Dehumanization
Episode 321 with Andy, Paul and Daniel
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Episode 321 with Andy, Paul and Daniel
Andy,,
I think you need to clarify that biblical covenants do have contractual elements. Yes, they are relational to a greater degree than a mere contract, but they definitely include stipulations and requirements. The Old covenant, for instance, was modelled after ANE covenants, especially as it is conveyed to us in Deuteronomy (which is , incidentally, laid out in covenant form) and contains a whole raft of contractual stipulations which Israel was obligated to carry out. So too Yawheh stipulated that he would fulfill his promises to Abraham to fulfill his end of the covenant. This is relational give and take. Even your marriage analogy includes the dimension of contractual obligation (check out Hosea).
The new covenant is organically connected with the old insofar as the stipulations that govern it are identical (i.e. love God and love your neighbour, Matt. 22:34-40; Rom. 13:8-10). The difference is the power and enablement provided by the Holy Spirit to actually do what the first covenant demanded (Rom. 8:1-11).
Hebrews 3:7 – 4:13 emphasizes the obligations for those living under the new covenant. I think the answer to the question: Can I just live like I want to and not make any changes to my lifestyle and still be a Christian? is a definite, “No!” If you are a true believer you will want to change your lifestyle and you will be empowered by the Spirit to do so.
– I heard from a fellow believer one time (in the last year) say that perhaps all believers in Jesus Christ -as the (our) risen Saviour and King- should be simply called Hebrews after the Book of Hebrews (and from within it, in terms of our roles in Christ) and therein even identifying those whom profess to be Jewish Christians and whom follow various yearly events -as related to Jewish culture therein to also be of the same name under the same title.
I like the term believer, because when someone asks me, ‘A believer in what?’ it opens the ability to present the Lord in whatever fashion I know the person is interested in, concerning things on life and spiritual matters.