The Law of Moses was NOT Perfect

Daniel A Fresh View of God, Obsolete Laws, Stop Judging

041A.Moses_Breaks_the_Tables_of_the_Law

How many times have you heard Christian preachers or your church pastor or someone on the radio or TV espousing the dogmatic view that the Law of Moses, delivered by angels to the prophet on the mountain, was “PERFECT” or the “ultimate standard of right and wrong?”

I mean, at first glance, this viewpoint would seem logical. After all, how could God or His holy angels transmit a set of laws or commands that are anything less than perfect?

Well, I’ve got some news for you: Jesus and His disciples did not view the Mosaic Law as God’s perfect, infallible, unchangeable rules for all-time. And before you assume I’m only talking about the so-called “ceremonial laws” or “dietary restriction rules,” let me stop you right there. Most Christians and churches already acknowledge that Jesus cancelled out all the dietary and ceremonial laws having to do with sacrifices, Temple worship, priests, unclean animals, etc.

No, this blog post is focused on the entirety of the Law of Moses, the whole shebang with all its 613 commands, not being God’s ideal standard of right and wrong. Why would I say this? Because Jesus said this:

Jesus said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, but from the beginning it was not this way.  Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:8-9, NET)

Our Lord is teaching us that Moses made at least some alterations to God’s ideal standards, to accommodate the attitudes and tendencies of imperfect human beings, and their proclivity to have “hard hearts,” not doing things God’s way. Jesus is drawing a stark contrast here between certain commands Moses gave, and the perfect way that God intended “from the beginning.” Remember, the Jewish people back then almost worshiped Moses, and they elevated the Mosaic Law higher than anything else. But Jesus came along and is shaking everything up by basically saying, ‘No, look guys, Moses was a great prophet for God, but God’s ways were much higher and better than the rules Moses gave you guys. Moses gave you these rules to accommodate your sinful habits and bad attitudes.‘

But this isn’t just one isolated passage of the Bible that shows this view of the Law of Moses. Check out what the Bible book known as “Hebrews” says:

But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, no one would have looked for a second one. But showing its fault, God says to them, “Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” (Hebrews 8:6-8, NET)

Here we can see that God found fault with the Old Testament Law of Moses, also known as “the First Covenant.” God views the teachings of Jesus, His Son, to be “superior,” “better,” and “faultless,” whereas it says God views the Mosaic Law as faulty and inferior.

But the author of Hebrews was not yet finished. Look what he continues to say in chapter 8 regarding the Law of Moses:

When he speaks of a new covenant, he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear. (Hebrews 8:13, NET)

God has made the Law of Moses “obsolete,” and in the 1st Century A.D., this Law was already “aging and about to disappear,” likely either a reference to the Jewish Temple worship ending after the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 A.D., or referring to Jewish Christians putting aside their old customs and burdens of the Mosaic Law.

So both Jesus and His disciple who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews clearly did not view the Law of Moses as God’s perfect, infallible standard of right and wrong for Christians to base their lives around.

Going even further, Christ’s Apostle to the Nations, Paul, wrote this:

He has destroyed what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.  Disarming the rulers and authorities, he has made a public disgrace of them, triumphing over them by the cross.(Colossians 2:14-15, NET)

Paul’s inspired understanding was that Jesus, by His sacrifice on the cross, completely took away and wiped out the decrees and rules of Moses, triumphing over them in His death.

Let’s look at even more of Paul’s views on the Law of Moses:

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.  For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code. (Romans 7:4-6, NET)

When Jesus died for us, and was raised up, He elevates everyone who believes in Him also, causing them, in a sense, to die toward the Law of Moses, and be lifted up to a new life in the Law of Christ, a life of living by His teachings about loving God and loving neighbor, a life in the Spirit and in faith.

My hope is for all Christian preachers or church leaders who are telling people to obey the Law of Moses, or that the Mosaic Law is “perfect,” or “God’s ideal standard,” to meditatively reflect on the words in this blog, and I leave you with more of Paul’s inspired words:

For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.  You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!  For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love. (Galatians 5:1-6, NET)

Chosen by God

Daniel A Fresh View of God, Free Will vs Predestination, Uncategorized


Some believers try to turn the teachings of Jesus and Paul into these mystical, cryptic messages that only “the true Christians” can rightly understand. Entire churches, denominations, and religious groups have been built around the “mystic” interpretation of certain Bible verses.

