Since
@vassal does not recognize that Paul was an apostle, and that his writings are in fact Scripture - both of which were attested to by the other apostles and by Paul himself- it follows then that
@vassal would refuse to accept great swarths of Scripture written by God through Paul - Scripture that teaches of the new law that accompanies the new priesthood of Jesus Christ the one and only eternal high priest, who became the replacement for both the Old Covenant laws and the Old Covenant priesthood. Should the heart of the New Covenant, which is the law life in Christ, actually be as
@vassal states that it is - the Old Covenant law being the heart of the New Covenant - would mean there is no New Covenant because the laws governing both the old and new would be the same. For the New Covenant to be new, its laws must be new. By the change to Christ as eternal high priest, God's glory was changed from Old Covenant's law to the glory of the New Covenant's mercy and grace though Christ (alone) as Savior
false accusations again from a man that does not understand scripture and Paul
You say I “do not recognize Paul,” but the truth is much simpler. I follow the One who has
all authority in heaven and on earth, the One who told the apostles exactly what to teach. That One is Jesus. He is the judge of all. His words decide everything. No one else has that place.
Jesus never said a single word telling us to replace His commandments with a new set of laws. He never said His Father’s commands became “old” or expired. He never said His own teachings would be temporary. Instead, He said the opposite.
Jesus said:
“Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I came not to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17 and 18 ASV).
He also warned:
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19 ASV).
He said this in the New Covenant. He said this as the Messiah. He said this before He died and after He rose He told the apostles to teach
everything He commanded (Matthew 28:19 and 20 ASV). Not to replace it. Not to adjust it. To keep it.
You claim that “for the New Covenant to be new, its laws must be new.” That is not what God said through the prophets. That is not what Jesus said. The New Covenant is new because God writes His law on the heart, not because the law changes. This is exactly what God said:
“I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it” (Jeremiah 31:33 ASV).
He did not say, “I will give you a different law.” He said, “My law.” The same divine standard, but now written inside the heart through the Spirit. That is the difference. That is the New Covenant.
You also say the “glory changed from law to mercy.” Jesus never said that. Mercy and obedience are not enemies. Jesus taught both:
“If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments” (John 14:15 ASV).
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me” (John 14:21 ASV).
Mercy does not cancel obedience. Grace does not replace God’s word. Jesus shows mercy to the one who repents, not to the one who refuses His commandments.
He even warned believers about this:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21 ASV).
And He said the person who hears His words but does not obey is like a foolish man whose house will fall (Matthew 7:26 and 27 ASV).
So if you claim Jesus replaced His own Father’s commandments, you must show one place where
Jesus Himself said this. But you cannot, because He never did.
And as for the apostles “attesting,” the original twelve never said Jesus replaced the commandments. Peter, John, James, all taught obedience. They followed their Master. They never taught a new set of laws. They taught the same commandments Jesus taught, because He ordered them to teach nothing else.
The whole argument that the New Covenant erased God’s commandments comes from reading Jesus through Paul instead of reading Paul through Jesus. But Jesus is the Master. His words stand. His voice is final. And He said:
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35 ASV).
If His words will judge us on the last day, then no one can come later and change them.
That is why I follow Jesus’ own teaching, not man’s ideas about Paul. If anything disagrees with Jesus, it loses. Jesus wins every time. Paul is difficult to understand but many like you, twist his words . Paul followed Jesus they did not contradict one another.