My life alongside God's word. Important issues for Christians to understand section.
by Moses Angupale
Are teaching and preaching from the Old Testament (OT) relevant today? Do they benefit us as evidence for our faith, history, and understanding of the nature of God and of man? Are there principles that are unchanging under both Old and New Testaments (NT)? Can the OT help us understand and know the gospel leading to eternal life? Is OT law binding on us today? How should Christians apply the OT Law? Obviously commands in the Mosaic Law are
important, for they make up a substantial portion of God’s written revelation to us, the Bible. Yet the OT contains many laws that may seem strange to modern readers, for example, “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk”, Exodus 34:26; “Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of
material”, Leviticus 19:19; “Make tassels on the four corners of the cloak you wear”, Deuteronomy 22:12.
Many Christians violate a number of OT laws with some regularity. “A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests
anyone who does this”, Deuteronomy 22:5; “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord”, Leviticus 19:32; “The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses”, Deuteronomy 14:8. Furthermore, while believers tend to ignore many OT laws, they embrace others as the moral underpinnings of Christian behaviour, especially the Ten Commandments, “Love your neighbour as yourself”, Leviticus 19:18; “You shall not murder”, Exodus 20:13; “You shall not commit adultery”,
Deuteronomy 5:18.
Why do Christians adhere to some laws and ignore others? Which ones are valid and which are not? Many Christians today make this decision based merely on whether a law
seems to be relevant. Surely this haphazard and existential approach to interpreting the OT Law is inadequate. How then should Christians interpret the Law?
Scripture shows that some OT theology is not binding on us today. But we must remember that the NT is the OT fulfilled. “For if there had been nothing wrong with that
first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said: “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out
of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to My covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. No longer will a man teach his
neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will
remember their sins no more.” By calling this covenant “new,” He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and ageing will soon disappear”, Hebrews 8:7-13.
The writer of Hebrews quotes the prophetic words from Jeremiah 31:31-34. They say that the OT was a covenant, which Debbie Dodds defines as, “God’s solemn promise to enter into relationship with his people and bless them”. According to Dodds "testament meant originally, a covenant or promise. Now it is the name given to the two major parts of the Bible". "Bible means God’s revelation of Himself to humans in both Old and New
Testaments, also called Scripture, which means “writings".
The writer of Hebrews quotes the prophetic words from Jeremiah 31:31-34. They say the OT was a covenant or agreement made at Mt. Sinai between God and Israel. But God predicted the coming of a new covenant unlike that old one. The New Testament brings the Old Testament to completion. What is hidden in the OT is in the open in the NT. The Law shows our sin. Grace shows us our Saviour, “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law”, Galatians 3:24-25. Jesus came to take away the first covenant and to establish the second. “Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for Me; with burnt
offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am – it is written about Me in the scroll – I have come to do Your will, O God.’ First He said, ‘Sacrifices and
offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’ (although the law required them to be made). Then He said, ‘Here I am, I have
come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”,
Hebrew 10:5-10. Using the phrase, (God) “cancelled the written code, with its regulations”, Paul states that the Old Testament ordinances were taken away when Christ was
nailed to the cross, Colossians 2:13-14.
OT Theology cannot properly be a binding authority for theological practices today. We are now subject to the gospel of Christ, which is a different kind of law: one that provides forgiveness for our sins through the blood of Jesus. However, the OT must be used to make clear matters pertaining to the NT because Jesus Christ said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law (meaning the OT) or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them, Matthew 5:17.
From what the NT writers say, we know the OT is useful for some NT interpretation and vice versa. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that
through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope”, Romans 15:4. “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come”, 1Corinthians 10:11. Since the things written in the past were written for our learning we can gain knowledge and understanding from all of the OT.
So, what is the real benefit or value of the Old Testament to you and me? What good
purposes does it serve? How should we use it? Why should we study it? To answer these
questions we will examine how inspired men in the NT used the OT. Surely God approved of their use of the OT, so we should use it the same way they did. We will see that the OT gives several things that we need:
The Old Testament gives the background of the beginning of earth and human race
The writer of Hebrews says, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible”,
Hebrews 11:3. What would this mean without the Genesis account of creation? The Old Testament answers the basic question so many people wonder about: "Where did we come from?" - the origin of the universe and of man.
