Our salvation was a DONE DEAL!

To aid us in holy living, Jesus sent us the Comforter.  The Bible Says in John 14:26 KJV...

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

The Bible also Says in 1 John 2:26-27...

 "I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him."

If we believe that Jesus suffered and died for our sins and rose again. If we believe that the Comforter has the power to live within us and that He can empower us to live holy lives that are pleasing to God, then we can stand on the promise of John 3:16.  The Bible Says....

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him shall HAVE everlasting life."


With much Christian love,
Patricia Allen

 

What Is Sin?

Seventh-day Adventists’ favorite definition of sin is: “Sin is the transgression of the law.” I concur simply because The Bible Says so, but the follow-up question should be, “What law?” What law is sin transgressing?  I would like to share my findings regarding what The Bible Says……….

John’s Definition of Sin:

The Bible Says in 1 John 3:4, “Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God.” NLT

The Bible Says in the King James Version, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”

If you look at ALL of John’s writings, I think you will be compelled to agree that John is speaking of God’s Royal Law of Love, the law of loving God and one another.  John is stressing to Christians the importance of Christian fellowship and loving others. John tells us that anyone who says that they love God but doesn’t obey God’s commandments is a liar and is not living in the truth. He then defines what God’s commandments are.  

The Bible Says in 1 John 3:23-24….  

“And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.”

When I checked my Bible’s concordance on 1 John 3:4 to seek a clearer understanding on what law we are transgressing when we sin, it pointed me to Matthew 7:23.

The Bible Says in Matthew 7:23, “But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” 

This text meant nothing to me at first glance, so I read it in its context. I discovered that this verse is the summation of the Sermon on the Mount, which began in Matthew 5.  From Matthew 5 through 7, Jesus is addressing the Jews and He is calling them to righteousness. As an aside, I wonder why Jesus would need to call the religious law-keepers to righteousness? The entire sermon has to do with Jesus giving instructions regarding our relationship with God and each other. He also assured them that He did not come to abolish the law but that it would remain in tact UNTIL He fulfilled it on the cross. Jesus is saying in Matthew 7:23 that when we break His law of love (God’s law), He doesn’t know us.

After receiving a better understanding of Matthew 7:23, my concordance then pointed me to Matthew 25: 12, 41.  The Bible Says, 

Vs 12, “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you.’”

Wow! What does this mean? When read in context, this verse is the summation of the parable of The Ten Bridesmaids. Jesus is speaking in this chapter and the chapter preceding it about preparing for His return.  He is warning us to be watchful because if we aren’t, He will come as a thief in the night and disown us. Matthew 24:42 reads, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”  

Jesus is issuing a command (MUST) and if we disobey it by not putting Him first and allowing the Holy Spirit to prepare us, we are living outside of faith and will be lost. He wants us prepared, as His bride, to enter into an everlasting and joyous relationship with Him. 

Vs 41, “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.”

Who are those on the left and why might they be cast into eternal fire? To understand the meaning of this text, please read verses 31-46. This text is not talking about them breaking the Ten Commandments and ending up in hell. Verse 42-46 explains why the people will be cast into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.  The Bible Says, “For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty and you didn’t give me drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison and you didn’t visit me……”

As you can see, we are not being judged by the Ten Commandments as Seventh-day Adventists believe. We are being judged by how well we loved God and others, the Royal Law of Love.

Paul’s Definition of Sin:

The Bible Says in Romans 14:23 NLT, “But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.”

 

The Bible Says in the King James Version, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

When read in context and reading the verses that preceded this one, we will discover that Paul is dealing with human relationships.  The emphasis in Chapter 14 is a plea for unity regarding days of worship and eating. 

The Bible Says in Romans 14:1-5….

¹ Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. ² One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. ³ The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. ⁴ Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.  ⁵ One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God”.  

God’s Word defines sin for us, yet sin also involves our conscience. If our conscience is leading us to do one thing and we don’t follow its leading, we are on our own, outside of faith, therefore sinning. The Holy Spirit speaks through our mind.

Now that we have a clearer meaning of Romans 14:23, my concordance then pointed me to 1 Corinthians 15:56 NLT. The Bible Says, “For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.”  The Message (MSG) for this verse reads, ‘It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage – its destructive power.”

 

After reading Corinthians, it pointed me to Romans 4:15, Romans 5:12 and Ephesians 2:1.  The Bible Says respectively…..

