Part 2: A Point by Point Response to an Adventist Critic: 2 Corinthians 3

THE CHARGE:

2 Corinthians teaches that the Law ended at the cross for believers.

THE SHORT ANSWER:

The critic asked, “When was the law established?” but this time quotes 2 Corinthians 3. According to the document we are examining, the law “ended at the cross for believers.” However, that is not what 2 Cor. 3 teaches. On the contrary, this chapter reinforces the Ten Commandments in a better way, as principles that are now written in the heart, rather than stone, under the New Covenant for believers.

This is what we get from the immediate context. The first three verses demonstrate what the lives of New Covenant believers look like. They have the Law of God written in the heart, and it is quite evident. They are, as Paul puts it, living epistles, “known and read by all men.” Paul borrows language from the New Covenant in Jer. 31:33 and alludes to the Ten Commandments when he mentioned the “tablets of stones.” In other words, these Corinthians believers have the Ten Commandments written in their hearts, as promised in the New Covenant prophecy, and everyone can see it by their lives and acts. We know it is “ten” commandments, which includes the fourth, because the “tablets of stone” contained ten, not nine. Therefore, all Ten Commandments are written in their hearts, and as the other nine are practiced both spiritually and practically, so with the fourth one. Anyone living the New Covenant experience, therefore, will not be going around claiming that the Law “ended for believers.”

Assuming the critic is correct that the Law ended at the cross for believers, why is it still playing a role in the lives of the Corinthians believers? Furthermore, why does this same author, Paul, command the Ephesian believers to observe the fifth commandment? (Eph. 6:1-3, actually, the whole letter of Ephesians alludes to various commandments to not break them, see 4:25 28, 29, 31, 5:3-5, 6). We find that this is the case in various other texts of the New Testament (i.e. Rom. 3:31, 7:7-12, especially verse 13).

The conclusion drawn is that the first few verses speak about the Law written in the heart and lived out by the Corinthians believers, what follows after verse 3, therefore, does not abolish the Law. A careful look at the remaining verses reveal that indeed something was abolished, and that was the old ministration of the Law under Moses, along Moses himself and the tablets of stone. The contents of the Law, however, were transferred to the heart. A comparison with verse 13 with the actual story Paul is talking about, found in Exo. 34:29-35, reveals that what was abolished was that which “the children of Israel could NOT look steadily at…” In Exo. 34, the tablets of stone were in plain view in the hands of Moses, but his face was covered. Nevertheless, there is no longer a need for the stone tablets, not that its contents are in the mind and hearts of New Covenant believers.

Not only does the immediate context not allow for the contents of the tablets to be abolished, Paul says in Rom. 3:31 that the Law is NOT made "void" to believers. The Greek word translated "void" is the same one translated "abolished" or "passing away" in 2 Cor. 3.

2 Cor. 3 also explains that the tablets of stone are referred to as the “ministration of death” and “condemnation.” This is because, as Paul explains elsewhere, the Ten Commandments reveal sin, and sin brings death (see Rom. 7:7-11, cf. James. 1:15). Nevertheless, the commandment that does this is considered “holy, just and good” and that which is good does NOT become death to believers (see verses 12-13). Of course, because as 2 Cor. 3 says, it is written in the heart.

THE LONG ANSWER:


ABOUT THIS VIDEO SERIES:

A new challenge has recently surfaced by a critic of Adventism named Chris Tucker, asking Adventists to openly answer questions like this one, which he believes no SDA can answer. We accept the challenge.

READ THE CHALLENGER'S FULL ARTICLE:

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CREDITS

_Edwin M. Cotto, Founder, Advent Defense League
_Jason Thomas, Instructor, Advent Defense League
_Multiple ADL Group Members

[DavidMutema-kcph]

The law of God is immutable righteous, holy and good.Proud to be an Adventist

[rayhchc]

Eric, good point there in the beginning. Sunday keepers are divided as to their motives and method for observing Sunday. Gene Kim, a prominent youtuber and independent Baptist, first claimed it's impossible to keep the 7th day Sabbath. However, later in the same video he claimed he keeps EVERYDAY holy.

See how these giys contradict even themselves? They simply don't think it through when they come up with all sorts of ignorant statements and conclusions!

By the way, it's Dr. Gene Kim! He'd be VERRRRY displeased with me if I don't apply his title 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[polishedbrother]

Would the all knowing, loving His creation, just GOD punish us for no reason?
Cain could have responded to God by saying, why do you persecute me, there’s no Law here that prohibits me from taking a life!
BUT, (thou shall not kill )was in effect in Eden, right from the start.

“If who you obey is your master “KJV
then Adam was driven out of the garden for rolling with Eve Regarding the forbidden fruit. Eve took something that did not belong to her . Thou shall not steal was in effect.
There are more examples of commandment breaking and the consequences God handed down because of it ; right from the beginning..
Where there is no law there is no sin. KJV
In Eden, laws were broken.