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Author
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Topic: Use of the Old Testament
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epouraniois
unregistered
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posted
I reckon we could follow the Acts period believers, where the Jew is first, being offered the kingdom upon their repentance, being only graphed into the true tree against nature, as it were, as a wild olive branch (Eph3.), placing them first as the chosen channel to the nations, but is that the hope and calling of the church revealed after the salvation of God was sent to the nations? or should we be as they were, standing outside the middle wall of partition, where the wall was so high none but a Hebrew could see inside the outer courtyard, at their synagagues, awaiting the some word of hope and calling?
In the first epistle written after Acts, the apostle gives the lesson that we should remember our place during the Acts:
Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
That at that time we, as non Hebrews, were without Christ having no hope, and without God in the world, for Rom1.18> stresses that God gave up the nations long ago, and chose Israel to be the blessing to the nations.
An easy, yet wonderful perspective can be found in looking up the two words "but now" in the NT, and see the progression as the events unfolded, being ever replaced by yet far greater things, even a family who is chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to inherit the heavenly places with every blessing that is spiritual, none withheld;
At times I think that this old world is all we know, and we easily desire to be with Christ, somehow misplacing those ideas whereby we do already know that God is simply beyond us, and we cannot contain Him, for He is not bound by time, or space, or place. Christ can be with His earthly people Israel, and also with His heavenly people, the church which is His body. There will be none of His left wanting, for He is able to satisfy to the uttermost, and will do it.
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WhiteEagle
Advanced Member
Member # 3728
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posted
If we really followed the New Testament Church in Acts, we'd be doing more that giving a tenth.
The people in the first churches sold all their belongings and had a general fund for all the members to live off and shared all things and had all things in common.
Can we do that?
Tithing is the minimum we can give to the Lord. It's all His anyway.
Posts: 1392 | From: Maine | Registered: Aug 2004
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epouraniois
unregistered
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posted
as far as tithing is concerned, it was given as a type, symbol, and figure of the true, and that truth came as God giving His best, His first, His Son.
that is what the tithing was supposed to place into the mind of the Hebrews.
that is what is meant when the Hebrew nations are accused of robbing God of their best, thier firstfruits in tithes and offerings. it was simply a figure of the true, but when it came time to put those picture words away, those coloring books of childhood away, and enter into the real, the adulthood of all that they had been taught for hundreds of years, they were unwilling, wherefore, in the book written to them and titled Hebrews, they are told there is much to say to them but they are hard to be uttered, seeing they are dull of hearing, and the subject moved right into ch6, telling them to put away the the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
in what sense were they to put away the first things, or principles of the doctrine of Christ?
well, who of you expect that the builder only be building the foundation continually and never get around to that which is to be built on top of it?
we see this constant building of the foundation in the churches today too, never getting to the meatier matters which the foundation is laid unto.
the church which is His body, the church of today, is not measured by the things of this world, by prosperity as it was of the Jews then.
if giving money to joe do good at the podium brings prosperity, then why do they need your money? why don't they give and receive without your money?
great post helpforhomeschoolers
Psa 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
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moltenflower
New Member
Member # 4869
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posted
I agree that we need the O.T. just as much as the N.T. for it's one Book.
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The eyes are the windows to the soul but out of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
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posted
Wow Linda that is a wonderful post, I am saving that to my files. Thank you!
I have never heard that song, but would love it I know. ![[youpi]](graemlins/youpi.gif)
I pray the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace." ![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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helpforhomeschoolers
Advanced Member
Member # 15
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posted
There is a picture of Christ and HIS salvation in every book of the Bible, and all the books together are interwoven to bring together one story and that story is the story of God and HIS love for HIS people... Jesus said to the Pharisee you search the scriptures for in them you think that you find eternal life... the scriptures testify of me!
The OT was the only scripture they had.
Paul said the Jews had advantage for they had the oracles of God. The oracles of God were the OT scriptures. Even the things that seem to be the most archaic to us speak to the nature of God and the precepts of God. Every OT feast/fast for example is an appointed time of God and has a prophetic meaning (testifid of Christ) and will be fullfilled by Christ. Infact all but three have now been fulfilled by Christ.
There is a song that illustrates what I am speaking of:
CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK
Christ is the theme of the entire revelation of God. He is promised in Genesis, revealed in the law, prefigured in its history, praised in its poetry, proclaimed in its prophecy provided in its Gospels, proved in its Acts, preeminient in its Epistles and prevailing in Revelation.
He is seen in every book of the Bible. Take a journey through the halls of the Bible and in every one of them you will see Christ.
