Are idolatry and fornication the cause of Gentiles breaking the New Covenant?

[PeterR]

Can Gentiles Break Their Covenant With God?

 

Act 15:19  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 
Act 15:20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 

 

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

 

Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

 

[Who me]

40 minutes ago, PeterR said:

Can Gentiles Break Their Covenant With God?

 

One cannot break what one has never had.

 

God's covenant is with those who are Christians, not with those who know nothing about him and who hate him.

[PeterR]

Quote

 

One cannot break what one has never had.

God's covenant is with those who are Christians, not with those who know nothing about him and who hate him.

 

@Who me

Yes, you are right. But when exactly do those who convert become Christians?

In Romans 1:31, when Paul speaks of a covenant breaking, he emphasizes that it is as if in natural behavior for a Gentile.

In Acts 15, there is talk of encouraging those from Gentiles to turn away from such behavior like idolatry.

At what point do they come under the covenant?

Edited April 15, 2021 by PeterR

[Guest kingdombrat]

Since it is God who makes first [contact] with us and we learn about Him and accept His Invitation.   Since it is God who claims, those My Father gave to Me those are kept with Me for all times.   There's nothing possible to break!   Once you've actually really took the time to seek God after you accepted His Invitation, You aren't going to change your mind and go back.   Because You've allowed Him to fill your life and see things from His perspective.   No one leaves that!  If they do, they were never to the point of seeking God after their Invitation from God.

[Riverwalker]

3 minutes ago, PeterR said:

Yes, you are right. But when exactly do those who convert become Christians?

In Romans lays out a time line of salvation, first  He establishes that we are all sinners,  Then He establishes that the law cannot save us from our due punishment. Then he explains what relationship with God is. And in Romans 10 he explains how we are saved

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

In that part of Acts there is much discussion between James Peter and Paul about the law and grace. 

[timf]

The Romans chapter one reference to covenant breaking is one of a number of defining characteristics of the group of people described as those who reject even the knowledge of God.

In context Paul uses chapter one to describe two groups of people that both fall into the category of those upon whom the wrath of God comes. The reason is that they hold the truth in unrighteousness.

The first group are those who worship the creation more than the creator. Homosexuality is described as a consequence for this.

The second group are those who do not even retain the knowledge of God. They are described as having received a "debased mind". The covenant breaking is just one of the characteristics the define the debased mind.

If you read the list of manifestations of this condition, it sounds like what is increasingly happening in the US today;

Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 

 

[PeterR]

45 minutes ago, kingdombrat said:

Since it is God who makes first [contact] with us and we learn about Him and accept His Invitation.   Since it is God who claims, those My Father gave to Me those are kept with Me for all times.   There's nothing possible to break!   Once you've actually really took the time to seek God after you accepted His Invitation, You aren't going to change your mind and go back.   Because You've allowed Him to fill your life and see things from His perspective.   No one leaves that!  If they do, they were never to the point of seeking God after their Invitation from God.

So New Covenant is written on our hearts.
So can it be said that everyone who commits idolatry or adultery (including spiritual) is still 100% pagan and not covered by the New Covenant?

[Who me]

1 hour ago, PeterR said:

@Who me

Yes, you are right. But when exactly do those who convert become Christians?

In Romans 1:31, when Paul speaks of a covenant breaking, he emphasizes that it is as if in natural behavior for a Gentile.

In Acts 15, there is talk of encouraging those from Gentiles to turn away from such behavior like idolatry.

At what point do they come under the covenant?

 

The question is irrelevant as God is not dealing with tribes,nations etc but with individuals.

As others have said, it is God who chooses us, who predestined us to be his and it is God's grace and mercy that any of us are saved.

 

Every person who becomes a Christian is from that point under the new covenant, though a case could be made that since we were saved from the moment God selected us prior to creation, we have always been under the new covenant.

[PeterR]

1 hour ago, Riverwalker said:

In that part of Acts there is much discussion between James Peter and Paul about the law and grace. 

It ended with a letter from the Council to the Gentile believers.
It condemned the false teachers whose intrusion disturbed the peace in the Church. A significant event.

 

Act 15:28-29  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Edited April 15, 2021 by PeterR

[PeterR]

21 minutes ago, Who me said:

 

The question is irrelevant as God is not dealing with tribes,nations etc but with individuals.

As others have said, it is God who chooses us, who predestined us to be his and it is God's grace and mercy that any of us are saved.

 

Every person who becomes a Christian is from that point under the new covenant, though a case could be made that since we were saved from the moment God selected us prior to creation, we have always been under the new covenant.

It seems to me that there are many Gentiles who think they are Christians and whom we can help identify correctly. Not by judging anyone, but simply by leaving them a testimony outlining the exact definitions of idolatry, etc. You know, without calling a council
What do you think?