Eric Casagrande     /         Genelyn Novabos

 

 

Frankly  Speaking

  

A few days ago, someone from another Christian website read my article, entitled: Jesus Christ –The Square Peg In A Round Hole.  Since the reader wasn’t clear in his understanding of the differences between the Old and New Covenants, he naturally made a number of comments. I have listed his comments below (in blue), as well as my replies to him (in red).

For reasons of privacy, I will only refer to the gentleman by his first name.

________________________________________________

 

Some of the issues that Frank raised a couple of days ago are interesting points, and I would like to give a fair response to them if I might.

Although it has been my experience (and that of other known preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ), that the message of God’s goodness and love as evidenced to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ, is generally received like a breath of fresh air by the Church, nevertheless, there are still many  people claiming a born-again experience, who for whatever reason, simply cannot comprehend that God is a good, loving God.

Before I start, I would like to say that if anyone has a question they would like to ask in relation to something I have written, you can certainly contact either myself or one of the other Evaggelion Ministries team members through the email listed below – and which is also listed at the bottom of our homepage.

I will be leaving for the Philippines in the middle of June, and although my schedule is a bit hectic at the moment, I will make every attempt to give a personal response as time permits.

info@evaggelion.org

There is only one request I would make at this time, and that is if someone decides to email us — please be polite. Going ballistic and resorting to name calling because you disagree with something I’ve said, is not very becoming of anyone who claims a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Additionally, we do have a prayer team available who would be more than happy to stand with you in agreement, should the need ever arise. You can contact us at the following email address (and which is also listed on the bottom of our homepage).

prayer@evaggelion.org

Now on to Frank’s points, along with my series of replies.

 

Frank’s point:

I agree with (name hidden), your comments are lopsided. There would not be any New Testament without the Old Testament.

My reply:

Actually, this is Biblically incorrect.

My friend, the truth of the matter is not that there would never be a New Covenant without the Old Covenant- but rather that there wouldn’t be a New Covenant if the Old Covenant would have worked.

The Old Covenant was a complete disaster, and not one of the Jews were saved by it. Not Moses, not David, not Solomon – not anybody. If God had not replaced the Old Covenant with a New (and better) Covenant, all of mankind would have perished.

The Old Covenant, was solely between God and the nation of Israel. Not one of the outside nations or people groups was included in it, as Paul tells us in Ephesians 2: 11-12, where he says:

 

“Wherefore remember, that you, being in time past

Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision

by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh

made by hands;

 

That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens

from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from

the covenants of promise, having no hope, and

without God in the world.“

 

Further to this, the Old Covenant was completely performance-based, and required the people of Israel to first perform some action (i.e. the keeping of God’s 600-plus laws and commandments), for which in return, had they been successful, God would have provided a blessing.

If Israel would (first) do this thing (keep the law), then God would in turn do that thing (respond with a blessing). But it also worked in reverse. If the nation of Israel failed to live up to its responsibilities through the keeping of the Old Covenant laws, they would wind up being cursed, as a result of their sinful failure.

The blessing wasn’t proportional either. If Israel obeyed 99% of the laws of God, they didn’t receive 99% of the blessing …. they still received 100% of the curse. It was all or nothing. This is why Israel was constantly living under the curse – because they couldn’t live up to their part of the Old Covenant agreement, via the keeping of the laws.

In the end, because there was absolutely no one capable of living up to the Mosaic Laws, God Himself came into the world, born of a virgin, through the person of Jesus Christ.

He fulfilled all the Mosaic Laws to the letter, then went to the cross to shed His blood and die, rising again on the third day, in order to completely fulfill the Old Covenant, so that it could be folded up and put away, and a New Living Covenant created (Hebrews 10: 20), by which God reconciled the world to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).

 

Frank’s point:

Jesus fulfilled the law so that we don’t have to, he did not say for us to ignore the law, but that we could fulfil it in him.

My reply:

Both parts of your statement are Biblically inaccurate.

First of all, as initially explained above, unless you are Jewish, the law of the Old Covenant was not given to you. In addition to that verse, I’ll give you a couple of others. It says in Romans 2:14 that the Gentiles were not given the law. In Romans 9:4 and 1 Corinthians 9: 20, it clearly says the law was given to the Jewish people.

My friend, the reason that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law in its entirety, was because it was imperative for Him to do so, in order to go to the cross and become the acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Jesus Christ was born a Jewish male, who lived under the full power of the Mosaic Laws given to the Jews. If Jesus had failed in any way to perform each and every last one of the 600+ laws, then He would be found in sin, and blemished. If He is blemished, then he does not qualify as the perfect sacrifce for sin as the laws of God demanded (Exodus 12: 5).

As to the other part of your statement, Jesus Christ spent His entire life as a Jew speaking to other Jews. At no time during His ministry did He ever say such a thing to either Jews or non-Jews. He especially could not have said such a thing before fulfilling the law and the prophets by going to the cross.

 

Franks point:

This explains your weak stance on homosexuality as you have written.

My reply:

If by my “weak stance” you mean that I try to offer the same compassion and love to others that God freely gave to me through Jesus Christ … then I would be guilty as charged. Jesus Christ was Himself also a great friend of sinners (Matthew 11: 19 and Luke 7: 34). In fact, He freely forgave a woman who was involved in sexual immorality (John 8: 1-11).

The next time you feel the need to be “hard” on somebody for their sin – keep this verse (James 2: 13) in mind, since you insist on being bound by the law:

“For he shall be judged without mercy, that

has shown no mercy; yet mercy rejoices

against judgment.“

 

Frank’s point:

You ignore the book of Revelation, and other New Testament warnings.

My reply:

My friend, at no time have I ever suggested to anyone that it was okay to live an immoral lifestyle of any kind. What I do suggest is that we should be very careful to remember that Christ also died for our sins in love and mercy, and not be so quick to point the finger at others.

What I have also suggested is sharing the great news of God’s love for all of mankind, as shown through the person of Jesus Christ. Man simply is not capable of changing the faults of another man — we don’t even have the ability to deliver ourselves from sin.  My friend, Jesus Christ, is the only one capable of performing such an awesome, impossible task!

 

Frank’s point:

Yes, Christians can be too legalistic but they can also become foolish virgins too.

My reply:

Mark me down as a merciful, forgiving fool, who has given his life up for the Gospel, as a result of discovering God’s great love for me, through His Son Jesus Christ.

 

Thank you for your input, friend.

Preaching the Fantastic News of Jesus Christ,

 

Eric Casagrande jfjfjfjf jfjfjfjf jfjfjfjf jfjfjfjf jfjfjfjf jfjfrrrjfjf jfjf jfjf jfjf jfjf jfjf Evaggelion Ministries

 

 

 

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