New Testament vs. Old Testament
New Testament vs. Old Testament
By
Gary Primo
How often have we heard nominal Christians declare that the New Testament “did away with” the Old Testament? This a blatant lie and a denial of Yahushua’s own words in Matt. 5.
Matt. 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 - For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 - Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 - For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
What part of this statement does traditional Christianity not understand? I just cannot understand how anyone with even minimal education could misconstrue such a simple statement. But is it a mistake or a planned and carefully constructed and purposeful deception?
What this statement clearly tells us is that every word and commandment from the Old Testament remains intact to this day and will continue to be viable until heaven and earth passes away (become one). That event is yet some time off. But what Yahushua, the Elohim of the Old Testament, is saying here is that nothing has changed in the transformation of Old to New Testaments. Well, that is not entirely correct. There is and always has been one essential difference; the presence of the set apart and righteous spirit dwelling within us.
When this presence was outside the body, the people only demonstrated obedience externally. They never really committed to His words from the heart, so as to become one with the Father and Son, but merely to appease the priesthood and the lawgivers. Physically, we obey the lawmakers out of fear – fear of going to jail or paying a fine. Spiritually, we obey out of love, not so much out of fear. We obey because we truly love Yahuwah and desire to become one with Him in spirit and body.
The idea for this study came from an article I was reading by Harold Smith and a particular statement he made.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?voice#inbox/FMfcgxwJWrbctzsLlMFNghddgvRHRlkC
The statement that sparked my interest into studying the matter more thoroughly, was the following.
“Keeping His Words brings those of His Family into His Presence - but, until YHVH through Yeshua restored the Kingdom, they had only been able to come into His Presence externally. That restoration allowed anyone who keeps His Words the opportunity to become echad (Hebrew for "one") with the Present Presence.”
So, what does it mean to become one with Yahuwah?
John 17:20 - Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 - That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 - And the glory which thou gave me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
Following in the footsteps of Yahushua means we are doing everything we can to become exactly as He is – including His oneness with the Father. Christianity teaches that Yahushua is the New Testament “God” and that he “replaced” the Elohim of the Old Testament. Meanwhile, the truth is that Yahushua was also the Elohim of the OT. The undeniable truth of this statement is that Yahuwah cannot dwell with corruption. All that remains corruptible in the end will be destroyed as He approaches. Corruption simply cannot survive in the presence of the Father.
Therefore, it could not have been the Father who interacted with Adam and Eve or any of the other OT characters. It had to be another spirit being that merely represented the Father - i.e. the Son. And, the Son was only able to do so because He spent a very long time alone with the Father before anything/one was created. He was the Father’s only student, and he learned His lessons so well that He became indistinguishable from the Father. This is the reality that we are to emulate, not merely follow. We are to become one with the Father in the EXACT same manner as the Son – indistinguishable from the Father. Can any one of us make that claim at this very moment; and, why can’t we after all these years of “following” rather than becoming Yahuwah? I believe I just answered my own question. And, please believe me, I am speaking to myself more than anyone else.
I cannot begin to convey the urgency of this issue. In all the churches and groups I have had fellowship with, I have never seen any working towards this end. And, I can think of no one whom I could judge indistinguishable from the Father. (Of course, the Pope would disagree with me, Lol). Yet, knowing what to do and doing it are two separate things. The words are absolutely useless without the action that is intended to go with them. And, how can we convince anyone else that we alone have the truth, if our words are not accompanied by the appropriate action; and if they do not see the Father when they gaze upon us? If we are not or do not become “like” (indistinguishable from) the Father, we are no less indistinguishable from the rest of the world. We desperately need to come out of this detour and get on with achieving our destiny.
Luke 12:49 - I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?
The spiritual fire that is to come upon the earth can and is referenced as a type of baptism. Noah’s flood was also a type of baptism. In both cases, it is the entire planet that is being baptized. Yahushua came to baptize the world with fire. He kindled the fire at his first coming. When He returns, that spark will become a raging fire that will consume all things that remain corruptible.
Rev. 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of Elohim and of HaMashiyach, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Death only came about as a result of sin, or unrighteousness. It is only by practicing righteousness that we learn to become one with Yahuwah. It is only by “becoming” righteousness that we remove the power of death over our being. It is the only equation that works.
Rev. 21:3 - And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of Elohim is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and Elohim himself shall be with them, and be their Elohim.
The Father cannot dwell with corruption. That is a common and undeniable theme throughout the Scriptures. Nothing corruptible will survive this baptism.
Mal. 3:2 - But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appears? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap:
3 - And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto Yahuwah an offering in righteousness.
I was curious as to what is meant by the term fullers’ soap, so I looked it up.
