In Matthew 5 Christ is talking to Jews who are still under the Law hence not the slightest change in the Law or the Prophets. But He used the word ‘until’ twice but most ignore this fact. So many say “heaven and earth” will never pass away but what exactly did Jesus mean by “heaven and earth”? Aren’t Jesus words predictive of the future of Israel living in that age? When did the Jewish world come to an end? AD70 by all accounts. Then the “heaven and the earth” of the Jewish age HAVE now passed away! And the passing was complete with Temple and Torah. In OT prophecy ‘heaven’ and ‘earth’ are terms commonly used symbolically for the leaders and the people. I submit that we are now living in the Christian age with a corresponding new “heaven” and a new “earth” which is without end, amen.

There are two worlds each with their respective covenants and each with their peculiar conditions. The new covenant is not a continuation of the old in any way, shape or form. The old was for a physical people, the nation Israel, and the new is for a spiritual people from all nations including Israel. I do not agree with those who say that certain old covenant physical laws continue under the new covenant. Not only is this impossible if the distinction between physical and spiritual is maintained but the very nature of the conditions set for each covenant are in contra-distinction. The old covenant was based on literal compliance in avoiding breaking physical written law engraved on physical stone and in a physical book. The new covenant is based on spiritual compliance from the heart to the leading of the Spirit and which results in the law of love metaphorically written on the heart. The old is where God expected man to obey what He commanded (the law is not of faith) and the second is where God expects us to depend on Him to obey what He commands, which is by grace through faith. The law of the old was summed up in two Royal precepts 1. love to God and 2 love to neighbour (fellow Jews). The law of the new is summed up in many different ways including two commandments love to God and love to one’s ENEMIES (fellow human beings of all nations); and the other overarching commandment to love one another as Jesus loved us – which was unto death if necessary.

Love is the Law of law.

These are two distinct covenants. I submit that it is crucial to see them this way and keep them this way. Sure you can see similarities but I argue these do not make the second a de facto continuum of the first. And the moment folk start to talk about continuation and discontinuation, the door opens to dangerous borrowing from the old for the new; a syncretic mix of old and new which will in some way diminish Christ.

How can the physical be the same as the spiritual? They are two different paradigms; two distinct methodologies in terms of how man relates to God. The former is by the works of man and a negative law (against criminal behaviour) in ministration; the latter is by the works of Christ and a positive law (for righteous behaviour) in ministration. The physical typified the spiritual but the shadow is not the substance, a principle which gets ignored by those who insist in continuation. The old was a schoolmaster/custodian to bring the Jews (not us Gentiles) to Christ. And now, Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians (who are grafted in) are one Body under the new covenant.

Finally, Christians do not need old covenant law to define sin. The Holy Spirit not only leads us but He convicts us when we fail to love God or others the way we should. Love does no harm or wrong to others; rather it seeks to benefit and to bless others and sacrifice for them if necessary. The Golden Rule covers all Old Testament laws. Love is the Law of law. So this is why the New Testament is often silent about specific activities that otherwise detailed as forbidden under the Old.

My husband, Brent, and I were so freed up by “grace” that we began our own life group teaching “Pure Grace!” Then another pastor in our church happened upon Andre’s book “Grace the Forbidden Gospel” and shared it with us! WOW! WOW! WOW! My husband and I grew up in a “bible-believing” denomination and we eventually attended a seminary affiliated with the same denomination. Brent received a Master’s degree in “Divinity.” We pastored several churches for 15 years.

Brent has said, since reading “Grace the Forbidden Gospel,” that all the Bible knowledge he had before suddenly makes sense – jives. There were so many “contrary” thoughts that now “sync.” In a couple of months, he may have opportunity to bring the “grace” message to a “traditional” church in the same denomination which we were once a part. Please pray that hearts will be fertile to this message.

Also, in the fall, we will be changing our life group “format” to lend itself more to the “organic chuch.” We will be researching what that “looks like” exactly in the next few months!

Oh! And by the way, since appropriating grace into our lives and abandoning our “works,” we have seen grace abound! We receive grace and so are able to give it more. The burden and stress are relieved. It’s as if God was saying, “I am a blessing God no matter what, but as long as you are working for them, they are limited.” Now we are experiencing “limitless” grace. For instance: 1) a $66,000 hospital debt (we had no insurance) was forgiven totally. We had been told to expect MAYBE 60% of it to be paid by charity. After several months of waiting on a bill, we finally called for a total and to make arrangements for payment and were told we had a ZERO balance! 2) Our federal income tax this year was decreased by 60% this year without any significant decrease in income or increase in deductions! We call it GRACE!!!!

I find the article very enlightening. However, may I ask what about James 5:16, where James says …..Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. NKJV.

Does this mean that we have to confess our trespasses/sins (NIV) before the prayer for healing can be effective?