My Holy Spirit Baptism Testimony

 

My Holy Spirit Baptism Testimony

In 1979 at age 28, I had begun to repent of a worldly sinful life beginning with heartfelt prayer at home, and the Lord began changing me on the inside and I began repenting of the sins God was convicting me of.

Following my mother, I began attending her Baptist church and jumped in attending three services a week plus the monthly special prayer meeting. Making friends in the local church community, I met some young people from the Assembly of God and they spoke about the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues.
When asking my Baptist pastor about that, he discouraged further interest by dismissing it as “gibberish”. Naturally I believed him and so I parroted the view of our church.

As the weeks passed I began to have a spiritual crisis partly due to my own weaknesses and I saw the church I attended was becoming dull and routine. Having experienced the power of rock concerts and a zesty worldly lifestyle, the church was rather sleepy and a lot of people sickly. 

Although Sunday morning was a full house, the Sunday evening and Wednesday night services were sparsely attended sometimes I was the only one that attended the special prayer night meeting.
There was really no evidence of spiritual power or authority in contrast to what I was reading in my Bible. This troubled me, hence the crisis of faith.

Then in June I was working at the College Vintage Days at Fresno State University, in my booth where we sold jewelry and craft goods. It was a wonderful event outdoors with the CSUF Jazz Band playing in the park, and a great atmosphere. 

Then a young lady I knew from Los Banos walked up and we began to talk about Christ and the Bible. In the course of our convo I gave my spiel about speaking in tongues as I had been told by our pastor. Her name was Linda Savage., and she listened patiently to my negative report and replied in a gentle calm manner, “well Rory, I have the Holy Spirit and I speak in tongues”.

I was stunned. “YOU!?” -I asked with amazement.
She said “Yes” and told me of her conversion and receiving the Spirit.
She left a short time later but she had innocently rocked my world and now I was not sure what to believe.
 I knew she had something I did not have.

After it was over at home I began to pray asking God “What about this Holy Spirit business? If it is real I WANT THAT TOO!”
-I was still in the spiritual crisis and looking for answers, but this time I went to God.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.

On July 4^th a friend named Jerry and I were having our cars detailed by a local man named Chris Cornwell. After he finished, I had him come to my house to get paid in cash. We talked about the Lord and he happened to attend a local Pentecostal church and he noticed I had a bust of Queen Nefertiti I had purchased from the King Tut museum display that was touring the US at the time.

Suddenly he pivoted and pointed at the bust of the queen on the mantle shelf and said “THAT IS AN ABOMINATION!”.
I said “REALLY?”, and I grabbed it and smashed it on the concrete. 
He left but had later Chris had told his pastor about the incident and my zeal.

The next Monday evening there was a knock on the door and a man announced that he was in the neighborhood talking to people about Jesus and wondered if I was interested. “SURE” I said and being one who still loved sharing about Jesus, even in my “crisis”, he wasted no time in showing me the Acts 2:38 “message” of being baptized into the name of Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy “Ghost” as the KJV Pentecostals said. 

By now my crisis had also deepened my need and desire for MORE OF JESUS, and even though I had been baptized 7 months prior by my Baptist pastor (who never taught us to be baptized, I had been led on my own to ask),  I said “OK, take me to the water!”.

So he invited me to a Thursday night baptism and accompanied by several of the church folks, we went to the local Forebay lake 15 minutes away, where I was baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins”. 

The Pentecostal church was a tiny “Home Mission” church plant with about 15 people including the children. I was meeting the pastor for dinner socially after that but did not go to his church, and I was still questioning the validity of tongues and the Holy Spirit.
I was still a Baptist.

San Francisco Calling.
In August, a couple of weeks later I left for a month to be with a Street Ministry in San Francisco. It was a welcome relief from my spiritual crisis as every day we were passing out Bibles and street witnessing. People from all over the US had come to participate and our group was around 20 Christians.

The ministry provided lodging and meals, and we stayed at Simpson Bible College at the south end of San Francisco on the Peninsula. Each day began with prayer and devotion and I met some very nice people.

