By this time the careful student has had impressed upon him a deep respect for the Word of God and has had pointed out the difference in the Old and New Testaments. This lesson deals with the next great principle of the Christian system, respect for the authority of Christ. The Great Commission is
the marching orders for the kingdom, but could be no better than the authority by which it was given. Thus Jesus said in Matthew 28:18, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth..." He understood that if men were to preach His gospel He had to have the necessary authority to give reward to such preaching. In the famous 14th chapter of John, Jesus declares that faith in Him is as firmly fixed as faith in God. He said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1). It is God's design, therefore, that Christ and Christ only be heard in all matters of religion. The Hebrew writer declares that we are the house of Christ, who house we are if we hold fast. Hebrews 9:15 teaches that Jesus sealed His New Testament with His blood by reason of death and that no man can disannul or add thereto. The great lesson on the Mount of Transfiguration is the same. God declares that we are to hear His Son. Study the following scriptures carefully and understand that Christ and Christ alone is to be heard. Read carefully Matt. 17:1-6.
1. Jesus took , and into the mountain
with Him.
2. and appear and talk with Christ of His coming
passion.
3. Peter said, Let us build three one for , one for
and one for Elijah.
4. God spoke from heaven and said,
" ; hear ."
This means that God intends for us to hear Christ instead of Moses who
gave the Old Law or Elijah, who represented the prophets.
5. Matthew 28:18, Jesus said, "All has been given to in
heaven and on earth." Jesus has all power, therefore, Moses and the Law of
the Old Covenant had to make way for the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.
6. Hebrews 5:8-9, Jesus is the of eternal salvation.
7. Hebrews 12:2, We are to look unto who is the author and finisher
of our faith. Men who look to the Old Law given under Moses fail to
heed the command of God as given here.
8. Acts 2:38, Men were to repent and be baptized in the name or by the authority
of .
Read carefully Hebrews 9:11-28.
9. Jesus is to be heard because He himself without to
God.(Hebrews 9:14)
10. This was accomplished by means of . And for this cause He
became the of the new covenant. (Hebrews 9:14-15)
11. Where a testament is the testator must have . (Hebrews 9:16-17)
Christ died therefore His is of force today.
The testament of Moses, the Old Testament, is no longer in force because
the testament of Christ, the New Testament, is in force. There cannot be
two laws in force at the same time.
12. A testament is of no strength while the testator .
While Christ was alive He could dispense with blessings as He saw fit,
as He did with the thief on the cross, but after the testator dies his
will or testament is of force and then his blessings must be dispensed
according to it. That is why the New Testament is our only guide to
show us the way of salvation it is the will or testament of Jesus.
13. The New Testament, therefore, began to be in force after the of
the testator.
Did the thief on the cross obtain his blessing before or after the New
Covenant became effective? . Did the law that a man must be
baptized in order to receive the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Matt. 28:18-20;
Mark 16:16)apply to the thief on the cross? Why?
14. Galatians 5:1-4, Men who reject the authority of Christ and went back
to the authority of the Law of Moses from grace.
Paul teaches in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, that the scriptures will make a man perfect completely equipped for every good work. Hear him: " All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Thus we see that we need no human creeds. We have the New Testament and that is all that is needed. Think a minute. If a human creed is longer than the New Testament, it is too long. If it is shorter than the New Testament, it is too short. If it is different from the New Testament, it is unnecessary for we already have the word of God.
| WE ARE NOT TO HEAR: | BUT WE ARE TO HEAR: |
1. Law of Moses |
JESUS CHRIST AND | | 2. Manuals | | | 3. Disciplines | HIS NEW TESTAMENT | | 4. Catechisms | | | 5. Prayer Books | |
***All Bible texts and quotations are taken from the New King James Version. |
