THE OLD TESTAMENT
IS IMPORTANT
IS IMPORTANT
TO OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Many
churches and pastors have attempted to worship the Lord Jesus and His
Father without acknowledging His laws for worship, or His value system
for living depicted in His instructions to His people (Ex 23:10-17,34:14-23, Rom 7:7-10, Heb 9:1 NASB).
The examples through the Old Testament repeatedly show this condition comes from an attitude of pride and unwillingness to submit to our Creator. We must be shamed by ignoring His covenant laws (Josh 23:14-16, Jer 2:29-35, 3:13-15, 6:16-19, Heb 8:8-10, 10:28-29).
CAN WE IGNORE OUR CREATOR’S TEACHING?
Some modern leaders say “The Old Testament should not be the go-to-source regarding any behavior in the church!”
Acts 15:20 says don’t trouble gentiles turning to the Lord.
BUT, Acts 15:21 tells why the leaders didn’t need to teach the Old Covenant law to the people – because Moses was preached every Sabbath in the synagogues.
The church did not throw away God’s law. In teaching the new converts, they emphasized the distinctive laws pertinent to the new converts that would help them separate from their old beliefs and show loyalty to God's covenant laws He gave through Moses.
They were to give up things contaminated by idols – and give up fornication and from what is strangled and from blood.
Typically
these are pagan idolatry issues. The Lord wants us to come out of
idolatry and come in to His church (Dt 6:20-25). We are to separate from
other teachings.
The Lord wants to see if a person values His redemption enough to be faithful to the Lord’s covenant laws, and separate from their past.
Many today are troubled by Moses’ law if they hear it.
We are like the apostle Paul. He said;
“I was once alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; and this commandment which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me" (Rom 7:7-10).
The
Lord’s Prophet Isaiah said “Seal the law among My disciples. Should not
a people consult their God? To the law and the testimony! If they do
not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them” (Is 8:16,19-20 KJV).
Some leaders teach their followers that “First century leaders unhitched the church from...Jewish scriptures,” but,
Jesus taught that the Old Testament IS where we need to go for learning His ways.
Jesus had His New Testament prophets teach:
“What
happened to Israel are examples for us. All their examples are written
for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor10:1-11).
They also taught “whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction...” Rom 15:4).
Jesus said; “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me.
But, if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words (John 5:46-47).
Some leaders practice this dangerous habit!
In Jn 17:22 Jesus prayed for His followers that all be one in unity. He stressed that He had given His followers the words that His Father had given Him, and Jesus had given the words to them.
Jesus asked the Father to sanctify them in the truth (set them apart by following His words).
All those that show their love for Jesus and His Father by loving His words (Old Testament laws from the Lord – not someone else’s teachings - are those who are in Christ Jesus (Mk 7:6-8, Jn 17:8-23).
NOTE – God never changes.
“Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit...one Lord. One faith, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ehp 4:3-5).
Therefore, His church today must be like the one church of Jesus Christ and the apostles James and Paul.
This is the one church through time - and is consequently the one church of Moses, and the church of Abraham, Enoch, Cain and Adam and Eve (Jude 3-19).
God never changes – we “in His church” now will all be the same as the original members “in the church” too – believing in the sin sacrifice He provided to make atonement with the Lord.
Therefore His followers and disciples(believers of His church) do not change either.
We will be declared faithful if we seek to keep His Covenant and allow Him to write His Law on our heart (Ex 19:5, 24:7-8, Dt 5:2, Mal 3:6, Jn 3:19-21, Heb 13:8).
God’s Law never changes or goes away. It remains to lead us to Christ (Dt 10:16, Mt 5:18, Lk 24;25-27, Gal 3:24).
Universal rules of interpretation for scripture tell us to look at the scriptures;
Context - weigh verses before and after. Logic - does the interpretation make sense? Historical Background - look for the
Context - weigh verses before and after. Logic - does the interpretation make sense? Historical Background - look for the
timeless spiritual principles.
Acts 15:1-21 says that we are to be united with Jesus Christ in teaching the Lord’s covenant.
This united group of people who are faithful disciples, however few and scattered they are, are His Church who are faithful disciples.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to teach and guide us “into all truth.” JESUS is the truth
(Jn 16:7-14, 1 Jn 2:27).
Loving the Lord is the great and first commandment.
The second is love your neighbor (Mt 22:37-40).
Some leaders reverse these commands!
They teach to love people first before exercising faith and allegiance in God as Jesus taught us!
This important distinction must be made that we are not to spend our time trying to understand a denominational man’s sermon idea about how to relate to people.
We are to grow in wisdom and under-standing of the scriptures and the Holy Spirit – how they fit
together in harmony (Jn14:11-17, Acts 20:32, Rev 2:7,11,17,29, 3:6,13,22).
Don’t listen to a man of lawlessness(Jer 6:16-19, Mark 4:24, 2Thes 2:7-12).
Other HARMONY BIBLE STUDIES:
Restart Your Trip Through Life
The Words God Gave To Instruct His People (a survey)
Learn The Laws In The Bible That Never Change
The Covenant - The Lord's Way Of Salvation
God's Plan Of Salvation Seen In His Festivals
Harmony Bible Studies Homepage