Does Jesus Contradict the Old Testament in the Sermon on the Mount?

Does Jesus contradict the Old Testament in the sermon on the Mount. That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

Would love to hear from you and our phone lines are open right now. Here's the number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673, as always, you can post your question on one of our social media sites you can always email us at questions at core, Christianity.com first up today let's go to Ralph calling in from Long Island, New York.

Ralph what your question for Israel. Hey Ralph, we can.

He will go call her okay is the question in first John chapter 1 verse nine if we confess our sins he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Now the Lord. Confess and hectic with a here you pass, not repent. Once a washing living Savior Jesus Christ you know so same. I'm sorry you want to get the same thing or the different thought of John staying in.

A first round. Let me just say don't guitar your Kohl's manner at all. I'm grateful that you that you call in, and that you love the program and with regard to your question in first John chapter 1 verse nine that would confess is different than the word repent nice. The Greek word Homo Gail and it means to agree with to concede even or to profess a minute, is the idea of where were agreeing with the Lord. With God's law about our sins, and in so confession it goes hand-in-hand with repentance and think it's a part of repentance. But that's a different word altogether. It's the Greek word meant Inouye and Anna what I would say is were called and that there is initial repentance are sometimes called repentance until life. We first turn to the Lord and lay hold of Jesus Christ by faith but were called every single day of our lives to confess our sins and to walk in repentance because were going to continue to struggle with sin and thought, word, and indeed is a what what John is doing there in first John chapter 1 he struck is he's trying to highlight for the Christians to whom he is writing the importance of continually walking in the light. In fact, that's precisely what he says in verse six, shall go back to verse five. This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. Now if we say that we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and we don't practice the truth.

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Another words, the idea of sinless perfectionism.

You know that one day we'll get to the point, as Christians that we just don't have sin anymore indwelling.

So that's that's not true. Anyone who says I don't have anything I might have known sin will that person is a liar. What we do is we confess our sins, and that's why he says in verse nine if we confess our sins if we agree with God and his law and what he said and say Lord, you're right, I have sinned against you. I need your forgiveness. When we confess our sins, he says very clearly he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and brothers and sisters. What a wonderful promise.

That is, he doesn't say you know if if you if you confess your sins and you really you really feel forgiven, then your forgiven noises on the basis of God's word on his law, we come to the Lord. Sincerely, and we say Lord have mercy upon me, a sinner. You won't always feel different, but you know when you go to guide you confess your sins that the Scriptures teach very clearly that he does forgive us when we call upon his name. So were called every day to confess our sins and to walk in repentance. May God give you grace.

Ralph as you seek to do that in your own life. They Ralph thanks so much for your call and thanks for listening to core Christianity really do appreciate you. If you have a question for Pastor Israel about the Bible, the Christian life doctrine theology, maybe how your Christian walk intersects with what's happening in today's culture, which can be a challenge at times we love to hear from you.

Here's the phone number it's 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 paid by the way, we now have. I just wanted to say sorry to interject tonight. You know I was just thinking about this yesterday on the broadcast. We had a caller who asked a question about Proverbs chapter 26 and in hindsight in thinking back to her question. I really didn't give her a very good answer. III answered part of her question, but she was calling about a contradiction is wondering if I could just interject really quickly and and maybe hopefully she still listening. Answer her question more will just specifically for Melissa, one of the thing she asked as Alexia really really good question in Proverbs chapter 26 verses four and five. Seems like there's a contradiction. It's as answer, not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes, and so simply poses a contradicted answer full or don't answer for. Then answer a fool and I I focused just on the first part of that that section in verse four.

What it means to not answer a fool according to his folly, which is you know not to enter into these foolish disputes of people who have no interest in learning or understanding. They could care less about what does what does you know the author, the proverb of the other Proverbs here mean when he says okay but there are instances where you do answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes was not a contradiction here. I think it requires wisdom for us to know this so you said yesterday went to answer and when not to answer, but those instances where we do answers, we have an individual who is foolish in in the things that they're saying and were trying to communicate clearly in a way that exposes their foolishness, lest they think that there wise unless other people think that there was another there instances where people will say things about God, about his word are just about life that are there way out there in the fool speak. They love to speak. They got a lot of words sometimes we need to avoid that discussion. But there are instances and I think this is what Proverbs chapter 26 verse five is getting other instant instances we do. Just interject less. The fool really think that he's wise in his own eyes and and really I think more importantly, less others begin to buy into the nonsense. There are times we do have to interject and and address the argument whatever it is and point to the truth and expose the foolishness and so in one of the things in in the wisdom literature as you have this back and forth.