The Truth About John 6:44

For instance, John 6:44 is often explained in a mysterious way– God supposedly chose only certain people to “draw” to Jesus before He created the universe. Then the “drawing” is taught by these Christians to mean “regeneration” or “being born again.”

I want to make something very clear: Read the entire chapter of John 6 and you won’t find any of those things being discussed there. You won’t see Jesus talking about God choosing only to regenerate certain people before the universe was created. This is all interpreted into the text (eisegesis) instead of being learned out of the text (exegesis). Jesus says nothing at all about God’s actions in eternity past here.

Look at John 6:44 AND 6:45. The phrase “The Father draws them” in verse 44 is parallel in meaning to “Taught by God” in verse 45. In other words, God “draws” people to Jesus by ensuring that they are taught the truth about God. When people learn the truth of God’s qualities and character in the Scriptures, and the prophecies of the Hebrew prophets, they will be drawn to Christ as the fulfillment of these things.

This is in full harmony with other teachings in the Bible:

Romans 10:14, 17 (NIV): “…And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?….Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”


John 5:46-47 (NIV): “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

Since the “drawing” is the same as teaching people the truth of God’s Word, we can see why Jesus later says, “I will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32) This does not mean God chose to predestine all people to be saved, but it does mean He has commanded to have the Gospel preached to all people. (Matthew 24:14)

John 6:45 seems to be one of the most overlooked verses in the whole Bible. Next time someone interprets John 6:44 in a “mystic” way, ask them to explain what John 6:45 means.

The Truth About Romans 8:29 and Ephesians 1:11

These passages are traditionally taught by many Christians to mean that God, in eternity past, before He created anything, decided that He would only save certain people, and would condemn all the other people to spend forever in Hell, being tortured and burnt by fire.

There are many reasons why this view is wrong, one of which is that it violates almost everyone’s sense of morality and justice. But an even more convincing reason for Christians to reject this doctrine is that it simply does not agree with the Biblical context of those verses.

Paul does tell us, at Romans 8:29 and Ephesians 1:11, that God predestined certain believers to be saved, even before creation began. Who are these predestined ones? Well, Romans 11:1-7 says they are the remnant of faithful Jewish believers, and Ephesians 1:12-14 shows that they are the first Jewish disciples.

The early Jewish Christians were predestined, to preserve a faithful remnant of Abraham’s offspring, and to ensure that Christianity got off to a great start. These were called “the remnant,” “those whom God foreknew,” and “the firstfruits.” Paul was included among these. That’s why he said God chose him before he was born. (Galatians 1:15)

All other people exercise free will and are not predestined. They are saved AFTER they choose to believe in the Gospel they’ve been taught. (Ephesians 1:13-14; John 12:32; 1 Timothy 2:4; Revelation 22:17).

The Truth About Romans 9:7-16

The context in Romans 9 is speaking of God electing people to continue the bloodline that would lead to the birth of His Messiah on earth, and the people who would be entrusted with the Sacred Scriptures (See verses 4-5).

Romans 9:7-16 is clear that God doesn’t factor in our actions or desires when choosing people for these special privileges, but Romans 9:30-33 does say salvation is based on faith.

So Romans 9:7-16 is referring to being chosen for special privileges, whereas Romans 9:30-33 is about people being saved. Two different topics are being discussed. The confusion comes in when people mix these topics up and claim the entire chapter is talking about individual salvation instead of people and nations being chosen for special privileges.

God didn’t select Isaac, Jacob, or Pharoah for their special privileges and positions based on the same criteria that humans would select them. Paul’s point is that we simply don’t know the reasons God elected these people over other people, for these privileges and positions.

Other reasons we know Romans 9:7-16 isn’t referring to individual salvation:

Paul writes that God elected Isaac over Ishmael. If this election is for salvation, then it would appear to contradict Genesis 21:17-20, which says God listened to Ishmael’s prayers and God stayed with Ishmael as he grew up.

