Whom do you believe?

Question

Jesus says that the Law which God gave Moses on the Mount at Sainai is still in effect until heaven and earth pass. He also says that unless our riteousness excedes that of the scribes and pharisees (lawmakers and priests), we shall in no case enter into the kindom of heaven.

Paul says that the Law is null and void, and that there is no more Law, and that all we need do is believe in Jesus' name and we will go to heaven.

In whom would you place the fate of your soul?

Answer 1

Jesus said he completed the law, he made it what God desired it to be in the first place. Read Mat. chapters 5 and 6 to understand what I mean. He also said "till all things are done" or fulfilled in other translations. When he died he said "it is finished" and at that time the old law requiring the sacrifices was no longer valid as he had become the perfect sacrifice.

"Let there be no thought that I have come to put an end to the law or the prophets. I have not come for destruction, but to make complete. Truly I say to you, Till heaven and earth come to an end, not the smallest letter or part of a letter will in any way be taken from the law, till all things are done."

Paul explains how we Christians have died to the old law and are joined to the spiritual law. The old law is still in effect for nonchristians and will be used to judge them.

Ro 7:2 For example, a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he is alive. But if her husband dies, that marriage law is no longer in effect for her.... In the same way, brothers and sisters, you have died to the laws in Moses’ Teachings through Christ’s body. You belong to someone else, the one who was brought back to life. As a result, we can do what God wants.... But now we have died to those laws that bound us. God has broken their effect on us so that we are serving in a new spiritual way, not in an old way dictated by written words.

Jesus and Paul both say a lot of things that are hard to understand. You should prayerfully study before you assume they are contradictory.

Answer 2

I wouldn't put my faith in Paul. It's something I never understood. Most Christians I met quote Paul more then they quote their own Savior!

I don't buy the claims of Paul, and the more I learn about him the more I distrust him. He used the Greek version of the Hebrew writings - the Septuagint. No Pharisee worth his salt would do this, favor a foriegn language over the Hebrew. This is where several mis-ideas come in. Such as a person is cursed by hanging on a cross, or that blood sacrifice covers all sins, not just unintentional ones. It says in Leviticus that the blood of an innocent lamb (or other animal if the family could not afford lamb) was only to wash away sins not done with the intention of the spirit. The only way to get rid of the taint of sin was to ask forgiveness. A sacrifice could be made after - to honor God, but that alone did not forgive sin. Look at David. He cried out to God for help and forgivness.

There are other claims of Paul's that don't jive with history (such as his job under the high priest - along with being a Pharisee at the same time, among other things). Some of his claims contridict what Jesus said.

Honestly - I would think that Paul would be secondary to what Jesus said. And Christians should spend their time studying Jesus' words, instead of devoting so much time to Paul.

Answer 3

If you will read the NT you will find that Jesus said, "I have come to fulfill the Law not replace it. The Law did not work. They then were exhorted to believe on his name and they would be saved. Some of the Jews turned and followed him no more. Paul only repeated what Jesus said.
That is what you asked about the christian belief. Theists believe in a God who created the universe. Some accept Jesus and Religion some don't

Answer 4

In order to understand this, we must realize that the Law is made up of three parts: ceremonial, civil, and moral.

The ceremonial law related specifically to Israel's worship. Since its primary purpose was to point to the coming Savior, Jesus made it unnecessary. He did not abolish it, in the sense of destroying it; He fulfilled it. Nowhere do we read that Jesus thought that the ceremonial law was wrong. The principles behind the ceremonial law are still applicable to us today, that is, the principles of worshipping and serving a holy God.

The civil law prescribed rules for the Israelites' daily living. These laws separated the Jews from the Gentiles, and gave the Gentiles the example of how a holy people should live. Since much was given to the Jews, much was expected. But God gave a new covenant in Christ, and there is now no distinction to be made between Jew and Gentile. We are still to follow the requirements of this law as God's people, but the punishments are not for any nation to impose on its people, because we are no longer separated by nations but by God's grace (Christians and non-Christians).

The moral law is basically the Ten Commandments. We are still bound by these laws, not for salvation, but to live a holy life. Jesus not only desired that His followers adhere to these commandments, He wished that they would go above and beyond them. He said, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment..." He desired not only an outward observance of these laws, but an inward observance as well.

The parts of the Law that have been rendered obsolete are those that contain ordinances. An ordinance is either a memorial of something that has already passed or a type of something in the future. The Old Testament laws containing ordinances were not meant to be permanent. There are no ordinances in the Ten Commandment Law.

Now, we must remember that following rules and regulations will not get us into heaven. It is only through the blood of Jesus that we can see heaven. But if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15).

Answer 5

That's not what Jesus said.

He said "not one dot shall pass until all is fulfilled". That's a little different.

The laws themselves are simple rules for us to follow, but they have a prophetic quality of explaining both creation and God's plans, and that's the part that will be "fulfilled".

It would be like you building a commercial building, and when nothing but the metal frames have been done someone comes around and says, "the old way of building is over, now it's time for the new way", meaning they're going to set up tents in the parking lot and forget about the building.

If you were in charge, you'd fire all of them and hire someone else willing to keep the building specs until "all was built".

Answer 6

Both are correct.

Paul is correct because we are not bound by the Mosaic covenant because the Messianic covenant through Jesus Christ replaced that. However it also says, "Work out your faith." and that "Faith without works is dead."

Regarding what Jesus said, Jesus often criticized the actions of the Scribes and Pharasees because although they knew the Word and taught the Word, they were very hypocritical in their deeds. In fact, they were worse than the common people, who had no knowledge of Mosaic law at all.

Basically, if you PRACTICE what you preach - even if you just TRY and are not as successful as you wish you could be, you're at least better than one of those guys who gabs to everyone he knows about being "saved" but then is cheating on his wife and looking up porn on the internet at work.

Answer 7

Jesus didn't say that we have to obey the laws of men to get into heaven. It wouldn't be difficult to exceed the righteousness of those scribes and pharisees. More bible study.

Answer 8

Has Paul been terribly misunderstood or are we thinking of two different men? Where does Paul say the Law is null and void or that there is no more Law???

Answer 9

Buddha said that believe nothing without personal experience.
Mohammed said that he was the last prophet of the word of God.
Marx said that religion is the opiate of the masses.
I said that there are a million different possibilities and why do you question only two.

Answer 10

Both statements are correct. Jesus at his death fulfills the old testament law and a new covenant is made with Jesus who is the old covenant law.