verses

Most Christians believe that almost all of the Mosaic laws have been abolished. Some, such as the animal and grain sacrificial laws with their many rituals (Jesus was the perfect and final sacrifice according to Hebrews 9:26, 10:10,12,14, and 1 Corinthians 5:7) and the circumcision law (Romans 2:29) truly have been done away with, but not most of the rest of them. Has the "law" (nomos 3551) been abolished? Galatians 5:18 basically "spells out" the answer! "But IF (did you just see that IF word?) you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." The opposite would mean that if you ARE NOT LED by the Holy Spirit, YOU ARE UNDER THE LAW! The next logical conclusion is that if you are under the law, the LAW THEN WAS NEVER ABOLISHED. How about that? The word law (nomos 3551) used in the Bible has as its first definition "any law whatsoever." That means it is NONSPECIFIC. That means that "law" in the Bible does not exclude any set of divine laws, which in turn also means that the Mosaic laws ARE INCLUDED in the word "law." Acts 5:32 reveals that the only way you can get the Holy Spirit is by OBEYING THE LAW! Also, most Bible translators, incredibly, are actually anti-Old Testament leaning. If you don't believe that, just scroll down to number 2 below to see with your own eyes the highly misleading anti-Old Testament comment they added at the end of Mark 7:19 in most translations, something I consider almost unforgiveable. The home page of this website is LITTLE PUBLICIZED ANOMIA. 1) Romans 14:14: "......... there is nothing unclean of itself." Paul's use of the original Greek word "koinos" for "unclean" clarifies that he was not referring to animals unfit for human consumption listed in the Old Testament, in which the original Greek word "akathartos" is used to describe such animals, not "koinos." Koinos refers to being ceremonially polluted, defiled, or unclean for spiritual sacrifice. In Romans 14:20 ".........all things are clean" the original Greek word for "clean" is "katharos" which means "free from impurities, without blemish, spotless" and is used to describe all kinds of cleanliness, including clean dishes. To erroneously conclude that the Old Testament laws prohibiting eating certain meats have been abolished is taking Romans 14 very much out of context. For additional study of Romans 14:20 please click ucg.org/booklets/nc/uncleanmeats.htm. 2) Mark 7:18-19: "........ Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?" These verses, including Mark 7:15, are really easy to explain. The false belief that these verses prove the Old Testament dietary laws have been abolished is another classic case of a) totally ignoring the over all meaning or context of the first two thirds of the seventh chapter of Mark, b) totally ignoring the definition of the original Greek word katharizo, Strong's number 2511, translated "purifying" in verse 19, and c) unquestioningly accepting the direct additions of anti-Old Testament leaning translators' comments in translations such as those in the New International Version of the Bible, the New American Standard Bible, and in most other English translated Bibles!! The subject of verses 18-19, according to verses 2-5 refers to the Pharisees' man made ceremonial ritual of meticulously washing hands, not what foods are "unclean" or Biblically inedible. The first, primary definition of katharizo refers to the cleansing of physical stains, dirt, and other external contamination on food, not the neutralization of fatal poisons or infections ingested by consuming forbidden foods listed in the Mosaic laws. If you don't believe that, just read about what happened to someone who ate an improperly cooked pig with trichinosis (no cure for trichinosis exists after the parasites have entered muscle tissue which can cause heart failure), a Flamboyant Cuttlefish, another forbidden food, which has poisonous flesh, or a Phyllobates terribilis frog, a third forbidden food which is a poison dart frog that can kill as many as 10 people or 20,000 mice. Even boiling this frog will not reduce its toxicity, which remains potent for a year. The NIV, NASB, and most other English translations, incredibly, BRAZENLY ADD the following or similar very misleading anti-Old Testament comment at the end of Mark 7:19: "(In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)," a comment that !! IS NOT !! found in the more accurate King James and New King James versions, and certainly not in the original Greek. In verses 20-23 Jesus added that the Pharisees should put more emphasis on cleansing their thoughts which is more important than washing their hands. For additional study please click ucg.org/booklets/CU/meatdistinctions.htm and read the middle one fourth of the page. Another site to visit is ucg.org/un/un0505/treasuredigest.htm, and read the bottom one fourth of that page." 3) Acts 10:10-17: "Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; ....... he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' 14 But Peter said, 'Not so Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.' 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again. 17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant ........" One cannot ignore Acts 10:28-29 which say: "........ 