The Bible, the justice system and common sense dictates a person cannot testify on their own behalf. Therefore the Bible cannot testify on its own behalf.------------------------------ Since the New Testament did not exist at the time of its own writing, it is impossible for anything in the New Testament to testify about the New Testament. ----------------------------------- The Bible isn't a Book, but a collection of books by different authors. Therefore authors may testify for another book as long as they weren't the author of that book------------------- Where legitimate testimony exists, what is being testified to? For example Psalm 119 may testify about Torah; "the word is perfect" but that does not equate to inerrant, but rather, perfect for the job it is intended for.----------------------------
The bottom line is the Bible is a extremely valuable written record by and about the relationship with God.our physical and spiritual ancestors had. The Bible is a God inspired tool designed to bring us into relationship with the "Living Word" rather than bring us into relationship with a Paper Pope.
I don't disagree with you here. Actually you are spot on.
Satan does know what scripture says, but he distorts the context. When the confrontation with Jesus took place, he actually quoted scripture, but did so ineffectively and with deceit in mind.
Matt 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Psa 91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Of course Jesus respond in context with scripture.
Matt 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
(Btw David, If Paul is simply read literally, he does contradict Moses and Jesus and you must do exegetical acrobatics to harmonize Paul with Moses and Jesus.
End quote
I did post scripture that shows harmony between Y'shua and Paul and their approach in the context of the 1st century to jew and gentile respectively...
PLEASE post what you feel is a complete contradiction so we can clear this up !!
Hebrews 3:1: Therefore, holy brothers who share in the heavenly calling, **FIX YOUR THOUGHTS ON JESUS**!!
Hebrews 4:12,13: The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double edged sword... It judges the **THOUGHTS** and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. **EVERYTHING** is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account!
2 Corinthians 5:9,10: We make it our goal to please Him... For we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or **BAD**!
2 Corinthians 10:5: We take captive **EVERY THOUGHT** and make it obedient to Christ!!
Romans 13:14: Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and **DO NOT THINK** about how to satisfy the desires of the sinful nature!
Matthew 22:37,38: Jesus says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with **ALL YOUR MIND**!! This is the first and **GREATEST** commandment!!"
Colossians 3:2: Set your **MINDS ON THINGS ABOVE**, not on earthly things!
Romans 12:2: Be transformed by the **RENEWING OF YOUR MIND**. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will!!
Romans 8:5,6: Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their **MINDS** set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the **MIND** controlled by the Spirit is life and peace!
Philippians 4:8,9: Finally, brothers, whatever is **TRUE**, whatever is **NOBLE**, whatever is **RIGHT**, whatever is **PURE**, whatever is **LOVELY**, whatever is **ADMIRABLE**,**THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS**... And the God of peace will be with you!!
Matthew 16:27: Jesus says, "For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with His angels and **THEN** He will **REWARD** each person according to what they have done!"
I Corinthians 9:24-27: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes in to strict training. They do it to get a **CROWN** that will not last; but we do it to get a **CROWN THAT WILL LAST FOREVER**! Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize!
Prophecy is different than Authority. A prophet may have the authority to speak for God. But a prophet does not have the authority to write new precedents (Case Law).
End quote
Was Paul a prophet? He owed much of his training to the law and prophets.
Yet, Paul called himself an Apostle.
Apostle" means messenger, he who is sent. An apostle is sent to deliver or spread those teachings to others.
There was a passing away of the ceremonial laws...maybe that is where your confusion originates???
The ceremonial law existed because of sin as sin is breaking the Ten Commandments (1 John 3:4). It is part of what is called the “Book of the Law,” “Law of Moses,” “Mosaic Law” and the “Ordinances.” The “Book of the law” was a temporary law and was for the Israel of the flesh only and ended at the cross. It contained seven temporary sabbaths such as Passover, which was a sabbath that ended at the cross when Y'shua became our Passover Lamb. If the Sabbath of the Lord (fourth Commandment) was for the Jews only, HaShem would have placed it in the “Book of the law” along with the other temporary laws that ended at the cross but He did not because it belongs with the other nine Commandments and is a law of love as they all are which bears record that the sabbath day observance still stands. Another topic for sure concerning the sabbath but I think it should be addressed as to what was nailed to the cross and what effect if any that had on the way Paul taught which you say was contradictory to the teaching of Y'shua.
***WE ARE NO LONGER UDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE OT LAW** Galatians 3:25
Galatians 4:9,10: How is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you want to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing **SPECIAL DAYS** and months and seasons and years. I fear for you. that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you!!