The Old Testament records God's relationship with humankind in history.
Hebrews 11, the “chapter of faith”, lists many examples of people of faith - Noah, Abel, Abraham, Moses, etc. What would these references mean to us without the OT records
of their lives? In Acts 7 Stephen reviews the history of the Hebrew people, showing how God had blessed them and sent them prophets as His messengers, but they continually
rejected these prophets. In the same way, the Jews of His day had rejected and killed Jesus. These and many other NT passages refer to OT history. What meaning would these passages have to us without knowledge of the OT narratives? The only way we can understand many fundamental facts about the history of God and of the human race is to study the OT. Much of the NT will be confusing and meaningless to us if we do not understand the OT history that the NT refers to. Many of the major proofs that the Bible offers as the basis of our faith require an understanding of the OT.
As believers the proof we give that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God comes from the OT prophets. Jesus said, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by
them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about Me”, John 5:39. The OT prophets foretold the coming of a Messiah and gave many details of His life. Jesus fulfils all these prophecies, therefore the OT scriptures bore witness that He was the Messiah sent by God to be Prophet, Priest, King, and Saviour for His people. New Testament teachers often cited these prophecies as proof of Jesus' claims. Note especially in Matthew’s gospel, and in Hebrews, the repeated, “this happened to fulfil what was spoken by ..”
Knowledge of the OT is fundamental to the very foundation of our faith. If we want to see convincing evidences for our faith, or if we want to be able to present evidences to others, we must be familiar with the Old Testament.
We also see the usefulness of the OT in teaching general principles of truth that preachers may use today. God's laws and covenants with man have definitely changed, but many things have never changed and have been the same since the beginning. Certain facts about the universe and about God have never changed. Anything the OT reveals on these subjects will be as true today as it ever was. Laws may change, but facts never change. For example, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”, Hebrews 13:8. God's laws have changed, but His basic character never changes. God has always been good,
merciful, holy, just, condemning evil and rewarding good, all-knowing, all-powerful, worthy of praise and worship, faithful to His promises, etc. “I the LORD do not change. So
you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed”, Malachi 3:6. Some of the best descriptions ever written about God's goodness, mercy, power and wisdom are found in the OT (such as the book of Psalms). Shall we remain ignorant of these simply because they are in the OT? Or shall we study and appreciate their beauty, knowing that God is still the same today as then?
Even the basic nature and needs of man have never changed. Men have never been able to direct their own lives without divine guidance either in the OT or NT. Yet we have always wanted to follow our own wisdom and desires, so throughout history people have sinned, rebelled against God and needed forgiveness. We can learn this from OT
examples. In the book of Romans the apostle Paul repeatedly quotes OT Scripture to show men are sinners. He then concludes that all have sinned, see Romans 3:10-18, 23. It is proper to quote the OT, because people today are the same as they were in OT days. So the OT is not obsolete but useful. It makes up 39 of the 66 books in our Bible. Paul also wrote examples in which God's people had departed from God’s ways. These are lessons for us today. Why are these good for us? Because it is still part of human nature to want to do things our own way and we then end up rebelling against God. “ Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died”, 1 Corinthians 10:6-8, Exodus 32:6. These and other truths never change. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall”, verse 12. OT passages on these subjects are as valid today as they ever were, and we can use these passages like inspired NT writers did, to substantiate the truth. God wants you and me to benefit from these beautiful and
powerful descriptions of fundamental truth. In order to do so, we must be willing to study the OT.
We also see that OT prophecies explain many NT principles in the life of Jesus. Prophecies of Jesus help us understand His life, death, and resurrection. Isaiah 53:7, “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open his mouth”. In Acts 8:32-35 Philip used this Scripture to preach Christ to the
eunuch. Here is one of the most beautiful and powerful passages ever written to describe Christ's life and death. This passage helped Philip and the eunuch understand and
appreciate Jesus' sacrifice. And this is just one of many such passages. Should you and I ignore such passages just because they are in the OT? Prophecies about the NT help
us understand the nature of the church and the gospel. Acts 15:15-18 show the apostles and elders considering whether or not Gentiles could be accepted as Christians by
obeying the NT without obeying the Law of Moses. The climax of the discussion came when James quoted Amos 9:11-12 confirming that the Gentiles would be saved. Hebrews 7:11-19 quotes OT prophecies about Christ as a priest, and from these prophecies reaches a doctrinal conclusion that the OT law itself would be “set aside because it is weak and useless”, verse 18.
