Mithrae wrote: ↑Sat Oct 09, 2021 1:40 pm I mentioned some of these references in my earlier posts in the thread; it’s a surprisingly consistent theme among several authors. Strictly speaking Paul suggests that an authoritative written code will not just be no longer required but actively, fatally detrimental:
- “Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6
“But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we are slaves not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit.” ~ Romans 7:6
“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach one another or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” ~ Hebrews 8:10-11 quoting Jeremiah 31
“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” ~ John 16:13
“As for you, the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him.” ~ 1 John 2:27
I don’t see how these verses support the position that the Bible is not applicable anymore.
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 is referring to the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law. The Pharisees were a good example of following the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law.
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Luke 11:42
Jesus summed up the spirit of the law when he said:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matt 22:37-40
Let’s continue on with Romans 7:7-12:
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
So, you cannot just take Romans 7:6 out of context to show the law is just for something for the past. It is through the law we know we are sinners, so it’s applicable to Paul’s time as well as our time.
For the prophecy quoted in Hebrews 8, I’m not so sure it’s referring to now since it says, “Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” Not everyone knows the Lord now (or even before), so it can’t be fulfilled prophecy.
Don’t see how John 16:13 refers in anyway to the Bible no longer being applicable. Yes, the Holy Spirit will guide us into truth, but that does not mean the Bible no longer is valid.
1 John 2:27 is not making a universal statement that the Bible is no longer needed to teach everyone. Just the verse before mentions why John wrote them. He is addressing false teachings that they have heard and to not waver. “These [things] have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.” 1 John 2:26.
https://debatingchristianity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1052501#p1052501