Is the OT relevant to Christians?

[ResidentAlien]

There are examples of God exercising judgment on people in the New Testament just as in the old.

Acts 5: Ananias and Sapphire were killed by God for lying to the Holy Spirit.

Acts 12: Herod was struck down and eaten by worms because he didn't give glory to God when the people shouted to him, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!"

1 Corinthians 11: Paul writes that the reason many of the Corinthian believers were sick, weak and had died was because they ate and drank the Lord's supper in an unworthy manner.

Jesus talked more about Hell than all the other New Testament writers combined.

God allowed the temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed and eventually scattered the Jewish people all over the globe to fend for themselves.

Same God, different covenant.

 

[Dino246]

That sounds like a ret-con. Jesus is by definition a man, and he wasn't around in the OT. If he did, he would have pre-dated Adam, making him the first man, not Adam (although likely refers to mankind, as opposed to an individual, so it's a moot point).

The existence of Jesus prior to His birth in Bethlehem is best addressed in a separate discussion. It’s a big topic in itself.

 

[NotmebutHim]

Jesus is both God AND man which, as Dino pointed out above, is a big topic in itself.

 

[Dino246]

This is perhaps what I don't understand. Why is OT law not a perscription for Christians?

The OT law was given to Israel after they left Egypt. That is also known as the old covenant ( though there are actually several covenants discussed in the OT). Christians are not under the old covenant, but rather the new covenant. If you read through the book of Hebrews you’ll learn more about the distinction.

It is absolutely impossible for Christians today (or anyone, for that matter) to fulfill the requirements of the old covenant, and God doesn’t intend us to try. Jesus fulfilled its requirements completely.

Our relationship with God is not based on obeying the old covenant laws, but on faith in the Person and finished work of Jesus Christ.

 

[SalomePortman]

The existence of Jesus prior to His birth in Bethlehem is best addressed in a separate discussion. It’s a big topic in itself.

I understand.

 

[Runningman]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

Honestly I think that's a yes and no question. Some of it is not directly applicable to Christians and some of it is. A lot changed post-crucifixion of Christ.

Most obvious example is that no other sin sacrifice is needed besides Christi's. We access the grace of God through faith in Christ's sacrifice for our sin. That's how we receive forgiveness of sins.

We can also approach God's throne of grace boldly, now, even when we sin in order to confess our sin. When we don't confess sin, I have reason to believe God thinks we're trying to keep secrets from Him. Confess it all, the good and bad, no matter how shameful or ugly the mistake was.

 

[GracethroughfaithinChrist]

It's all about Christ. He's on every page of the OT - when His disciples taught the gospel, they taught it from the OT.

Luke 24:25-27
He said to them, "Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?" 27Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:44-45
He said to them, "This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled." 45Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.

 

[SomeDisciple]

That sounds like a ret-con. Jesus is by definition a man, and he wasn't around in the OT. If he did, he would have pre-dated Adam, making him the first man, not Adam (although likely refers to mankind, as opposed to an individual, so it's a moot point).

A lot of people do say Christians just retconned Judaism, but the OT clearly prophecies that mankind will have a savior, all the way through. The new testament is actually a very fluid resolution to the old, in fact, anything else wouldn't make sense.

 

[Nehemiah6]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people

The OT is an integral part of the Bible, and is as relevant to Christians as it is to Jews. But the NT should be relevant to all Jews, yet it is only relevant to Messianic Jews (those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ).

There are two Scriptures which make it perfectly clear that the whole Bible is for Christians:

And that from a child thou [Timothy] hast known the Holy Scriptures [the Tanakh or OT], which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture [OT and NT] 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, throughly [thoroughly] furnished unto all good works. (2 Tim 3:15-17)
For whatsoever things were written aforetime [the OT] were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Rom 15:4)

There is far more in the OT than just the history and prescriptions for the Jews. Everything about the first and second comings of Christ is contained therein.

 

[Lucy-Pevensie]

Just open the very first book of The New Testament. Mathew Chapter One. Read the first four paragraphs.
Then try to imagine what it would be like trying to understand it with no knowledge of or access to the Old Testament.