Near the end of that ministry term, the spiritual crisis began again and I was questioning changing churches and attending the Pentecostal group, going back and forth. I like the young pastor of the Pentecostal church, he was my age and we really hit it off well. His wife was Spirit filled and wonderful and the people seemed to have that joy I was missing. I was tormented and knew I was missing something.

First Encounter.
Mid September I was still praying about the Holy Spirit baptism and I now recognized my need for more of Jesus. In response to their invitations,  I said I would visit and the idea of going to the Pentecostal church was a barrier to be overcome.

That Sunday morning I went to my Baptist church as usual, but that Sunday evening I went to the little UPC church located in a small office suite. The little congregation only had an accordion and tambourine for music which I had to suppress the desire to chuckle at the primitive musicians.

It went through the usual format and the pastor preached with passion. Nearing the end he made an “altar call” where at the front were some folding chairs to kneel in front.
Because I was a Baptist, I saw no need to "go forward", but he continued, and a few members went up to pray. I resisted and obviously as the only visitor, he was preaching to me.

On his third altar call, it was as if a supernatural force grabbed me by the shirt and yanked me out of my chair and drove me to pray on one of the chairs.

It was as if a dam broke, from my innermost being tears gushed, and sobs wracked my body. I don’t even know if I spoke any words, but I wept like never before for around 10 or 15 minutes emptying myself of Lord knows what.

When service ended, they asked me “How did you like the service?” but I was unable to speak.
“I can’t talk” I answered and went home. Something powerful had happened that I did not understand, and I realized the crisis oppression had lifted from me after all those months.

I purposed to return and for several Sundays went to the Baptist service in the morning and the Pentecostal service in the evening. I had to admit the power and dynamic preaching at the latter church was much better and ministered to me. I noticed the women were old-fashioned dressed, and all the men wore suits.
No big deal to me, I just wanted more Jesus. Seeing and hearing the Pentecostals testifying and hearing some speaking in tongues, my desire for the Lord thought nothing of it and I was really seeking Spirit baptism.

Along with all that, I was reading my Bible to understand the new birth and working to overcome my now former, Baptist indoctrination.

Late September.
Leaving the Baptist church, I jumped into my new Pentecostal group and there was a “Revival” with a young man Chris Jones, from Louisiana. Because church was so small, and my relationship with the people growing fast, Chris and I spent some time together with him, his wife, and their baby son, Jordan.
On a Friday night, our church was having a service with an associate church in Madera, CA, and we all rode together in the church bus which Chris drove.

I was seeking the Holy Ghost baptism and at that service, an evangelist Nathan Hurst from Texas preached. At the close I went to the altar to pray for the Spirit, surrounded by praying Pentecostals, I focused on Jesus and finally!  I “prayed through” and spoke in tongues for the first time.

As with others, my face had a glow on it and there is a picture of me with my dad around that time where the joy of God’s Spirit is evident. My spirit was changed and I fell into our Pentecostal church life with a new-found joy. The services were powerful and we passionately sought God’s Presence before service even began.
Later I found out that most of the local churches looked down on us but we believed WE had "The Truth".

Many people, events, and would follow, some wonderful and some not so good, but I can never deny or renounce the goodness of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit which was accompanied by speaking in tongues.

My experience was similar to the converts in Acts 19.
This is written as a testimony and to spark a desire for more of Jesus Christ and the Gift of the Holy Spirit which He commanded us to receive. God bless you.

Lin Wood said: "There are NO modern day prophets." HUH?

 

#LINWOODCORRECTION
Being an attorney doesn’t make one astute 😎😎 obviously he thinks he knows more than Paul. 😍😍-Rex V.

A prominent Christian attorney in the patriot movement, Lin Wood from Georgia, said: "There are NO modern day prophets. The only prophets are identified as such in the Holy Bible (I recommend the KJV). Anyone claiming at this time to be a prophet is a false prophet. "

Sad to say he was repeated by others. I would like to correct his false statement from God's Word.
I could include many witnesses and modern day prophets (not the false ones of which there are many also), but let's test his mistake with God's Word.

1. He does not say when was and who were the last identified prophets.
2. He does not make a case for the cessation of God's gifts.
3. He does not give reasons for his statement .

