Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

jacob_g

Active member
Sep 1, 2019
346
160
43
#1
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
 

Subhumanoidal

Well-known member
Sep 17, 2018
4,065
3,176
113
#2
I've never once heard anyone say "God got saved in the NT". Who are these "many" you claim think this?
 

Roughsoul1991

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2016
8,863
4,513
113
#3
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
I believe God can still cast judgment on nations in modern times. Wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, blizzards, flooding, enemy attacks, and consequences of sin can all be methods used by God to judge sinners or evil nations. Is every one of these acts of God? Idk. All we better focus on is being right with God and try leading our nations back to God. Too many times in scriptures that the remaining righteous are caught in the middle of a majority evil nations judgement.

https://billygraham.org/answer/does...ment-times-how-bad-does-a-nation-have-to-get/
 
Sep 29, 2019
394
170
43
#4
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
In my opinion it is not God that changes; but our understanding of him. Israel understood him quite often as a vengeful, tribal deity. Jesus comes along and says, " No, this is what God is really like ". God is love is the highest realisation of God's true being. And such a God would never order the nass murder of people.
 
Jan 12, 2019
7,497
1,399
113
#5
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
Well, like your nick, there will be a period of "Jacob's trouble" or the Great Tribulation.

If you want to see the fire and brimstone God again, wait until that period. :)
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,585
3,616
113
#6
Gods will has been revealed in stages to humanity.. The OT is still the Word of God but it has to be welded to the NT by the Holy Spirit to be taken in with wisdom and understanding..
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,585
3,616
113
#7
God never orders murder. Murder us illegal killing..

But He has ordered and brought about mass executions.. Read of the future mass execution the returning LORD Jesus will bring about as He pours out the wrath of God upon the evil ones in the end times...

Revelation 19: KJV

13 "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. {14} And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. {15} And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. {16} And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
 

NayborBear

Banned Serpent Seed Heresy
#8
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
No! God didn't change! The "Holy Priesthood" changed from being "that" which started in Spirit, and "continued through "the flesh." When God realized that the "vexation" of man's "attention span to God Himself", no longer "carried through" to the flesh. Therefore God "divorced Himself" from "the flesh", because the priesthood started "interpreting the Law" differently then what was originally agreed upon with Moses.

So no? God didn't change! The Priesthood changed!

Jesus was sent to "reestablish" this Holy Priesthood, and animal sacrifices. But, not spiritual sacrifices!
1 Peter 2
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
 
Apr 15, 2017
2,867
653
113
#9
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
God did not change for His holiness, and love is the same in the Old Testament, and New Testament.

The Old Testament was a physical covenant with blessings on earth, and the spiritual law was there the moral laws, laws of love.

God still said He is merciful and forgiving in the Old Testament, and when Israel went astray He gave them time to turn to Him before He went against them, or allowed their enemies to go against them.

In the Old Testament Israel could physically war, but in the New Testament it is not permitted by the saints, and God said that all wars come from people the lusts of their flesh.

God still said care about the poor and needy although they were blessed with money and material things, but in the New Testament we only go by our needs and not our wants, and to help the poor and needy.

The 2 greatest laws love God, and love people were in the Old Testament like the New Testament.

I would say that the love and mercy of God was in the Old Testament like the New Testament.

But in the Old Testament God would judge right on earth, and when the world rebels against Him in the future He will judge on earth again.

And we know that all people have punishment that do not obey God so why would people say anything about God judging on earth in the Old Testament.

We are under grace now so the love that Jesus showed when He was on earth is the same love that applies now, and Jesus did not hurt anyone for their disobedience.

In the Old Testament God said He winked at the ignorance of the nations, and would basically leave people alone as long as they did not mess with Israel in war, or try to pervert Israel from the truth, for God had to protect Israel because He is their chosen people and Jesus was coming through the nation of Israel.

God puts down a thousand to save ten thousand, and God is not cruel but people are cruel, and David when he sinned said let Israel fall in to the hands of LORD for His mercies are great, but let Israel not fall in to the hands of men.

God basically left the nations alone unless they messed with Israel, or their false religious ways spread out too far as concerning the kingdoms and He had to put a stop to it, or they were very cruel spreading their cruelty out pushing for power.

If God did not intervene in the Old Testament more people would have been hurt, killed, and perverted from the truth.

Sodom and Gomorrah was a bad example because of their high sexual immorality and homosexuality, and God did not want that to spread out.

Which God sent 2 angels in the form of men to Sodom to find out how they treated them, which Lot took them in to his house and the whole city surrounded the house and told Lot to bring out the 2 men so they might know them, which they wanted to have sex with them.

