Thank you, brother! I’ve read through it, and I just want to clarify if I’m hearing you right.
I hear you saying that no one is currently under the New Covenant, that the Old Covenant has been renewed, and God commissioned his apostles to call all people into it? Is that right?
Who is the New Covenant made with? It isn't a church, it explicitly says "Israel, " and "Judah." Israel doesn't even know who they are today; they are still dispersed among the Gentile nations since about 720BCE. How is God making a covenant with people that don't even know who they are? They will know who they are when He finishes regathering them as He promised He would (Ezekiel 37, two sticks). Does this world look to you like a world where everyone knows YHVH? Two billion Muslims will shout "Allah Akbar." I don't think they know YHVH. It also says there will be no reason to teach everyone about God for all will know Him. Again, two billion Muslims prove that wrong. It also says that Torah will be written on our hearts. That is not a different Law, that is what was given at Mt. Sinai. Just browse a few news sites; is that what you see?
You are correct. The apostles were sent to call people back to God. Isn't that really the Great Commission? "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Make disciples; disciples are followers of God, those doing what God said. That was actually the job of every prophet in the Old Testament. A prophet's job was to call to repentance; the prophecy part was about what would happen if they refused. You could think of apostles as prophets. Who did Yeshua come for? He said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." (Matthew 15:24). He sent His disciples to the nations to call the lost sheep of Israel back to God through Yeshua. Yeshua commissions Paul to go to the Gentiles to call them as well and to make the Israelites jealous. Read Romans 11.
As a reminder, the Great Commission says to "teach." The New Covenant says that there won't be any reason to Teach!
Your last statement reminds me of what John says in 1 John 2:27: "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you..." Doesn't that sound to you like John recognizing the New Covenant is upon them? And if not, I'm curious to know what you think was going through his mind?
But respectfully, I feel like you dodged my first question (whether or not it was intentional). Would you mind just confirming whether or not I was hearing you right? I think an important part of having these conversations is being able to give a direct answer to honest questions.
Hello Jacob, I didn't think I evaded the question, but I will clarify by saying that I think you do understand what I am saying.
In regard to 1 John 2:27, that is an interesting verse, as is the whole letter of 1 John. I will begin by asking, "Who gave us the Great Commission?" Obviously, that is Yeshua, God Himself. Who communicated the New Covenant to Jeremiah so we would have those verses available to us today? YHVH, God Himself. We must not allow anything else we read to contradict what He/They say/said. The New Covenant in Jeremiah says that "everyone," without exception, will know God and since "everyone," without exception, will know Him, there will be no reason to teach about Him. The context surrounding the verse 1 John 2:27 must be considered, not just the verse standing alone. John is speaking/writing to believers, I would prefer to say, "disciples" (there is a huge difference). Those people, not everyone, should have no reason to need teaching if they would but study the Scriptures and ask The Holy Spirt to enlighten them as to true meaning. When I read the surrounding verses, it appears to me that John has to write to them and tell them, "How it should be." They don't appear to be living up to John's expectations here, or he would not have had to write this.
I do thoroughly enjoy honest dialog so that "As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another." I did not mean to be evasive in my long winded answer; I assumed that it answered your question.
I trust your intent, brother; thanks for saying that, and for all the clarification!
When you say that "The New Covenant in Jeremiah says that 'everyone', without exception, will know God", I'm a little confused as to how you interpret that. Do you mean everyone on earth?
It seems to me that he's talking about only the house of Israel (Jeremiah 31:33), which would imply 'everyone within the house of Israel', and not those outside of it.
I do agree with you, the house of Israel. But Israel does not even know who they are yet; that is coming. My interpretation is that the New Covenant will not be totally fulfilled until after the Great White Throne Judgement, still about a thousand years in our future; I said that in my piece. The only people after that are Israel, whether literal genetic Israelites or those Gentiles that were grafted in (Romans 11), which makes them no longer Gentiles but Israelites. Once grafted in, they are then part of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).
Many treat the fruit of the spirit like a recipe, work on love this year, then next work on patience, then self-control after that, then evetually I'll become one who walks in the spirit. That's just the works of the flesh trying to produce fruit. The fruit of the spirit is more like a brochure to delightful vacation spot. Simply go by faith to that destination and you will have all the fruits through no work of your own. It's yours by faith.
For your consideration: https://www.haveyouconsideredthis.com/p/the-new-covenant
Thank you, brother! I’ve read through it, and I just want to clarify if I’m hearing you right.