Paul then quotes Malachi 1:2-3 to show that Yahweh “hated Esau,” but in Malachi this is referring to the nation of Edom, Esau’s descendants and has nothing to do with Esau as an individual person. The prophet Obadiah explains why God hated the nation of Esau: 

Obadiah‬ ‭1:10-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬: “Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. You should not gloat over your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor gloat over them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble.”

God hated the nation of Esau because of how they treated the nation of Israel. God’s foreknowledge of what kind of people Esau’s descendants would become *may* have factored in on God’s decision to elect Jacob over Esau to carry on the bloodline of the Messiah and safeguard the Scriptures, but as Paul said, we simply do not know the reasons.

The Truth About Acts 13:48

There are many Christians who use this verse to “prove” that God “appoints” each person to salvation or damnation from eternity past. First off, though, notice that nowhere in the entire chapter does it say anything about God appointing these Gentiles from eternity past. People who teach this are reading their preconceived beliefs into this passage.

Go back earlier in Acts 13 and look at verses 22 and 26. It says God was looking for a person “after His own heart,” and also it adds that the Gentiles in this crowd were “God-fearing,” meaning that they already worshipped Yahweh, just like Cornelius, the Roman centurion in Acts chapter 10.

So given this context, Acts 13:48 is just saying these Gentiles had been appointed to eternal life because they were already worshippers of Yahweh, and they had “hearts after God’s own heart,” unlike the wicked Jewish leaders who were persecuting the disciples of Jesus.

Nowhere in this context will you see anything about God mysteriously electing to save these Gentiles before He created the universe.

The image used at the top of the blog post is considered to be in the Public Domain in the United States, as well as the country of origin, according to Wikipedia.

How Cain’s Wife supports Evolution

Daniel Evolution, For Skeptics, Uncategorized


In Genesis chapter 4, it says that Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel were living near the Garden of Eden. Cain and Abel are the only children Adam and Eve had at this point, according to the Bible narrative. (The children Adam had at Genesis 5:4 were born AFTER Cain killed Abel)

Many people may react to this by saying “So what?” or “What does this have to do with evolution?” Let me elaborate.

After God punishes Cain for killing Abel, and sentences him to be a fugitive, Cain complains:

“I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”” (Genesis‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

At this point in the Genesis narrative, the only people mentioned as living near the Garden of Eden were Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. No one else. So who is Cain terrified of? Who are the people that Cain thinks will kill him?

In case you think this was just Cain being overly paranoid or delusional, look at God’s reaction in the story:

“…Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.” (Genesis‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Apparently God agreed with Cain that there were other people out there who might want to kill Cain. Who were these other people?

But that’s not all! Now, all of a sudden, after Cain relocates to a new land, he finds a woman and takes her to be his wife, and they have a son.

“Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.” (Genesis‬ ‭4:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Now, I know the common, popular answer that Christians give here is that Adam and Eve must have had other children not mentioned in the Bible, so Cain just married one of his sisters or nieces. This just doesn’t really work with the narrative of the account.

Genesis presents Cain and Abel as the only children of Adam and Eve to be born at this time, and look how it describes the 3rd child born:

“Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” ‭‭(Genesis‬ ‭4:25‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

The Bible says that the 3rd child born, Seth, was a REPLACEMENT child for Abel who was killed by Cain. Then it says AFTER this, that Adam has many more sons and daughters:

“After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.” (Genesis‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

The way this is worded makes no sense if Adam and Eve had other children besides Cain and Abel before Seth. Seth would not need to be a replacement for Abel if Adam had other children already.

Okay, so who are these other people?

It would make sense for there to be other people already living in areas outside the Garden, because humans have been naturally evolving for 200,000 years.

When examined closely, with an open mind, the Bible harmonizes with evolution.

Furthermore, Genesis may continue to speak about these other people in Genesis chapter 6.

“When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.” (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

It describes two separate categories of people who began to intermarry: “The sons of God” and “the daughters of humans.” This has been interpreted in many different ways, and no Bible scholar is 100% sure what it is talking about.

But wouldn’t it make sense for these two categories of people to be the same two categories mentioned in Genesis 4 and 5— those who lived near the Garden and those who were already living outside the Garden area?

To me, I see evidence supporting the harmonization of Genesis and evolution.

