(1) What benefit is the Old Testament to the Christian today?
(2) Are Christians today under the Old Testament covenant?
No; Christians today are not under the Old Testament covenant.
God entered into the Old Covenant with the Israelites at Mt. Horeb (Sinai) –
Look at Deut. 5:1-2. We read, “And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.”
God made the covenant with Israel. This is why the Gentile Christians were not required to be circumcised or keep the Law in order to be saved.
In Galatians 3:23-25, we read, “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.”
After understanding this some Christians conclude from this that there is no need for Christians to read the Old Testament.
Their reasoning is, "Why bother, if we are not under the Old Testament!”
This is a question pondered by many sincere Christians, and it deserves a response.
In considering the value of Old Testament scriptures there are some things we need to be aware of.
? First, the OT is not a source for determining how to become a Christian (Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16).
? Second, the OT is not a guide for Christian worship (Col. 3:17; 2:9).
? Third, the OT is not a pattern for the church (1 Cor. 3:11; Heb. 10:1).
That is, today in the Christian church we no longer have priest or animal sacrifices.
In the Old Testament they did, but those sacrifices have never saved anyone. They pointed people to the sacrifice of our Savior, in the New Testament, who died for our sins.
Let’s look at a few reasons the Bible teaches us the value of reading the Old Testament. Let’s begin by asking this question-
I. WHY STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT?
A. IT WAS WRITTEN FOR OUR ADMONITION.
In I Cor. 10:1-10, we read, “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”
Paul had just reminded the Christians at Corinth of Israel's fall in the wilderness.
But after telling of Israel’s fall he says in I Cor. 10:11, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
These things may have happened to Israel but Paul said they are written in the Old Testament for our ADMONITION. (To admonish someone means to instruct, to urge, or to scold someone.)
In other words, what we call the Old Testament was written and preserved especially for the benefit of us Christians.
Illus: Thinking of benefits reminds me of the story of a woman who, interviewing for a job, inquired about benefits.
? The Personnel Manager informed her they had group health and life insurance, but the costs were deducted from the employee's pay.
? She said, "My last employer provided full health coverage, as well as five years salary for life insurance and a month's sick leave AND they paid the full premiums."
? The interviewer said, "I can't help but asking madam why you would leave a job with such benefits?"
? The woman shrugged her shoulders and said, "The company went bankrupt."
All these things in the Old Testament are for our benefit. It should not surprise us how often New Testament writers appealed to the O. T. in admonishing Christians
? As the writer of Hebrews, in exhorting Christians to remain steadfast - Hebrews 3:12-19
? As James, in encouraging Christians to be patient in their suffering - James 5:7-11
? As Peter, in warning of false teachers and scoffers – II Peter 2-3
The Old Testament was written for our ADMONITION. But also-
B. IT WAS WRITTEN FOR OUR LEARNING.
Look at Romans 15:4. We read, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”
For example in Romans 15:3, Paul speaks of the Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament - we read, “For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”
Again, in the following verse, Romans 15:4, Paul said, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.” (The OT scriptures were "written for OUR learning.")
The Old Testament provides a record of God's faithfulness, how He kept His promises:
a. To Abraham and the nation of Israel.
b. To judge the wicked and avenge them.
As we read this history of God's dealings with Israel, it gives us hope that God will keep His promises to us!
C. IT TEACHES US ABOUT SALVATION IN CHRIST.
Look at II Timothy 3:14-15. We read, “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Paul noted that Timothy had known the "Holy Scriptures" since childhood.
WHAT SCRIPTURE DID TIMOTHY READ FROM HIS CHILDHOOD? The only one available was the Old Testament. So Paul clearly had in mind the Old Testament since that was the only Bible that was available to him.
The Old Testament teaches us about:
? The fall of man and the rise of sin,
? The background and development of God's plan of redemption,
? Hundreds of Messianic prophecies which describe what to expect when He comes.
One cannot hope to have full benefit of the New Testament without insight gained from the Old Testament.
It is imperative that we study the Old Testament!
D. IT “IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
Look at II Timothy 3:16-17. We read, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect (complete), thoroughly furnished (equipped) unto all good works.”
"All Scripture" would include the O.T. scriptures,
Therefore the OT is profitable for:
? Doctrine - such as the nature of God, man, and sin.
? Reproof and correction - the need for repentance.
? Instruction in righteousness - how to live godly lives.
Why, then, study the Old Testament?
Let me ask you this – “WHAT BIBLE DID JESUS READ?”
When Jesus read the Bible in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-20) obviously He could not read from Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts or Paul or any other New Testament writing since they had not yet been written.
What Bible did Jesus read? He read the Old Testament.
What we call the Old Testament was not the Old Testament for Jesus, Paul or Timothy, for them it was the Bible.
You have your favorite passages in the Bible through which God speaks personally to you.
It seems that Jesus also had favorite passages. One of them is thought to have been the passage from Isaiah 61:1-2, which says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;”
This same passage of scripture is quoted in Luke 4:18-19. We read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
To know Jesus better will lead us to reading the Old Testament since it was His Bible. In the O. T. there are many “types” that are carried to the N.T.
? Many people agree that the Temple of the Old Testament has been replaced by Jesus in the New Testament (Matt 12:6)
? Israel in the Old Testament has been replaced by, or referred to, as a type of the Church in the New Testament.
II. What is the value of the Old Testament to the New Testament Christians?
A. First, the OT teaches us a number of crucial doctrines which are essential for Christianity.
? These include creation (Gen. 1-2),
? The fall of man (Gen. 3),
? The promise of a Deliverer (Gen. 3:15, etc.),
? The holiness of God (Leviticus),
? The need for a substitutionary blood sacrifice (Leviticus),
? The essential requirement of faith in God and His promises (Gen. 15:6),
? And God's discipline of His wayward people (seen throughout the OT).
Conclusion:
In this age when the Word of God is being attacked from all angles, it is important that we recognized what II Timothy 3:16 says,
"ALL Scripture is inspired of God, and is profitable..." This includes the Old Testament and the New Testament.
I. Why study the Old Testament?
II. What is the value of the Old Testament to the New Testament Christians?
