Matthew 5:17-19 KJV (King James Version)
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus makes it pretty clear in these verses that the OT is not a thing of the past as even some churches may preach today. Many people use the excuse that our world has advanced beyond the everlasting foundations of scripture which Jesus Himself clearly corrects in verse 19.
Let's explore a passage from the apostle Paul regarding the same general principle involved here.
Romans 15:1-6 KJV
1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Please take notice of what Paul is saying with regard to the writings of the Old Testament (OT) and the prophets as a source of learning and patience. This was approximately 400 years or so since the last known prophet Malachi penned scripture. Paul did not seem to think that his society had outgrown God and neither has ours.
Let's explore a couple of passages from the book of Ecclesiastes. The words of Solomon who is known not only to believers as the wisest person in scripture next to Jesus some might say, but to the political realms of both his kingdom and others of his day. We'll stick to the KJV for the rest of this look at scripture.
Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 KJV
9 The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after
Ecclesiastes 3:14-16
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past. 16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there
For those who are famliar with the phrase history repeats itself we could be looking at the very origin of the phrase here in the passages from Ecclesiastes. There is also an important addition to note in the 3:15 chapter and verse. God is going to require that which is past. There is an important word study in this phrase. Below we will display the verse with the concordance identification of the words.
15 That which hath been is now <03528>; and that which is to be hath already <03528> been; and God <0430> requireth <01245> that which is past <07291>.
The word we'll concentrate on is requireth below the Hebrew definition:
01245:
1245 baqash baw-kash' a primitive root; to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after:--ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
Believers understand how scripture communicates both in a physical and spiritual essence. This word baqash brings both together here very clearly by defining this accounting with God as spiritual behavior methods. This is very important when combining all passages we have explored to this point. We began with Jesus informing us there is more we can profit from in the law and the prophets basically the OT. Paul states this case as well in Romans by encouraging us to learn from things written beforehand as well as in the present. Now it's very possible that you are saying to yourself right about now what does all this have to do with illegal immigration today not only in the United States but around the world? Well hopefully if I communicate this effectively the Bible will teach us a lot.
One of the main reasons I am talking about this subject is because we have certain politicians trying to influence the church to push the liberal approach to illegal immigration. This is not a problem for myself as it relates to church and state. The thing that makes me want to say some things about the situation is in the fact many liberal church leaders think we should be welcoming all comers. The problem is in the facts that there are some requirements according to scripture which must be obeyed. The statutes involved would very much put some wrinkles in the liberal stance all but advocating open borders.
Here is a bit of what some in Washington are up to. This is a newsmax article involving speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi and what she thinks should preached in pulpits across America. We must remember this is a woman who thought she could take her pro-death(abortion)beliefs to the Vatican to see the Pope. Here is the newsmax article:
Pelosi to Bishops: Talk Up Immigration
Monday, 10 May 2010 10:34 AM
Article Font Size
By: Dan Weil
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is telling Catholic bishops who want her to pass immigration reform that they must speak out in favor of the reform in their churches.
“The cardinals, the archbishops, the bishops come to me and say, ‘We want you to pass immigration reform,’” Pelosi, who is Catholic herself, said Thursday at the Catholic Community Conference.
“And I say, ‘But I want you to speak about it from the pulpit.’”
This is the same Pelosi who drew strong rebuke from Catholic Church leaders in 2008 by arguing that the denomination's doctrine is unclear on when human life begins. She made that contention in defense of abortion.
As for immigration, Pelosi said last week that, as a practical matter, the United States can’t say to 12 million illegal immigrants, “’Go back to wherever you came from or go to jail.’”
And she was quite clear as to what she expects out of bishops.
“I want you to instruct your, whatever the communication is — the people, some of them, oppose immigration reform are sitting in those pews, and you have to tell them that this is a ‘manifestation of our living the gospels,’” Pelosi said.
“Our patron saint of San Francisco, St. Francis of Assisi, he said, ‘Preach the gospel — sometimes use words.’ We need the words to be said because it isn’t being picked up automatically.”
In the 2008 dispute, Pelosi said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” show: "I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition [when life begins] . . . The point is, is that it shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose.”
An array of bishops blasted those remarks, with Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs, Colo., saying, “Those Catholics who take a public stance in opposition to the most fundamental moral teaching of the church place themselves outside full communion with the church, and they should not present themselves for the reception of Holy Communion.”
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