Why I Reject Calvinism

Daniel Uncategorized

These are the reasons I reject Calvinism’s TULIP doctrines:

T– “Total Depravity”: I reject Total Depravity because I believe it to be unscriptural, after reading Romans 2:13-16; Acts 10:2-4; Acts 10:34-35; Acts 17:27-29.

U– “Unconditional Election”: I reject Unconditional Election because I believe it to be unscriptural, after reading John 12:31-32; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9.

L– “Limited Atonement”: I reject Limited Atonement because I believe it to be unscriptural, after reading 1 John 2:2; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:6.

I– “Irresistible Grace”: I reject Irresistible Grace because I believe it to be unscriptural, after reading Acts 7:51; Matthew 23:37; Romans 2:4-5; Ezekiel chapter 18.

I don’t have any real problems with the “P”— Perseverance of the Saints. I do believe this can be supported from the Bible.

I also reject Calvinism’s claim that God ordains or takes pleasure in evil, after reading James 1:13 and Ezekiel 33:11.

Calvinism portrays God as a Monster

Daniel A Fresh View of God, Free Will vs Predestination

Calvinism, or Reformed Theology, also known as the doctrines of TULIP, portrays God as a monster who takes delight in the pain, suffering, torture, misery, and death of human beings He made in His image.

Calvinism stands in direct contradiction to what the Bible says about God, His character, and His views on morality, justice, and love.

The Sovereignty of an Insecure God

In the simplest terms, Calvinism claims that in order for God to remain sovereign over all things at all times, God was required to predestine / foreordain every single event and every single thought that has ever taken place and that ever will take place. Anything that happens only happens because God has predestined it to occur.

A God Responsible for All Evil in the World

This means that the actions of Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Adam & Eve, and Satan the Devil, were all planned and predestined to occur by God before He ever created the universe.
This God made Satan turn evil and this God made Adam and Eve eat the fruit, all for some kind of weird plan so God could show off His sovereignty, manipulation, power, and control.

To me, this is a God who is very insecure about His own power and His own authority.

Billions Born Doomed to Hell

Not only this, but God, according to the doctrines of Calvinism, predestined that billions of human beings would never believe the Gospel of salvation, and would be doomed to eternal torment in a fiery Hell. There is simply nothing these doomed people can do to escape this. They were born damned and doomed because God planned it. This includes many children too.

A God who Takes Pleasure in Torturing People

Furthermore, Calvinism says that God takes pleasure in the deaths and eternal torment of the wicked, and that every evil thought a person has, has been predestined by God. Nothing takes place outside of God’s plan, since otherwise, this would mean God is no longer sovereign.

A Double-Minded God

Finally, Calvinism portrays God as having two competing desires, two wills which are diametrically opposed to each other– one will to save everyone and one will to doom billions to torture in Hell for eternity. 

Calvinists say that God’s public will is to tell everyone He wants to save them, but His hidden will is to damn sinners to Hell.

Somehow, one of His wills is stronger than the other will, so His hidden will wins out, and He chooses to damn sinners to Hell instead of saving everyone.

No One Can Resist God’s Will

Along these same lines, Reformed Theology (Calvinism) also states that no human being has the power to resist God’s Holy Spirit when He chooses to save someone.

God Only Wants to Save the Few Elect

This results in the TULIP belief system that says God has only chosen to save a select few people over the ages, and that Jesus only died to save these few, and that secretly, God and Jesus were planning to doom everyone else to Hell.

The Bible vs. Calvinism

James, the brother of Jesus, tells us never to say that God is responsible for evil, and also James points out that our Heavenly Father only gives out good gifts. Please read James 1:13-17.

The godly prophet Ezekiel emphatically tells us that God gets absolutely no pleasure from the death of wicked people, and God strongly desires that they repent and choose life instead. Please read Ezekiel 33:11.

Doctor Luke, Paul’s companion, writing the Book of Acts, says that the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Jewish religious leaders were always resisting the Holy Spirit. Please read Acts 7:51.

The Apostle Paul himself said the Jews were rejecting the kindness of God that God wanted to use to save them. Please read Romans 2:4-5.

James says that you’re weak and unstable if you waver between two different thoughts or opinions– he calls it double-minded and shows it to be a sin. I don’t think we should say that God wavers between two opposing wills. Please read James 1:6-7.

