Good Morning Bob,
When I said “All I need is the Epistles” I didn’t of course mean to suggest that the Epistles were all I or anyone needs for being equipt to live our lives before God. I beleive The Gospels are essential for our understanding.
When I said “All I need is the Epistles” I meant in context, that I don’t need to go back to the OT or the Gospels to show that the 10 commandments are re-commanded so to speak for the Gentile Believers under the new covenant. It was in response to your statement…
It appears to me that Jesus on the Sermon of the Mount reaffirmes the 10 commandments, and also expands on them showing they must be followed at the heart level not just externally.
The exception of the breaking of the Sabbath/washing of hands/unclean foods to me were clear declarations by Jesus of the new age dawning. The time of the Gentiles and the Fading away of the types/symbols. These lessons were speaking of what Jesus had come to accomplish as later confirmed by Paul the apostle in whom the meaning had been revealed (Romans 14, Collosians 2:16)
It seems to me the main arguments that those who want to support homosexuality are making are along these lines:
- The OT does not apply to Gentiles under the new covenant.
- Jesus abolished the law and even purposely broke the law to show his disdain for it, or his opposition to it.
- Jesus idea of Love is something different then how Paul by the filling of the Holy Spirit Defines Love.
- Paul says alot of strange things that we should question and we need to go back to Jesus for direction .
I think there is Huge Error and subtle distortions in the above arguements. This new covenant/Time of the Gentiles and Life in the Spirit that Jesus told us was coming, did indeed come and we read scripture tell us that this same Jesus came to Paul the Apostle to give him the revelation to the Gentiles. The Apostles authenticate Paul as having received Apostleship From God to the Gentiles. In 2 Peter, Peter himself confirms this. In the book of Acts God confirms it through the Miracles Paul is able to perform through the Spirit of God witnessed by others. Paul Makes it clear in his Epistles that this Revelation he is given was not taught by men but by God himself. Even Peter had to be corrected in a vision, that this message regarding the Gentiles given to Paul was from God, not man.
Paul constantly reminds that his message is not of man but from God. Here are some samples:
Galatians 1:1
Paul, an apostle – not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father.
Galatians1:12-13
And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that were proclaimed by me, that it is not according to man, for neither did I from man receive it, nor was I taught [it], but through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
When we read Pauls writings He is pretty clear, even redundant… that the 10 commandments are to be upheld (Ephesians, Romans, Galatians etc). Not for Salvation, which is by Grace through Faith, but for Spirit Living. Paul addresses the issue of casting aside the law and living for the Flesh with an unmistakable “Absolutely Not” followed by warnings that those that want to live like that will not inherit the reign of God (which I believe can be shown to refer to the reign of God here and now in our lives vs referring to salvation).
I don’t in any way see Jesus teachings as “inferior” to the apostles. Jesus very words predicted this age of the Gentiles and time of the filling of the Spirit under the New Covenant. But the Fact is Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel…and even commisioned his Disciples to the lost sheep of Israel…because salvation is first to the Jew and then the Gentile. We see one account of Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman (gentile) and mentioning the time coming where the true Worshippers will worship in spirit and truth. We then see Jesus Promising his disciples the Holy Spirit who will guide them into truth. Followed by Pentecost and the Spirit Filling the Gentiles. This whole age of the Gentiles was planned from eternity, spoken of in the Prophets and OT, and predicted by Jesus. Paul then was Chosen by God and taught by Jesus himself. Paul was then commisioned to reveal this plan. So when we read his writings we can be sure he is not defining Love and living for God of his own, but how he was taught it by Jesus himself, under the filling of the Spirit. So it seems to me that those who have a problem with Pauls words, really have a Problem with God’s words.
There is no question that views may differ on how to interpret and apply the bible even Peter mentions that Pauls words contain some things that are hard to understand which ignorant and unstable people distort as they do the other scriptures, to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16). I think we all need to pray for wisdom and carefully see if our statements and lives match up with scripture. We need to strive to Love as Jesus Loved, that pure love that he displayed in the Gospels(which forgave the greatest of sins with ease and then said to go and sin no more, that threw over tables in the place of worship and also spoke harsh words to the pharisees), the kind of love that is outlined in the 10 commandments and defined by the Holy Spirit in the writings of Paul. The kind of lives that are in humility before God loving and living by the Spirit and giving no provision for the Flesh.
I agree we must wrestle with hermeneutical questions or we can find ourselves doing or believing things that God did not say or intend for us. If we want to understand what Love is we need to ask God to help us understand what true Love is as he has revealed and defined in “ton logon tou theou”. We not only read that Jesus is God’s Spoken Word (John1:1) but Jesus himself calls the commands of God spoken of by Moses “ton logon tou theou” (The word of God). In the Book of Acts we see that the Apostles ministry was moved away from serving tables to the explicit purpose of delivering this same “Word of God”.
The way I see it, God’s revelation of how Jesus loved and lived right before God is 100 percent harmonious with what he commanded in the 10 Commandments and what Paul Describes Spirit filled living and Loving to be in the Epistles. It is the same God speaking the Word of God everywhere.
I pray we all have open minds to challenge our traditions and errors and bring everything back to the Revealed Truth, me included. I also Pray we are filled with the knowledge of God’s Love and seek him out with humble hearts.