 

[Blik]

The heart of scripture is God's reaction when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve. God gave blood on the altar (Lev. 17:11) as a means of our living even though sin kills. We know that blood as the blood of Christ, they only knew of using the symbol of that blood by using perfect animals, but the message of scripture is the same throughout, and that is that Christ saves.

'God didn't divide his word into a separate word of before Christ and after Christ, doing that was a decision men made. God didn't change between testaments, we can depend on God being and remaining the same always.

 

[elights]

The Old Testament talks about Israel in literal sense but its principles offer the foundation of how the New Testament Israel (church) is supposed to relate with God,because God’s plan of salvation dates as far back as the fall of Adam,almost every page afterwards hints on the coming of the messiah, the focal point of the OT is therefore the coming of the savior,it considers the way through which the messiah would come and that’s Israel,you’ll best understand who Jesus is in the New Testament if you know why the Old Testament prophesied he was to come!

 

[Hungry]

That sounds like a ret-con. Jesus is by definition a man, and he wasn't around in the OT. If he did, he would have pre-dated Adam, making him the first man, not Adam (although likely refers to mankind, as opposed to an individual, so it's a moot point).

Interesting. Do you think Jesus was only a man, or Devine in nature? You refer to “Adam” as mankind. Does that mean you think the story is allegorical?

 

[JohnDB]

This is perhaps what I don't understand. Why is OT law not a perscription for Christians?

Because according to the book of Hebrews it is a demonstration of two things which are a rejection of Jesus:

• That the Messiah hasn't come
• That Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is insufficient to save us

 

[Jocund]

This is perhaps what I don't understand. Why is OT law not a perscription for Christians?

Christ fulfils the law. The topic of law can be complicated at times as "the law" can mean "teachings" in a wider sense and not necessarily just explicit commandments. We are freed from the curse of the [OT] law and now are under the curse of Christ (the law of Christ). The law of the covenant is written on the hearts and minds. It can again become complicated because if your inner sense of right and wrong tells you to follow the OT law, it may be something that applies to you. If you feel that something is unclean (including those things described as unclean in the OT) that thing is then unclean to you and should be avoided. It is possible in that sense that some OT commandments might apply to some Christians, but it is not a necessary component of being Christian. It's complicated.

 

[listenyoumustAll]

Very very very relevant . it gives backup story to all that's manifest in the new testament . for the believer its the closest walk with God . that's deep ,but I hope you reason it carefully.

 

[Hungry]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

Every good story needs a beginning, a middle and an end. The Bible is the Greatest Story because it’s a True story, and we are all in it. It tells us where man came from, how the world ends and everything in between.

 

[TheLearner]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

My Father taught me to watch people and learn from their mistakes. The OT is full of carbon life forms making mistakes. There is lots we can learn from.

 

[pottersclay]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

Dear saint there's a old saying that hind sight is 20 20 and so goes it for the nation of Israel.
The history of the jews is God's testament to the world. In fact if you are a christian your roots are deep in Judaism.
Our savior is in fact a jew, our teachers in the new testament are jews telling us how to be christian.
God created the jews, they weren't some people that God picked but purposed for his glory.
The examples of what God had done to a people that seemed to neglect and reject God seems like a crule and harsh God in the old but let me assure you he's the same God in the new. In fact he's never changing.
The simple truth of the old to the new is this...law can never change the hearts of people. (Old).
But love the greatest gift can melt the hearts of stone to flesh. (New)
For while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.
Think of this ....what if Christ hadn't come yet...where would this world be right now ....would it still exist?
God gave ten commandments out of which 613 laws were made adding on today's world wide laws which I would guess is thousands of laws world wide is man any different?
Laws cannot save or change the hearts of men only God can.
And what a way to show us his love than to give his only begotten son.
For there is no greater love than this that " a man lay his life down for another.
The old is the new hidden. The new is the old revealed. And it all points to Jesus.
We become to love God because he first loved us.

 

[Lafftur]

The OT appears to me to be the history of and prescriptions for Jewish people...also God does not appear as loving as in the NT (please don't ban me, just my opinion!)

ALL of the scriptures are RELEVANT to JEWS and CHRISTIANS.

Yeshua is The One and Only Messiah of BOTH Jew and Gentile and Christian.