The Bible repeatedly says that God wants to save all people and that Jesus died for all people. You can’t get much more clear than that. Please read 1 Timothy 2:1-5, 2 Peter 3:9, Hebrews 2:9, 1 John 2:2.

The spirit moves me

Daniel A Fresh View of God, Rethinking the Trinity, Simplified Scriptures Series

The Hebrew and Greek words for “spirit” have the basic meaning of “invisible force.”

The inspired prophet Isaiah said that God’s “spirit” would rest upon the future Servant-Messiah, and that this “spirit” would be a “spirit” of wisdom, understanding, counsel, mightiness, knowledge, and deep respect for God. (Isaiah 11:1-2)

In that context, “spirit” means “attitude,” “disposition,” “deepest thoughts,” or “inclination.” The Apostle Paul used “spirit” in the same way several times in his inspired letters to the early congregations.

For example, Romans 8:15 says “You did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons.” 1 Corinthians 4:21 says “Shall I come to you with…mildness of spirit?”

The best example I can think of is 1 Corinthians 2:11-12, where Paul says that God’s “spirit” is just like a human’s “spirit” inside, and that it is by this inner “spirit” that a person examines his own thoughts. This “spirit” is not a separate person but is a part of yourself, your deepest thoughts or attitude.

Paul uses “spirit” in a different way in 1 Corinthians 14:14-16, where he uses that word to mean either his deepest feelings and emotions or the invisible “soul” that resides inside.

James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, said that “the body without the spirit is dead.” (James 2:26) Here, James is using the word “spirit” just like Solomon did in Ecclesiastes 12:7, referring to the invisible inner “breath of life” or “soul” (Genesis 2:7) that God has placed inside living beings which keeps them alive.

Over and over again in the entire Bible, we can see the word “spirit” referring either to (1) the deepest thoughts/attitude of a person, (2) the inner emotions, or (3) the “breath of life” that God uses to keep us alive.

The word “spirit” also can mean the nature of existence or the nature of a body which is different from humans (i.e., invisible, has no flesh and blood, etc.) This is why demons and angels, God, and Jesus are all called “spirit” in the Bible.

Tradition within Christianity causes many Bible translators to overlook or ignore the context of a verse, and render the vast majority of “spirit” references as being “The Holy Spirit,” “the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.” But, as you can clearly see, we should always look closely at the context to get our beliefs correct.

Matthew 5:17-19 — Simplified Scriptures Series

Daniel A Fresh View of God, Basic Doctrine, For Skeptics, Fusion Theism Movement, Obsolete Laws, Progressive Christianity, Simplified Scriptures Series

The most-often misinterpreted Scripture I see on Twitter, is Matthew 5:17-19, where atheists twist this passage out of context in order to have a pretext to claim the Bible contradicts itself, and provide a reason for atheists to focus 95% of their attacks on the Old Testament instead of the New.

But it’s not just atheists misinterpreting this passage, it’s also Christians who use this as support for keeping the Old Law of Moses.

Here is Matthew 5:17-19 in the NIV Bible:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The Correct Interpretation of Matthew 5:17-19, In Context:

We can find the correct interpretation by comparing Luke’s account of the words Jesus spoke at Matthew 5:17-19:

LUKE 16:16-17 (NET): “The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tiny stroke of a letter in the law to become void.”

Jesus’ words are clearer and easier to understand in Luke’s Gospel than in Matthew’s, on this particular topic. When compared together, we can see Jesus teaching us that (in God’s eyes) the Law of Moses was only in force until John the Baptist (compare Matthew 3:15), and since the time of John, Jesus the Author of the New Covenant, is able to change, edit, remove, or keep any parts of the Law He chooses. That is why we see Jesus editing, updating, and removing the Laws of Moses in Matthew 5:21-41, 19:7-9, and Mark 7:19.

Jesus did NOT say “heaven and earth would be destroyed before the Law is abolished,” no, rather, what He actually said is that it is easier for heaven and earth to be destroyed than for the Old Law to be abolished WITHOUT being fulfilled. Reading comprehension is very important when studying the Bible; equally important is reading in-context.