LET'S TEST LIN WOOD:
-Why would Paul, Barnabbas, and others be called prophets in Acts 13?
-Why would Paul name prophets as one of the 5 gifts given by God to equip the body of Christ in Eph. 4:10-11?

-If there were no prophets for the body of Christ, why did the Ephesian elders in Acts 19 receive Spirit baptism and prophecy?

 -If there are no prophets why would Paul tell the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 12:28

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing …” when the gifts that included prophets were being manifested IN the church there?

-If there were no more prophets, why would Paul tell the churches Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. 1 Corinthians 14:29

-Why would Paul tell all the prophets to prophesy and for the prophets among them to judge??
1 Corinthians 14:31-33   For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged,  and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

-Why were there prophets in Acts if Lin Wood speaks the truth??
Acts 11:27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

-Why were there prophets in the church at Antioch if Lin Wood speaks truth?
Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, and Saul.
No more prophets?
Acts 15:32  And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.

-THE prophet Jesus:
Matthew 21:11 And the multitude said, “This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.”
John 7:40  Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, “In truth this is the Prophet.”
Moses, a prophet, prophesied of him in Deut 1818 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
Luke 13:33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’
Acts 7:37  Stephen affirmed: This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’

Titus told to warn carnal-mouthed prophets in the church at Crete:
Titus 1:12  One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

"In The Beginning" John 1 or Genesis 1?

 

In the beginning..
was the WORDs God said..

1.Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

2. Genesis 1:6 And God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”

3. Genesis 1:9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.

4. Genesis 1:11 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth”; and it was so.

5. Genesis 1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years;

6. Genesis 1:20 And God said, “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”

7. Genesis 1:24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth after his kind”; and it was so.

8. Genesis 1:26 And God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle,...

When GOD made the first man, God was speaking Prophetically (foreknowledge) to the man Christ Jesus, "the Last Adam". Because God foreknew all things and through Jesus Christ's work would come the one new man in God's ** image. 

So in Genesis 1:27 the scripture reverts back to GOD alone creating man:
"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.".
Isa. 44:24
“Thus says the Lord, thy Redeemer, and He that formed thee from the womb:
I am the Lord that makes all, that stretched forth the heavens alone, that spread abroad the earth by Myself;

Jesus agrees.
Matthew 19:4
And He answered and said to them, “Have ye not read, that He that made them at the beginning made them male and female.

Through Christ, the Genesis 1:26 prophetic fulfillment in "let us make man in our image.."
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all have become new.

Thus the creation in John 1 was not the Genesis creation, it was the NEW creation that came through Christ. And so Jesus gave creatorship to his God and Father and never took personal credit for the Genesis creation.
"All were made by  Him" refers to the "let us make man in OUR image" and the creation of the new man.
** image: 

Col 3:9 Do not lie one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put   on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.
And there is the Genesis 1:26 Let us make man in OUR IMAGE fulfillment..

For those that notice and recognize the numeric witness coded in:

Through Christ, the Genesis 1:26 had a prophetic fulfillment for "let us make man in our image.." and was not a singular event. Jesus was not yet, and the "us", a prophecy was for a time 4,000 later.

Yahweh created the physical creation. God, through Christ, creates all things spiritual.

But wait, "𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓖𝓸𝓭 𝓼𝓪𝓲𝓭' was used 8 times in Genesis 1.

EIGHT is the symbolic number for a "new beginning",

8 represents a new beginning, meaning a new order or creation, and man's true "born again" event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life.

and the number of the Greek letters for Jesus are 888* see below.. God would use Jesus Christ to make the new man 4,000 years after Adam.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all have become new.

*Jesus' name, in the original Greek language from which the New Testament was written, is spelled Ι (Iota), η (Eta), σ (Sigma), ο (Omicron), υ (Upsilon) and σ (Sigma) or Ιησουσ (Strong's Concordance #G2424).

Their numeric equivalents of 10, 8, 200, 70, 400 and 200 add up to 888.

The numerics also resolve the controversy over using the name of Jesus being incorrect as translated.