Note that these were matters of NT doctrine. But these NT teachers proved them by considering OT prophecies about them. Why can't we do the same?
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work”, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Do we really believe that OT Scripture is profitable? What about Genesis? Numbers? Ezra? Malachi? If we really believe it is profitable, then surely we'll see the need to study it all. The lesson you and I need to learn is that we must handle the OT Scripture rightly. We should realise that OT laws are not binding, but there is still much that we can learn from them. We must use the OT properly. No Christian is fully equipped in their service to God if they neglect to study the Old Testament. How diligent a Bible student are you? Do you apply all of the Scriptures to all of your life?
Definition of terms
There are terms necessary for preachers and other Christians to understand the correct interpretation of Scripture and how to transfer Scriptures from the Old Testament to our current situation, without causing a breakdown of the original message intended by the author.
Hermeneutics is the science of the interpretation of Scripture. Hermeneutics is the branch of theology that deals with the principles and methodology of how to preach the Bible correctly. The central idea is the task of finding the relevance of what was there in ancient texts, deriving the original meaning of the author, then applying it to what is today. Exegesis is the critical explanation or interpretation of Scripture. It is the application of the
principles for interpreting Scripture, bringing out the meaning clearly.
Eisegesis is an interpretation, especially of Scripture, that expresses the interpreter's own ideas, bias, or the like, rather than the meaning of the text. This is clearly wrong! Exegesis is “reading from” Scripture, whereas eisegesis is “reading into” Scripture. The former is right, the latter is wrong.
Exposition is a process of explaining the Scripture to people. A good preacher uses
the principles of hermeneutics to exegete Scripture in order to proclaim an expository sermon.
A pericope is a Scripture passage forming one complete thought or idea. This may be
a chapter in the Bible, a portion of a chapter or more than one chapter. In order to properly expound the Scripture, we need to determine where a pericope begins and ends.
The term homiletics comes from the word homily, which basically means “a sermon”. Homiletics is the art of preparing sermons and preaching. Those who study homiletics seek to improve their skill at communicating the gospel and other biblical topics. However, a study of homiletics can be beneficial to anyone who teaches the Word of God. While it is a worthy study, we must not forget that God can work through anyone, with or without their formal training. The key is to communicate Christ effectively in everyday situations.
A Scripture allegory is where the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolise a deeper, spiritual or moral meaning.
An analogy is a comparison made between features in Scripture, noting similarities and differences. Christian Scripture does not contradict itself in interpretation or application. Context is the surrounding part of a passage or verse of Scripture that helps to give a complete message. It shows the whole situation in which the text is found and supplies relevant environment towards understanding.
Interpretation, taking all the above together, is to arrive at the original meaning the writer had intended when he wrote down what is now in the Bible, and application applies it to life today.
Interpreting and applying the Old Testament message relevantly today
To interpret and apply the Old Testament messages to life today, use what I call the “modified universal principle”(MUP). We can find evidences of this in the New
Testament. Jesus cited 1 Samuel 21:1-6, “Haven’t you read what David did … ?”, to rebut the Pharisees, Luke 6:1-5. Paul quoted Deuteronomy 25:4, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain", in defending his right to receive material support from the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 9:9-12. In the traditional approach, this Deuteronomic law
would probably not be classified as a "moral" command, yet Paul made it applicable. Since Paul clearly emphasised elsewhere that Christians are not under OT law, see
Romans 6:14–15; 7:1–6; 1 Corinthians 9:20; Galatians 2:15–16; 5:18; Ephesians 2:15, he was not here citing Deuteronomy 25:4 as a law that was to be binding on the Corinthian church. Instead he used this law analogically. The apostle cited a command whose principle can be applied to situations other than that of the initial, historical
incident.