'You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for........." Without reading the latter verses it's easy to jump to the premature conclusion that God has abolished laws restricting which foods can be eaten. After carefully reading Acts 10 one can see that Peter never concluded that he could eat any kind of animal even after seeing the vision three times and "wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant." Peter later realized what the revelation really meant. Peter now understood that he should no longer call anyone common or unclean according to verse 28. After recognizing the purpose of the dream he later was able to baptize the first gentiles (non-Israelites) the Lord had called into the Church (verses 45-48). During the time that Jesus lived Jews erroneously believed that gentiles were unclean and should be avoided. Peter's dream showed that God was now beginning to offer salvation to people of any race, and not just to Jews. In Acts 11:2-18 Peter later told some Jews about this dream, and in verse 18 even those Jews came to the same conclusion about the dream: "Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." For additional study click gnmagazine.org/booklets/CU/CU.pdf and scroll down to pages 12 and 13, and start reading the section "Peter's vision: Did God cleanse all meats?" 4) 1 Timothy 4:3-5: "forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." The context of chapter 4 is found in verse 1 which is a warning against demonic doctrines teaching celibacy and excessive asceticism concerning foods. For a better understanding please click gnmagazine.org/booklets/CU/CU.pdf and scroll down to pages 22 and 23 and read "Misunderstood Instructions to Timothy." 5) Galatians 3:24-25: 24 "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." 6) Galatians 5:18: "But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." 7) Romans 6:14: "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." To understand 5), 6), and 7) just look at Romans 6:15: "........ Shall we sin (sin is transgression of the Mosaic laws [1 John 3:4]) because we are not under the law but under grace? CERTAINLY NOT!" So we are still obligated to obey most of the other moral and civil Mosaic laws (don't remove property landmarks, don't eat sewage absorbing oysters, don't commit incest, pay the specific tithes required to support our ministers and feed the starving, etc.) Concerning the phrase "under the law" in the above verses special consideration also needs to be given to the original Greek word for "under," hupo, Strong's number 5259. World renowned Greek word expert Thayer in his New Testament Greek-English Lexicon states that the preposition hupo refers to something in an inferior position or condition, specifically in a covert or moderate way. This precise definition leaves wide open as the Grand Canyon the possibility, in the above verses, that "not being under the law" is not necessarily always absolute, that we can be only partially "not under the law," or only moderately "not under the law," in which we would still be under laws in a sense, reinforcing further the Bible's affirmation that most of the Mosaic laws are still in force. "Not under the law" means "not under the penalty of the law" if you break the law. The sacrificial, atoning death of Jesus was not meant to allow anomos Christians to forever run around in heaven or on the Earth offending the Lord or other Christians. The Mosaic civil and moral laws also provide standards for the purpose of eternal judgment. To better understand these easily misunderstood verses, go to thercg.org/articles/lg.html. 8) Ephesians 2:15: "having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace" --- New King James Version, "He abolished the Jewish Law, with its commandments and rules, in order to create out of the two races one new people in union with Himself, in this way making peace" --- Today's English Version. The original Greek reveals that this verse does not even refer to the Mosaic laws. Analyzing the New King James Version, which is more accurate with respect to the original, literal Greek, the author Paul describes human traditions or laws (apparently the man embellished, burdensome Oral Torah) as "the law of commandments contained in ordinances." Context is very important to understand this verse. Verse 14 sets the stage for understanding verse 15. Verse 14: "He ........ has broken down the MIDDLE WALL of separation." The specific phrase "middle wall" is helpful to understand verse 15 because it identifies and concentrates only on a wall or barrier made by man, not a barrier made by God or His divine laws. The Greek word for "middle wall" is mesotoichon, Strong's number 3320, a special, actually rare word appearing only once in the entire Bible in Ephesians 2:15. The word mesotoichon was used by the famous Jewish historian Josephus to refer specifically to a balustrade in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem to keep Gentiles from entering the holy section of the temple. That balustrade (the Jews built the barrier because they wanted to, not by any Scripture) was definitely a man made barrier, NOT a divinely made barrier or wall created by any Scripture. The Greek word for law is nomos, Strong's number 3551, which