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The Perfect Harmony of Scripture. The Perfect Harmony of Scripture. “Knowing this first,
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The Perfect Harmony of Scripture “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of GOD spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture “All scripture is given by inspiration of GOD” (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture Since the BIBLE is one single, indivisible bookwritten by one author (GOD) with one consistent theme, then the Old Testament and the New Testament cannot be contrary to one another.JESUS, the WORD MADE FLESH, says that what He taught is the same as what was taught in the Old Testament, people just don't see it that way because they never looked at the laws and prophecies in the Old Testament in the right way.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture Scripture must be interpreted only with GOD’s help, since they were given only as the writers were moved by GOD and not by any impulse of man. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14, 16)
Definition: The Law What do we mean when we say “The Law!” The “Law” specifically refers to the books (of the OT), which contain the “Law," or the Pentateuch -- the Greek name for the first five (5) books of the Bible containing the five scrolls of the laws given to Moses (John 1:17) (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) by divine inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). However, over time it was inferred that "the Law" in the most comprehensive sense was an alternative title to "The Old Testament Scriptures."
The Law • The Commandments contain the moral laws. • The Ordinances are designed to present the CHRIST and His work of redemption. Included in the ordinances are a "shadow" Christology (doctrine of the CHRIST) and a “shadow” soteriology (doctrine of salvation). They present CHRIST as the only SAVIOUR. These ideas are presented in the descriptions of the Tabernacle, the Holy Days, the Levitical offerings, and the daily activity of the priesthood.
The Law • The Judgments were the social codes applied to daily living. Questions of diet, sanitation, quarantine, soil conservation, taxation, military service, how to spend a honeymoon, what to do about divorce, slavery, inheritances, etc., were all covered.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture The many differences between the Law and Grace might seem to imply that the two are opposed to one another. However, this is not the case. As it is the two are complementary (Galatians 3:23-25). Apostle Paul makes this plain using the illustration of a school master. In Paul’s time, the school master was a family slave who led a boy to and from school, overseeing his conduct. In like manner, the law pointed out our sin and led us to CHRIST, who alone can put away sin. And after one’s conversion, he is no longer under the curse of the law, as it has fulfilled its divinely intended purpose.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 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.” (Matthew 5:17-18) “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture “And he said unto them, these are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled , which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” (Luke 24:44-45)
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture But, Israel misunderstand the purpose of the law. The law pointed to the righteousness that is attainable only by belief in the CHRIST. The righteousness to which it pointed was universally available to all who responded to GOD’s revelation of Himself through the Law. CHRIST is the end of the law (Romans 10:4).JESUS having laid the foundation of our salvation shows the superiority of the Gospel to the law of Moses. He makes it clear that He had not come to destroy that law (i.e., the Gospel is not contradictory to the law; rather it is the ultimate fulfillment of the spiritual intention of the law).
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? The Bible references the letter of the law and the spirit of the law in Romans 2:29 (“He is a Jew, which is one inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter.” ) The principle or precept of the law is applied using the words "spirit" and "letter" in context with the legalistic view of the Jews. The “letter of the law” over-emphasizes discipline of conduct whereas “The spirit of the law” emphasizes faith in GOD’s grace, as the pre-eminent principle of redemption.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? In the Gospels, JESUS is shown as being critical of the Pharisees, precisely because of his position that the "spirit of the law" is the better way. The Pharisees are seen as people who placed the letter of the law above the spirit. The Pharisees were those who were trying to be faithful to the letter of the law given to them by GOD. They advocated prayer, almsgiving and fasting as spiritual practices.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? In Matthew 5:20-44, CHRIST showed that obeying the “letter of the Law” is a matter of physical action (ritual), whereas obeying the “spirit of the Law” requires more than just outward actions—it also involves an attitude of the mind—referred to by the Apostle Paul as “circumcision of the heart” (Romans 2:28-29). In another instance CHRIST showed that to merely refrain from adultery is obedience to the “letter of the law,” but to obey both the spirit and letter of the law, one must exercise self-control (“temperance”), and not even lust after someone (committing “adultery in his heart”).
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? Another example is in the keeping of the Sabbath Day. To merely “remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25), is in obedience to the letter of the law. But to also rejoice in the Sabbath and call it a “delight” (Isaiah 58:13) is keeping the spirit of the Law, as GOD intends. This principle applies to all of GOD’s laws.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? The new covenant described in Jeremiah 31:31-33 is a common theme of the prophets. According to Jeremiah, "the qualities of the new covenant expounded upon the old “are : (a) It will not be broken; (b) Its law will be written in the heart, not on tablets of stone; and (c) the full knowledge of GOD will deem it no longer necessary to put it into written words of instruction.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? According to the Gospel of Luke and Paul, in the first epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:25), this prophecy was fulfilled only through the work of JESUS CHRIST, who said "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you." In living a life of perfect obedience to the law, JESUS demonstrated to all mankind to look beyond the "letter of the law" to the "spirit of the law"...the principles or precepts behind the commandments and the law's intention.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? The law was never intended as a moral slide-rule, but as evidence of transgression. Mankind turned this declaration into a moral code book. JESUS quotes the book of Deuteronomy and Leviticus: "All the Law can be summed up in this: to love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your heart, and to love your neighbor as yourself."
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All 1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10)
The Law Conclusion of the whole matter…. Well-meaning believers have completely misunderstood the Law and its role in the great plan of salvation. The Law did not produce perfection, meaning fulfillment of its role (salvation) (Hebrews 7:19; 10:1-10) in that fallen man failed to fulfill its precepts because of their love of sin (John 3:19-21; Romans 8:4, 7-13; Hebrews 8:7-13). So, while the Law was ordained that we should have life, Paul nonetheless found death (Romans 7:10).
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture The great purpose of ALL scripture is to reveal the LORD JESUS CHRIST and His work of redemption for mankind . The person and work of JESUS are promised, prophesied, and pictured in the types and symbols of the Old Testament.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture CHRIST is the source of everlasting life, no matter what period of human history one is talking about. Today, we look back to what CHRIST has done as the basis for our salvation. The ancient people of GOD looked forward to the day when the MESSIAH would come. To be sure, their understanding of what he would do would have been hazy at best. They surely didn’t understand exactly how their animal sacrifices foreshadowed the blood of the LAMB of GOD who takes away the sin of the world. But they offered sacrifices nonetheless, trusting GOD to atone for their sins.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? When one obeys the letter of the law but not the spirit, one is obeying the literal interpretation of the words or the "letter“ of the law, but not the intent or precept of the law. Conversely, when one obeys the spirit of the law but not the letter, one is doing what the author of the law intended, though not necessarily adhering to the literal wording. “Moses spoke every precept to all the people according to the law” (Hebrews 9:19).
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” (Isaiah 28:9-10) This explains how to understand the Bible. “Precept upon precept” would mean to build the foundation, piece by piece, theological concepts fitting together carefully.
The Perfect Harmony of Scripture? It suggests not taking in a whole lot at one time, “line upon line.” But then it says “a little” and that means that we have to learn it in small chunks. We have to learn it in an organized fashion yet letting the Holy Spirit guide our minds. Building the understanding of what the Bible is saying a little at a time, and using various parts to fill in the whole'...we come into understanding.