Why I'm 'Christian'

[IndigoChild5559]

The foundation of Christianity is that the covenant continues. Paul explains the nature of the covenant in Galations and Romans. The christian covenant is one of faith, not bondage to law (Hab 2:4)

Gal 4:21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”e]">[e]

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”f]">[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.​

and ROmans 10 (& 11):

5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”a]">[a] 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”b]">[b] (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”c]">[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”d]">[d] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”e]">[e] 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”f]">[f]

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”g]">[g]

16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”h]">[h] 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”i]">[i]

19 Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”j]">[j]

20 And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;
I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”k]">[k]

21 But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands
to a disobedient and obstinate people.”l]">[l]
​

The reason why you won't accept christianity is because you are enslaved to your teachers, whose words are not "what God told Israel." As Jesus spointed out, not everyone who sits in the seat of Moses is worthy to sit there. There is nothing in scripture to gurantee that the occupiers of Moses' seat are worthy. There is nothing that prohibits freedom choice when it comes to deciding who is worthy to sit there. According to what rationale have you decided that your teachers are worthy?

Many Jews have accepted Christ.
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It is a relief to me that you believe the Jewish covenant is still in effect.

However, you cannot deny that Paul totally dissed it. He taught tht the law was a curse, that circumcision was irrelevant, and that sabbath observance is not important. Furthermore, he taught a new idea that belief was important rather than obedience. THAT is in direct contradiction with teh Tanakh (OT).

 

[eik]

It is a relief to me that you believe the Jewish covenant is still in effect.

However, you cannot deny that Paul totally dissed it. He taught tht the law was a curse, that circumcision was irrelevant, and that sabbath observance is not important. Furthermore, he taught a new idea that belief was important rather than obedience. THAT is in direct contradiction with teh Tanakh (OT).

He did not teach the law is a curse. He taught that we in our natural states are cursed, or if we, being under law, do not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.

Deut 27:26 “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." (quoted in Gal 3:10)

Rom 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.​

He taught that circumcision was irrelevant to justification by faith, and equally sabbath observance, but in one sense he didn't teach it was irrelevant. He said it is relevant, if it is relevant to your belief.

Rom 14:6

Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.​

He didn't teach faith was more important than "obedience" for he said in

Rom 3:31
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.​

What law is this? The law of Christ, who said of Old testament law

Mat 5:18
for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.​

In any event, no Jew today can conceivably uphold the whole of the law. The law must be spiritualized because it cannot be fulfilled literally.

As far as Jewish customs are concerned, they are for Jews. If you want to be accepted as a Jew than I guess you have to be circumcised. Yet Paul was against imposing this on Gentiles because justification cannot be obtained by obedience to the Old Testament law, and it cannot be obtained by being accepted as a Jew, especially if you're not a Jew. If you are a Jew then may be you want to carry on living amongst Jews, so be circumcised. I think you fail to see that for Jews, there never was any requirement for non-conformity with Jewish custom: check out "James the Just."


There is no sin offering except that of Christ.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

He did not teach the law is a curse. He taught that we in our natural states are cursed, or if we, being under law, do not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.

Deut 27:26 “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." (quoted in Gal 3:10)

Rom 7:14
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.​

He taught that circumcision was irrelevant to justification by faith, and equally sabbath observance, but in one sense he didn't teach it was irrelevant. He said it is relevant, if it is relevant to your belief.

Rom 14:6

Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.​

He didn't teach faith was more important than "obedience" for he said in

Rom 3:31
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.​

What law is this? The law of Christ, who said of Old testament law

Mat 5:18
for, verily I say to you, till that the heaven and the earth may pass away, one iota or one tittle may not pass away from the law, till that all may come to pass.​

In any event, no Jew today can conceivably uphold the whole of the law. The law must be spiritualized because it cannot be fulfilled literally.

As far as Jewish customs are concerned, they are for Jews. If you want to be accepted as a Jew than I guess you have to be circumcised. Yet Paul was against imposing this on Gentiles because justification cannot be obtained by obedience to the Old Testament law, and it cannot be obtained by being accepted as a Jew, especially if you're not a Jew. If you are a Jew then may be you want to carry on living amongst Jews, so be circumcised. I think you fail to see that for Jews, there never was any requirement for non-conformity with Jewish custom: check out "James the Just."


There is no sin offering except that of Christ.

Galatians 3:10
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse

Galatian 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law

Anyone who says the law is a curse is a false teacher.

going on...

Of course Gentiles don't need to be circumcised or observe shabbas. No one is saying they do. Such things re for Jews, as you have acknowledged.

But when Paul goes around saying that they are irrelevant for salvation, he is encouraging Jews to break the laws of our covenant, thus teaching against the Tanakh (OT)

 

[eik]

Galatians 3:10
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse

Galatian 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law

Anyone who says the law is a curse is a false teacher.

going on...

You misread the apostle. He did not infer the law is a curse, but that to pretend to rely on the works of the law for justification is a curse, because he reasons, the law cannot be completely obeyed. You will always fail to obey it. So the curse comes from the observation that it is impossible to obey the whole law, and not because the law is of itself cursed.

Of course Gentiles don't need to be circumcised or observe shabbas. No one is saying they do. Such things re for Jews, as you have acknowledged.

But when Paul goes around saying that they are irrelevant for salvation, he is encouraging Jews to break the laws of our covenant, thus teaching against the Tanakh (OT)

Which is more important? To be a Hebrew of Hebrews (as Paul was) or to be saved? It is more important to teach what is essential for salvation than to teach what is essential to be a Jew (outwardly). Being an outward Jew does not guarantee salvation.

Phl 3:3
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Phl 3:4

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Phl 3:5

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Phl 3:6

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Phl 3:7

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.​