I hear you saying that no one is currently under the New Covenant, that the Old Covenant has been renewed, and God commissioned his apostles to call all people into it? Is that right?
Hi Jacob,
Who is the New Covenant made with? It isn't a church, it explicitly says "Israel, " and "Judah." Israel doesn't even know who they are today; they are still dispersed among the Gentile nations since about 720BCE. How is God making a covenant with people that don't even know who they are? They will know who they are when He finishes regathering them as He promised He would (Ezekiel 37, two sticks). Does this world look to you like a world where everyone knows YHVH? Two billion Muslims will shout "Allah Akbar." I don't think they know YHVH. It also says there will be no reason to teach everyone about God for all will know Him. Again, two billion Muslims prove that wrong. It also says that Torah will be written on our hearts. That is not a different Law, that is what was given at Mt. Sinai. Just browse a few news sites; is that what you see?
You are correct. The apostles were sent to call people back to God. Isn't that really the Great Commission? "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Make disciples; disciples are followers of God, those doing what God said. That was actually the job of every prophet in the Old Testament. A prophet's job was to call to repentance; the prophecy part was about what would happen if they refused. You could think of apostles as prophets. Who did Yeshua come for? He said, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." (Matthew 15:24). He sent His disciples to the nations to call the lost sheep of Israel back to God through Yeshua. Yeshua commissions Paul to go to the Gentiles to call them as well and to make the Israelites jealous. Read Romans 11.
As a reminder, the Great Commission says to "teach." The New Covenant says that there won't be any reason to Teach!
Your last statement reminds me of what John says in 1 John 2:27: "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you..." Doesn't that sound to you like John recognizing the New Covenant is upon them? And if not, I'm curious to know what you think was going through his mind?
But respectfully, I feel like you dodged my first question (whether or not it was intentional). Would you mind just confirming whether or not I was hearing you right? I think an important part of having these conversations is being able to give a direct answer to honest questions.
Thank you!
Hello Jacob, I didn't think I evaded the question, but I will clarify by saying that I think you do understand what I am saying.
In regard to 1 John 2:27, that is an interesting verse, as is the whole letter of 1 John. I will begin by asking, "Who gave us the Great Commission?" Obviously, that is Yeshua, God Himself. Who communicated the New Covenant to Jeremiah so we would have those verses available to us today? YHVH, God Himself. We must not allow anything else we read to contradict what He/They say/said. The New Covenant in Jeremiah says that "everyone," without exception, will know God and since "everyone," without exception, will know Him, there will be no reason to teach about Him. The context surrounding the verse 1 John 2:27 must be considered, not just the verse standing alone. John is speaking/writing to believers, I would prefer to say, "disciples" (there is a huge difference). Those people, not everyone, should have no reason to need teaching if they would but study the Scriptures and ask The Holy Spirt to enlighten them as to true meaning. When I read the surrounding verses, it appears to me that John has to write to them and tell them, "How it should be." They don't appear to be living up to John's expectations here, or he would not have had to write this.
I do thoroughly enjoy honest dialog so that "As iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another." I did not mean to be evasive in my long winded answer; I assumed that it answered your question.
Shalom!
I trust your intent, brother; thanks for saying that, and for all the clarification!
When you say that "The New Covenant in Jeremiah says that 'everyone', without exception, will know God", I'm a little confused as to how you interpret that. Do you mean everyone on earth?
It seems to me that he's talking about only the house of Israel (Jeremiah 31:33), which would imply 'everyone within the house of Israel', and not those outside of it.
Do you agree with me thus far?
I do agree with you, the house of Israel. But Israel does not even know who they are yet; that is coming. My interpretation is that the New Covenant will not be totally fulfilled until after the Great White Throne Judgement, still about a thousand years in our future; I said that in my piece. The only people after that are Israel, whether literal genetic Israelites or those Gentiles that were grafted in (Romans 11), which makes them no longer Gentiles but Israelites. Once grafted in, they are then part of the commonwealth of Israel (Ephesians 2:12).
Many treat the fruit of the spirit like a recipe, work on love this year, then next work on patience, then self-control after that, then evetually I'll become one who walks in the spirit. That's just the works of the flesh trying to produce fruit. The fruit of the spirit is more like a brochure to delightful vacation spot. Simply go by faith to that destination and you will have all the fruits through no work of your own. It's yours by faith.
I appreciate the application part of the pastor's sermon. We have to keep doing something. Nope, just believe!
🙌🏻