Romans 4:15 NLT, “For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)

The Bible is clearly interpreting itself. Paul is telling the Christians in Romans 4:15 that trying to keep the law is pointless because we can’t keep it.  Prior verses in this chapter explain how Abraham lived by faith and NOT by his obedience to God’s law. After all, The Bible Says in Galatians 3:17 that the law was introduced 430 years after the promises were given to Abraham.

Romans 5:12-14 NLT, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still everyone died – from the time of Adam to the time of Moses – even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representative of Christ, who is yet to come.”

According to the Bible, when Adam sinned there was no law to break. Adam disobeyed a direct and explicit command from God not to eat of the tree. When He ate, his conscience condemned him and he hid, or tried to. In this instance, sin was breaking a direct order from God, not the Ten Commandments. Adam made a conscience decision to step outside of his relationship with God and we are reaping the consequences.  Seventh-day Adventists attempt to defend their position that the law was given prior to Adam and Eve, by saying that Adam broke the very first commandment of the Ten Commandments, but The Bible Says and says it quite plainly, that Adam sinned before the law was given.

Ephesians 2:15 reads, “He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.”.

When Gentiles were allowed to accept the Good News of the Gospel, the Jews tried to proselytize them by having the Gentile Christians keep their laws and rituals. Paul had an audience with the Council in Jerusalem ( Acts 15) and it was determined that Christians did not have to keep Jewish law and rituals BUT in order to keep the peace to a certain extent, the Gentiles were told ……

Acts 15:19-21. “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

The latter part of verse 29 says, “If you do this, you will do well.”  The Ten Commandments are not the point of reference here.

It is clear to me that sin is breaking God’s law of love and sin is ignoring the Holy Spirit’s leading in our lives. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter and Guide.  His mission is to lead us into all things that are holy. He lives in us and through us if we allow Him.  The Law of Moses can only point out sin and the law is powerless to help us to keep its requirements. For a specified time, the law was our guardian. The Bible Says in Galatians 3:23-26…

“Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Paul, the Apostle to the Christians pose some questions of his own for us to ponder.  Before he speaks, I would like to remind you that Gentiles were never under the law.

 

So says Paul: 

“Let me ask this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the Law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.  How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the Law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you have heard about Christ.” Galatians 3:2-5 NLT

Reader, the law, with all of its trimmings, was nailed to the cross. Sin is not the transgression of the Ten Commandments. We now have the Holy Spirit. We are now under the Royal Law of Love and the Holy Spirit teaches us individually how to love and what to do.  As a former Adventist, I feel that the SDA church places too little emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. Yes, He is spoken of often, but in practice ,pretty much ignored. He stands in line behind all of their rules and ‘handwriting of ordinances’ (policies). Seventh-day Adventists tend to want everyone to be alike (Cookie Cutter Christians). They have a rule for every aspect of your life, thus going beyond the Bible. The Bible is gray in some areas but Adventists try to ‘fill in the blanks’ so everyone will know what is expected of them at all times. Can not the Holy Spirit do this?

The Bible Says in 1 John 3:26-27…

“But you have received the Holy Spirit and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie.  So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.”

In conclusion, sin is best defined as ignoring the gentle whisperings and pleadings of the Holy Spirit, Whose job is to lead and empower us to do His good pleasure. Even the good that we do is sin if it is done outside of a faith relationship with God. The Bible Says in Romans 14:23 ..."whatsoever is not of faith is sin".

Stone is hard and it makes those who try to meet its terms hard-hearted.  Not so with the Holy Spirit. REMEMBER…..

  

“God cannot kiss His bride until the veil is lifted.”  Patricia A. Allen

Stone vs. Spirit

The Tablets of Stone only point out sin;

The Holy Spirit actually lives within.

The Tablets of Stone can only enslave;

The Holy Spirit has power to save.

The Tablets of Stone can't help us live right.

They lead to worry, anxiety and fright.

The Holy Spirit is our comforter and guide

He promises to always be by our side.

The Tablets of Stone have no tongue to speak;

No ears to hear, no mind to critique.

The Tablets of Stone have no tears to shed;

No arms to hold us, no hands that bled.

The Holy Spirit is our everlasting friend.

He promises to be with us until the end.

The Tablets of Stone were on the cross overturned

It's the Holy Spirit that Christians now yearn.

The Spirit will empower us to the Lord's bidding

If you think stone can do that, you must be kidding!

Patricia A. Allen

Are God's Law and Moses' Law Two Different Laws?