Lot offered his 2 daughters instead but they insisted that the 2 men come out, and not one person said let us not do this wicked deed but they were all in agreement to have sex with the men, or in support of it, so then God knew that there was none righteous there and overthrew the city.

God is the same in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and Jesus said the wicked have punishment coming, and everybody will be judged whether on earth, or the afterlife.

And God was only protecting people in the Old Testament when He went against them whether to save them from people being cruel, or putting down the wicked when their false religious ways spread too far, especially if they perverted Israel.

If a kingdom that ruled over many nations had ways about them that was bad for people in general of the people they had influence over whether false religion spreading out to far, or cruelty that spread to far God would out a stop to it so it would not get out of hand hindering His ways on earth of love, and His truth.

Like before the flood, or the tower of Babel God had to put an end to it for it interfered too much with His ways on earth, and kind of put people at a stand still of moving forward to learn about the truth because of the perversion of their false ways that had an influence over the majority of the people, which in the case of before the flood all the people except for Noah and his family, and at the tower of Babel it appears all the people so God had to deal with them.

Which some kingdoms influenced wrongly and affected many people so God had to deal with them.

God is the same love and mercy in the Old Testament as the New Testament, but He had to judge on earth in the Old until the New to keep His ways going and prevent perversion like John the baptist had to prepare the way for Jesus.

If God had left them alone before the flood, what of mankind, and if He left them alone at the tower of Babel, what of mankind, and if He left Israel alone concerning them being perverted from the truth, what of Israel, and if He left the nations alone that went against Israel, what of Israel.

Now that Jesus came God does not have to judge on earth for the Gospel is for the world, and it will spread among the nations, and it is spiritual now.

But God always protects Israel and will not let her be wiped out, and will intervene for her to keep the nation alive and not perish.

God said He is the LORD and He does not change, therefore the sons of Jacob are not consumed.

And like birds flying God will fight for Israel, and preserve Jerusalem, which the 6 day war, 1967, Israeli fighter pilots paved the way to win the war and they took control of Jerusalem.

Israel is permitted to fight to protect the nation both Old and New Testament, but the saints cannot fight no matter the circumstance, and no power can rule unless God allows it so He determines whether they stand or fall no matter the size of their army, and no matter how much power they have, so the saints fighting determines nothing, and they are spiritual and should stay out of physical matters for the Lord will handle that.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,495
13,804
113
#10
In my opinion it is not God that changes; but our understanding of him. Israel understood him quite often as a vengeful, tribal deity. Jesus comes along and says, " No, this is what God is really like ". God is love is the highest realisation of God's true being. And such a God would never order the nass murder of people.
What exactly do you mean by the statement in bold?
 
Sep 29, 2019
394
170
43
#11
What exactly do you mean by the statement in bold?
Hi Dino,
I think the statement in bold is plain. God is not a genocidal maniac. Jesus said we are to " love our enemies" and " blessed are the peace makers". God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. Let the little children come to me, said Jesus; not so they could be slaughtered (as "god" sometimes commanded in the old testament ) , but so they could be blessed!
 
Sep 29, 2019
394
170
43
#12
God never orders murder. Murder us illegal killing..

But He has ordered and brought about mass executions.. Read of the future mass execution the returning LORD Jesus will bring about as He pours out the wrath of God upon the evil ones in the end times...

Revelation 19: KJV
13 "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. {14} And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. {15} And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. {16} And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
Priceless! God never orders murder...........just mass executions!
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,495
13,804
113
#13
Hi Dino,
I think the statement in bold is plain. God is not a genocidal maniac. Jesus said we are to " love our enemies" and " blessed are the peace makers". God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. Let the little children come to me, said Jesus; not so they could be slaughtered (as "god" sometimes commanded in the old testament ) , but so they could be blessed!
So you're re-fashioning God in the likeness of your preferences.

God, the creator and redeemer, drowned uncounted thousands if not millions in the flood of Noah's time, rained fire and brimstone on the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and ordered that the people of Israel slaughter "every man, woman and child" of many towns in Canaan as they took over.

This same God revealed Himself perfectly in the man Jesus.

If you can't reconcile those concepts, it's because your understanding of God is inadequate, not because He is. If you try to form your moral framework without God Himself at the centre, it will be distorted. It is far better to accept that you haven't yet made sense of the "uncomfortable truths" of Scripture, rather than to reject the truth of them outright.
 
