Don Perrett wrote:
>
>
> "I am the way [N.B.], the truth and the life. No
> one comes to the Father but by me."
>
> Jn.14:6
> All were good points, but I would state that going unto the
> Father through Christ is a question of salvation and refers
> to his acts and understanding of the OT. Did Christ have his
> own bible then? You still didn't answer whether the Jews are
> capable of understanding creation without the NT.
>
Certainly not as fully as it can be understood with the NT - a
statement that can be denied only if one rejects what the NT says about
the role of Christ in creation.
> Christ used the OT but I guess it's only good for him.
> People make Christ out to be a God.
>
People like the author of the Fourth Gospel.
>
>
> He is the son and his worldly acts are to be followed.
> People, just as I, do not fully understand the OT and Christ
> came to show us the Way. If we follow the some actions and
> learn from his understandings of the OT then we will have
> better lives, both physically and spiritualy. Does this mean
> that the OT had nothing to offer? Jesus didn't think so. If
> you can quote one passage in the OT that says that Christ,
> not an apostle, did not follow the OT then I'll believe you.
>
The question was whether or not the OT understanding of creation
was complete, not whether Christ rejected the OT. Of course he didn't -
though he showed considerable freedom in interpreting it & putting new
meaning into it. To say that the OT is to be read in the light of the
NT is not at all the same as saying that it shouldn't be read.
> Perhaps in the beginning man followed the way of God, as
> Abraham did. Over time, and on a couple of occasions, the
> Jews strayed from the OT.
>
A couple of occasions? The whole history of the OT is one of
Israel straying. Three verses after the song of triumph for their
deliverance in the Exodus is finished they are "murmuring" - & it goes
on from there.
> Christ came to reenlighten us and to show God's grace, which
> was forgotten about. But unless one can say for certain that
> the Jews and even Muslims are doomed because they only
> believe in salvation at a latter date to come, then the OT
> is all that's required. The NT is not Christ's writing to
> begin with. The authors were only witnesses to his acts.
> Even they understood that it was Christ's acts that made him
> what he is today. Do as Christ did. Believe as Christ did.
> If you do, then you'll be following the OT, as Christ did.
>
So Jesus was a great teacher and example. So were lots
of other people. If this is what Christianity boils down to then it has
no distinctive message at all.
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
"The Science-Theology Interface"
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