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To: crystalk
Thanks for your reply, crystalk.

Yes, I do believe there is a dichotomy. The crucifixion of our Lord presents us with an absolutely unambiguous and inescapable either/or situation -- either your sins are nailed to the cross or they're not. Either you are spared from God's wrath by the blood of Jesus Christ or you are not. Period. If this dichotomy is a deception, then the following words must necessarily be a deception as well:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life...Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.

So, unless Jesus was lying, God's wrath remains on the Jews. Of course, the Jews experienced God's wrath on numerous occasions in Old Testament times, but they never ceased to be God's chosen because they were covered by the old covenant and its system of animal sacrifices. The situation is very different now -- Jews have rejected the new covenant, leaving themselves fully exposed to God's wrath.

But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obselete; and what is obselete is aging and will soon disappear.

Paul makes it clear in Romans 11:26 that God has not abandoned the Jews, though -- "all Israel will be saved" some time in the future, and that salvation will come through Jesus Christ, brought to them by the work of His Church carrying out the Great Commission.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [Note: this includes the Islamic nations, too]

Therefore, as Christians, it makes more sense for us to do what we can to help lead our wayward Jewish brethren back to their new-covenant Savior, rather than cheering them on in their attempt to wrestle the old covenant back into existance with its temple and animal sacrifices and whatever else.

But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not manmade, that is to say, not part of this creation.

How much more then, will, the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the Living God!

If any of this seems smug or anti-Semitic, then it must be because the messages of the apostle Paul and Jesus himself are smug and anti-Semitic.

126 posted on 11/08/2001 6:08:27 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: Yardstick
Let me make sure that last statement is clear: Jesus and Paul were clearly neither anti-Semites nor smug.
127 posted on 11/08/2001 6:20:29 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: Yardstick
I do think you are going much too far, and you are making the new Covenant exactly what its worst enemies have always contended. Its far more numerous balanced statements, you are ignoring. Maybe we just represent two different kinds of Christian, and never the twain shall meet.

"Blindness IN PART has happened unto Israel, UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles has come in." "Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, UNTIL the times of the Gentiles are finished."

The clock is not only ticking on your outmoded stance, it has done ticked out, and your time is up. Please take these ideas back to the middle ages, and welcome Israel back to full loving fellowship with us as not only full members of God's family, but with a unique eschatological role which gentilized Christians could never fulfil, and yes, that involves the Temple.

One red heifer, without blemish, without even two non-red hairs, will do more for eschatology than your quotations, which are out of context and out of date. They represent anti-Jewish bigotry, and are the moral equivalent of the anti-Christian bigotry of some in ADL, or of some in Israel who pass laws forbidding freedom of worship there to Christians, or desecrate churches there, or who want no Christian help in the Temple's rebuilding...despite the fact the Tanakh itself says such help will be both forthcoming, and welcome...

133 posted on 11/08/2001 11:57:14 PM PST by crystalk
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