Jesus is promising to preserve the written words of the Old Testament until every prophecy and allegorical foreshadowing is fulfilled (brought to completion). He came to earth to fulfill the written words and bring them to completion. In Matthew 5, Jesus nullifies some of the Laws of Moses, edits others, and keeps some in force, while giving the true, original, deeper meaning of them.

Jesus did keep many of the Laws of Moses in force (albeit, in somewhat different forms) up until His death and Resurrection, at which time the entire written Law of Moses was “nailed to the Cross,” “taken out of the way,” and “made obsolete.” (Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:14-16; Hebrews 8:13)

The Law of Moses was never intended to be permanent, but was always just a temporary stopgap until the Messiah arrived (Galatians 3:23-26; Jeremiah 31:31-33), and it contained things which were NOT God’s ideal standards (Matthew 19:7-9; Hebrews 8:7-8).

The Apostle Paul forcefully and repeatedly drove home the point that Christians are NOT obligated to obey the Law of Moses (Romans 4:13-14; Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:1-14; Galatians 4:8-12).

I’ll wrap this up by quoting Paul’s words from Galatians 5:1-6 (NET):

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery. Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.“

The Living Word of God — Simplified Scriptures Series

Daniel A Fresh View of God, Basic Doctrine, Simplified Scriptures Series

Many people see a contradiction when they read Psalm 19 or 119, which seem to say that God’s “Law” or “Word” is eternal, and then compare that to Hebrews chapter 8 or the epistle of Galatians in the New Testament, which says that God’s Law from the Old Testament has expired. Upon closer examination, this is not a contradiction at all.

There is a misunderstanding in too many churches today, where they teach that the “Word of God” refers just to the written Scriptures or the Law of Moses.
Let’s look at what the Holy Bible actually has to say about what “God’s Word” really is:
The Living Word of God
  • The Apostle Peter wrote that the “Word of God” created the world, brought the Great Flood, and will one day bring about the Great Tribulation. (2 Peter 3:5-7) The epistle to the Hebrews also says that God’s Word created the universe and that the powerful Word of Jesus sustains the universe. (Hebrews 11:3; Hebrews 1:3)
  • The Psalms in the Old Testament proclaim the same thing: The universe was created by “The Word of God.” (Psalm 33:6)
  • In addition, according to John the Apostle, Jesus Christ’s name in heaven was “The Word of God.” (John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13)
  • Hebrews 4:12-13 declares that “the Word of God” is alive and powerful, and that we will stand before Him to explain our actions.
So we can see that the phrase “Word of God” or “God’s Word” can have different meanings in different contexts.
In some contexts, “The Word of God” means God’s creative power or dynamic energy to accomplish His purpose, or to His principles and commands He gives us in our consciences. Sometimes it is the intuition or leading of the Holy Spirit in our hearts. In other contexts, the phrase refers to Jesus Christ. In still other places, “the Word” does refer to the written Bible. But none of the verses above make any sense if they are referring only to the written Scriptures or to the Law of Moses. This is why “context is king.”
Now we’ll check out Psalm 19 and 119 to determine what is meant by “the Word of God” in those contexts:
Psalm 19:1-4 (NET): “The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork. Day after day it speaks out; night after night it reveals his greatness. There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard. Yet its voice echoes throughout the earth; its words carry to the distant horizon.”
MY COMMENTS: Here is a beautiful and poetical way of expressing the idea that God’s creation reveals His glory. In this context, God’s “Word” is being “spoken” without actual audible words by nature itself. This is not speaking of the written Scriptures. So “God’s Word” can refer to God’s created universe revealing His majesty and power to us.

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Psalm 19:4-7 (NET):“In the sky he has pitched a tent for the sun. Like a bridegroom it emerges from its chamber; like a strong man it enjoys running its course. It emerges from the distant horizon, and goes from one end of the sky to the other; nothing can escape its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect and preserves one’s life. The rules set down by the Lord are reliable  and impart wisdom to the inexperienced.”

