What Parts of the New Testament Apply to Whom? (Part 4)

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1.      Jesus’ other warnings about the destruction of Jerusalem only specifically applied to the Christians living prior to 70AD (Mat 10:17-23).

1. Though these warnings only directly applied to first century Christians, all Christians can apply the principles found in this warning such as:
2. Being ware of men who will persecute us (2Ti 4:14-15).
3. Not worrying about what we will say in that day (Mat 6:31-34; Phi 4:6-7).
4. Knowing that family will sometimes betray us (Mat 10:34-37).
5. Fleeing persecution when possible (Mat 12:14-15; Act 9:24-25).

2.      Instructions about the sign gifts

1. The sign gifts were given to Jesus and the apostles for a period of 40 years beginning with the ministry of Jesus and ending in approximately 70AD (Mic 7:15 c/w Psa 78:12,43 c/w Joh 2:11 c/w Mar 16:17-18,20).
2. They were given for two purposes:
3. To convince the unbelieving Jews who were accustomed to seeing signs and wonders (1Co 1:22; Joh 4:48).
4. To confirm the word of God that was being written (Mar 16:20; Heb 2:3-4).
5. In 70AD Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and many of the Jews were killed and the rest were taken captive.

iii.    By 70AD the majority (if not all) of the New Testament was written.

1. Once these two reasons for the sign gifts were no longer needed, the miraculous gifts ceased (1Co 13:8-10).
2. Therefore, all the passages such as (1Co 12:4-11, 28-31; 1Co 14; etc.) which give instruction for using the sign gifts in the church were only applicable to the first century churches and Christians.
3. The instruction concerning the sign gifts can be useful to Christians today to understand the gifts that the church had in the past.
4. It can also be used to critique the claims of people who say they have those gifts today to see if they meet the scriptural criteria, such as:
5. There can only be at most three people speaking in tongues in the church, one at a time (1Co 14:27).
6. There must be an interpreter, otherwise the tongue speaker must be silent (1Co 14:27-28).

iii.    Women can’t speak in tongues in the church (1Co 14:34).

1. No more than three prophets can prophesy in the church, and only one at a time, and another must judge what they say (1Co 14:29-31).
2. The people exercising the gifts must acknowledge that what Paul wrote are God’s commandments (1Co 14:37), and if they say anything contrary to the scripture, there is no light in them (Isa 8:20).
3. If the use of the sign gifts in a modern charismatic church doesn’t match the previous requirements, then they are not doing them by the Holy Spirit, but rather by another spirit who does lying signs and wonders (2Th 2:9).

II.    Parts of the NT that only apply to Jews who lived under the law of Moses prior to Jesus dying on the cross, and thereby fulfilling and abolishing it

1. Jesus lived under the OT law of Moses and He fulfilled and abolished it (Mat 5:17; Eph 2:15; 2Co 3:13-14).
2. While the OT was still in effect, Jesus and the disciples kept the law including the sabbath, the dietary law, the holy days, the sacrificial laws, and the feasts.
3. When Jesus died on the cross, the law of Moses was nailed to it with Him and was taken away (Col 2:14).
4. When the law of Moses was taken away, all of its ordinances such as the dietary laws, holydays, feasts, and sabbath laws were no longer binding on God’s people because they were a shadow of Christ who fulfilled them (Col 2:16-17).
5. Any part of the law of Moses that is not repeated in the NT is not applicable to Christians today. See the series on The Christian and the Old Testament.