usually is defined as referring to the laws of God, but not always. There are more than 7 definitions of nomos, depending upon the context of the verse nomos is in. Nomos can easily refer to man made laws. Three Greek words are used in the phrase "commandments contained (contained is a word added by translators) in ordinances:" entole, Strong's number 1785, en, Strong's number 1722, and dogma, Strong's number 1378. Dogma, translated in to "ordinances" appears only in the following verses elsewhere in the New Testament: Luke 2:1, Acts 16:4, 17:7, Colossians 2:14, and Hebrews 11:23. In every single verse dogma means only a man made decree or law, decisively limiting Ephesians 2:15 to only man made laws, not divine laws of the Old Testament. Finally, if mainstream Christians are correct in their belief this verse abolishes laws created by God, they seem to forget that Ephesians 2:15 is quite nonspecific about which divine laws were abolished -- newly added or listed New Testament laws could just as easily be the laws that were included in the Old Testament laws that were supposedly "abolished." Plenty of New Testament verses, though, of course sternly warn us not to break divine laws, including those listed in the New Testament, making the reasoning of mainstream Christians even more flawed. ......... (editing --- will be completed by 10-15-11, discussing entole's reference to man made commandments in other verses). For further study click www.gnmagazine.org/booklets/NC/peace.htm, and read the entire page, slowly. I myself had to read parts of it several times before I fully understood it. Another helpful site is www.thercg.org/questions/p154.a.html#c. 9) Galatians 2:16: "knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ ........that we might be justified by faith in Christ ......." James 2:24 says "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only" which means that obedience to Biblical laws is still a part of salvation. Galatians 2:16 involves a discussion by Paul simply explaining that "works" or keeping the Mosaic laws no longer by itself "justifies" Christians, which means to be righteous in God's sight. Some false teachers in Galatia had previously tried to deceive church members in the local churches by insisting that keeping the Mosaic laws and circumcision were the only requirements needed for salvation, and that faith in Jesus Christ was not needed. Please click gnmagazine.org/booklets/NC/NC.pdf and scroll down to pages 144-145 and read "Confusion Over Legalism: What It Is and Isn't." 10) Galatians 3:19: "What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made ........" Paul, the author of this verse, is logically talking about temporary, carnal ordinances of the law added at Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments did not originate at Sinai, and they did not end at the cross, the sacrifice of Jesus. Something, however, did originate at Sinai, and something ended at the cross. The Decalogue was revealed at the Garden of Eden, but certain things were added at Sinai. Galatians 3:19: "........it was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come ........" Something was transitory and then went away. The book of Hebrews can explain Galatians 3:19. Hebrews 9:8-11: "The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was (still) standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience- 10 concerned only with foods and drinks (food and drink offerings), various washings (purification rites), (and) fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come ........" The sacrificial and ceremonial laws of washings, purification rites and other physical ordinances were most logically the things that ended when Jesus died, not the many moral and civil laws of the Mosaic laws. For additional study click gnmagazine.org/booklets/NC/circumcision.htm and read the lower one fourth of the page. 11) Romans 7:4,6: "........you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another---to Him who was raised from the dead ........6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." Explaining these verses is not difficult, just look at verses 7 and 12: 7 "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law........" 12 "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." Verses 7 and 12 emphasize that observing the majority of the Mosaic laws is still a necessary and integral part of Christianity. These verses are addressed to baptized Christians with the Holy Spirit faithfully obeying divine laws, thereby nullifying or suspending for themselves the penalty of violating Biblical laws. Christians have "become dead to" and "delivered from" the PENALTY aspect of the law. Romans 7:4 says that YOU have become dead to the law, not that the law has become dead. For a better understanding please go to thercg.org/articles/lg.html., then go to thercg.org/questions/p155.a.html. 12) Colossians 2:14: New King James version: "having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." For an accurate understanding of this verse, please click ucg.org/un/un0503/blottedout.htm. After studying that site you will realize that "handwriting of requirements" refers to the past record or evidence of our sins, not the actual holy law itself. 