Here’s a distilled recap of Sean Griffin’s key contributions – his framing, the arguments he leaned on, and how he pushed back – along with the Scripture he cited most often.
1. Intro & Framing of the Discussion
- Big question posed: Are we living under the Old or New Covenant, and what of “Torah” still applies to New Covenant disciples?
- Definitions called for:
- Gospel = “Good news” … of Christ’s life, death and resurrection (1 Cor 15:1–3 NKJV) vs. “Gospel of the Kingdom” preached by Jesus (Matt 4:23; 9:35).
- Torah = Literally “instruction,” including commandments, statutes and judgments (Ex 18:20; Ps 119:1–3 NKJV).
- Warning against extremes:
- Rejected antinomianism (“no law at all,” Rom 6:14 NKJV) and a “cheap” pro‑legalism that ignores grace.
- Overarching claim: The New Covenant does not lower the standard of righteous living—it raises it (Matt 5:17–20 NKJV).
2. Core Arguments & Scriptural Anchors
- Continuity of the Law
- Jesus’ own words: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law… but to fulfill it” (Matt 5:17 NKJV).
- “Least” vs. “Great”: Those who teach covenant obedience are “great” in the kingdom (Matt 5:19 NKJV).
- The New Covenant’s Promise vs. Its Fulfillment
- Jeremiah’s prophecy of a New Covenant “when I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts” – not yet in force but “drawing near” (Jer 31:31–34 NKJV; Heb 8:8–13 NKJV).
- Hebrews’ restatement:“He has obtained a more excellent ministry, … for this is the covenant I will make … I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts”
- Jesus, Our High Priest in the Heavenly Tabernacle
- Hebrews 8:1–5 NKJV:“We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens … ministering in the true tabernacle which the Lord erected”
- Heavenly sacrifices: Christ “offers gifts and sacrifices” on our behalf—He did not abolish the priestly system, but entered its perfect fulfillment.
- Deposit of the Spirit & Ongoing Atonement
- Romans 8:1–4 NKJV: “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death…”
- 1 Corinthians 6:11 NKJV: “Yet you were washed, you were sanctified…” (baptism typifying the change).
- Future Temple and Sacrifices
- Isaiah’s vision of all nations streaming to “mount Zion… offerings in clean vessels” (Isa 66:20–23 NKJV).
- Ezekiel’s blueprint (ch. 40‑48) and Revelation’s New Jerusalem (Rev 21:22 NKJV) portray a renewed literal temple-city where covenant sacrifices resume.
3. Sean’s Main Rebuttals
- “All foods clean” in Mark 7:19?
- He pointed out that the Greek does not literally say “all foods clean”—it’s a later scribal gloss.
- “We’re already a priesthood” (1 Pet 2:9 NKJV)?
- He affirmed the proleptic (future‑realized) priesthood of believers, but stressed we do not literally perform priestly sacrifices on earth until the resurrection and the coming kingdom (Heb 8:13 NKJV).
- Law “nailed to the cross” (Col 2:14–17 NKJV)?
- Argued that ceremonial shadows were abolished, but the moral “instructions” (Torah) persist—and will be written on our hearts when the New Covenant is fully realized.
Bottom Line
Sean Griffin’s position is that Jesus did not abolish God’s instructions but rather fulfilled them, ushering in a New Covenant whose promises (written law on the heart, Spirit‑empowered obedience, perfected priesthood) await their full realization at the resurrection and the coming Kingdom. The behavioral core of Torah remains the path of discipleship now, and forever.
Video | Transcription | The Torah or The Gospel? A discussion with 2 Pastors..m4a
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