It has been my experience that whenever a Seventh- day Adventist (SDA) sees the words ‘law(s) or commandment(s)’ the automatic conclusion is that the author is referring to the Ten Commandments.  That is why we are admonished to “Study to show ourselves approved unto God.’ It involves a lot of cross-referencing and reading the Bible in context to get to the real meat of what is being said. It also most definitely involves an attentive ear to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Even though it was in my future plans to post a blog on Moses Law and God’s Law, I find myself prematurely doing so as the result of a dialogue I am currently having with a member of the SDA church. His position is that there are two distinct laws: Moses Law and God’s Law. The Bible Says they are the same and they are, in fact, used interchangeably. The SDA’s position is that Moses’ Laws were the ceremonial laws, that only the ceremonial laws were nailed to the cross and God’s Law (the Ten Commandments) are permanent and were not nailed to the cross. My position is that the entire Torah referred to as God’s Law and Moses Law were nailed to the cross.

The question is asked, “Are God’s Law and Moses’ Law the same?  The following answer to this question is copied from my blog title, Seventh-day Adventists’ Amazing Facts Are Really Amazing, Question 13, for those you have read it and might want to skip down to ‘Are the Ten Commandments Eternal”? (IN RED)

According to Amazing Facts and what Seventh-day Adventists teach, the answer is NO! They teach that Moses' law contained the temporary, ceremonial law of the Old Testament. It regulated the priesthood, sacrifices, rituals, meat and drink offerings, etc. all of which foreshadowed the cross. This law was added 'till the seed should come.' and that seed was Christ (Galatians 3:16,19). The ritual and ceremony of Moses' law pointed forward to Christ's sacrifice. When He died on the cross, this law came to an end, but the Ten Commandments (God's law) stands forever. That there are two laws is made crystal clear in Daniel 9:10,11.

10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you

My Rebuttal: Yes, they are the same. The Law of God and the Law of Moses can be used interchangeably. The Bible Says in Luke 2:22-24 and Luke 2:30....

22 When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord" ), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons (clearly what he is quoting from the Law of Moses did not come from the Ten Commandments and clearly what he is quoting from the Law of the Lord is not from the Ten Commandments. What he is quoting comes from the 'Book of the Law' which is God's Law AND Moses' Law).

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

Please note that the Law of the Lord in these verses is NOT referring to the Ten Commandments but the 'so-called' ceremonial laws. So Amazing Facts and SDA’s cannot correctly say that Moses' Law was strictly ceremonial.  Furthermore, God's law was a unit (613 commands) and could not be divided.

The text ( Daniel 9:10, 11) that Amazing Facts references does not prove otherwise. Daniel was praying to God and was rehearsing how the people had sinned against Him. You have to read the verses preceding the texts that Amazing Facts chose. Starting at Daniel 9, verse 7 sets the backdrop...

7 "Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame--the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.  "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you.”

If Moses is the servant of God and God gave him a message or laws, then it is God's message or law for Moses, in turn, to give to the people. Example: Paul, in the New Testament, received direct communication from God as His servant and his words are as commandments or laws from God. The same with Moses. Paul and Moses both received from God to teach the people; they were willing servant vessels. They weren't Paul's or Moses' laws but God's. Paul remarks regarding his calling in Galatians 1:11-12

 11 'I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."

To conclude this portion, The Bible Says, Moses’ Law and God’s Law are the same; it’s the Torah, 613 commands.

ARE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ETERNAL?

The Bible’s position is that when the law and the prophets were fulfilled, they were no longer effective; they were abolished because of their fulfillment. Seventh-day Adventists’ position is that they are permanent and still binding on us today. The Bible Says in Ephesians 2:15, ‘...by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments AND regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.” The law (nomos) is referring to the Torah or Moses Law aka God’s Law. 

Following are some proof texts that SDA’s (my friend in particular) use to prove that the Ten Commandments are permanent. My SDA friend’s comments are in red and mine are in black to make it a little easier to follow along. He is proving that Paul, James and John say that God’s Law (written with His finger) is permanent and still binding.

BUT, THE HOLY TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GOD ARE PERMANENT...

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-19 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

‘The law’ in Matthew 5:17-19 is referring to the Greek word nomos (3551).  According to The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Red-Letter Edition), the SDA's proof texts are….. ‘of the Mosaic Law, 'the law' of Sinai, e.g., Matthew 5:18, John 1:17; Romans 2:15, 18, 20, 26, 27; 3:19; 4:15; 7:4, 7, 14, 16, 22; 8:3, 4, 7; Gal. 3:10, 12, 19, 21, 24; 5:3; Eph. 2:15; Phil. 3:6; 1 Ti 1:8; Heb. 7:19; Jas. 2:9.