13) 2 Corinthians 3:7,11,13: "But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, ........ 11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. ........13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away." In verses 7, 11, and 13 it was the Old Covenant that was passing away, not the holy law of God. Most Christians mistakenly equate the Old Covenant with the laws and commands of God. It is a MAJOR MISTAKE that has caused much confusion concerning "the law being abolished." The commands of God (the law of God, especially the letter of the law, since the spirit of the law had not yet been given [Matthew 5:21-22, 27-29, etc.]) were a part of the terms of the Old Covenant. The law was not the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant was the contract or the agreement that the Lord offered to Israel. It contained what He would require of Israel and the promises He offered if they obeyed. The law contained the terms of what God required of Israel. There was a body of law that was set aside after the death of Jesus. This was the ceremonial law (the Levitical law of burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin that were forerunners of Jesus' sacrifice). Most Christians confuse this body of law that was set aside with the holy law of God. Jesus said that He had "not come to destroy the law or the Prophets ........ but to fulfil" (Matthew 5:17). The original Greek word for fulfil means to make full, to fill up, to fill to the full, or to complete. Jesus came to complete the law by adding the spirit of the law to the letter of the law. He did not come to abolish it. What was passing away was not the holy law but the Old Covenant. The original agreement that God made with Israel was not meant to bring salvation to Israel. It was incomplete. Paul refers to this in Hebrews 8:6-8: "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says: 'Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel ........' " Paul then quotes from Jeremiah 31:31-34. Paul says here that the New Covenant is a better covenant, not because it does away with the laws of God, but because it is established on better promises. There was a fault or flaw in the Old Covenant. However, the fault was not with the laws of God. The fault was in the people of Israel. It was a flaw that was not corrected by the terms of the Old Covenant. The people did not have the heart to obey God even in the letter of the law (Deuteronomy 5:23-29, 29:2-4). God did not promise Israel access to His Holy Spirit under the terms of the Old Covenant. The Holy Spirit would have enabled the Israelites to have a heart to obey God's laws. Only the patriarchs and the prophets had access to the Holy Spirit. God promised Israel only physical blessings for their obedience to His laws (Deuteronomy 28:1-13). Paul quoted from Jeremiah 31:33 in Hebrews 8:10: "For 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." The New Covenant because of its better promises (specifically the promise of the Holy Spirit) enables God's laws to be written in our hearts so that the law actually becomes a part of our minds and hearts as we use the Holy Spirit to become like Jesus Christ, to have His nature, mind, character and love in us. In summary, it was the Old Covenant that was passing away, not the holy laws of God. 14) Romans 10:4: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." The original Greek word for end is telos, Strong's number 5056, which primarily means "goal, aim, purpose, or end result," not necessarily the cessation or termination of law keeping. "End" is another poor and misleading translation. For further study click ucg.org/booklets/NC/end.htm. .15) Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." The original Greek word for fulfill is pleroo, Strong's number 4137, which does not mean to replace, abolish, substitute, or perform for other Christians. It overwhelmingly means to "make replete, level up, be full, perfect, fully preach, complete, or to fill." Fulfill means to fill to the full in verse 17, to fill full, or fill fuller. Pleroo means basically "to add to," or "supplement." Joseph H. Thayer, famous Bible word expert, includes the following words in his definition of pleroo: "to furnish or supply liberally," "liberally supplied," "to render full," "to fill up to the top," "so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim," "to make complete in every particular," and "to render perfect." The same pleroo word was used in Matthew 13:48 in which nets were filled up with fish. Jesus added to and improved the law. For example, He added new divorce and remarriage laws. He told us that merely looking at women adulterously is now a sin, another new law He added. He also told us not to swear and not to call others fools or become unjustifiably angry with others, refining further the law prohibiting murder. The following reputable translations help show that Jesus DID NOT "fulfill" the law in a way that clearly no longer required us to obey the law. He simply made the law better, adding to it, and refined it further. We still need to diligently observe many Mosaic laws. Matthew 5:17: "You folks should not infer from customary presumption or from established supposition that I came to loosen-down or demolish the Law (or: Torah) or the Prophets. I did not come to loosen-down or demolish, but to the contrary, to fulfill (or: fill up) and make full." --- Jonathon Mitchell New Testament. Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to set aside the law and the prophets; I have not come to set them aside, but to bring them to perfection." --- Knox New Testament. Matthew 5:17: "Do not for a moment suppose that I have come to abrogate the Law or the Prophets: I have not come to abrogate them but to give them their completion." --- Weymouth New Testament. Mainstream Christians misinterpret pleroo to mean that Jesus has discharged Christians from the obligation to continue closely obeying the Mosaic laws. For further study click ucg.org/bsc/09/spiritoflaw.htm. 16) Galatians 5:1-4: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 ........ if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace." For an explanation of these verses please click ucg.org/booklets/NC/legalism.htm and scroll down to the middle to read the section "Paul condemned perversion of law." 17) Mark 16:16: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; ........" 18) John 3:15: "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." 19) John 3:18: "He who believes in Him is not condemned; ........" 20) John 3:36: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; ........" 21) John 5:24: "He who ........ believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, ........" 22) John 6:47: "........ he who believes in Me has everlasting life." 23) John 11:25-26: "........ He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die ........" Most people would probably say that it is unreasonable to simply lift the previous seven verses out of the Bible and basically forget what the next verse or the rest of the Bible says, but that is what many antinomians seem to expect or hope the rest of us will do. Common sense says that believing in someone not only involves the mere existence of the person but also basically everything that the person has taught and believed during his lifetime. Isaiah 28:9-10: "Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message?........ 10 For precept must be upon precept, ........ Line upon line, ........ Here a little, there a little" shows that understanding the Bible is similar to piecing together the parts of a puzzle. The original Greek word for "believe" in all of the above verses by Mark and John is pisteuo, Strong's number 4100. According to Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament some of the definitions of pisteuo include "........ to believe one's words ........ the credence given to God's messengers and their words ....... a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah ....... conjoined with OBEDIENCE to Christ ......." Support for antinomianism in these Mark and John verses abruptly vanishes when John 3:36 is read completely: "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who DISOBEYS the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." The original Greek word for "disobeys" is apeitheo, Strong's number 544. Thayer's lexicon defines apeitheo as "........ a. to refuse or withhold belief ........ b. to refuse belief and obedience ........" Today's English Version, Living Bible, Revised Standard Version, and the New English Bible translations all use "disobeys" or "not obey" or "don't believe and obey" in the last half of John 3:36. 24) Romans 14:5-6: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it." Romans 14:1 reveals the context of verses 5 and 6: the discussion is about "disputes over doubtful things." These were matters of opinions which show that the author, Paul, was not addressing issues clearly stated and established in the Bible, such as when and if to obey the commandment to rest on the Sabbath day. Verses 5 and 6 about days occurs immediately between references to eating meat, vegetarianism and fasting in verses 2, 3, and 6, which are not Biblically related to Sabbath observance. To assume that Paul, a strict Pharisee who quoted the Old Testament many times, meant that the Sabbth, a feast day, no longer had to be kept is taking verses 5 and 6 far out of context. Paul's letter was written to a mixed church of gentile and Jewish believers, and arguments had broken out over some of their eating practices and fasting day traditions. The Sabbath day was not an issue here. For additional study of Romans 14:5-6 please click ucg.org/booklets/NC/opposite.htm. You can also visit ucg.org/booklets/nc/worship.htm. Many people mistakenly believe that Romans 14 also proves that the Old Testament dietary laws restricting which meats can be eaten has been done away with. Many Bible authorities agree that Paul wrote this letter to the Romans in about 56 or 57 A.D. from Corinth, where there had been a lot of arguments about meat sacrificed to idols. These Bible experts say that the book of 1 Corinthians was written by Paul around 55 A. D. Chapters 8 and 10 in 1 Corinthians discuss meat sacrificed to idols, and this food controversy is the logical reason for Paul's comments about it in the book of Romans. The common practice of the Romans at the time was to offer sacrifices of meat and wine to idols, and then they sold whatever was left over in the marketplace. Romans 14:21 shows that the main subject of Romans 14 is the sacrifice of meats and wine to idols. The "Life Application Bible" comments on Romans 14:2 saying that some Christians at the time felt guilty about eating meat or drinking wine they had bought because they knew it could have been part of the meat or wine recently sacrificed to idols. Some Christians thought it was okay to eat part of the meat or drink wine that was used as a sacrifice. The most important point Paul makes in Romans 14 is not to offend anyone else if they are present when you are eating some meat or drinking wine as he points out in verses 13, 15, 16, 20, and 21. 