Colossians 2:16,17: Do dot let anyone judge you by what you **EAT** or drink, or with regard a special festival, a New Moon celebration or a **SABBATH DAY**! These are a **SHADOW** of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found **IN CHRIST**!!
In the New Testament **EVERY DAY** is the **LORD'S DAY** especially **TODAY**!!
Acts 2:44-46: All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to everyone who had need. **EVERY DAY** they continued to meet together!!
Hebrews 3:12,13: See to it brothers and sisters that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But **ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER **DAILY**, as long as it is called **TODAY** so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness!
Exodus 31:14-16: Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do **ANY WORK** on that day must be **CUT OFF** from their people... Whoever does **ANY WORK** on the Sabbath day is to be**PUT TO DEATH!
Exodus 35:2,3; Whoever does **ANY WORK** on the Sabbath must be **PUT TO DEATH**. Do not **LIGHT A FIRE** in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day.
This was possible in Israel since it is about the same latitude of warm South Carolina. But anyone in the frigid parts of the earth must freeze to death in the winter since electricity would not be invented until over 2,000 years after this commandment was given!!
Matthew 12:1-12: Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, the said to Him, "Look your disciples are doing what is **UNLAWFUL ON THE SABBATH**. Jesus answered, "Haven't you heard of what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread--which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests... If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is **LORD OF THE SABBATH**!" Going from that place, Jesus went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to being charges against Jesus, they asked Him, "IS IT LAWFUL TO HEAL ON THE SABBATH?" Jesus said to the, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath?" Jesus said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? Therefore it is lawful to do good {*WORK*} on the Sabbath!"
John 5:16-18: So because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute Him. In his defense Jesus said to them. "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and **I TOO AM **WORKING**!" For this reason they tried all the more to kill Him; not only was **HE BREAKING THE SABBATH**, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
John 9:16: The Pharisees said of Jesus, "This man is not from God , for He does **NOT KEEP THE SABBATH**!"
Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus says, "**ALL AUTHORITY** in heaven and on earth has been given to **ME**. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...Teaching them to **OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU**. And surely I am with you always!!"
I Corinthians 9:21: I am under **CHRIST'S LAW**!!
Galatians 6:2: Fulfill the **LAW OF CHRIST**!!
Galatians 3:23-25: "Before faith came, we were held prisoners by the {**OT**} law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, *WE* ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE {**OT**} LAW!!"
*WE* ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LAW!!
Galatians 2:14-16,20,21; Paul said, When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is NOT justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.!"
Galatians 2:20,21: The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Galatians 3:10-13: "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us!
Galatians 3:23-25: "Before faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, *WE* ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LAW!!"
Hebrews 7:18,19: The former regulation is SET ASIDE because it was weak and useless; for the law made nothing perfect, and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.!
Hebrews 8:8,9,13: "The time is coming." says the Lord, "when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah".... By calling this Covenant "NEW", He has made the first one OBSOLETE; and what is OBSOLETE and aging will soon disappear."
Hebrews 8:6: But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which He is Mediator is SUPERIOR TO THE OLD ONE, and it is founded on better promises.
Colossians 2:16,17: Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you **EAT** or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a *SHADOW* of the things that were to come, the reality, however, is found in Christ!!!
"PLEASE post what you feel is a complete contradiction so we can clear this up !!"
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You mean you can engage in exegetical acrobatics to reconcile it.
I really don't want to get into this. People here are draining. But I'll give you this and you can research it: I'll make it easy as 1,2,3,
1) The Council of Jerusalem meet, telling Paul and writing a letter to the Gentiles to support the Old Testament command of not eating meat offered to idols. Recorded Three times in Acts 15 and 21.
2) The risen Jesus admonishes Two Churches for eating meat sacrificed to idols and condemns the practice Revelation 2
(Where ever did they get the idea they could eat meat sacrificed to idols?)
Maybe here? vvv
3) Paul declares eating meat to idols of no consequence if a weaker brother isn't watching. 1Corinthians 8
Let the exegetical acrobatics begin!
(To some; even the Truth is not as important if protecting their Doctrine)
2 Peter 3:15,16: Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our **DEAR BROTHER PAUL ALSO WROTE WITH THE WISDOM THAT GOD GAVE HIM**! He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand {For the Lost}. which IGNORANT AND UNSTABLE PEOPLE DISTORT, {Like chuckles and Satan} as they do other Scriptures to **THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION**!
chuckles is one of Satan's best disciples!!