After a bit of digging, I found that a fuller was the individual who would take the raw, filthy wool from sheep and purify it using a variety of techniques, including an extremely harsh soap that would ultimately help to make it clean. It was an undesirable job. It was dirty work. It took a great deal of effort to make it white.
We need to be confident enough in our spiritual state that we look forward to the opportunity to prove to Yahuwah that we are worthy of the Kingdom. If one fears this trial at all, it reveals their fear that they are not worthy. Of course, the immediate question would be, if you feel unworthy, why are you not doing something about it?
Mal. 4:1 - For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yes, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that comes shall burn them up, says Yahuwah of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2 - But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and you shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 - And you shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith Yahuwah of hosts.
Did the Noachian flood cleanse the earth of all corruption? Not exactly; but, it did what it was purposed to do. In fact, Noah took something corruptible on the Ark with him – his son, Ham, by whom Canaan was born and eventually, Nimrod, in whom the entire earth became deceived. Absolutely nothing corruptible will survive the baptism of fire.
2 Pe 3:10 - But the day of Yahuwah will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
The physical creation came in with a great shout and when it is replaced by the spiritual creation, there will again be a great shout or noise. This baptism of fire will be so intense that out of its ashes will emerge a totally incorruptible, spiritual world. Nothing corruptible or evil will be permitted to ever again corrupt mankind.
Matt. 3:10 - And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore, every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Are we bearing good fruit? Or are we carrying on in our former mindset – of allowing some man (priest, minister, evangelist or whatever to do all the work for us while we sit, listen and bob our heads like bobble dolls, blindly agreeing with everything they say? I continue to urge everyone to do their own studies and prove or disprove what that person is telling you. Salvation is a personal thing between ourselves and Yahuwah. In the judgment we are going to be called to account for our own works, not the guy beside us.
11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the spirit of Yahuwah, and with fire:
This, of course, is John the Baptist speaking. Everyone thought that he was the promised Messiah, even though he continuously denied it. John baptized with water, in true Hebraic tradition. The one who would follow, Yahushua, would baptize with fire. Which do you suppose the better baptism is? Neither the flood nor actual water baptism accomplished what the future baptism of fire will accomplish – the total destruction of anything that remains corruptible.
1 Cor. 3:13 - Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
We hear Christian ministers declaring that salvation has nothing to do with works. Yet, how can that be if we are to be judged by our works when we stand before Yahuwah. Many Christians are going to declare that they were merely following the teachings of their church leaders. Well, that is not going to cut it with Yahuwah! He is going ask them, “Why did you not search and prove all things as I instructed you to?” Those lying church leaders are not responsible for our salvation, we are.
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which Yahuwah has promised to them that love him.
Resisting the temptation to sin, is how we demonstrate our love for Yahuwah. All who successfully resist, will be rewarded with the crown of eternal life. Is that not the reward we all seek?
Heb. 12:28 - Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve Elohim acceptably with reverence and righteous fear:
29 - For our Elohim is a consuming fire.
A consuming fire is not merely some tool at Yahuwah’s disposal, it is what He is. Nothing corruptible can exist in His presence.
1 John 3:1 - Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of Elohim: therefore, the world knows us not, because it knew him not.
2 - Beloved, now are we the sons of Elohim, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Ever since the original sin, the world has only known and followed one elohim, which is HaSatan. We too once worshipped this corrupt angel. If not for Yahuwah calling us out of this system, we would be no better off than the rest of the world.
When Yahuwah returns and we are called out of our graves, we will be exactly like the Messiah is – full, powerful and eternal spirit beings in the exact image of Yahuwah.
Rev. 20:14 - And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 - And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Are our names written in the Book of Life? They sure are! And, the only one capable of blotting our names out is ourselves. We must remain vigilant in making sure that does not happen. We can only do that by making ourselves over into the perfect image of Yahushua and via Him, the Father also. And we do that by coming under perfect obedience to Yahuwah.
Conclusion
Those who began this walk thinking it was going to be easy, need to seriously reassess their spiritual condition. It is not an easy walk at all. In fact, it is almost as difficult as teaching a cow to fly.
I feel very sorry for those who have been deceived into following a false path (Christianity or any other worldly religion). Their hearts are in the right place, but their methodology is wanting. If only they could be convinced of the truth.
Again, the main and perhaps only significance difference between the Old and new Testaments is that under the OT the spirit of Yahuwah was external and produced a people who only outwardly kept Yahuwah’s words. With the NT, Yahuwah’s spirit dwells inside the Believer and purifies from within, altering the very core of our existence. We are no longer children of Satan, but children of the Most High Elohim. There is a huge difference.
We are all great at talking the talk. Let us all make sure we are walking the walk, also, else we may be left out for the flames to devour.
Yahuwah Bless
G.P.