Response from a reader:
Rightly divide the Word God
This is in response to your article appeared in the June issue of G&P entitled, ‘Need Weepers!’
We are now in New Testament Church dispensation. The Old Testament prayers, tears, fasting’s are no more “necessary” or conditional on the believers. It is quoted in the said article that Jesus wept for Jerusalem and at the tomb of Lazarus! Jesus came during the dispensation of “Law”. He has to invariably obey the “Law” and fulfill it!
In the “Results in the past” - it is quoted all the Old Testament verses! Then they believed God as a great, Superior, terrible, un-approachable God. They never addressed Him as “Father”! They were all (except Hagar) under the “Law- so they prayed like that!
But - when Jesus came and died on the cross- He announced a new relationship between God & believers as “Father & Children”. No child shall pray to his father in fasting, crying, tears! If the child does, it will be a shame on his/her father!
We are simply to pray to God without these emotions - since our emotions never change the will of God. He will give because of His love towards His children but not by our gimmicks - of crying, chain prayers, fastings etc.
The verses in the New Testament in the “Sermon on the Mount” are actually for the Jews at that time - a manifesto of His Kingdom as a Messiah to the Jews. It is nothing to do with the Church doctrine! The Kingdom He announced and preached throughout the Israel country (only for Jews) was kept postponed for future since the Jews rejected Him and His Kingdom. This manifesto may be put in action in His future Kingdom!
So please see the difference between the doctrine of Old Testament and the New Testament. It is not right to quote biblical verses without reference to context!
One example: In Old Testament - the “righteous man” is nothing but declared by works! But in New Testament- the “righteous man” is not by works but by the shedding of His blood on the cross and Jesus Himself declares us “righteous” - we are saved by faith through the “grace” of God. It is not works - that any man should boast! (Though He is a gracious God He never showed “Grace” in Hebrew – Hannun - since the verse John 1:17 shows through Jesus only “grace” was given)
So the quoted verses from Old Testament are not for Church people now. Let us “rightly divide the Word God”!
Jeevaratnam A