Often times we sort of read in counterpoint, you have you have you know the these statements like if you do this, then that will happen you know if you if you honor the Lord, you can have a good life. But then you also have other instances in the wisdom literature like Job or Ecclesiastes or it seems like well you can do all the right things and and still experience difficulty in life, so it requires wisdom in order to parse through vendor to read this in counterpoint and and not have the proper nuance if you will, and it just highlights the fact that wisdom is is it calls us to make decisions you know on a on a point by point basis depending on what were being confronted with and again that's a part of what's happening there in Proverbs 26 versus four and five, so I hope she's listening again today and appreciated her question yesterday. That's a great explanation then that would apply. I'm assuming you would say, not just to people outside the church. But even to those may be inside the church whose doctrine or theology is the line is whacked out and we need to confront that as well.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean them in that and that's part of the way I think that we can love each other within the church is when you see these kinds of things. Whether it's related to theology or just just wisdom and life being a good brother or sister and and being able to speak into a situation for the good of our family in Christ. I meant, by the way we want to mention that we have a wonderful offer for you today.

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If you have a question about the Bible, the Christian faith doctrine theology, you name it. Here's the number it's 833, the court will be taking calls for the next 12 minutes or so, so now's the time to hop on the phone 1-833-843-2673.

There's a voicemail from one of our listeners named Don hi, I'm writing because God commands in chapter 24 verses 19 and 20. Harm your neighbor as he harmed you, the principal asked for a night and then you Michael Clement your chapter 5 verses 13 to 13 nine eastings like Jesus separates himself from the God that gave the command in Leviticus and then Jesus gives a different command.

How is this possible. Jesus is the same God of the Old Testament. Hey, thank you so much done for for your question, yeah. Is this a contradiction.

Jesus quoting from Leviticus, but then saying this is what I say to you.

Okay a few things.

I think the highlight here. This is Jesus's sermon on the Mount begins in chapter 5, verse one. Sing the crowds, he went up on the mountain and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. This is really echoing the book of Deuteronomy Deuteronomy chapter 18 verses 15 to 18 were Moses went up on the mountain to deliver the law of God to the people of God. This is in one sense what Jesus is doing here is going up on the mountain. He's giving the law of God, and he makes it very clear in chapter 5 verses 17 through 20 that he isn't here to set aside God's law. No, he says very clearly in verse 17 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 say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not in the Yoda, not a dot will pass away from the Law until all is accomplished.

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven never is. Jesus is not minimizing the law in the sermon on the mount or setting the law aside know he's pointing us ultimately to the loss fulfillment which is love and over and over again and in the Gospels and and in the epistles as well. This is something that we see love, perfect love of God and perfect love of neighbor is the fulfillment of all the commandments. If we love God perfectly and if we love each other as we should work to keep the law perfectly what Jesus is highlighting here in the sermon amended people don't do that was white. He goes on to say there in chapter 5, verse 20, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven is exposing them as hypocrites as people who eat.

It seems like there keeping the law going through the motions but but they weren't not the law of love, not with Vito. They were ultimately called to do and then he jumps into you know these these repeated commandments, he says, but you know in verse 21, you've heard that it was said to those of old, but I say unto you, now this is again this is Jesus setting aside the law or minimizing the law even see him coming as the authoritative Lord actually did this phrase that he repeats six times throughout the sermon on the Mount, you've heard that was said but I say to you identifies him as the lawgiver as God. We know that not one of the that the passages that we often point to them were when were making a case for the deity of Jesus Christ. But it's one of the passages we can point to because he saying I have the authority, I'm the one who speaks and my word is the law and so when when he's talking about retaliation in verses 38 and following. You've heard that it was set a night for nine, a tooth for tooth, but I said you do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

He's not again abolishing the law.

He's pointing to the loss, fulfillment, love, and even even those commandments that were given under the old covenant were that the goal of those commandments was to keep people from harming each other. It was this this barrier that was put up this law that was put up for Israel in order to keep people within the community from harming each other because there would be a repercussion because you know that they would be dealt with. And so Jesus is here not abolishing the law, but he's pointing us to what its ultimate fulfillment is love and and as the crowd is listening to him there at the sermon or during the sermon on the mount there thinking boy. We all fall short, not a one of us keeps the law of God like we should, and friends. We just read the sermon on the mount where Jesus says things like if if you've looked at someone less lustful you already committed adultery in your heart. What the law of God does is it exposes all of us as a need of the grace of God and the mercy of God, and certainly you know Jesus is is highlighting that here as well and so no contradiction in fact we have the revelation of Jesus is the lawgiver, the Lord himself with a new Moses if you will it in the sense that he's delivering the law from the top of a mountain so that he might drive his listeners to the grace of God, thank you for your question again. Don May the Lord bless you. Thanks for Israel that's a great explanation of those passages so we really do appreciate that this is core Christianity of course.

Our goal here is to answer those questions that deal with the core issues in the Christian faith. And if you have one here is the number 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 you can always leave us a voicemail that number two in fact you can do that anytime this weekend if you'd like, let's go to Kevin calling in from Missouri. Kevin what your question for pastor atrial lock all. Still I say three or another on allowed in the Bible and I would also start showing up coddled Crabb's knowledge, stuff that were disallowed to give an excellent question. You know you have these food laws given under the old covenant for ceremonial cleanliness for the children of Israel are the still binding on us today know the ceremonial law has been fulfilled by Jesus Christ that you know that the the priestly laws of the laws related to diet, and so on and so forth. Christ fulfilled those laws and so I say thank you God because I happen to like seafood and bacon and all those things.