Other 888 related Bible names used for Jesus also have a factor of eight within them when we add the numeric equivalents of the Greek letters.

These include Christ (1480 or 8 x 185),

Lord (800 or 8 x 100),

Messiah (656 or 8 x 82) and others.

Lastly, Genesis 1:26, 1+2+6 =9. and nine symbolizes judgment <by whom God judges the world, Acts 17:31) and the NINE spiritual gifts that came through Christ to the spiritual man. 1Corinthians 12. Genesis 1:27 is 1+2+7=10 10 is the symbol for law.. The law of sin and death fell upon Adam and his generations, the "natural man"..

Source for Biblical numeric meanings:

biblestudy.org

Meaning of the Number 888 in the Bible

Is Baptism Required to be SAVED?

 

Baptism and us.  More about Christian baptism.

Do you need to be baptized to be saved?

My answer: No, we need to be baptized to obey the command of Christ and the apostles who also commanded believers to be baptized. The question should be, "Why would anyone think there is no need to be if it was commanded?"

Baptism is being fully immersed <like a burial> into water and is into Christ.

What about the thief on the cross?

Ans. Jesus told him, "👉TODAY you will be WITH ME * in Paradise👈* ".

Paradise was in the "lower parts of the earth", and is witnessed by Ephesians 4:9

(Now the saying, “He ascended” — what does it mean but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

(This is where Jesus descended and preached to the souls who died in faith and were held there until Jesus redeemed them, and brought them out after his three days "in the earth".

(note. Luke 16 is not a parable, it is a place now occupied by lost souls, the saints having left when Jesus ascended to God.)

Questioning Baptism?

Well if they say it does not matter, I would wonder why Jesus said it did in His instruction.

Mark 16:16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, he that does not believe shall be damned".

When Peter preached who Jesus really on the first occasion after Jesus ascension in Acts 1, unto the Jews in Acts 2, after hearing the truth about Jesus, they asked Peter and the apostles: "...WHAT SHALL WE DO!!??"

Peter said they were to "REPENT" (they believed wrong who Jesus is because their leaders had lied to them, just like pastors do today)

AND 👉BE BAPTIZED INTO THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost".

Somebody wants to argue with Peter? "accept Christ" and boom, your saved?.......... hmmmm

But wait, they went on to baptize others in Acts to baptize Samaritans, Jews, and Italians in Acts.

A man testified.. You say you have 5 baptisms? Well, we had a guy come to our old Pentecostal church and he had been baptized 101 times!
So we baptized him in Jesus' name and called him brother "102".

He was one of those oddball types we attracted to our Pentecostal church... and he wandered off to who knows where..

Humor aside, I have been baptized twice.
When I first started turning to God I went to church with my mother.
Her sleepy little Baptist church in our predominantly Catholic town.
I never heard about baptism in church there but I was reading the Bible on my own and the Lord moved on me and I felt the desire for God leading me to be baptized, so I asked about it to the pastor.

-they scheduled a Baptism in a neighboring city at a large Baptist church for a month later. Jan 1980.
I still have the certificate.

Kind of similar to you, FF to 9 months later when I encountered the oneness Pentecostals after I was asking Father about that "Holy Ghost baptism" thing which the Baptists taught against... I wanted to know the truth and I felt something was lacking in my spirit, but I remember praying "God, if there is a Holy Ghost, I want that too!"

The Pentecostals were all about Acts 2:38 and the name of JESUS at water baptism, and why "Father Son Holy Ghost in Matt. 28:19 was not what was said by the apostles. They emphasized Holy Spirit baptism evidenced with tongues also.

-I was still seeking with a willingness to repent of my Baptist views, and was truly a baby Christian, beginning to encounter the church world conflicts.

So after a few discussions, and my own heart desire for more of Christ, I was ready to be re-baptized "IN JESUS NAME",
and so I went with the pastor and 7 or 8 members (it was a tiny Home Mission church group), out to the lake on a Friday night, and I was baptized in Jesus name. After that, I began to really seek Spirit baptism with the expectation of tongues as evidence, like those in my new fellowship the Lord led me to.

