I
see a popular US preacher got himself into hot water with fellow Christians on social media recently, saying Christians need to, “unhitch the Old Testament from their faith.” It would be wrong to judge him on that statement without knowing the full context in which he said this, but it seems that is exactly what they’ve done. I listened to the context in which he stated it and I agree with him. Why? Essentially he was saying Christians are called to live by faith in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, not by trying to keep Old Testament laws. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works (deeds, doing), lest anyone should boast Ephesians 2:8-9.
The preacher’s primary concern was for Christians who are losing faith or have lost it because of something they’ve heard, read or been taught from the Old Testament on the necessity for keeping the law of Moses as well. In other words, the good news message of salvation by grace from Christ alone, through faith in Christ alone, is what attracted them to the Lord, but they’ve since been told this is not enough; one must keep certain Old Testament laws (especially the Ten Commandments), plus additional rules, traditions and holy day observances too. Well, that’s very similar to what the Roman Catholic Church teaches, but so do other denominations and groups under the banner of “Protestant.”
The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor Galatians 3:24-25. Does that mean then that we are free to ignore the Old Testament and its laws? No, it means we are to entrust ourselves to the Law-keeper, the One who fulfilled all the laws of Moses, Jesus Christ. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law (the first five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill (to fill up what was predicted; to accomplish what was intended in them). For assuredly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled Matthew 5:17-18.
Quote: “The laws of the Jews are commonly divided into moral, ceremonial, and judicial. The moral laws are such as grow out of the nature of things, and which cannot, therefore, be changed – such as the duty of loving God and his creatures. These cannot be abolished, as it can never be made right to hate God, or to hate our fellow-men. Of this kind are the Ten Commandments, and these our Saviour has neither abolished nor superseded. The ceremonial laws are such as are appointed to meet certain states of society, or to regulate the religious rites and ceremonies of a people. These can be changed when circumstances are changed, and yet the moral law be untouched…….”
Continued: “A general in an army may command his soldiers to appear sometimes in a red coat and sometimes in blue or in yellow. This would be a ceremonial law, and might be changed as he pleased. The duty of obeying him, and of being faithful to his country, could not be changed…… A third species of law was the judicial, or those laws regulating courts of justice which are contained in the Old Testament. These were of the nature of the ceremonial law, and might also be changed at pleasure. The judicial law of the Hebrews was adapted to their own civil society. When the form of their polity was changed this was of course no longer binding. The ceremonial law was fulfilled by the coming of Christ: the shadow was lost in the substance, and ceased to be binding. The moral law was confirmed and unchanged.” – Albert Barnes.
Perhaps some of the preacher’s critics did listen to what he said in context but they dismissed it in any case. For whatever reasons (and there can be many), multitudes of Christians across the globe in all generations have been and are currently in possession of a law-based, works-based mentality, believing this makes them righteous before God. The reality is, however, such a mentality makes them a product of self-righteousness. Like the majority of Jews in Jesus’ and the apostles’ days they are bent on, seeking to establish their own righteousness, (they) have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes Romans 10:4.
Now, if the preacher was suggesting the Old Testament was irrelevant for New Testament Christians and that we should “unhitch” it altogether from our faith, he would be very wrong indeed; he would be going against God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is in the Old Testament that we read,The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times Psalm 12:6. Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven Psalm 119:89. The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever Psalm 119:160. Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him Proverbs 30:5.
Without a sound working knowledge of the Old Testament, I don’t believe we can fully understand and appreciate God’s revelation to us in the New Testament. It was the Old Testament the apostle Paul was referring to, when he wrote in New Testament Romans, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Romans 15:4. It was Old Testament examples of sins and the serious repercussions for indulging in them that he was warning Christians to steer clear from when he wrote, Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come 1 Corinthians 10:11.
If the Old Testament was irrelevant for New Testament Christians it is doubtful the Holy Spirit would have led the writer of New Testament Hebrews to write so glowingly and enthusiastically about the Old Testament heroes of faith: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, David and Samuel, plus other heroes and heroines unnamed, in what is affectionately and proudly known as “the faith chapter” of Hebrews 11. Note: All Scripture (from Genesis to Revelation) is given by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Don’t unhitch the Old Testament from your faith. There are volumes within its 39 books that we Christians can “hitch” our faith to, not for the saving of our soul, but certainly for the maturity of it! In the book of Genesis alone, 200 quotations from it or allusions to it can be found in the New Testament, mentioned by the Lord Jesus and the apostles. And of great importance, more than half of these 200 are to be found in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. So much for those then who have spent their lifetime denying and ridiculing the literal or plain-sense meanings of those 11 chapters! For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55:9
In addition to Genesis, Jesus quoted from over 20 other Old Testament books including: Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, Jonah, Micah, and Malachi. What do we learn from this? We learn that to discount the relevance of the Old Testament is also to discount the nature, the character, the authenticity and the ministry of Jesus Christ, the living Word of God John 1:1. One does the same with the apostles and writers of the New Testament because they too quoted from the Old Testament in like manner as Jesus. When those people spoke of “the scriptures,” primarily they were referring to those of the Old Testament unless it’s made clear otherwise.
A note of importance: The Old Testament was the Bible, not only of the early Christians, but of Jesus Himself. When Jesus quoted Scripture to Satan the devil in the wilderness, it was from the Old Testament that He did so, three times. “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ ” Deuteronomy 8:3. “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God’ “ Deuteronomy 6:16. “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only shall you serve’ “ Deuteronomy 6:16. Jesus never said, “I think.” He always said, It is written. We must say like-wise! Don’t unhitch the Old Testament from your faith. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ John 1:17.