25) Acts 15:5,24: "........ the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, 'That it was needful to circumcise them, AND to command them (them is a word added by translators) to keep the law of Moses.' 24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, you must be circumcised, AND keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:" The over all context here is that the Apostles never sanctioned or required circumcision for salvation. In verse 5 "........ That it was needful to circumcise them AND to command them (them is a word added by translators) to keep the law of Moses," the original Greek word for AND is te, Strong's number 5037, which can be translated as "whether" or "then," two alternate definitions of te. When you remove the artificially added "them" the verse can be translated as "........ That it was needful to circumcise them "whether" or "then" to command to keep the law of Moses," which radically changes what this verse is saying. Remember, anti-Old Testament leaning translators, when they can, jump at the opportunity to insert their theological bias into any verse. Also keep in mind that there are no commas in the Greek language. Translators add them where ever they want them. In verse 24, the Greek word for "and" is kai, Strong's number 2532, usually translated as "and." That pivotally important little conjunction, if it was not accurately translated, significantly weakens the already poor arguments of those preaching the abolition of the Mosaic laws. The conservative King James Version of the Bible translates kai in other verses in the New Testament as "even" 108 times, "then" 20 times, and "so" 18 times. Kai has also been translated as "so then, certainly, just, now, well, while, for, if, that, therefore, when." Kai can mean "as a consequence or result of an action taken" in which verse 24 could very well mean that circumcision would merely be an act or consequence of keeping the law of Moses, and Mosaic law observance in general was not a separate command. In such a situation keeping the other laws of Moses is not an issue. Verse 24: "........ subverting your souls, saying, you must be circumcised so then or certainly or now or well or while or for or if or that or therefore or when keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment" are other possible translations. The Apostles concluded that it would be too much of a burden to impose circumcision on Christians. Please click gnmagazine.org/booklets/NC/circumcision.htm and read at least the first 8 paragraphs to better understand this verse. Another helpful site to visit is ucg.org/papers/covenants.pdf. 26) Acts 15:10-11: "......... why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they." The overall context or main topic of Acts 15 was a ministerial conference in Jerusalem to decide if the law of circumcision, not the other Mosaic laws, should still be obeyed. The disciples concluded that requiring Gentile Christian males to be circumcized would have been an unnecessarily burdensome yoke on them, and that circumcision therefore was no longer required. Luke's use of the Greek word ischuo, Strong's number 2480, translated into the English "were able" in Acts 15:10 shows or suggests that the fathers and their descendants were actually able to bear such a yoke, but not in a "forceful" or "robust" or "strong" or "extraordinary" way. Ischuo indicates a more forceful strength or ability to prevail than the Greek word dunamai, Strong's number 1410 which simply means "to be able" or just "be possible," "can," or "may." For many hundreds of years the tribes of Judah (the Jews), Benjamin, and the other tribes of Israel did observe circumcision which did not seem to significantly adverse their physical or mental health, so in a sense they were able to bear circumcision. Click ucg.org/un/un0608/treasuredigest.htm and read the bottom one eighth of that page for additional study of these verses. 