That led me into the UPC Pentecostal church sect for the next 11 years, including meeting Linda and we had a very good fellowship with that small church. I was ordained as a minister, "Reverend", in 1990.

We were rather looked down upon by the local churches for various reasons, but we were passionate about prayer, worship, and church, 4 services a week and we rarely ever missed.
The power and Presence of God was very strong in our meetings and we saw miracles, healings, and moves of God's Spirit..

Visitors and even people walking down the street past our church would testify to it. It was some of the very best "church" we have ever experienced, despite the Pharisee leaven we partook of..

FF to 2019 and the revelation that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God.

I was at a small conference of what might be called "Unitarian" brethren, (I do not ascribe to any labels), and I had been invited because I was preaching the revelation of Jesus Christ, the man who died and was raised by God, according to what they preached in Acts.

One speaker, Dan Gill, an elder and I think may be a pastor who also came out of the UPC, gave a very good exposition on Jesus Christ, and as I listened, thought, "he is really making a case to be re-baptized to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ"..

-I have never acted upon that but I do think about it...

I would re-baptize and have, people who were baptized in the Titles "Father Son, Holy Ghost". To me, it is a matter of desire to follow Christ.

Dear Moses, WHICH LAW? ALL? SOME? NONE?

 Dear Moses, WHICH LAW?
ALL? Ten? SOME? NONE?

Often people confuse matters of the Old Covenant Law and seek to please God through it.

It may appear in certain places that we are to keep Law of the Old Testament Commandments, ordinances, and statutes.  Have you dabbled with it as most churches do?
-A little tithing, a little sabbath, a feast or two? Or go "ALL THE WAY" AND ALL MALES MUST BE CIRCUMCISED?

You may be surprised.
Because  there are many many new testament scriptures that should be our lens to read the old testament law. And especially why Christ is the better way.
But did you realize that the LAW itself stated ALL was to be kept, observed and done?
Yes it does and it states "DO ALL.." over 75 times. To break one law was to break ALL of it. 
Both Paul and James affirmed that very thing in the New Testament..

If we are to keep the law, then the following scriptures are all wrong. I hope you will look them over because they were written to churches and Christians.

"done away" :
2Corinthians 3:14 ... for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, it not being revealed to them that it is *done away in Christ*.

"if led by the Spirit, not under law":
Gal. 5:18 18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

If under law, faith is made void:
Romans 4:14 For if they that are of the law are heirs, faith is made void

Made dead to the Law by Christ's body:
Romans 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ

law made nothing perfect:
Hebrews 7:19 (for the law made nothing perfect)

Law not made for a righteous man:
1Timothy 1:9 as knowing this, that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

The carnal commandments (observed by fleshly observance) disannulled:
Heb. 7:18
For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

Because Jesus is guarantor of a better Covenant:
Heb 7:22 by so much also has Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

We are "discharged from the law"
Romans 7:6 But now we have been discharged from the law, ... that we serve in newness of the spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.

In Jesus commands to obey the ordinances of Law are abolished:
Eph. 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances

In Christ commands and ordinances blotted out and nailed to His cross:
Col. 2:14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he hath taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;

weak and beggarly elements of the law are bondage:
Galatians 4:9 But now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, where ye desire to be in bondage over again?

Servant girl Hagar was an allegory for bondage of the law:
Galatians 4:24 Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.

Law entangles unto bondage:
Galatians 5:1 For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

Law does not bring promised inheritance in God's kingdom:
Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.

Law was temporary until Christ came:
Galatians 3:19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made

Faith justifies apart from law:
Romans 3:28 We reckon therefore that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

Not under law, but under grace:
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under law, but under grace.

Law of Spirit of Life makes free from law of sin and death:
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death.

Law fulfilled in those walking after the Spirit:
Romans 8:4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Israel followed law but did not arrive:
Romans 9:31 But Israel, following after a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.

love fulfills the law:
Romans 13:10 Love works no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.

no one is justified by works of law:
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus

Holy Spirit not received by works of the law, but by faith:
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Living under works of the law brings curse:
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

No man justified by the law:
Gal. 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Law makes grace void:
Galatians 2:21 I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law:
Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:

Galatians desired to go under law:
Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

People desire to teach law in ignorance:
1 Timothy 1:7 desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.

