Second American Revolution: Steve Schlissel (1 of 6)

Question:-- Was the New Testament Church really a "New Testament" Church as we think of it today? In what ways was their situation different from ours?

Steve Schlissel: The Old Testament is the Book of the New Testament Church. So it's a problem to say, "I'm a Christian, therefore I'm a New Testament Christian."

If you open up the first page of the New Testament, what does it say on the first page, first verse? -- "This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matt. 1:1). Who's David? Where did I read about him? The Old Testament! I guess so. Abraham now, he must be New Testament, right? No? Old Testament! What you have when you go to the first page of this book we call the New Testament is a message that says, "What are what are you doing here? Do you know who these people are? Because I am going to tell you about Jesus Christ who didn't just suddenly come onto the earth." He has a history. He was prophesied from of old. He was promised to somebody. He comes in terms of a context. If it could be any stronger, I don't know. Matthew goes through a list of 14 generations, and another 14 generations, and another 14 generations. Where are those people from? The Old Testament! That's how we get started in the first book.

Then you go on to the second book, Mark, and what do you have? Mark uses imagery from the prophet Isaiah everywhere in his first chapter. Throughout the book he is using this imagery that he picks up from Isaiah's prophecy, this majestic book. Mark says, "You have no business here until you go back and read Isaiah and the Old Testament. Then you can know what I am talking about."

The whole material foundation of Jesus' ministry was that "This is what is written about me in Moses and the prophets and the Psalms." Consequently, even if you want to call yourself a New Testament Christian, what does the New Testament tell you? The New Testament tells you to go back to the Old Testament. Now that's just the beginning. When you go through the book of Acts, their discussion is to what is the pivotal change in administrations, as they come into the new world that has come about because of Christ's work. What is the critical change? Is it that the Old Testament is no longer valid or functional? No. It is that Gentiles can become "Jews" without becoming Jews. That is, they can become Jews without being circumcised.

The distinctive peculiarities that were associated with the Jewish people before Christ are no longer binding upon Gentiles. And so this Gospel that was located in Israel and that was acted out every day in the sacrifice of the Temple service, in the work of the priests, in the offerings, in the feasts, in the calendars, now have come to rest in Jesus Christ about whom they always spoke. They were always looking forwards to Him. There were arrows all along the way pointing. "Look to Jesus to find the meaning of this sacrifice. Look to Jesus to find the meaning of this service in the Temple, this priesthood." Now that Jesus has come, the meaning has come. He has taken it all up in Himself. He has gone up into heaven. There is a Temple. There is a kingdom. There is a city. There is a church. And now on earth you have outposts of what has happened in heaven --the final fullness that is there -- anywhere on earth. That is the big difference.

The Law didn't change. The Old Testament didn't change. God's morality didn't change. God didn't suddenly say, "Now that my Son has done His work, it's okay if you don't worship me. It's okay if you have other gods. It's okay if you have no day of rest. It's okay if you commit adultery. It's okay if you commit murder. God's values didn't change. They are eternal. The Lord never changes. He never varies. What happened in the New Testament is that this Law has shed those things which kept it local and has gone up to heaven and from heaven it is poured down upon the whole world.

The best way to think about the Bible is that it is one book. It has an anticipation and a working out in history prior to Christ. Then the final chapter is written in the New Testament. I know it is 27 books. We call it 27 books, but it is really the last chapter of the Old Testament. The New Testament Church's book was the Old Testament. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told him about the Scriptures that he had "known from childhood, that are able to make you wise for salvation through Jesus Christ" (2 Tim 3:15). Now how could that be if it were for the Jews, and not the Christians. To be wise for salvation in Jesus Christ sounds pretty "Christian" to me.

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[estrelite]

It's these types of lies and unreasonable teachings that do not help the people truly stay in touch with reality. The bible is a great story, but let's not forget however, it was very much manipulated and influenced by the same powers that granted its' churches everlasting "tax exemption status". So please, stop talking about a man, Jesus, whom yourself or no one you have ever met has really had verifiable spiritual experience with.

[jcr4runner]

1. Churches pay taxes now -- what you are talking about is an income tax deduction status for people GIVING DONATIONS. The same would be true for Greenpeace, etc. However, these organizations then pay tax on the money when they spend it in the form of sales tax, property tax, etc. Pastors pay income tax just like anyone else.

So churches ARE taxed.

The rationale is that we don't want to tax charitable giving.

[jcr4runner]

2. If we went to a FAIR TAX (national sales tax) then people's giving to ANY organization would STILL be tax exempt, because no sales tax would be collected.

What we should do is do away with the income tax in favor of a national sales tax.

But then the church would be free to be political without losing its "tax exempt status."

[Edward70707]

No it is importane to me to talk about the subject. I see a lot of conflicting information in the Bible.The Bible is a very intresting book to read but Truth con not conderdict its self. Edward

[jcr4runner]

If the example of two Enochs with separate two genealogies being mistaken as ONE person is your example of "conflicting information," then I'd guess that most of these examples are just as weak.

[Edward70707]

What the problem is there is only one set of names. If we had a frist and last names in Gen 4 & 5 it would make thing clearer. 1 is 3rd from ADAM and the other is 7th from Adam. But both come from Adams line. WE have two Family lines. One in Gen 4 and one in Gen 5.

[jcr4runner]

There is an Enoch who is the son of Cain and an Enoch who is a son of Seth. These are two different lines, two different people with the same name. Sometimes two different people have the same name.

I am constantly amazed at the trivial quality of many objections to the Bible's reliability.

[ravaabyee1]

very right!!!!

[Ayrleig]

Stop talking about God in the flesh, who suffered Hell to bring me to Him?

Get real, man.

[AvodasHashem5719]

You seriously need to learn Hebrew and study the Hebrew scriptures in Hebrew. Everything you are stating is Greek pagan church teaching. It's incredible to me how you and the church can make these claims against Torah yet for the most part at least 95% of you can not even read a line of Torah in hebrew and then have the gall to label it as "old" and "abrogated" "the builders(most jews)rejected" That statement alone has been behind most of the genocide against my people! Incredible!

[AvodasHashem5719]

Why is the concept of Bris (circumcision) so terrifying for gentiles? And I also ask this in relatuion to modern medical procedures. Where does this "fear" come from? Especially given the fact that this is a command from the Creator of Time,space and gravity and it brings you into a deep loving covenant with Him.

[RoKozak]

Pastor Steve is truly a man of God. We need more Pastors like him.

[usrevolution2]

IS IT TIME?! Go to USRevolution2 (dot com) and get your flag of the Second American Revolution! It's in all 50 states and now spreads from porch to porch. They look exactly like the Betsy Ross Flag, but with a Roman numeral "II" in the center of the 13 stars. They are $19.95 + postage & handling and they are MADE IN AMERICA! (Texas)

[christophorM]

Jesus Christ brought a better covenant ,than the one under moses.He is building a spiritual temple out of living stones (people)...,with Himself being the capstone that the builders(most jews) rejected.The old covenant of moses was "broken off" with it's blood of bulls and goats. The last passover lamb , Jesus Christ, who took sin from those who believe it...They are now "new covenant spiritual Jews".which are gentiles and Jews ,who are called to be disciples (learners and follwers).

[estrelite]

Let's talk about real issues "Pastor". For instance - Neo-Slavery and how the church has helped the establishment for centuries (without being held accountable) achieve this, through the very population controlling churches which you represent. The only thing that will save us is a revolution in each and every one of our minds starting with the education of the truth. Not some "blind faith" ideal which has been the core contributor of more human atrocities in history. continued...