Episode 148: Biblical Covenants - Acts 11 & 15 - Responding to "Hebrew Roots"

Are we under the Law of Moses (Mosaic Law/Sinai Covenant/Old
Covenant) today? There is so much confusion amongst followers of
Jesus as to what from the Old Testament

In this podcast, we will look at Acts 11:1-18 where Peter
explains what happened with Cornelius and a group of Gentiles in
Acts 10. We will also look at Acts 15 where under the Holy
Spirit's inspiration, we learn exactly what God required of
Gentile believers. We will also see that as the 1st century
progressed there was in fact a shift from the Old Covenant
(Mosaic/Sinai) to the New Covenant as there was no longer any way
for Jews to carry out the requirements of "the Law" that was
given to Moses because there was no longer a Jewish Temple. Jesus
FULFILLED the Law and the Old Covenant was deemed
"obsolete".

Summary of the Jerusalem Council (Acts
15)
GENTILES DO NOT HAVE TO KEEP THE MOSAIC LAW – ceremonial, civic,
dietary


NO SEXUAL IMMORALITY (moral law) – fornication, adultery,
homosexuality, etc. 


NO CIRCUMCISION (from Abrahamic Covenant)


NO DETAILED DIETARY LAWS (only blood, strangled animal meat, meat
sacrificed to idols)


NO SABBATH OBSERVANCE COMMANDED (ceremonial)


NO FESTIVALS COMMANDED


What LAW are we commanded to obey today? The Law of Christ – His
Teachings and His Apostles


“If you love me, you will keep/obey MY commandments” –
John 14:15


(9 of the 10 commandments repeated in the New Testament – the
MORAL LAW)

Confusion about Biblical Covenants
How many are there?  Who were they made with? Who did they
apply to?  What were/are the conditions?


Which still apply TODAY?  Which commandments are we supposed
to obey?


What commandments/regulations/ordinances are “perpetual”?
(“everlasting”/ “forever”) 


Were any commandments “temporary”?

Seventh-Day Adventists / Messianic Judaism (*for Jewish
background)


(Some) Word of Faith Prosperity Teachers – blessings,
curses?


Hebrew Roots / Torah Observant – “Lawlessness”?



Biblical Covenants - Are there 4? 5? 6?

Adamic (?) / Noahic / Abrahamic /
Mosaic/Sinai (Old Covenant) / Davidic / New
Covenant 


1. Noahic – WHO? all mankind (Gen 8-9) / SIGN?
Rainbow


2. Abrahamic – WHO? Abraham and his Seed (Gen 12, 15, 17,
22) / SIGN? Circumcision


3. Mosaic (Old) – WHO? Nation of Israel (Exodus 19-40,
Deuteronomy) / SIGN? Sabbath


4. Davidic – WHO? David & his Son (2 Sam. 7, 1 Kgs. 2
& 9, Ps 2, 89) / SIGN? Throne


5. New Covenant – WHO? Jews & Gentiles (Jer.
31:31-34, Ez. 36) / SIGN? Baptism



Jeremiah 31:31-34 - 31 “Behold, the days are
coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and the house of
Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with
their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring
them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they
broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.
33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put
my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.
And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And no longer shall each one teach his
neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they
shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,
declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more.”