IN Genesis He is the Seed of the woman
IN Exodus the Lamb for sinners slain
IN Leviticus our High Priest
IN Numbers The Star of Jacob
IN Deuteronomy The Prophet like unto Moses and the Great Rock
IN Joshua the Captain of the Lord of Hosts
IN Judges the Messenger of Jehovah
IN Ruth our Kinsman Redeemer and Faithful Bridegroom
IN 1 Samuel He is seen as the Great Judge
IN 2 Samuel He is the Princely King
IN 1 Kings as David's choice
IN 2 Kings as the Holiest of all
IN 1 Chronicles as the King by birth
IN 2 Chronicles as King by judgement
IN Ezra He is seen as Lord of Heaven and Earth
IN Nehemiah as the Builder
IN Esther our Mordecai
IN Job our Daysman and our Risen Returning Redeemer
IN Psalms the Son of God and the Good Shepherd
IN Proverbs our Wisdom
IN Ecclesiastes as the One Above the Sun
IN Song of Solomon the Great Church Lover, the One Altogether
Lovely and the Chiefest among Ten Thousand
IN Isaiah He is the Suffering and Glorified Servant
IN Jeremiah the Lord Our Righteousness
IN Lamentations the Man of Sorrows
IN Ezekiel the Glorious God
IN Daniel the Smithing Stone and the Messiah
IN Hosea He is the Risen Son of God
IN Joel the Out Pourer of the Spirit
IN Amos the Eternal Christ
IN Obadiah the Forgiving Christ
IN Jonah the Risen Prophet
IN Micah the Bethlehemite
IN Nahum He is the Bringer of Good Tidings
IN Habakkuk the Lord in His Holy Temple
IN Zephaniah the Merciful Christ
IN Haggai the Desire of All Nations
IN Zechariah the Branch
IN Malachi the Son of Righteousness with Healing in His Wings
IN Matthew He is the King of the Jews
IN Mark the Servant
IN Luke the Perfect Son of Man
IN John the Son of God
IN Acts He is the Ascended Lord
IN Romans the Lord Our Righteousness
IN 1 Corinthians Our Resurrection
IN 2 Corinthians Our Comforter
IN Galatians the End of the Law
IN Ephesians the Head of the Church
IN Philippians the Supplier of Every Need
IN Colossians the Fullness of the Godhead
IN 1 Thessalonians He comes for His Church
IN 2 Thessalonians He comes with His Church
IN 1 Timothy He is the Mediator
IN 2 Timothy the Bestower of Crowns
IN Titus our Great God and Saviour
IN Philemon the Prayer of Crowns
IN Hebrews the Rest of the Faith and Fulfiller of Types
IN James the Lord Drawing Nigh
IN 1 Peter the Vicarious Sufferer
IN 2 Peter the Lord of Glory
IN 1 John the Way
IN 2 John the Truth
IN 3 John the Life
IN Jude He is Our Security
IN Revelation the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lamb of God,
the Bright and Morning Star, the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords.
Posts: 4684 | From: Southern Black Hills of South Dakota | Registered: Jun 2002
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KnowHim
Admin
Member # 1
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posted
First of all the Old Testament lays the foundation for the teachings and events found in the New Testament. The Bible is a progressive revelation. If you skip the first half of any good book and try to finish it; you will have a hard time understanding the characters, the plot, and the ending. Even so, the New Testament is only completely understood when it is seen as being built upon the foundation of the events, characters, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises of the Old Testament.
If we only had the New Testament, we would come to the gospels and not know why the Jews were looking for a Messiah (a Savior King). Without the Old Testament, we would not understand why this Messiah was coming (see Isaiah 53); we would not have been able to identify Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah through the many detailed prophecies that were given concerning Him (e.g.., His birth place (Micah 5:2); His manner of death (Psalm 22, especially vv. 1,7-8, 14-18; Psalm 69:21, etc.), His resurrection (Psalm 16:10), and many more details of His ministry (Isaiah 52:19f.; 9:2, etc.)).
Without the Old Testament, we would not understand the Jewish customs that are mentioned in passing in the New Testament. We would not understand the perversions that the Pharisees had made to God's law as they added their tradition to it. We would not understand why He was so upset as He cleansed the temple courtyard. We would not understand that we can make use of the same wisdom that Christ used in His many replies to His adversaries (both human and demonic); (when I first read through the Old Testament, having already read the gospels a couple of times, I was repeatedly surprised that saying that I thought were new with Jesus, were actually Him quoting God's previous revelation in Old Testament verses).
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Posts: 3276 | From: Charlestown, IN | Registered: Jun 2002
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moltenflower
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Member # 4869
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posted
Great point!
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The eyes are the windows to the soul but out of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Kindgo
Advanced Member
Member # 2
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posted
It's true that some of the Old Testament contains, for example, directives and relationships between God and ancient Israel which don't apply directly to us today. But the Old Testament provides the foundation and context for the New Testament. I'm not sure how you'd be able to understand the New without the Old, especially since both the gospels and Paul's letters liberally quote from the Old Testament on many occasions.
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God bless,
Kindgo
Inside the will of God there is no failure. Outside the will of God there is no success.
Posts: 4320 | From: Sunny Florida | Registered: Jun 2002
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moltenflower
New Member
Member # 4869
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posted
I'm curious about something...
I've been studying on the topic of "Prosperity" and "Tithing" for quite some time now. What I find interesting is that certain preachers use the Old Testament as rules for today's living in reference to the above topical studies, and others don't use the Old Testament views on such because they say that we no longer live under the Mosaic Law (speaking of tithing here particularly).
Question: How does the Old Testament apply to Christians today? Is it just a family tree for Jesus? Is it just a teaching on History since we live under grace and not law (as the Israelites did)?
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The eyes are the windows to the soul but out of the heart, the mouth speaks.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Jul 2005
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