The Law, the Sabbath and New Covenant Christianity [Paperback]

Anthony Buzzard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 21, 2005

Christians today seem uncertain as to the difference between the Old and New Covenant ways of approaching God prescribed for different periods of history. Paul labored hard, in the face of constant opposition from Jews, to bring both Jew and Gentile into unity on the basis of the one New Covenant. The same resistance to full freedom in the New Covenant is found whenever sections of the Church insist for salvation on elements of the Old Covenant not binding under the New.

This book is based on the author’s extensive study of what God and the Messiah require of us under the terms of the New Covenant ratified by the blood of Jesus. Our aim is to unify believers under the banner of belief in the One God of Israel, in Jesus as the supernaturally begotten Son of God and in the hope of the coming Kingdom of God at the return of Jesus. Within this theological framework, what is the New Testament teaching in regard to the Sabbath, Holy Days, and the Law of Moses? What under the New Covenant is meant by the obedience which leads to salvation? What indeed is the saving Gospel?

Our plea is for unity based on the Gospel teaching of Christ as presented by New Testament Scripture. There is a simplicity and freedom in God’s requirements since the coming of His Son the Messiah. Our hope is that current barriers to unity, based on an unfortunate mixing of the two covenants, will be removed so that the world may know that the Church is indeed one, rather than a confusing assemblage of thousands of denominations in conflict.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anthony Buzzard was born in Surrey, England and educated at Oxford University and later at Bethany Theological Seminary, Chicago. He holds Master's degrees in languages and theology. He came to the USA with his wife and daughters in 1981 and has taught Bible at Atlanta Bible College (formerly Oregon, IL Bible College) since then. Anthony has traveled widely, including visits to Malawi and the Philippines for purposes of evangelism. He has written two books, The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianity's Self-Inflicted Wound and Our Fathers Who Aren't in Heaven: The Forgotten Christianity of Jesus the Jew, as well as many booklets and articles, some of which have been published in international theological journals. In 1996 he was a nominee for the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. He is co-editor of A Journal from the Radical Reformation, published by Atlanta Bible College/Church of God General Conference.

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: Restoration Fellowship (April 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967324947
• ISBN-13: 978-0967324944
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,674,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Freedom in Christ, August 28, 2008

By 

I. M. Irish "Shawn "The Guitarist"" (NYC, NY area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Law, the Sabbath and New Covenant Christianity (Paperback)

This book makes the salient point of the new and better covenant purchased for us by the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). Not simply an extension of Mosaic Law, this book brings forth discussion and understanding of why it was put into practice in the first place. A tutor yes, but still a shadow of the good things to come which in reality was the Messiah.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars New Covenant or "renewed covenant relationship"?, March 28, 2011

By 

Mr Bela P. Lantos - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Law, the Sabbath and New Covenant Christianity (Paperback)

Though Anthony has made great inroads into employing Hebrew thought in biblical interpretation and I can personally thank him for this as he greatly helped me at the beginning of my journey, his theology in respect of the Torah, salvation and covenants is still very much mainstream Christian theology.

Covenants are valid as long as both parties are alive, and since neither God nor the Jewish people ceased to exist, their covenant could not be replaced by another. However, they broke their covenant *relationship* with God when they sinned and this covenant relationship had to be *renewed*. Jesus stated that he didn't come to call the righteous, but the lost to repentance. Those Jews that heard the call, returned to God and carefully observed His Torah (instructions for righteous living) renewed their covenant relationship with Him. The Torah is perfect and good, according to apostle Paul, and what is perfect and good cannot be replaced with a "better" one, for nothing can be better than what is already *perfect*. According to Paul "by the Torah is the knowledge of sin", so what do you need to do *not to sin*? Don't you obey God's Torah (instructions for righteous living)? Do you not sin when you live contrary to its requirements?

Jesus and Paul reacted against the legalistic approach of the religious leadership of the day that taught that one became righteous by observing the Torah. This was incorrect and produced only self-righteousness.

A criminal doesn't become a good citizen by observing the laws of the country he lives in. There needs to be a change of heart, else he only obeys so much as to avoid getting caught again.

You don't become a *good citizen* by obeying the law. You obey the law *because* you are a good citizen. You don't abrogate the law because people disobey it. The problem is not with the law, but with the heart. This is what Christians don't seem to understand.