"the Old Testament And The New Testament Christians"

(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