Emmet,
I'm glad to see you posting again.
kaufmannphillips wrote:Hi, Robin,
Thank you for your posting.
Could I trouble you to put more of a fine point on it? I'm not sure exactly what you're getting at.
Thank you,
Emmet
It seemed to me that by quoting Matthew 5:18, you were accreting that Christ viewed the law differently than Christians. However, I don't think Jesus was telling us that the law would continue to be a requirement until heaven and earth passed away, but only until He fulfilled the law. The law is central in my belief, and I recognize Christ as the fulfillment of not only the law but also the prophecies that spoke about Him. That is why I quoted verse 17 so we could see verse 18 in context.
Matthew 5:17-18 NKJV
5:17 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
5:18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Jesus said in verse 17 that He came to fulfill the law, and in verse 18 He said that not one tittle would pass away until it was fulfilled. I believe that Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, therefore the old passed away, and God established His new covenant with the church. There are requirements to be part of the church but they don't include keeping the laws of tithing, Sabbath keeping, or animal sacrifices.
Robin