Sep 14, 2019
258
64
28
#14
Hi Dino,
I think the statement in bold is plain. God is not a genocidal maniac. Jesus said we are to " love our enemies" and " blessed are the peace makers". God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. Let the little children come to me, said Jesus; not so they could be slaughtered (as "god" sometimes commanded in the old testament ) , but so they could be blessed!
it is not hard to understand how God in his sovereignty can do what he wants with his creation. If he wants to destroy them it's ok. But it is also not hard to understand that with the person of Jesus God revealed another side to his nature. This side of God is righteousness through love, peace, justice, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. These attributes of God do not negate his other characteristics of judgement, war, hatred and anger. It just gives a broader perspective of who God is and that he exhibits similar characteristics to what we experience.
 
P

Pisteuo

Guest
#15
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
The NT is infolded in the OT, the OT is unfolded in the NT.
 

Dino246

Senior Member
Jun 30, 2015
25,495
13,804
113
#16
it is not hard to understand how God in his sovereignty can do what he wants with his creation. If he wants to destroy them it's ok. But it is also not hard to understand that with the person of Jesus God revealed another side to his nature. This side of God is righteousness through love, peace, justice, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. These attributes of God do not negate his other characteristics of judgement, war, hatred and anger. It just gives a broader perspective of who God is and that he exhibits similar characteristics to what we experience.
The "good" characteristics of God are evident in the old testament, but the big stories get all the negative attention. For anyone who wants to learn of God's character, every "positive" attribute that Jesus manifests may be found in the old testament. Consider how often it says, "God is slow to anger and abounding in love" (or similar words).
 
Dec 9, 2011
14,133
1,803
113
#17
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament? I asked my son today do you know why God does not smite people like Sodom and Gomorrah today....? He said no. I explained to him God did not change but He is being patient now that Messiah has come and waiting for people to be saved/ the fulness of Messiah then He will destroy the earth with fire and all who reject Messiah will go to hell.

I know so many Christians who do not like the Old Testament because He is "fire and brimstone" never realizing God did not change He is just waiting until the fullness of Christ.... So many think God got save in the New Testament....

Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
No,GOD Is the SAME yesterday today and forever You see GOD loves righteousness and everything GOD does Is righteous.

In the old covenant
Numbers 21:9
king James version

9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

This Is pointing toward JESUS the savior dying as a man for the world,and because GOD loves righteousness the law had to be kept meaning death to anyone who broke the law, so then JESUS had mercy on those who broke the law which meant death and HE took the place of those who broke the law satisfying the demand of the law that said death to those who break the law but before JESUS came to the world people had to fulfill the law perfectly and we know that no one could fulfill the law In there own strength although they would delight In the law of GOD after the Inward man they would see another law warring against the law of their minds and bringing them Into captivity to the law of sin because of the weakness of the flesh.

GOD IS PERFECT but man Is carnal.

In the new covenant JESUS said

John 12:32
king James Version

32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
+++

Now, the Issue Is faith
+++

John 3:16
King James Version

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,777
113
#18
Did God change from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
The answer is obvious -- OF COURSE NOT.

The enemies of the truth and of Christ would have us believe that there is one God in the Old Testament and a different God in the New Testament. But that is total nonsense.

It is true that the Old Testament in its historical sections focuses on Israel under the Old Covenant, the Judges, and the kings. But this is all important background to the New Covenant and Christ. But there is a lot more to the Old Testament than history.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
21,437
6,709
113
#19
We are of the faith of Abraham, all. It is important to know Jesus teaches this.
 

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,777
113
#20
In my opinion it is not God that changes; but our understanding of him. Israel understood him quite often as a vengeful, tribal deity.
No that is not how Israel understood Him. That is how theologically liberal Higher Critics attempted to portray Him. To call the one true eternal God a tribal deity is insulting and blasphemous, and that in NOT how Israel understood Him. (It is clear from your posts that you labor under the influence of theological liberals, whereas most Christians here are Bible believers.)

As to divine judgments coming upon evildoers and the wicked, it should be clear to all that God is absolutely righteous and holy, and will definitely judge sin and evil. So we have the universal Flood from the day of Noah, and we have God's judgments coming upon many evil and idolatrous nations, including Israel. And in the future God's wrath against sin and idolatry will again be poured out during the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation. Eventually the whole earth and its atmosphere will be supernaturally burned up to make way for New Heavens and the New Earth. This will be even worse than the Flood.

But from the first coming of Christ to the Rapture of the Church, God has established the Day of Grace. There are few if any judgments coming upon humanity at this time, since God desires the salvation of all. Therefore the Gospel must be preached in all the world and to every creature.