John 14:23,24: Jesus says, Anyone who loves Me **WILL OBEY MY TEACHING**. My Father will love them, and We will come to them and make Our home with them. Anyone who does not love Me will not obey My teaching!"
Matthew 28:18-20: Jesus says, "**ALL AUTHORITY** in heaven and on earth has been given to **ME**. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations... Teaching them to **OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU**. And surely I am with you always!!"
I Corinthians 9:21: I am under **CHRIST'S LAW**!!
Galatians 6:2: Fulfill the **LAW OF CHRIST**!!
Galatians 3:23-25: "Before faith came, we were held prisoners by the {**OT**} law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, *WE* ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE {**OT**} LAW!!"
*WE* ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LAW!!
Galatians 2:14-16,20,21: Paul said, When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is NOT justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.!"
Galatians 2:20,21: The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
Galatians 3:10-13: "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us!
Galatians 3:23-25: "Before faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, *WE* ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE LAW!!"
Hebrews 7:18,19: The former regulation is SET ASIDE because it was weak and useless; for the law made nothing perfect, and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.!
Hebrews 8:8,9,13: "The time is coming." says the Lord, "when I will make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah".... By calling this Covenant "NEW", He has made the first one OBSOLETE; and what is OBSOLETE and aging will soon disappear."
Hebrews 8:6: But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which He is Mediator is SUPERIOR TO THE OLD ONE, and it is founded on better promises.
Colossians 2:16,17: Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you **EAT** or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a *SHADOW* of the things that were to come, the reality, however, is found in Christ!!!
1) The Council of Jerusalem meet, telling Paul and writing a letter to the Gentiles to support the Old Testament command of not eating meat offered to idols. Recorded Three times in Acts 15 and 21.
2) The risen Jesus admonishes Two Churches for eating meat sacrificed to idols and condemns the practice Revelation 2
End quote
Let's first look at the food and practices :
How does this relate to the Nicolaitans in the church at Pergamum? The books of Numbers and the Psalms give us the answer. In Numbers 25:2, the Moabites invited the people of Israel to 'the sacrifice of their gods'. The psalmist reflects on the incident in Numbers 25 by saying. 'They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices made to the dead. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, and the plague broke out among them' (Ps 106:28, 29). Numbers 25:2 is
the idolatrous meals introduced to the Israelites by the Moabite women. These meals were apparently funeral banquets in honor of their ancestors. The dead are described as gods in 1 Sm 28:13 and Is 8:19, two situations where men wish to know about the future and seek out the dead for answers. In a text from Ugarit, Anat addresses her deceased brother Baal with these words: 'Your comrades are the gods, the dead your comrades.' Since Baal was already a god in life, the change of status brought about by his death put him in a new company of gods, the dead.
The message to the church at Pergamum was clear, if you do not take care of the sins caused by those that followed the 'doctrine of Balaam' and the Nicolaitans, the Lord would judge the church very severely, even to the point of death.
The Apostle Paul wrote that many believers 'sleep' in Corinth because they abused the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:30). Earlier in the same context concerning 'meat offered to idols.' Paul uses the event at Baal Peor as an example of God's chastening and an admonition to the Church (1 Cor 10:8-11). Paul goes on to admonish the individual believer concerning temptation (1 Cor 10:12. 13).
Those in the church who were not walking according to the Word of God were eating at the banquets for the dead and enjoying the 'pleasures of sin for a season' (Heb 11:25). The Overcomers 'disciplined' their bodies and 'brought it into subjection' so that they could 'win the prize' (1 Cor 9:24-27). In the context of the letter, the prize would be the 'manna' and the 'white stone' on which would be written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it (Rv 2:17). Those who followed the 'doctrine of Balaam' and the Nicolaitans would be 'disqualified' from the race (1 Cor 9:27).
The phrase "meat offered to idols" should be understood as a memorial meal for the dead that sometimes degenerates into an immoral affair.
New International Version
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience.
>>>>>SOLD IN THE MEAT MARKET<<<
1 Corinthians 8:7
But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
The Christian with a weak conscience does not have the knowledge to make correct moral judgments. Paul worries that this person might follow the example of those presumed to have knowledge but eat idol food as truly offered to an idol, that is, as a sacrificial act. ... He would abstain from eating meat altogether (8:13)
Since Paul believed that whatever does not proceed from trust is sin (Rom 14:14), when the weak do not eat idol food out of knowledge or a sense of freedom but out of a fear of being ridiculed, they are guilty of sin.
King James Bible
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
