I'm your child's T-Ball coach. Soon I'll be graduating him up to playing baseball - that's the ultimate plan we have in mind. The purpose of my current T-Ball instruction is to prepare him for baseball.
I happen to be instructing your child more professionally in T-Ball than any of his other coaches did. From time to time I also explain to your child about the ways in which baseball will differ from T-Ball.
Finally he goes off to play baseball. I pat him on the shoulder, tell him to remember everything I've taught him, and tell him to teach other baseball players in his team to do the same.
Does that mean your child and his whole baseball team end-up playing baseball with T-Ball rules? Of course not - that's not what I meant or said!
Similarly Jesus taught the true heart of the Law to Jews who, at the time, were still under the Law - in order to prepare them for their real objective - the coming New Covenant, about which He also taught them, and which would be for all nations.
Therefore keeping and teaching Jesus' commandments today does not involve adherence to Moses' Laws - that's neither what Jesus intended nor said.
That's why Paul was able to fully teach Christ's instructions, without ever requiring any of the Gentiles to keep Moses' Laws. He also wrote that the observance of the Law was vanishing away even for Jews - which indeed came to pass very soon afterwards.
Your child who now successfully plays baseball as an adult, is doing what I intended and said, even though he doesn't play T-Ball anymore.
Similarly the Church, living in grace and freedom, is doing what our Lord Jesus intended and said, without needing to observe the Law.
It's just as well your child isn't required to play baseball with T-Ball rules - because the tee was removed from the baseball field.
Similarly it's just as well the Church isn't required to keep Moses' Law - because the Law - the altar, the Levitical priesthood and the Temple - disappeared long ago.
T-Ball was your child's game - baseball is his game now that he's grown up.
Similarly Moses' Law was instructional, preparatory and temporary for the Jews of that time only - but Jesus Christ, the grace of God, the truth of God, the freedom of the Gospel, life in the Spirit, the gift of righteousness and walking in love - is for us now that the New Covenant has come in His precious blood.
I happen to be instructing your child more professionally in T-Ball than any of his other coaches did. From time to time I also explain to your child about the ways in which baseball will differ from T-Ball.
Finally he goes off to play baseball. I pat him on the shoulder, tell him to remember everything I've taught him, and tell him to teach other baseball players in his team to do the same.
Does that mean your child and his whole baseball team end-up playing baseball with T-Ball rules? Of course not - that's not what I meant or said!
Similarly Jesus taught the true heart of the Law to Jews who, at the time, were still under the Law - in order to prepare them for their real objective - the coming New Covenant, about which He also taught them, and which would be for all nations.
Therefore keeping and teaching Jesus' commandments today does not involve adherence to Moses' Laws - that's neither what Jesus intended nor said.
That's why Paul was able to fully teach Christ's instructions, without ever requiring any of the Gentiles to keep Moses' Laws. He also wrote that the observance of the Law was vanishing away even for Jews - which indeed came to pass very soon afterwards.
Your child who now successfully plays baseball as an adult, is doing what I intended and said, even though he doesn't play T-Ball anymore.
Similarly the Church, living in grace and freedom, is doing what our Lord Jesus intended and said, without needing to observe the Law.
It's just as well your child isn't required to play baseball with T-Ball rules - because the tee was removed from the baseball field.
Similarly it's just as well the Church isn't required to keep Moses' Law - because the Law - the altar, the Levitical priesthood and the Temple - disappeared long ago.
T-Ball was your child's game - baseball is his game now that he's grown up.
Similarly Moses' Law was instructional, preparatory and temporary for the Jews of that time only - but Jesus Christ, the grace of God, the truth of God, the freedom of the Gospel, life in the Spirit, the gift of righteousness and walking in love - is for us now that the New Covenant has come in His precious blood.
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