November 25, 2012 – Catechism 1965-1974

The New Testament does not destroy the Old.  I am amazed how many seem to disregard the Old Testament in favor of focusing on only the New.  My first Bible that I received through TEC was a New Testament only Bible.  I don’t know if they still do that or not.  Yes, it is good for people to have the New Testament if they have nothing else and it could also be a cost thing, but the Old Testament is vital to our understanding of the New.  It is now dispelled, it is perfected and fulfilled.  There are many things in the New that either make no sense or cannot be fully understood without knowledge of the foundation in the Old. 

The law of the New Testament is Love.  Love God, neighbor, and self.  During many TEC’s I heard people use the acronym JOY to remind us of this.  We need to look to Jesus, then Others, then Yourself, J-O-Y.  It is a simple way to remind us of what law Christ came to reveal and the Holy Spirit was given to help us achieve it.

Servant vs. Friend – I don’t know if enough reflection is done on what Christ said about this.  He basically changes our relationship with God.  Think about that.  Before Christ, humanity and God had a certain type of relationship.  They did everything in service to God.  Although they failed often, even when the succeeded, it never went beyond that.  There was always a barrier that separated them.  There was the promise that this would change, but many lived and died without seeing that promise fulfilled.  Christ came and the relationship, or at least the potential for that relationship, changed.  Christ said, I call you friends because everything I have heard I have revealed.  There are those that don’t choose to follow Christ, and they may feel that they are still servants serving an all powerful master.  But that door to friendship is open because Christ came to give us all that opportunity.