PAUL SPEAKS OF THIS SAME LAW OF GOD, CONCERNING ITS IMPORTANCE...

Romans 2:12 "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;"

The word 'law' in this text does not have 'the' article preceding it;  Strong says without the article, it is stressing the Mosaic law in its quality as “law,” e.g., Rom. 2:14 (first part)…Romans 2:14 (NLT) “Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law…..Romans 5:20 (NLT) “God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were…”

According to Strong’s. ‘The absence of the article before nomos indicates the assertion of a principle.”

Romans 3:20 "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (nomos – Mosaic Law or Law of God)

Romans 4:15 "Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." (nomos – Mosaic Law or Law of God) 

Paul's references point to the Mosaic law or Torah.

JAMES SPEAKS OF THIS SAME LAW OF GOD, CONCERNING ITS IMPORTANCE...

James 2:10-12 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." 

The Bible Says in James 2:9, “But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin.  You are guilty of breaking the law.” (Notice that it has the article ‘the’ preceding the word ‘law’ so it is referring to the Mosaic Law, the Law given at Sinai, God’s law)

If James is read in context, you will discover that James is scolding the Jews, who were authorities on the law, about showing favoritism. Showing favoritism is not one of the Ten Commandments, however, it is in the Torah or Book of the Law.  Verses 10 and 11 are reiterating to the Jews that if they showed favoritism they are as guilty as murdering and committing adultery because ‘the same God who said’ thou shalt not commit adultery and thou shalt not murder also said do not show favoritism.  He was reminding them that if they showed favoritism they were breaking the law and if they broke one law they were guilty of breaking them all.

Since showing favoritism is not a Ten Commandment law, why would James compare apples with oranges? Why would James say they have broken God’s law by showing favoritism if showing favoritism wasn’t written by the finger of God? Be mindful that James is speaking to the Jews who did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, which is why he could speak to them about the law.  They knew the law very well.

In conversation, it was said that we shall be judged by the Ten Commandments, which is why my friend made bold ‘shall be judged’ in James 2:10-12.  In defense of the Ten Commandments (because of the two ‘thou shalt nots’) it was not noticed that James was saying we will be judged by the Law of Liberty, not the Ten Commandments. The Law of Liberty is God’s Law.

The NLT version reads, ‘you will be judged by the law that sets you free.’ The Law of Liberty is the law of love, God’s law.  The Bible Says in John 13:33-35, “Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me but you can’t come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

The Bible Says in 1 John 5:1-3 (NLT) reads, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become  a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children too.  We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey His commandments.  Loving God means keeping his commandments and his commandments are not burdensome.”

1 John 3:23-24 explains to us what God’s commandments are.  The Bible Says, “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.”

James texts are referring to the Mosiac law to bring the Jews in line, but his emphasis is on the New Testament law of love (God's Law), which we will be judged by.

JOHN SPEAKS OF THIS SAME LAW OF GOD, CONCERNING ITS IMPORTANCE...

1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (Again, John is not referring to the Ten Commandments. When the entire chapter is read in context, you will discover that John is talking about living as God’s children, urging them to love one another and to live in right relationship with God.  Verse 10 reads, “So now we can tell who the children of God and who are the children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God."

MY SDA friend said, “My dear kind sister, you are leading people astray concerning the Law! for Revelation 22:14 says... "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

Revelation 22:14 is not referring to the Ten Commandments. Again, according to Strong’s, the word ‘entole’ is the Greek word for commandments, which means an ‘injunction or authoritative prescription’. Our prescription for ‘righteous living’ is to obey God’s commandment of believing the Good News of the Gospel and loving others.

To conclude, the Law of Moses and the Law of God under the Old Covenant are the same and are used interchangeably. The Law of God in the New Covenant is the Law of Love aka the Law of Liberty. The Old Covenant in its entirety was nailed to the cross. The Old Covenant was for Israel only; the New Covenant is for ALL who believe. The Old Covenant was temporary; the New Covenant is eternal. We, today, are under the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit tells us what to do and the Holy Spirit empowers us – not the tablets of stone.

I John 2:27 (NLT) reads, “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches you is true – it is not a lie. So just as he taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.”

