Great Conversation at Church Last Night

Last night was very interesting.  I went to a class at the church we visit.  The teacher has been talking about the purpose of the Sinaitic Law and how Paul treats it in his writings.  But last night we spent most of the time examining some passages from Deuteronomy and the Prophets.  

The teacher has apparently been trying to make the case that the Law was never meant to be permanent.  But things kept coming up that appeared to make the teacher rethink his position.

For example, the idea that the Law did not pre-date Sinai.  Last week I'd pointed out that there was evidence that Cain and Abel were following sacrificial law.  At the time, the teacher ignored this.  But last night another gentlemen happened to be attending the class who is very well regarded (and for good reason).  And he made the same point.  Suddenly the teacher was forced to rethink his earlier position.

Additionally, the teacher planned on examining the New Covenant prophecies to evidence the Dispensationalist position that the New Covenant is a total break with the Law.  But late last night, after everyone else had left, I asked the teacher and his wife about Jeremiah 31:31-33 and Ezekiel 36, what they thought about the fact that these passages say that the New Covenant enables New Covenant Believers to understand and keep the Law.  

At first, the teacher attempted to resist this position.  But then something seemed to happen...

He seemed to be considering a new possibility.

And so we were wrapping things up and I said something about being stressed out.  And so he prayed for me.  And as he was praying he asked for the L-rd to open his eyes to the words of Prophets.  

Now, maybe I'm just an overly hopeful Messianic, but I can't help but take this as a positive sign. Please pray for this man and his family that they will be blessed as they explore this further, that this may be a time of great healing and understanding.

Shalom,

Peter