New Testament --Truth or Myth?
Page 3
Take a good concordance and study all the uses of the words mystery/mysteries in Scriptures. They are solely from the New Testament without Old Testament support. This lends credence to the the assertion that Christianity if foundationed in an Egyptian mystery cult. Then take a look at the words secret/secrets. David and Amos state clearly that “The secret of Yehuveh is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant.” “Surely Yehuveh Elohim will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets.” Contrast that with the “secrecy” statements of Matthew and Mark: “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven,” “neither the Son, but the Father.” Secrecy such as this is not found in “the law and . . . the testimony.” Psalms 25:14; Amos 3:7; Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32. For a discussion of secrecy, study Can We Expect a Rapture?
Prayer and Believing
Seven times the New Testament assures us: “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Awesome promises! But “the law and . . . the testimony” present no such assurance. Rather, we are told to “Commit thy way unto Yehuveh; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” The New Testament assurances virtually leave us in charge—if we believe hard enough we can make Yehuveh do anything we want. Then if He doesn’t, we conclude we must not have believed enough. The Old Testament never invites us to attempt such manipulation. There we are urged to trust, not in our own ability to believe and pray, but in Yehuveh’s awesome goodness. “Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: Elohim is a refuge for us. Selah.” Matthew 21:22 [John 11:22; 14:13; 15:16; 16:23; 1 John 3:22; 5:15]; Psalms 37:5; Psalms 62:8.
Continue the Research
These are just a few of the beliefs which must be examined. What about circumcision? [Genesis 17:10; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Philippians 3:3.] The everlasting covenant? Atonement? [Study The Day of Restarting (Atonement).] What about Sabbaths and annual feasts? On any topic, gather the Scriptural evidence and prayerfully consider how it measures against “the law and . . . the testimony.”
Is the New Testament light according to Isaiah 8:20? Your conclusion will shape your life. Belief is founded on accepted sources, so what you conclude about the value of the New Testament will affect what you believe about Christianity. In your research, I encourage you to prayerfully read Hyam MacCoby’s book: The Mythmaker: Paul and the Invention of Christianity, 1987. New and used copies are available from Amazon.com. It will be difficult reading unless you have honestly asked Yehuveh to lead you into His truth.
Those who were raised in a devoted and loving Christian philosophy from childhood will likely have a difficult time with these insights at first. I personally put aside numerous books and left numerous websites which presented the evidence before I was ready to honor what I was discovering. However, the lifting and joy of truth has provided a profound freedom. Rather than the concern of having a Saviour cover me, I have come to enjoy a spiritual intimacy with Yehuveh that would be impossible through an intercessor. I can only encourage you to honestly embrace the changes of thought to which Yehuveh is leading you!
Gael Bataman
Originally Written: 6 July 2007
Latest Update: 13 May 2010
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