John's texts are referring to the law of love, God's Royal Law, not the Ten Commandments. Paul, James and John are not promoting the keeping of the Ten Commandments. The Bible Says, that only three things will last FOREVER, faith, hope and love; the greatest of these is love.

I can only request that you give this information prayerful study to see whether these things are so.

"God cannot kiss His bride until the veil is lifted."  Patricia A. Allen

Be blessed.

Who Says I Can't Wear Jewelry?

Some religious groups prohibit the wearing of jewelry and if the truth were to be told, I don't know why.  As a former Seventh-day Adventist, I would venture to say, and be about 99% accurate, that the members are advised against wearing jewelry because the less money spent on jewelry, the more money they have to contribute to the church coffers. That's my take, but more importantly, I am more interested in what The Bible Says. Is not wearing jewelry a church thing or a God thing? Let's see what The Bible Says (in context)....

The Wearing of Jewelry in the Old Testament

Abraham, God’s faithful friend, sent his servant to secure a bride for his son, Isaac. To make a great impression and presentation, Abraham sent many ‘good things’ on ten camels for the bride-to-be which included jewelry.  The Bible Says in Genesis 24:22, 52-53 NIV…

²² When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels.
⁵² When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. ⁵³ Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.

Joseph, as second in command of Egypt, also wore jewelry.  The Bible Says in Genesis 41:41-42….

⁴¹ So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." ⁴² Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 

Just as Joseph had refused to bow to the Egyptian gods, he could have politely requested not to accept Pharaoh’s ring if it were violating God’s command, but he didn’t.  The ring, clothes and gold chain represented restoration, elevation and celebration. God restored Joseph from a slave to 2^nd in command of all Egypt. Becoming a new ruler and husband almost overnight was cause for great celebration.

When the Israelites left Egypt, God commanded them to ask for silver and gold from the Egyptians. In fact, they plundered Egypt.  The Bible Says in Genesis 3:21-22,

²¹ "And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. ²² Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians." 

Daniel, a servant of God and a bold contender for his faith, refused to eat from the king's table BUT he did not refuse to wear the gold chain. The Bible Says in Daniel 5:29.., 

"Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom."

Daniel was dressed in purple (the color of royalty) and given a gold chain. These tokens came as a result of his restoration from being a captive and to his elevation as Prime Minister.

The prophet Isaiah also spoke favorably of jewelry.  The Bible Says in  Isaiah 61:10 NIV…

¹⁰ I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 

The Bible Says in Jeremiah 2:31-32 NIV…

"You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'? ³² Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number."

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, obviously saw the wearing of jewelry as a thing of great beauty.  The Bible Says in Song of Solomon 1:10-11…

¹⁰ Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. ¹¹ We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver. 

God never condemned the wearing of jewelry, in fact, He equated it with beauty.  The Bible Says in Ezekiel 28:11-13…

¹¹ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹² "Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "'You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. ¹³ You were in Eden, the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 

The Wearing of Jewelry in the New Testament

As New Covenant believers, has God changed His mind about the wearing of jewelry?  Some use a passage  Peter wrote to say that jewelry is forbidden for Christians.  The Bible Says in 1 Peter 3:1-5 (MSG) …

¹ The same goes for you wives: Be good wives to your husbands, responsive to their needs. There are husbands who, indifferent as they are to any words about God, will be captivated ² by your life of holy beauty. ³ What matters is not your outer appearance—the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes— ⁴ but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in. ⁵ The holy women of old were beautiful before God that way, and were good, loyal wives to their husbands. ⁶ Sarah, for instance, taking care of Abraham, would address him as "my dear husband." You'll be true daughters of Sarah if you do the same, unanxious and unintimidated.”

Take note that the patriarchs' wives or ‘the holy women of old’ wore jewelry. As we read from the Old Testament, Abraham was rich with silver and gold. When he sent his servant to look for a wife for Isaac, The Bible Says, "Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and left, taking with him all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor."  Genesis 24:10

When the servant arrived, his test for the bride-to-be was based on inner beauty. Abraham’s servant prayed and asked God to let Isaac’s future bride show him a deed of inner kindness.  When Rebekah came to the well, she not only quenched his thirst but she also watered all ten of his camels.  This was indeed the answer to his prayer and his mission was considered a success.

The Bible Says in Genesis 24:22 that the servant gave Rebekah some of the 'good things' Abraham had sent, "When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels."