I know many of you do as well, but there are people who are concerned well am I breaking you know that the commandments of God. If I if I have a bacon on my hamburger that kind of thing and the answer is no. The apostle Paul said in Colossians chapter 2 verse 16. Let no one pass judgment on you and questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

The substance Jesus Christ is here. We have received them were not bound by the types and shadows of the Old Testament of the old covenant another text of Scripture that you can look at Kevin is Peter's vision in acts chapter 10, which I would recommend you use a gun and read for just more insight here, but also the words of our Lord Jesus himself in the Gospel of Mark in Mark chapter 7 verse 19 Jesus is talking about food here, and what really defiles a person is these highlighting the fact that is not what goes into our mouth that defile us about what comes from our hearts, since he says it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled and then there's this, the data by the gospel writer. Thus he Jesus declared all foods clean and so we say amen and hallelujah that thank you for your for your question Kevin Gray question Kevin, thanks for being a regular listener to core Christianity would love to hear from you. If you have a question you can always email us. In fact, you can shoot us an email over the weekend. Here's our email address its questions at core, Christianity.com.

Let's go to Charlotte calling in from Illinois Charlotte what your question for Israel really confused about God is God that Jesus Christ is God running and he's glad I finally came down to earth and went into Mary and then Jesus was knowing that I'm just I don't understand Anand about dad dad and my Jesus Christ is God's.

Charlotte will thank you for your question. Were talking here about the doctrine of the holy Trinity and how God has revealed himself in Scripture God is one. Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse four hero Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

But as God is revealed himself throughout redemptive history becomes very clear that God is not one in the sense that some people think that he is 11 in terms of his personhood. One person if you will, but that God is one in essence three distinct persons father the son and the Holy Spirit in each of these persons is very clearly God in the Old Testament.

I think it you see this in in some places. But really, in the New Testament becomes even more clear throughout the gospel of John. Throughout the book of acts throughout the epistle so that the disciples of our Lord Jesus. They speak in this very Trinitarian fashion father son and Holy Spirit. You remember what Jesus told his disciples at the end of the gospel of Matthew go and make more disciples, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit were not baptized into the name of a creature or a created being were baptized into the name of God, the holy Trinity, father, son and Holy Spirit. And salvation is in one sense, by the grace of the Holy Spirit participation in the life of the Trinity, by the grace of Jesus Christ being adopted into the family of God by the power of the Holy Spirit to the church early on in in her history. Med this is a something that we see in the New Testament, but that the church really wrestled with how do we articulate this to the world.

How do we communicate this because it is a great mystery and at the end of the day. You know we want to submit to how God has revealed himself to us in his word is not up to us to say I get I can grasp the infinity of God's honest goodness remake, make it up on my owners elite give me a God that I can fully understand and comprehend where there is no mystery.

No more talking about God, especially God, as he is in his essence. We can even begin to comprehend this means he's infinite he's in a different category than we are altogether and so we submit Charlotte to what God is said to us in his word and the word were taught very clearly Jesus right in John chapter 1 verse one in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God, and two distinct persons there. The word with God and the word still being God and the word became flesh and dwelt among us John chapter 1 verse 18. The question is are we to receive God's revelation is a guy submit to what you said about yourself.

Let God reveal himself to us. Let's not listen, make things up as we go. This is why the Scriptures are so important is a wider discussion here about the fact you know. So often we want to make God in our own image. Give me a God who looks like me who thinks like me, maybe even who sins and the ways that I do wheat we don't want to be confronted with the God of Scripture, we need to be. We need to be and ultimately it's only the God of Scripture is he's revealed in the Bible who can redeem us and who has redeemed us by faith, and so I would say you know in the language of the Trinity, one God, one in essence three distinct persons who are distinct but undivided again, one God, and we stick to what the church is set for the last 2000 years on this because there's been a lot of ink spilled I and ultimately it's rooted in what the Bible teaches.

Thank you Charlotte for your question. Thanks Benadryl we have time for one more email question.

This one is from Jeff and he says why is it when I or other people ask God to heal them or heal certain things they feel the prayer is never answered well Jeff, I am sorry that you feel that women at the at the end of the day. What I would say is God answers those prayers that it's in line with his will to answer. There are instances we do pray for healing effort. I've heard stories that have experienced in my own life, we would pray for something and we asked for God to intervene and he does and in sometimes it is in the case of healings and other instances.

God uses means right medicine.

Dr. Zevon that's that's still a way in which God answers prayer.

So if you're just thinking in terms of supernatural healing. I think we need us to broaden our perspective there but at the end of the day. We trust that God is in control and that is good and that even our suffering is like Paul says in Romans chapter 8 is able to make all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose. So trust thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers and the menu or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together