27) Galatians 4:21: "Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?" Because of the way the New Testament is written, this is another verse that requires good judgment and common sense to understand it. One cannot just lift this verse out and blindly forget about what the rest of the Bible says. "The law," primarily the Mosaic laws, is good and holy and needs to be obeyed according to not just a few, but many other verses, including many uttered by Jesus Himself. Matthew 7:23 shows that those who reject the law will themselves be rejected, and even quite violently rejected. "Do you not hear the law?" means "do you not understand the law?" Paul in the above verse apparently is referring to the original law that required animal and grain sacrifices as well as circumcision, items that have been removed for Christians accepting the sacrifice of Jesus to atone for sins. Galatians 4:21 is addressed to those who want to reject the sacrificial death of Jesus and who want to trust in their own good works and deeds and/or the sacrifice of animals to compensate for their sins, thereby saving them. Click www.ucg.org/bible-faq/what-law-referred-galatians-421 to better understand this verse. Another helpful site to visit is www.yaiy.org/literature/DaysMonths.html. 28) Galatians 3:10,11,13: "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.' 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for 'the just shall live by faith.' ........ 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree')." (editing, will be completed by 11-5-11.) 29) Matthew 11:13: "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." The original Greek word for the pivotally important word "until" is heos, Strong's number 2193. It is often translated as "until," but is translated about as often as "unto." Other translations are "to," "while," and "whilst." The word "prophesied" seems to mean that the main emphasis is on foretelling or predicting the future, not on doing away with something. From the following 12 different translations you can see that there is no indication at all that the law was abolished in this verse. The "until" word ususally does not even appear in these translations. Easy to Read Version: "All the prophets and the law {of Moses} spoke until the time John came. They told about the things that would happen." The Message: "But if you read the books of the Prophets and God's Law closely, you will see them culminate in John, teaming up with him in preparing the way for the Messiah of the kingdom." The New Living Translation, New Century Version, New Life Bible, The Darby Translation, Goodspeed New Testament, Knox New Testament, Living Oracles New Testament, Williams New Testament, Worsley New Testament, and An Understandable Version translations will also be given soon. Therefore this verse is not conclusively anti-Mosaic law. 30) Romans 8:1-2: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (editing --- will be completed soon.) 31) James 2:10: "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (editing--- will be completed soon.) 32) Hebrews 7:15-18: "And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. 17 For He testifies: 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.' 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness." --- New King James Version. The subject here in verse 18 is the annulling of only a specific law concerning the physical, Aaronic priesthood, NOT ALL of the Mosaic laws. Many reputable translations basically read in verse 16 "a law of a fleshly commandment" that was annulled in verse 18, or explain in a more understandable way the transition (and abolishment or annulling) of the old Mosaic, Aaronic priesthood to the new priesthood led by Jesus Christ: "who was not appointed on the basis of human regulations governing one's physical ancestry, but on the strength of One whose life never ends." --- An Understandable Version. "who has become, not according to a law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life." --- A Conservative Version. "who was appointed to be a priest, not on the basis of a genealogical registry, but rather on the power of an indestructible life." --- International Standard Version. "for He is appointed not for possessing any legal physical qualifications, but by virtue of a life that cannot end." --- Goodspeed New Testament. "That is to say, not made by a law based on the flesh, but by the power of a life without end." --- Bible In Basic English. "Who has not been born down in accord to a law of a fleshly commandment, but according to a power (ability) of an indissoluble life (a life not subject to destruction.)" --- Jonathan Mitchell New Testament. "who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of carnal requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life." --- Common Edition New Testament. "who is appointed not on the basis of a physical qualification but on the basis of a power flowing from a life that cannot end." --- Williams New Testament. "Who hath been made Priest, not according to a law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life." --- Worrell New Testament. Again, what was annulled in verse 18 was the continuance of the Aaronic priesthood, not Old Testament laws as a whole. Otherwise we can now break many laws of basic decency that even most pagan societies do not break, laws not specifically listed in the New Testament, a ridiculous supposition that is also taken far out of context in Hebrews 7. For further study go to thercg.org/books/tbdse.html#heb7 and scroll down to Hebrews 7:18-19. For an even more expanded discussion click PRIESTHOOD . 