The New Testament only has 2 commandments combined in 1

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Jesus gave only 2 entole commandments (a) for the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant.  For even more details, see Only 2 Commandments – BT4.  All of the other OT commandments belong to the palaios old covenant or Law – “old, antiquated, worn-out, and useless.”  And we know from so much negative written in the NT about the Law that absolutely NONE of it carries over into the completely-different-in-kind New Covenant.  In fact, that is what the definition of “New” means (b), and here’s just a few things the NT says about the old:  “filled to completion, fulfilled, accomplished, completed, finished, ended, violently put to death, nailed to the cross, nullified, abolished, set aside, done away with, vanished, passed away, is no longer binding, so we are no longer under it, and freed from it” – see Logos Word of God – BT8.  <Notes> a) entole: official-decree, all-authoritative, universal orders – see Only 2 Commandments page, b) chadash, kainos: fresh, completely-different-in-kind, unprecedented, sharing nothing with its predecessors, unique, and superior.

The NT says there are only 2 commandments for Christians to obey well articulated in 1 John 3:22-23: “We tereo carefully-watch/keep-guard-over the entole commandments of His (Father-God) and/coupled do the things pleasing before-the-watch-of Him, and/coupled this is His entole commandment [compound-singular]:  1) that we have trusting-relying-faith in the name/authority of His (the Father’s) Son Jesus Christ, and 2) unconditional-love one another – just as He gave a [singular] entole commandment to us.”  Jesus says prophetically of the Church, “I know your works – your  unconditional-love and/coupled trusting-relying-faith, and/coupled [in parallel] service and patient-endurance” (a).  The Apostle Paul writes extensively on the Christian’s unique no-strings-attached, unconditional-love that goes far beyond the OT command to “love your neighbor,” and he routinely combines “trusting-relying-faith and unconditional-love” together (b).  Because of these verses and others, and early Church writings, many theologians and historians believe, like myself, that the early Church’s “good works” or “obedience to commands” was indeed that simple, simple enough for “little children” and other “least among you” to get – simply to tereo “carefully-guard” only 2 commandments of Christ until He returns.  It’s no coincidence that Matthew 28:20 Great Commission uses the same 2 key words: “the whatsoever I have entellomai commanded (c) you” to “teach the made-disciples” to “tereo carefully-guard.”  That’s it, just 2!  It wasn’t until much later around 200AD that the Catholic Church started pulling more and more of the OT commandments back in.  Are we complicating our lives and those of others by adding more to what Christ commanded? <Notes> a) Revelation 2:19, b) Ephesians 1:15, 3:17, 6:23; Colossians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:3, 3:6, 4:9, 5:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:14, 2:15, 4:12, 6:11; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:22, 3:10; Titus 3:15; Philemon 1:5 c) entellomai is a verb form of entole commandment that emphasizes the end-objective, purpose, or consummation of an officially-decreed, universally-binding charge.

Reflection:

As Christian musicians, why are trying to continue the OT commandments when there are so many NT verses that say that every one of them was “fulfilled, completed, nailed to the cross, nullified, finished, so that we are no longer obligated to it, having been replaced with only 2 NT commandment of trusting-relying-faith in Christ and unconditionally-loving one another universally as Christ did?  Remember it’s supposed to be simple enough for the little children and other “least among you” so that nobody, including God, is showing partiality.

Prayer:

Lord, keep us from showing favoritism by complicating the NT logos message to more than trusting-relying-faith in You and unconditionally-loving others like You did us, the only “good works” You have for us now.  Praise Your name for such simplicity!

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