That is not say the Old Testament is Irrelevant, it is saying we should follow the examples left of the first century church and the teaching of the Apostles on how to apply the Old Testament to the lives of the follows of Christ. Today I want to explore the book of Acts and how the Old Covenant is applied.
The First observation, is the Apostles were faithful Jews and on the day of Pentecost, the church was birthed with other faithful Jews. These faithful, orthodox Jews within a generation moved from a law centered people to a grace centered people. From legalistic observance of Jewish feasts to a weekly observance of the Lord's Supper out of love for Jesus. From a mindset God's Mercy was only for Israel and by Acts 11 a mindset that God's forgiveness is for all mankind. Peter may have gone through the greatest transformation in the shortest period of time. I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ Acts 11:6-8 NIV. In this one chapter he went from kosher food only, to ham. The next verse Says; The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ Acts 11:9. From a couple of events we know he struggle with the concept that all made by God were clean, but we know he believed because after these verses he went to a gentile home and led them to Christ.
All of this is to say it is evident that God was doing something new in the church of Acts. The most Jewish of them all said it best when he said in Chapter 28:20; "It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” Then Paul goes on to explain the Hope of Israel was not the restoration of Israel but a relationship with the God man; Jesus! From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. Verse 23 Notice, that Jesus and his Kingdom is the center of Paul's teaching not a theocracy, Not the Old Covenant, or a combo of old and new. The only hope any man whether Jew or Gentile his is Jesus!
Paul says something startling a few verses later, that to me states clearly that the Old Covenant promises to the Jews is dead and it is by faith now that all men enter ino the presence of God. Listen to verses 27, 28 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]
“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!”
The remainder of our time I wish to spend in Acts 15 and the council in Jerusalem. Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. Acts 15:1,4 NIV
It is virtually impossible for modern Christians to understand of what the Law of Moses meant to the ancient Jew. The law afected every area of their life in a very ritualistic and religious way. Down to the most private parts, a mark on the most intimate part of a man's body. From these first verses it is clear; some in the Jerualem church were convinced the gentile could only be saved if they kept the law of Moses. Paul and Barnabas sharpley disagreed, showing they did not teach adherence to the old Covenant and faith in Jesus alone. To Paul and Barnabas credit they included the whole church in the discussion so there may be unity on the question is there one or two active covenant for the believer.
Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15:7-11
J.W. McGarvey in his commentary says; "The essential issue between Paul and the Pharisees had to the perpetuation of the Law of Moses in the church of God: And the Same issue has been in debate under different phases from that day to this.
Paul defeated the attempt to fasten circumcision on the church, but later Judaizers succeeded in perpetuating it under the form of infant sprinkling, that which the Pharisees failed to accomplish openly was thus accomplished under a thin disguise.
The Pharisees failed to consolidate the law and the Gospel, but their imitators have largely succeded in teaching men that the church of Christ originated in the family of Abraham, and that Jewish tribes and the Christians congregation constitutes one identical church.
The Roman Apostasy perpetuates the daily sacrifice and pompous ritual of the temple; religious zealots have slaughtered Canaanites in the persons of modern heretics; professed Christians go to war under the old battle cry of the "Sword of the Lord and Gideon" " The "Latter-day saints emulate Solomon in the multiplication of wives; and for all these corruptions authority is found in the laws and customs of ancient Israel.
The intelligent reader of the New Testament knows Scarcely which of these errors is furthest from the truth; and he feels bound to struggle with untiring energy and ceaseless vigilance to uproot them from the minds of men."
Verse 10 makes clear where all followers of Christ begin and end in our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. There is only one gate for all men to come in and find Salvation: Jesus!
The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simon[a] has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15 The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16 “‘After this I will return
and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’[b]
18 that have been known for ages. Acts 15:12-18
James offers us insight in how we should use the New Testament portion of the Bible to understand the Old Covenant. James helps us understand Amos 9:11,12 but uses the word prophets because numerous prophets predicted the inclusion of Gentile. What is James saying? That the house of David was literally going to be restored, by lineage of David, a nation, a temple, a return to sacrifices? He makes it clear it is fulfilled this day at the inclusion of the Gentiles. Meaning the house of David was to be a Spiritual house where both Jews and Gentile all were children of God united by the New agreement between God and Man Jesus for Man's remission of Sins! Not two Covenants one!
“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 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. 21 For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath." Acts 15:19-21
James’s judgment was that Gentile believers did not have to be circumcised, but they should stay away from food sacrificed to idols, from sexual immorality and from consuming blood. This does reflect the Mosaic laws teaching that the life is in the blood—Leviticus 17:14. But it goes all the way back to the promises God made with Noah. But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it. Genesis 9:4. Sexual Immorality and the drinking of blood have been grievous to God under all covenants. So these were not concession for a portion of the law. This was instructions to Gentile Christians should abstain from these practices, by doing this they would please God and love their Jewish brothers. Once again the only acceptable blood sacrifice had already been given in Jesus Christ. This is one more reason I am adamant there is only one covenant man is currently under, the New Covenant; We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Be God's
Roger