Even though Abraham’s servant recognized and admired Rebekah’s outer beauty, he was won by her inner beauty of kindness and humility. Her kind deeds and unselfish attitude spoke volumes to him. He only asked for water for himself but she took delight in fetching water for his ten camels until they were full. Only then did he enhance her outer beauty with jewelry as a direct result and acknowledgment of her inner beauty and heartfelt kindness.. She became the wife of Isaac, one of the patriarchs.  In this instance, the bestowal and wearing of jewelry was a sign of elevation (becoming the wife of a patriarch) and celebration.

All Scriptures referencing the wearing of jewelry speaks of it in a very positive light EXCEPT when the Israelites used it to make the golden calf. Peter is not saying not to wear jewelry, Peter is simply emphasizing the importance of inner beauty FIRST...just like the holy women of the past.

In contrast are people who are mean-spirited, judgmental, arrogant, unkind, unmerciful, unloving and on an ego trip.  Their 'inner' selves repel people.  Their expensive jewelry and fine clothing might initially attract but when time is spent with them their outer beauty fades and eventually disappears in the eyes of those who were once attracted to them.  When the ‘inner’ person is ugly, so is the outer. Our first concern should be the ‘inner person’ not the ‘outer’.

In the New Testament, Jesus Himself told the parable of the prodigal son.  When the father saw his wayward son returning home he bestowed on him the highest honor by placing a ring on his finger.  The Bible Says in Luke 15:22-23…

²² "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate."

If the wearing of jewelry is forbidden, why would Jesus use ‘a ring’ in this parable as a sign of the son’s restoration (no longer a hired hand), elevation (a position of honor with the best robe) and celebration (the guest of honor)?

John saw in vision all manner of precious stones in the New Jerusalem.  The Bible Says in Revelation 21:18-21….

  ¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. 

If our feet are destined to walk on gold, a decision made by God Himself, why do Seventh-day Adventists and some other religious groups forbid and condemn the wearing of precious stones and jewelry? Is it possible that the created now knows better than the Creator?
 
Lastly, I would like to share with you a few quotes from Ellen White, the Seventh-day Adventist prophetess, regarding jewelry:

“…Do not expend one dollar of God's money in purchasing needless articles. Your money means the salvation of souls. Then let it not be spent for gems, for gold, or precious stones."  Reflecting Christ by Ellen G. White, p. 266

“Those who have bracelets, and wear gold and ornaments, had better take these idols from their persons and sell them, even if it should be for much less than they gave for them, and thus practice self-denial. Time is too short to adorn the body with gold or silver or costly apparel.” Manuscript Releases, Vol. 9, Chapter Title: Ellen White on Jewelry page 117, paragraph 1.

“We warn our Christian sisters against the tendency to make their dresses according to worldly styles, thus attracting attention. The house of God is profaned by the dress of professedly Christian women of today. A fantastic dress, a display of gold chains and gaudy laces, is a certain indication of a weak head and a proud heart.” Selected Messages, Book 3, Chapter Title: Dress and Adornment page 244, paragraph 1.

Mrs. White is making it clear that God is calling on the so-called remnant church, Seventh-day Adventists, to "put away their idols" of jewelry that are used "for display and parade".

Now let us compare what Ellen White says about jewels with what God instructed Moses regarding the precious stones the High Priest, God’s representative, was required to wear.  The Bible Says in Exodus 28:15-20…

¹⁵ "Fashion a breastpiece for making decisions--the work of a skilled craftsman. Make it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. ¹⁶ It is to be square--a span long and a span wide--and folded double. ¹⁷ Then mount four rows of precious stones on it. In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz and a beryl; ¹⁸ in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald; ¹⁹ in the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; ²⁰ in the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx and a jasper. Mount them in gold filigree settings.”

The High Priest was instructed to wear not one or two but twelve precious stones and their attire included finely twisted linen of gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn.  God is about inner and outer beauty and who does it better than He.

The choice to wear jewelry or not to wear jewelry is a personal decision but it IS an option that God gives us. The members of the Seventh-day Adventist church has permitted ‘Ellen’ to take  that option away. No man, woman or institution on earth can over-rule what The Bible Says unless permission is given to do so.

Reader, we are so precious to God that He calls us His jewels.  The Bible Says in Malachi 3:17...

¹⁷ And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

I’m reminded of a song we sang as children entitled, When He Cometh:

When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Like the stars of the morning,
His brightness adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Little children, little children,
Who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

After reading what The Bible Says, do you, His precious jewel, really think that God has a problem with us wearing jewelry? Unquestionably, it's an ‘Ellen’ thing.....

With much love,
Patricia Allen