Contrasts: OT Nation and NT Communities

  Contrasts between the Old Testament Nation and the New Testament Communities of Faith in Christ

 

 

Freely Gathered Communities of Faith

 

“Many changes from the Old to New Testament are based on the differences between God’s instructions to a nation (Israel) in the Old Testament and God’s instructions for freely gathered communities of faith in Christ in the New Testament. These freely gathered communities would be built upon faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, and would take the message of Christ throughout the world” (Erickson 2023, 18-19).

 

Freely Gathered Communities

 “As an explanation for many of the changes from the Old to New Testament, the creation of freely gathered communities of faith in Christ is crucial in the New Testament. Why are the words “freely gathered” used in this study? First of all, “freely gathered” refers to the fact that these communities of faith were built as individuals responded to the message of Christ” (Erickson 2023, 89).

 

“These people were freely gathered to Christ—because of their faith in Christ. This was a genuine faith that transformed people” (Erickson 2023, 89).

 

"The freely gathered communities of faith that sprang from the ministry of Jesus would expand from the nation of Israel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond it. These freely gathered communities would eventually consist of people of all nationalities who place their faith in Jesus Christ and experience forgiveness of sins, a spiritual rebirth, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit" (2023, 15).

 

"In the fullness of time, the message of Christ’s sacrificial love would be spread to the nations. This message was contained—planted and established—in new communities that were built on faith in Christ, which would then take the message of reconciliation to the world. These new communities of faith would be a new social structure in the ancient world. These communities would be made up of men and women, young and old, slaves and masters, rich and poor, and people of all nationalities and walks of life" (2023, 15).

 

“The New Testament communities of faith are to exist in every nation—and in the future, individuals from every nation, tribe, people, and language will be gathered before God’s throne (Rev 7:9). The New Testament churches were not a nation. They were part of the kingdom of God, which transcends all nations” (Erickson 2023, 228).

 

For more passages which further explain the contrasts between the OT nation and the NT communities of faith, along with explanations for a number of additional changes between the Old and New Testament, see:

 

Key Connections: Understanding the Changes from the Old to New Testament by M. A. Erickson (Wipf & Stock Dec. 2023). The book is available in print or Kindle formats at Amazon.com, at:

 Amazon.com, Key Connections: Understanding the Changes from the Old to New Testament

 

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 A number of additional points regarding the freely gathered communities of faith are discussed in

Freely Gathered Communities of Faith and the Changes between the Testaments by M. A. Erickson (Wipf & Stock, 2019).

 

An excerpt:

 

"Freely gathered communities based on faith in Christ become the new paradigm in the NT canonical texts. The new communities of faith provide a clear contrast with the emphasis on a chosen nation in the OT. As these new communities are established in various locations in the Greco–Roman world, they are not given land promises or the use of the sword to establish physical territories for the people of God. They are not on a crusade to capture land, and they have no warrant to establish a human government over any nation. The NT communities of faith that are established in Israel also do not attempt to wrest control of the nation from the Roman government, and at no point do they gain the religious control of the nation by taking it from the religious leaders in Jerusalem." (Erickson 2019, 103).

  

From:

Freely Gathered Communities of Faith and the Changes between the Testaments by M. A. Erickson (Wipf & Stock, 2019). The book is available in print or Kindle formats at:

 Freely Gathered Communities of Faith and the Changes Between the Testaments at Amazon.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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