MY COMMENTS: But now the imagery shifts and “God’s Word” or “law” is referring to the laws of nature God established by His Holy Spirit. These natural laws control the rotation of the earth, bringing about the rising and setting of the sun. This same “law” of God’s Spirit also breathes life and imparts wisdom into human beings. This is not speaking of the written Scriptures. So “God’s Word” can refer to the power of the Holy Spirit in establishing the natural laws, giving life to humans, or imparting wisdom to us (for example, through our consciences).
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Psalm 19:8-11 (NET):“The Lord’s precepts are fair and make one joyful. The Lord’s commands are pure and give insight for life. The commands to fear the Lord are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy and absolutely just. They are of greater value than gold, than even a great amount of pure gold; they bring greater delight than honey, than even the sweetest honey from a honeycomb. Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; those who obey them receive a rich reward.”

MY COMMENTS: The meaning of “God’s Word” shifts again here. Now the discussion changes to focus on the “Word of God” speaking moral guidance into your conscience through the Holy Spirit. This can refer to God’s written Scriptures, but more likely, in this context, is speaking of the human conscience being enlightened by the Holy Spirit (compare also Psalm 19:12-14).
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Psalm 119:89-96 (NET): “O Lord, your instructions endure; they stand secure in heaven. You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations. You established the earth and it stood firm. Today they stand firm by your decrees, for all things are your servants. If I had not found encouragement in your law, I would have died in my sorrow. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have revived me. I belong to you. Deliver me! For I seek your precepts. The wicked prepare to kill me, yet I concentrate on your rules. I realize that everything has its limits, but your commands are beyond full comprehension.”

MY COMMENTS: In this context, “God’s Word” or “Instruction,” is speaking of the natural laws which govern the universe and by which God formed the earth. God established these natural laws by His command. The psalmist here expresses his desire to follow and obey the commands of God, which, as we will see below, include God giving a special message and promise to the psalmist.
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Psalm 119:114-117 (NET): “You are my hiding place and my shield. I find hope in your word. Turn away from me, you evil men, so that I can observe the commands of my God. Sustain me as you promised, so that I will live. Do not disappoint me! Support me, so that I will be delivered. Then I will focus on your statutes continually.”
 
MY COMMENTS: Here, “God’s Word” refers to a special promise which God made to this psalmist, to save his life. So the “Word,” “law,” “statutes,” and “commands” in this passage are God’s messages and promises given directly to this psalmist. This is not speaking of the written Scriptures.
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Psalm 119:122-123 (NET): “Guarantee the welfare of your servant! Do not let the arrogant oppress me! My eyes grow tired as I wait for your deliverance, for your reliable promise to be fulfilled.”
MY COMMENTS: Again, in this passage, “God’s Word” is a special promise of deliverance given to this psalmist. This is not referring to the written Scriptures.
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In summary:
Don’t assume that the expression “Word of God” or “God’s Word” refers to the written Scriptures. Instead, examine the context to see what it actually means.

God’s Predestination — Simplified Scriptures Series

Daniel Free Will vs Predestination, Prophecy, Simplified Scriptures Series

This is crazy, I know! But I am going to agree with Calvinists (to some degree) — God did use predestination to select certain elect people to believe in Jesus!

The thing Calvinists (and many other Christians) don’t understand, is that the Bible says that God only predestined the FIRST Jewish believers in Christ and/or the FIRST generation of disciples, not all believers for all time.
Look at what the Scriptures say on this:
Ephesians 1:4-5, 11-12 (ESV) “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”
Notice — and this is very important! — the Bible here says that God predestined those who were the first to hope in Christ, that is, the first Jewish Christians, including the Apostles.
The very next verse (Ephesians 1:13) makes a clear distinction between the predestined first Jewish Christian believers, and the Gentiles who believed in Jesus later on. The Bible does NOT use the word “predestined” or the word “foreknew” in reference to the later generations of Gentile believers, but always for the Jews chosen by God, or perhaps also for the first generation of Gentile believers. (See Romans 11:1-2; Romans 8:23-30)
This by itself may not seem convincing enough for you, however, just take a look at the following verses:
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV) “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.”
James 1:18 (ESV) “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
James 1:1 says that his letter was written to the Jewish Christians, so James 1:18 means the Jews who believed in Jesus are the “firstfruits.” 
The Apostle Peter drives home this point, preaching that God had pre-selected those early Jewish believers whom would be the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection:
Acts 10:41 (NIV): He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
Paul says something similar, that God had chosen him to be His servant before Paul was even born:
Galatians 1:15-16 (NIV): But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.
At 2 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul was either referring to the Jewish believers in Thessalonica as “the firstfruits,” or he was using that term to describe the first generation of all believers in the city of Thessalonica.
In addition, Romans 8:23-30 and Romans 11:1-2 appears to be saying that Jewish people are the ones whom God “foreknew” and “predestined,” and 8:23 shows that these believers who were predestined are the “firstfruits” because they have the “firstfruits of the Holy Spirit” inside of them.

