Q: Can you explain why some parts of the Mosaic Law are still taught, like avoiding idolatry, even though they’re considered abolished?
A: The Covenant was never abolished. It was made obsolete for those who are in Christ. This is obvious, for several reasons:
1) God caused Rome to destroy the Temple, as a rebuke to their unbelief.
2) God would not allow the Temple to be rebuilt (it was attempted twice but ended due to natural disasters that killed the crews). This is why Israeli’s have been cautious about pushing to rebuild ever since, and now that there is a Muslim Mosque atop it’s site, they can’t without starting a global war.
3) The Jews (for the most part) put the Mosaic covenant in the closet and created the Talmud which is mostly a lot of work-arounds for the fact that they can’t keep the covenant now, and a lot of lies about how Jesus was not the real Messiah.
4) The New Testament reveals that Jesus said the Old Covenant cannot pass away until all things are fulfilled. Jesus fulfilled the technicalities of the Law, but not it’s prophetic promises, nor it’s moral code. Those are both reiterated in the New Testament
Q: What verses in the New Testament condemn idolatry?
A: If you read the book of Acts, from chapter 10 onward, you see that is when the Gospel really began spreading to gentiles. You didn’t need to persuade Jewish Christians about idols, they already understood that idolatry offends God.
Gentiles, however, had idols everywhere in those days. And you see Paul teaching about the fact that idols are useless, and that the real God of Heaven is not made by hands. Read especially Acts 17–20 and you get this pretty clearly summed up.
When you know the living God and have a true relationship with Him in Christ by the Holy Spirit? There is no need, and no desire, for idols. So, it’s not like Paul had to reiterate that on every page he wrote.
Q: What are the implications of potential scriptural interpolations for modern readers seeking to understand the historical Jesus?
A: The key to understanding the Bible, and Jesus, fully is to learn the context of His ministry, mission, and mandate in his times and culture. That being said, Jesus transcends all culture.
The idea is not interpolation, but helping people see the whole picture. We need to see ourselves in the greater context of where we fit, not try to get Jesus to fit us
Q: What types of outreach programs do Catholic parishes offer, and why might these be surprising to non-Catholics?
A: Growing up in the Catholic community, despite a step father who was agnostic-atheist and a mother who was a “walked away” Catholic. I later came to Christ through the Bible and Bible-believing ministries. We can tell you though, that the Catholic church, schools, hospitals, clubs, soup kitchens, and so on – do a good job of reaching people with religion.
The problem is that Roman Catholicism has become just that: religion. Jesus Christ is not religion. He is God come in human flesh, and now seated on God’s throne, awaiting the time to return. The Bible tells us He is our high priest, eternal in the heavens, the only mediator between God and mankind. He is the only priest we need. He is the only truth we need. And Roman Catholicism has forgotten that.
Roman Catholicism, is viewed by some believers as a skin of truth stuffed with loads of pagan lies. True followers of and believers in the Gospel of Jesus do exist inside the Roman, Greek, Asian and African liturgical Churches.
Q: Why does Jonah seem to be the only prophet to go to any Gentile nation before Paul?
A: We don’t know of every one of them, but many people miss that Ezekiel prophesied over Tyre. Many people, including the late great King of Tyre, thought Ezekiel failed in his prophecy; because Tyre did not immediately fall to Nebuchadnezzar.
But that’s because they fail to read the whole prophecy. It says armies would come like waves. Waves come in succession. Not one army like waves, but rather armies (plural). Not just Nebuchadnezzar’s army. but multiple armies.
Then along come Alexander the Great. He completes what Ezekiel foretold, exactly the way Ezekiel foretold. End of Tyre. Period.
Thus endeth the sermon.
So, no Jonah was not the only prophet to gentile nations. Were there others? I can only think of Isaiah who speaks about (and to) other kings. I guess you could also include Elisha.
