Did Jesus come into the world to deliver a new religion ? The answer to this question will help all of us understand the NT with greater clarity. Biblical evidence makes it abundantly clear that this is a false assumption. Note how believers were viewed as late as 43 AD.
Acts 11:26 NKJV 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
One has to ask well what were believers called before this point in Antioch and at this time in the rest of the empire? The answer is obvious! They were clearly viewed as members of Judaism even if they were gentiles back benchers. Why? They all had rejected the paganism of the world around them as Jews or as gentiles. It was obvious to all about them that they were worshiping the same God as the Jews. However, the outsiders noticed a decided split between them and other Jews. This group was more inclusive and attractive to gentiles and they were persecuted by other Jews. The term 'Christian' was not necessarily meant as a compliment. It was probably used at first as a pejorative and later embraced by believers. Believers in Jesus of Nazareth were considered for many years as just another sect within Judaism by themselves and the outside world.
Acts 24:5-6 NKJV 5 "For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarene's. 6 "He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law.
Note that Paul's enemies within Judaism considered his religion a sect and that he was performing a very OT Jewish function as they saw it in the Temple in Jerusalem. It would be viewed as a very Jewish religious act. This was about thirty years after the resurrection of Jesus.
Acts 28:22 NKJV 22 "But we desire to hear from you what you think; for concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere."
This statement is near the end of the writing of the NT cannon and Jewish leaders still view followers of Jesus as sect within the larger world of Judaism. Therefore no one viewed Christianity as a new religion. Jesus came to lead believers in worshiping the true God at a higher and purer level.
RELIGIONS ARE BASED ON THE GOD THAT IS WORSHIPED
Jesus did NOT come into world to bring worship of another God to the world. Buddhists worship Buddha and believers worship the God of the Bible which was then the Old Testament. Other religions worship other Gods. Jesus was not bringing in the worship of another or new God. He was leading his followers into worship of the God of the Old Testament at a higher level. The first covenant was that given to Abraham the father of the faithful. Judaism is worship of the true God but had gotten unbalanced and over regulated.
Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV 28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
John 4:22 NKJV 22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
Jesus told the Jewish people, his people, that he would lead them into a purer more balanced worship of God. Jesus told the leaders that they had over emphasized traditions of men instead of the written word of God.
Mark 7:6-7 NKJV 6 He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 7 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'
Jesus Christ explains that the worship of the true God should be done more in spirit and truth.
John 4:23 NKJV 23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
Why is Jesus coming into the world to bring such deep spiritual worship to mankind?
John 4:24 NKJV 24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Jesus came to Bring up the worship of the true God of Abraham, the God of creation, the same God Israel had always worshiped to higher spiritual level.
PAUL EXPLAINS THAT BELIEVERS ARE WORSHIPING THE GOD OF ABRAHAM FIRST
The first covenant with meaning was with Abraham. This covenant was meant for all nations though it started with the children of Israel. It seemed as if some of Jewish leaders thought that the true God belonged to them alone.
Romans 3:29 NKJV 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
Paul explains how this is clearly untrue and true worship of the real God of the Old Testament is available to all people Jews and gentiles. They all worship the same God. The Abrahamic Covenant was the first covenant and it was meant for all nations.
Genesis 26:4-5 NKJV 4 "And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 "because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."
Paul explains that this is the starting point toward worship of the true God. Paul further explains that he is a follower and worshiper of the God described in the Old Testament. He completely believes in it all the way.
Acts 26:21-22 NKJV 21 "For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 "Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come--
Paul is saying he as an ambassador for Jesus is promoting a message that the prophets and Moses said would come. He is supporting the writings of the Old Testament and the God they worshiped. Paul said his mission was to lead believers out of the darkness into deep real spiritual light in worshiping the true God.
Acts 26:16-18 NKJV 16 ...for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you....the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God...
Paul says the Bible had all along predicted that God would at some point call a lot of gentiles because many Jews would rebel in their attitudes.
Isaiah 65:1-2 NKJV 1 "I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. I said, 'Here I am, here I am,' To a nation that was not called by My name. 2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts;
Paul in chapter ten of his letter to the Romans, explains that the Old Testament had predicted the work which he is doing bringing in gentiles into worship of the true God to replace some of the Israelites who rejected Jesus the Messiah. Paul's critics falsely accused him of being against the Bible and the Laws of God. Therefore Paul agreed to do something that was very “Old Testament obedient'' publicly. He paid for the purification rites at the Temple.
Acts 21:24 NKJV 24 "Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also walk orderly and keep the law.
Paul went even further to explain that he believes everything in the Old Testament including the law.
Acts 24:14 NKJV 14 "But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
WHY IS REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY MISLEADING TO BELIEVERS?
Replacement theology is the teaching that the Christian church has replaced national Israel regarding the plan, purpose, and promises of God. Therefore, many of the promises that God made to Israel must be WRONG or replaced they claim. They say all covenants made with Israel are fulfilled in the Christian church and all laws are done away, it is a new religion. Actually none of God's promises to Abraham or David will go unfulfilled. They say grace abolishes the law. Is this an accurate statement of Paul's teachings? All the prophets are full of the end time blessings of Israel.
Romans 5:21 - 6:2 NKJV 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
The answer is no and a clear “certainly not”. Law and grace work together. Replacement theology is wrong!
