You said the Levitical Priesthood was a Priesthood in which men Purified themselves. I was posting Scriptures for your review and examination in the hopes that you might see this is not a true statement. Men have never been able to "purify themselves", at least according to the Scriptures. Please don't be so defensive here, I'm not trying to condemn or insult. I am just pointing out something you said which is not based on Scriptural truth, and provided Scriptures for you to see this for yourself. I though you would want to know.
I would agree that not everyone remained children of disobedience, that there are those who repented and submitted to God fully. But other than Jesus, can you show any scriptural evidence to support your teaching here?
I am posting Scriptures and seeking an honest examination and discussion about them. I was hoping you might address the Scriptures I posted. So far, you have not, but i still have hope.
I posted Paul's word's for our examination and discussion, as well as God's Words. I was hoping for a discussion regarding the Scriptures I posted about Circumcision. Paul says "
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
So just like God's Law which speaks about OXEN, is not only for those who actually have a farm with Oxen, but also for "our sake's no doubt". I believe God's Circumcision Law has meaning as well, and I posted God's Word in which HE commands us to ":circumcise the foreskins of our hearts". I thought it would be a good discussion evaluating what God's reason is for the Command, as it is pretty clear to me He doesn't care about Foreskins. But if you don't want to discuss the Scriptures surrounding this topic, you certainly don't have to.
You said.
"they had to do various external washings, they had to adhere to dietary law, they had to observe special days,
and they had to bring offerings, and animals to the priests."
You are combining God's Laws for the People, (God's Creation of Clean and unclean, and His Holy Feasts,") with God's Priesthood "works of the Law" for forgiveness, specifically given in HIS Covenant with Levi. ("they had to bring offerings, and animals to the priests") I posted the relevant scriptures for your review and examination which shows a separation between God's Laws for the People which define SIN, and the "Works" necessary for those who Sinned. But so far, no discussion regarding them.
Yes, they couldn't Purify themselves, they were required to go to the Appointed Priest, confess their sins, and bring various repentance offerings. Before Jesus, it was to be specifically a Levite Priest, but after Jesus came, HE became the High Priest of God. So now we offer our repentance to HIM. The Jews couldn't accept this, even though the Scriptures told them. Paul mentions this is Romans 3. The had the Oracles of God, but didn't believe what was written.
The Sabbath day is not a show of Jesus Sacrifice and Atonement. The Sabbath Day is a sign between God and His People that Jesus and His Apostles walked in. The Scriptures I posted show that according to the Bible, it was the Priesthood and it's duties, that were the "Pattern"/Shadow of the Lord's Christ. I posted the Scriptures for our examination which I believe shows this.
Yes, before God made His Covenant with Levi, HE gave His People, His Holy Feast called Passover, that Jesus and His Apostles walked in. It wasn't a Priesthood duty, No Levite Priest was required. Passover was not a LAW of the Levitical Priesthood, rather, a Law for the People that I believe even Abraham observed. I posted the Scriptures for your review and examination.
Yes, Passover is a "shadow" of what is yet to come, if our 2 door posts (Works, Walk) and our lintel (Mind) shows the Blood of the Passover Lamb of God, then the death angel will pass over us. That is my hope.
1 Sam. 8-14. King Saul tried to purify himself by offering the sacrifices without an appointed Priest. It cost him his kingdom. Paul said this was written for our admonition. We need God's appointed High Priest for Salvation. We did before Jesus, and we still do after HE ascended. I posted the scriptures for your review.
"Not the same gospel though about being purified through Jesus, because the message that Moses taught from God was for them to purify themselves."
This is not true. The Jews under Moses were purified through God's Priesthood, by God's High Priest. They brought their sin offering, "according to the Priesthood Law".
Today, we are still purified through God's Priesthood, by God's High Priest. His true believers bring Him their Repentance, they offer themselves a living sacrifice to God, as opposed to the animal sacrifices required under the Priesthood after the "Order of Aaron". It is the Priesthood that changed, God's Spiritual Instructions, which Paul said was written specifically for those who are alive after Jesus Ascended, still define sin. As Zacharias, Simeon and Anna, all knew.
Yes, it is a Commandment of God that the early Church of Jesus observed.
We were never required to Purify ourselves. Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world. WE have always been required to give our offerings to God's High Priest as the scriptures I posted for our review and examination show. We do "work" to put on the New Man. We do "work" to "Yield ourselves to God" as Paul teaches. We "work" to resist the devil, and "Put on the Armor of God". Here is Paul's own Word's on what he teaches both Jew and Gentile for your review
2 Cor. 5:
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Acts 26:
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and "do" works meet for repentance.
These are the offering of the New Priesthood.. WE don't partake in the religious Traditions of men, rather, we partake in the "Good Works" God before ordained that we should walk in them, as Paul teaches..
Eph. 2:
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Rom. 2:
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
We are to our bring our Sin/trespass offerings to God in Faith, through His Anointed Priest, the Jesus of the Bible, In the same way the people in the OT brought their Sin/trespass offerings to God, in Faith through His Anointed Priest Aaron and his sons..
I have posted the Scriptures for your review.
If Jesus is God's High Priest, and I believe HE is, then I will always need Him, in this life and the next. I agree that man made shrines of worship with preachers in the chief seats of the house, are religious traditions of men that the Pharisees partook of, and modern religions have also adopted.
I believe what the Scriptures say, all of them. And I have posted "many" for your review and examination. My contention with your religious philosophy is that you are trying to promote the false religious belief that God created a Priesthood in which a man could purify himself.
This is not taught in the Holy Scriptures. Therefore it is not true Biblically. I hope you might consider the Scriptures i post, and be corrected on this point as it is dangerous to hold on to such leaven.
Psalms 51:1
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Ez. 36:
24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Jesus Himself said;
Mark 8:
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and (WALK) follow me.