In Romans, Paul repeatedly points out that Jewish Christians are “first,” then Gentile Christians:
Romans 1:16 (NIV): “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

Romans 2:10 (NIV): “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
 
This agrees with the New Testament calling Jewish disciples of Christ “the firstfruits.“

Revelation 14:4 also says “the firstfruits” are Jews who believe in Jesus. This is a consistent message throughout the New Testament.
Our Lord Jesus said that only certain of the Jewish people were drawn by God to become the early disciples of Christ:
John 6:44-45 (NIV): “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.
John 6:64-65 (NIV): Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
This harmonizes perfectly with what Paul said regarding God only selecting a certain remnant of Jewish believers to become disciples and be saved:
Romans 11:1-6 (NIV): I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
So we can see that God predestined and foreknew certain of the original Jewish disciples and the first generation of Christians, but what did Jesus say about future believers?
John 12:32 (ESV) “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.“
Revelation 22:17 (HCSB): Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Anyone who hears should say, “Come!” And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift.

Who is Babylon the Great Whore? — Simplified Scriptures Series

Daniel Simplified Scriptures Series

I just re-read Revelation again (in the New Century Version this time), and this time, it clicked in my head that “Mystery Babylon the Great, the Great Harlot” sounds an awful lot like the Sadducees and Pharisees who killed Jesus and persecuted the Apostles, and tried to suck up to Rome.

Paul spoke about a Jerusalem Below and a Jerusalem Above, in Galatians. Jerusalem Below are the fleshly and evil Jews (such as the Sadducees and Pharisees who plotted to have Jesus killed) and Jerusalem Above is the Church made up of Christian Jews and Gentiles, the Seed of Abraham in Christ, along with the holy angels, Jesus, and God. (Galatians 4:22-31; Hebrews 12:22-23)

Revelation also picks up on this theme by declaring there is a New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2; Revelation 3:12), while also declaring that the earthly city of Jerusalem, which killed Jesus, is called Sodom and Egypt in a symbolic way. (Revelation 11:8) So it would make good logical sense for Revelation to continue using this symbolic language to refer to sinful earthly Jerusalem as “Babylon,” to go with “Sodom” and “Egypt.”

Furthermore, Revelation repeatedly describes Babylon as being an unfaithful adulteress and Harlot. Usually in the New Testament, these phrases are figuratively used to refer to God’s people who have become worldly and unfaithful. This would fit in with the Jerusalem Below Paul spoke of in Galatians, but I don’t know how this would fit with the belief some people have that Babylon was Rome. Plus, Babylon is said to be riding the Beast, which was Rome, therefore, Babylon logically would have to be a different entity from Rome.

The Old Testament prophets of God consistently referred to Jerusalem and Israel as an unfaithful harlot:

Isaiah 1:21 NIV: “See how the faithful city has become a prostitute! She once was full of justice; righteousness used to dwell in her— but now murderers!”

Jeremiah 2:20 NIV: ““Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.”

Finally, what Revelation says about Babylon being responsible for all the blood of the prophets and apostles matches what Jesus told the Pharisees in Matthew 23:31-38.

Revelation‬ ‭18:24‬ ‭NIV‬: “In her [Babylon] was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.””

Matthew 23:34-38 NIV: Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.”

The Jewish leaders’ “house” being abandoned refers to the destruction of the Temple by the Roman armies, and this would harmonize perfectly with the Roman Beast turning and attacking its rider (Babylon), and destroying her with fire.

Revelation 17:16-17 NIV: The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled.

With that said, it is possible that Mystery Babylon represents all wicked apostate religious leaders from the 1st Century all the way until our day, and it referred to the Sadducees and Pharisees in the first application since they were the main religious leaders of that time.

I’d love to see your thoughts on this.

[Photo is in the Public Domain]