Bible Discussion Thread

From what I understand, believers in Christ are no longer under the Old Testament law. But isn't the fruit of the indwelling spirit to be the NT teachings, not to do an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth? That the law is fulfilled in one word: to love thy neighbor as thyself ( Galatians 5:14).

So it's not that we have to worry about turning from sin (the law is covered), but the NT teachings must dwell within a Christian or else the truth is not in him ( 1 John 2:3).

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

And in 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

I'm positive all has not been fulfilled

Oh how well you put that ! That was excellently explained thankyou . I do still believe that the lessons from the O.T. and of course , all the prophecies ( fulfilled and unfulfilled ) are there for our help and guidance in bringing us closer to our God . For me , as a Christian , it is the mind / heart of Christ , that we should be cultivating in ourselves that is key . He came to be our example , and it is him that we need to be following in our words and deeds and thoughts and feelings .

The law is for unbelievers as is established by those ruling in authority. So if we are truly in Christ; we have a new nature and hence Christ is our Lord; Savior and Master. Thence the use of the law as our tutor or schoolmaster; as it were has driven us to the King of Glory; and hence caused the old man to have it's death sentence; although not completed until our physical body is destroyed; or transformed into an immortal one at the Rapture/Resurrection. The essense of the law is Christ; hence so that even if we were to externally fulfill it perfectly; our inner motives; as well as those things we neglect to do are still held against us if we don't have the Holy Spirit and a new heart within. We cannot therefore love the law if the giver of the law is not the source of our life.

We need also to remember that the "lawless one" is coming in the form of Antichrist for all those who didn't LOVE the truth (see Thessalonians). It is God's holiness and rightousness which established the law in the first place. We need to be cautious to differentiate between those who would attempt to add law onto grace and those who would try to eliminate those commandments that were established to everyone in the world (not murdering; not commmitting adultery) and those things peculiar to the nation of Israel at the time (such as ceremonial laws and the Sabbath Day.) Only those things such as mentioned with foods in Acts; and not having one day over another; and the fact that the Jesus is Lord over the Sabbath can be totally removed. We surely must love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourself. Again; we are told that we must exceed the rightousness of the Pharisees and that is only through Christ within. Not one "jot nor tittle" shall fail as to the Word of God. We all still reap what we sow; to the flesh or the Spirit. So we must live in the Spirit we cannot live in anarchy; and are told to obey the rules whenever possible in society at peace with men.