Striving over the law vain and unprofitable:
Titus 3:9 But shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strifes, and fightings about law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Priesthood changed, law was changed:
Hebrews 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

Law was a shadow, does not perfect:
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year,... make perfect them that draw nigh.

Break one law, guilty of all:
James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.
Do the law requires do all laws:
Gal. 3:10 ...Cursed is every one who continues not IN ALLl that are written in the book of the law, to do them.

If law makes righteous, Christ died for nothing.
Gal. 2:21
I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

early church troubled by law observant Christians:
Acts 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.

Acts 15:24 ...we have heard that certain who went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls; to whom we gave no commandment

Grace plus law called another gospel:
Galatians 1:7 which is not another gospel only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Law hardens mind, veils spiritual vision, and not revealed to law keepers it is done away in Christ.
1Cor 3:4 but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains, it not being revealed to them that it is done away in Christ.

Old Covenant not faultless, New Covenant better:
Hebrews 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.

Old Covenant now Old, decayed, and vanishing away:
Hebrews 8:13 In that he said, A new covenant he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and aged is near to vanishing away.

New Covenant is eternal:
Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,

Jesus mediator of New Covenant, New Covenant gives eternal life:
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Old Covenant is of letter, new Covenant is Spirit of life:
2nd Corinthians 3:6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.

New Covenant brings remission of sins:
Matthew 26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.


Required Lawful Sacrifices and offerings from law no longer remit sins:
Hebrews 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Ordinances of the law abolished:
abolished: Ephesians 2:15 having abolished in the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace;

Lawful ordinances were nailed to the cross:
Colossians 2:14 having blotted out the bond written in ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us: and he has taken it out that way, nailing it to the cross;

Paul questions why Colossian Christians subject to ordinances:
Colossians 2:20 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye subject yourselves to ordinances

Ordinances have appearance of religiousness and of no value against fleshly nature:
Col. 2:23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the gratification of the flesh.
NLT: 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

many many new testament scriptures should be our lens to read the old.

Look here:

Hebrews 8:13 In that he said, A new covenant he has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxes aged is near to vanishing away.

and again, "for the law made nothing perfect <=== but the bringing in of a better hope"
and again, "IF righteousness came by the law, ===> THEN CHRIST DIED IN VAIN <==

Galatians 2:21 I do not make void the grace of God: for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, truly righteousness would have been of the law.

2 COR 3:7-11 But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. 10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. 11 For if that which is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious

Alan asked : stone their children to death when they are rebellious??? Did GOD say that, or is it a MAN written law?

Torah law: Deut:21:
20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21 And all the men of his city shall STONE HIM TO DEATH with stones: so shall you put away the evil from the among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

..................

Sabbath breakers to be stoned:

Exodus 35:2
Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day there shall be to you a holy day, a sabbath of solemn rest to The LORD: whosoever doeth any work therein shall be PUT TO DEATH.

Numbers 15: a man stoned for picking up sticks.

34 And they put him in ward, because it had not been declared what should be done to him.
35 And YHWH said to Moses, The man shall surely be put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him to death with stones; as YHWH commanded Moses.
................. ===> DO ALL OR ELSE <=== > because it is sin not to obey "ALL" to do the above.

Leviticus 19:37 Therefore shall ye observe *ALL* my statutes, and ALL my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 20:22 You shall therefore *KEEP ALL* my statutes, and *ALL* my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.

Leviticus 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do *ALL* my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
16 ===> I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 ===> And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursues you.
18 ===>>> And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins. <===

Galatians 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

ACTS 15 - But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” 6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Romans 8:2-3 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin

the law was a tutor to bring us to Christ. But Christ has come and we are no longer under a tutor but Christ Himself.

It is one word as summed up in Gal 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

TIM 1 :5-6 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

Here is Paul's advice on how to deal with those wanting to strive and contend over these matters of the OT Law.
Titus 3 - But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned. These strivings over the torah are indeed foolish contentions that bear no fruit to God.