33) Colossians 2:16: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." --- King James Version. The context or subject content here is not about Biblically forbidden food, but a warning by Paul to the Colossians to ignore criticism by a local group of ascetic heretics condemning the Gentile Christians in Colosse for physically enjoying the feast meals on the Sabbath and holy festival days. This verse actually shows that the righteous Colossians did observe the Saturday Sabbath and the Mosaic festival days. For a much better understanding please click www.ucg.org/search/apachesoir_search/ then type in Colossians 2 in the upper right search space. Click the magnification symbol and read the top two websites. 34) Luke 16:16: (editing --- will be completed soon.) 35) Matthew 15:11: (editing --- will be completed soon.) 36) Acts 15:28,29: (editing --- will be completed soon.) 37) Acts 15:19,20: "Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood." When the book of Acts was written the dominant Greek and Roman cultures at that time were centered around idol worship and even had many local pagan temples. Christian Gentiles assembled, literally with the sizable Jewish community, in the synagogues each Saturday. Bibles were extremely expensive at the time since Scrolls were hand written, and very few people had them except the very rich. Synagogue services were the only opportunity most Gentile Christians had to hear the Scriptures and learn Christianity since new Christian congregations had not yet been established in many areas. The Jews welcomed the new people, but they needed to be assured that the Gentiles had genuinely forsaken any form of idolatry. The apostles therefore required the Gentile believers, to get along with the Jews, to accept certain rules (generally man made rules or customs that were not necessarily always required for salvation) showing that they had rejected idolatrous practices: 1) they should not become involved in any ritual involving animal strangulation, 2) they should not participate in any ceremony misusing blood in sacrifices, 3) they should not become involved in any meal associated with idol worship, and 4) they should completely avoid any contact or dealings with temple prostitutes. Verse 21: "For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath." This last verse shows that the apostles were motivated to help make the Jews accept the new Christian converts into the synagogues to regularly hear and learn what Moses was recorded to have said. If Acts 15:20 is a complete, exhaustive list of laws for Christians to obey, Gentile believers can now murder, cheat, lie, have sex with animals, have incestuous sex with the closest relatives, eat an animal torn by a wild animal, consult wizards, forget about tithing, curse their parents, covet, etc. which of course is a ridiculous conclusion. Acts 15:20 therefore does not even remotely begin to prove that the Mosaic laws have been nullified. For a better understanding of these two verses go to tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2008/how-to-study-your-bible then scroll down to principle 5. 38) Acts 21:21: "..... you teach all the Jews ..... to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs." Paul was accused by Jews of trying to teach Jews (what he taught the Gentiles, which was different, was not their immediate concern) that there no longer was any need to become circumcised or to obey Jewish customs or rituals. That accusation was false and inaccurate. To better understand these controversial, difficult verses search "which old testament laws should we keep today, by herman l hoeh" and read the lower one fourth of that page. Paul told the Gentiles that circumcision and the sacrificial customs and rituals no longer need to be obeyed. The emphasis here is on the added customs (sacrifices and rituals) of the Mosaic laws which the Jews followed, not the original civil laws of Moses. He did not say that the ten commandments and the civil laws of Moses had passed away. Christians still need to observe those laws. (editing --- will be completed soon.) 39) Acts 21:25: "But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality." This verse is actually a quotation taken from the conference in Jerusalem dealing with circumcision. The speaker is James, the half-brother of Jesus. The subject, according to verse 21, is the customs (ceremonial additions), not the civil laws or the Ten Commandments. Verse 25 basically is a reaffirmation of Acts 15:19-20. Read again 37 above. 40) Romans 3:28: "......... a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law." (editing --- will be completed soon.) ................ Mosaic law rejecting Christians have more than major problems in believing that the above verses in the English translations literally mean that obedience to the moral and civil laws within the Mosaic laws is now obsolete. Such Christians make the New Testament that they themselves use appear confusingly, even hopelessly contradictory, damaging some of its credibility. If the verses above mean that observing those Old Testament laws that are still applicable to today's world really have been abolished, then the many other verses mentioned in this website, which include statements by Jesus Christ Himself, stating that these laws must still be obeyed are lies, an impossible situation if 2 Timothy 3:16 is true: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Remember, the English translations of the Bible are sometimes a little on the "sloppy," or less precise side.