This is a very important question to answer and almost every Christian today believes that the old testament is no longer valid . Many Christians only read the new testament. Many Christians can spend many years just reading the new testament and never knowing what the old testament teaches. This is because many pastors have the false concept that the old testament is passed away . Let us see why is the old testament relevant today ?
Why is the old testament relevant today ? The 10 commandments
To start this topic we need to go back to the ten commandments. As the belief that the old testament is no longer valid goes along with the belief that the ten commandments are done away with . Is that true ? You can read the post we wrote last week about the 10 commandments in detail .
The principle is this . Can God judge people differently who would have commuted the same sin ? No If God could do that He would be unjust. God is fair and God is just. God cannot make someone go to hell because they lived in the new testament times . And make someone else go to heaven because they lived in the old testament times.
Sin has never changed . We see why is the old testament relevant today ? It is because sin cannot change and God is fair And God will have to judge everybody the same. Old and new testament people . Many of the prophecies of the old testament relate to the new testament . Then it would not make sense to discard shot prophecies given for the new testament era. Also in Daniel Gabriel says that this book was given for the time of the end .
How could the old testament be given for the people at the end of the world and the new testament would no longer be valid. It does not make sense . We see that often we come to wrong conclusions on a bible topic because we are too quick to judge and come to a final answer on a topic before having been able to study correctly all the verses on the topic .
Jesus said
MT 24 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:
Jesus said that the Old testament prophets were still valid . In fact Ellen g White the prophet says that what the prophets of old said were more for our times than they wee for the times they were written .
RO 15 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Here the bible says that all things that were written before were so so that we could learn today . And that the old testament gives us hope . Why is the old testament relevant today ? Because the bible says that what the prophets wrote is also for us .
Why is the old testament relevant today ? Apparent contradictions about the old testament
JN 5 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
This verse also proves that Jesus said people were searching the old testament. As in his times there was no new testament . And when today people search the new or old testament they can find the love of Jesus . Why is the old testament relevant today ? Because the old testament testifies of Jesus and his love for you and me .
Some verses seem to say that today is grace and in the old testament times it was under law. But we saw that under law does not mean to not keep the law. Old testament people had to show their faith in Jesus to come by sacrifices. Today we are not under this requirement . Does it mean we do not have to keep the 10 commandments ? No This is where people go to far ans say. Because we are under grace, then it means that we do not have to keep the commandments. No
RI 6 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Here it does not say that we do not have to keep the commandments by Gods power called righteousness by faith . It means we are not under the requirements to sacrifice animals . We see that the law is still valid as there is still is sin today . As 1 JN 3 4 sin is the transgression of the law .
HE 8 13 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Doe this verse say that the old testament is no longer valid ? No It means people had to have faith is Messiah to come . Now that Jesus has come there is no more sacrifices in faith of Messiah to come . Nowhere does the bible say that the new Covenant does away with the 10 commandments. As if it was so then it would mean that Jesus died for nothing .
Why is the old testament relevant today ? The Word of God
2 TI 3 1616 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The bible here says that the whole bible is given by God . Old and new testament ? Why is the old testament relevant today ? Because the word of God is eternal .
LK 24 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
The Old testament has about 300 prophecies about the coming of Jesus . Why is the old testament relevant today ? Because the old testament talks a lot about Jesus and end time prophecies. The new testament is only 23 percent of the whole bible .
If you take away the old testament you remove most of the bible teachings that God would want you to know . About 33 percent of the new testament are direct quotes from the old testament .Taking away the old testament is also to remove most of the new testament .
EP 2 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
This law of ordinances is the levitical law. Yes that which was pointing to Jesus and the cross is what could be done away . Even if some Christians say today that theses feasts are still valid .
God has abolished the things that were pointing people to the cross of Jesus . When Jesus died on the cross. These feasts were done away . But their meaning remain . This is the only portion of the old testament that could be done away . Yet they are not done away as we can learn about Jesus though these feasts.
JE 31 31 31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Here too the bible does not say that the new covement means not keeping the commandments or doing away with the old testament . But that the covenant of animal sacrifices is done away as the real lamb of God died on the cross.
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Grace does not anul the old
The misconception comes from people believing that Gods grace annul the law and the old testament . It is not true . Old testament people were also saved by grace. To say that old testament people were saved by works would mean that the cross of Jesus was not necessary for them . But Jesus does for the good reason that we are sinners. If our works could save ourselves it would mean that Jesus did not need to die on the cross.
But the cross of Jesus was necessary because our works have no power to atone for our sins. The cross of Jesus was necessary because even our best works are like dirty rags. This interesting because most churches today teach that there is no 10 commandments . Yet they are slit legalistic in believing that old testament people could be saved by their works and that they did not need Jesus .
This why the bible calls modern churches babylon . As there is so much confusion about different topics that are so important . We read the bible too fat and do not take the time to see what the whole bible teaches about one point. Then we end up believing lies the rest of our lives. This is why it is so important to read the bible careful, prayerfully and slowly .
We are all saved by grace . Because old testament people looked to Jesus to come. And their sacrifice was in faith in Jesus .
They had faith in Jesus to come . We have faith in Jesus who already came . Why is the old testament relevant today? Because we are all saved by grace . Our works have no power to bring salvation to us . Unless we recognize our undone condition and Gods power to save and give this amazing gift called righteousness by faith we shall be lost. Jesus gives you his righteousness now why not repeat after me Father God forgive my sins, give me your righteousness. Heal and bless me . Help me to walk with you everyday in the name of Jesus amen
