Allegory vs Literal – Obedience – His Commands
(i) Obeying His Commands
Obedience toward ‘everything’ He has ‘Commanded’ (1 Corinthians 14:37 too) till the ‘end of this age’ (“no” early ‘disannuling’ of ‘any Commandment’ in the New Testament).
“teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:20, NASB)
“If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 14:37, NASB)
(ii) How about the disannuling of some Commandments?
Some Commandments (such as pertaining to the ‘Levitical priesthood’ or the ‘sacrifice of meat’ are done away as Hebrews 7:11 – 17 records first, ‘the context’, since ‘this’ has been “fulfilled by Christ”).
“For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness” (Hebrews 7:18, NASB)
The verse above does NOT say that “All” Law is disannulled as the word “all” is not found above & it pertains only toward the ‘fulfilled matters by Christ’ as this context is established first in consecutive-surrounding verses, e.g. Hebrews 7:11 – 17). So, some ‘wrongly’ use the verse above to say that ‘all law is not applicable’ which is ‘false’ (shallow, misguided exegesis).
For example: circumcision vs uncircumcision because the ‘Gentiles have been made co-heirs in Christ’ (Ephesians 3:6, thus this has “no” meaning to a ‘Gentile believer’ & thus it doesn’t apply to them) but please note that this ‘same’ verse mentioning this (below) also mentions to “obey (keep) the Commandments of God (which remain, context)” as ‘it is written’:
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.” (1 Corinthians 7:19, NASB)
(iii) Written New Testament Commands of the Lord
The New Testament Commands remain because these purposes are still being fulfilled (e.g. the male-female Commands relate to Christ & His Bride, the Church which has not fully submitted to Him yet being human and thus remains till the end of this age).
Also other Commands relate to the ‘submission of all things to Christ’ allegorically (1 Corinthians 15:24 – 28) and since it is ‘not yet’ fulfilled but in progress (Hebrews 2:8), we must obey it ‘literally’ for now.
(iv) A Warning against Disobedience – Judgment
A warning against ‘this’ is as follows (as 1 Corinthians 14:37 defines ‘this’ first as the ‘written Commands of the Blessed Lord’ as it is delivered to ‘apostle Paul, apostle of the Gentiles’ toward ‘all Gentile believers’ to the ‘end of this New Covenant age’):
“But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.” (1 Corinthians 14:38, NASB)
Yes, just like the ‘Judgments’ fell upon those who “disobeyed” in the ‘ends of the ages’ of the past, it will be so for such at the ‘end of this age’ as well:
“Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11, NASB)
As even the next verse (‘context’), “warns”:
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12, NASB)
“And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:6, KJV)
(v) Reward
The reward is greater as we ‘keep (obey) more of His Commands’:
“Whoever then shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach others the same, he will be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whoever shall keep and shall teach them, he will be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.” – Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:19, BLB)
Conclusion
This is how both the Literal and Allegorical meaning of Holy Scripture is presented in the New Testament writings (both are important & pertain to the fulfilling of God’s Will by Christ, Hebrews 10:7, John 4:34 & the obedience toward reward by His Remnant who ‘follow (imitate) His example’ likewise in such ‘literal written Commands’, 1 Corinthians 11:1).
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come– in the scroll of the book it is written of Me– to do Your will, O God.'” (Hebrews 10:7, BLB)
“Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” (John 4:34, NASB)
“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11:1, NASB)
“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” – apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 11:1, KJV)
Yes, the goal of ‘completion or perfection’:
“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28, NASB)
P/S: His Commands are “not” the ‘burden of life’ & obeying it is the only way for us to prove ‘our love’ toward Him:
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.” – apostle John (1 John 5:3, NASB)
How about the ‘strange & new’ teachings of the modern Church which are against the verses which apostle Paul was divinely appointed to deliver to the Gentile believers (churches, 1 Corinthians 14:37)?
Let them be; “we” have “no other practice”.
“But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.” (1 Corinthians 11:16, NASB)
‘The one who is disobeying should not interrupt the one who is obeying’ – Anonymous
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