It seems to me that this is yet another instance of the difficulty many of us have in accepting all that is written in the Scriptures.
We have the same kinds of debates on predestination v free will. The Scriptures speak to both and yet we mortals tend to want an “either/or”. To the contrary, however, both are true because God says that both are true.
Likewise here – there is a dispute as to whether the priesthood of Melchisedec cancels the priesthood of Levi (an “either/or”):
On the one hand:
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though [it be] but a man's covenant, yet [if it be] confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, [that] the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
For if the inheritance [be] of the law, [it is] no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then [serveth] the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; [and it was] ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one.
[Is] the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3
Or to put it another way, both the law and faith are true because God says they are both true.
I offer this paraphrase of Romans 1-8: that a man can choose to live under the law and God will let him and he will fail because, as the law is purposed to prove, no man can ever be “good enough” to earn his own salvation. (If he could then Jesus' death on the cross was for nothing).
Adding a further paraphrase of the Sermon on the Mount: the law and the prophets are Holy and shall stand until heaven and earth pass away and all is fulfilled.
Thus the priesthoods of Levi and Christ (Judah, Melchizedek) continue until all is fulfilled – the law convicting of sin, bringing humility before God – the faith redeeming the unworthy, keeping the Spiritual family together.
IMHO, pride is the soul-killer both in heaven and in earth and sets both angels and man against the will of the Father – thus, all beings must realize their unworthiness always – and therefore, we need the law until heaven and earth pass away and all is fulfilled. As evidence I offer this thought experiment: consider why Lucifer went awry and what lies at the very root of lust, hate, jealousy, anger, rebellion, want, resentment, murder, theft, fear, etc. Also, the judgments apply to both angels and man, to both this heaven and this earth.
This position is either nonsensical or pointedly refuses to delve into the mechanics of the statement.
Just as with the Calvinist-Arminian debates, the problem is not simply predestination versus free agency, but Calvinistic predestination and free agency versus Arminian predestination and free agency, even so here the question is not whether both are true statements, but rather in what manner both statements are true. I have already argued my position, so I will refrain from repeating the arguments here.
Extremely well said--as usual. Thanks.
The compulsion to cleave to; allow; see only; tolerate only
ONE
--of the dance parters;
--sides of the coin;
. . .
is a very common one and a deadly trap of the enemy, imho.
Christ VIRTUALLY ALWAYS SLICED KATTY CORNER RIGHT ACROSS the pharisees' arguments and questions when they persistently insisted that CHRIST declare which side of the arbitrary and artificial dichotomy they were obsessing over at the time.
YES there are mysteries.
Yet, Father, Christ, Spirit--God IS utterly dependable to fulfill every aspect to the nth degree---regardless of our petty and finite sensibilities on such matters.
I have OFTEN found God to be MUCH MORE OFTEN AND MUCH MORE THOROUGHLY than our finiteness is typically comfortable with
A
"BOTH/AND" GOD
rather than an either/or, God.
Both the Water and The Blood;
Both the Old and the New Covenant march forward into the future in some important senses;
Both Blood Israel and The Church are assigned roles in the end times dramas;
Both the 12 Blood tribes and the 12 Apostles are represented in the 24 elders in eternity;
Both the body is given importance--witness The Resurrection(s) as well as The Spirit
Both brokenness/humility as well as ruling and reigning in confidence with power and majesty with Christ are the essential required essences of our destinies in Christ;
Both complexity/simplicity are hallmarks/finger prints of God and His handiwork;