08 Feb 07 The Old Testament

Mention something from the Old Testament and invariably someone will say something like “that was part of the old covenant; we are under the new covenant.”  In essence it seems this position has been taken to guard against certain activities deemed inappropriate for the "Christian age".

Two observations that make me question this viewpoint:  

First, A person could come to faith in Jesus Christ with nothing but a copy of the Old Testament.  This is what the Apostle Paul thought about these sacred writings.  Writing to a young follower named Timothy, Paul said:

2 Timothy 3:14-17  (NCV) But you should continue following the teachings you learned. You know they are true, because you trust those who taught you.  Since you were a child you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is given by God and is useful for teaching, for showing
people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for
teaching how to live right.  Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work.

The reference to the Holy Scriptures is a reference to the Old Testament as the New Testament was not yet in existence.  These Holy Scriptures, or Sacred Writings as some translations call them, are able to make a person wise.  This wisdom leads a person “to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

These same scriptures are, for us, a source of instruction and a source of hope.

Romans 15:4 (NCV) Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.  The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. 

Second, the difference between Old Testament and the old covenant.  I realize that testament is another word for covenant.  There seems to me, however, to be a distinction between the Old Testament as a book of instruction, a collection of poetry and songs, a code of holiness, and a system of law to make a person right with God.

Surely we can learn from this collection of stories and wisdom? 

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NCV) The things that happened to those people are examples. They were written down to teach us, because we live in a time when all these things of the past have reached their goal. 

One of the main lessons we learn is that holiness and justification is impossible via human effort.  I see an important theme in Paul’s words to the Colossians regarding the things in the law that were against us:

Colossians 2:11-17 (NCV) Also in Christ you had a different kind of circumcision, a circumcision not done by hands. It was through Christ’s circumcision, that is, his death, that you were made free from the power of your sinful self.  When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him through your faith in God’s power that was shown when he raised Christ from the dead.  When you were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self, God made you alive with Christ, and he forgave all our sins.  He canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross.  God stripped the spiritual rulers and powers of their authority. With the cross, he won the victory and showed the world that they were powerless.

Not everything found in the Old Testament was against us.  In fact, quite the opposite.  There are things in the Old Testament that are good for us.  It is good for us to praise the Lord with every breath and with every available means.  When an object can be used to glorify self or something else is set apart to glorify God that is a good thing. 

When I discipline myself to return at least 10% I learn to live on less and that is a good thing.  In regards to tithing we’ve always said "in the Christian age we are free to give more than 10%" and while true this freedom has freed us to not give regularly.

The passage that really catches my attention is:

Hebrews 8:8 (NCV) But God found something wrong with his people. He says: "Look, the time is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and the people of Judah.

The problem doesn’t seem to be the covenant – the problem seems to be the people under the covenant.  No surprise.  We’ve lived long enough to know that we’ve always been the problem.