Leviticus 5:2 provides an example of how the MUP can be used by believers today to apply legal passages without being under the Law. This verse reads, “Or if a person touches anything ceremonially unclean—whether the carcasses of unclean wild animals or of unclean livestock or
of unclean creatures that move along the ground—even though he is unaware of it, he has become unclean and is guilty.” The action required to correct one’s ceremonially unclean status is described a few verses later. So verses 5–should also be read: “When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.” The traditional approach simply classifies these verses as a
ceremonial law that no longer applies to believers today. However, using the MUP approach, we can interpret and apply this text in the same manner as we would a narrative.
What did the text mean to the initial audience? The context of Leviticus discusses how the Israelites were to live with the holy, awesome God Who was dwelling in their midst. How were they to approach God? How should they deal with sin and unclean things in light of God’s presence among them? These verses are part of the literary context
of 4:1–5:13 that deals with offerings necessary after unintentional sin. Leviticus 4 deals primarily with the leaders; Leviticus 5 focuses on other people. Leviticus 5:2 informed the Israelites that if they touched any animals, unclean or made so by death, they were ceremonially defiled. This was true even if it was accidental. Being unclean, they were unable to approach God and worship Him. To be purified (made clean), they were to confess their sin and bring the priest a lamb or a goat for a sacrifice, 5:5–6. The priest would sacrifice the animal on their behalf and they would be clean again, able to approach and worship God.
What are the differences between the initial audience and believers today? Christians are not under the Old Covenant, and our sins are covered by the death of Christ. Also,
because we have direct access to God through Jesus Christ, we no longer need human priests as mediators. What is the MUP in this text? It relates to the concept that God is holy. When He dwells among His people, His holiness demands that they keep separate from sin and things lacking in spiritual cleanliness. If God’s people become unclean, they
must be purified by a blood sacrifice. This principle of blood sacrifice takes into account the overall theology of Leviticus and the rest of Scripture. It is universally applicable to God’s people in both the OT and NT eras. How does the NT teaching modify or qualify this principle?
According to the NT God no longer dwells among believers by residing in a tabernacle or a temple. He now lives within believers by the indwelling Holy Spirit. His presence,
however, still calls for holiness on our part. He demands that we should not sin and must stay separate from things that defile. However, in the NT Jesus redefines the terms “clean” and “unclean”. “Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’ … What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’”, Mark 7:15, 20–23.
Under the New Covenant believers are not made unclean by touching dead animals. Our uncleanness is expressed through impure thoughts or by sinful actions. The New
Covenant also changed the way God’s people are to deal with sin and uncleanness. Rather than bringing a lamb or goat to atone for sin, a believer’s sins are covered, at the moment of salvation, by the sacrifice of Christ. The death of Christ washes away sin and changes the believer’s status from unclean to clean. Confession of sin, however, is still vitally important under the New Covenant as it was under the Old Covenant, see 1 John 1:9. So I suggest an expression of the MUP for today’s NT audience would be, “Stay away from sinful actions and impure thoughts because the holy God lives within you and in your heart. If you do commit unclean acts or think unclean thoughts, then confess those specific sins to experience forgiveness through the death of Christ.”
How should Christians today apply this Modified Universal Principle in their lives? There are many possibilities, but one specific application relates to Internet pornography. A
growing number of Christians have easy access to pornographic material in the privacy of their homes or dormitory rooms. Our text teaches that the holiness of God,Who dwells within believers, demands that they lead clean lives. Viewing pornography clearly falls into the category that the NT says is unclean. Such action is a violation of God’s holiness.
Therefore believers are to stay away from Internet pornography, realising that it makes them spiritually unclean, offends the holiness of God, and disrupts their fellowship with, and worship of, God. However, if one does fall into this sin, it must be specifically confessed, and through the death of Christ it will be forgiven and fellowship with God restored.
Principles to be used in exegesis
1. God speaks to and through individuals today
The principle of inspiration is that God breathed into the original Bible writers and carried them along by the Holy Spirit, so that they wrote what He intended, free from error,
2 Timothy 3:16-17. Peter went to Cornelius following the same Holy Spirit’s leading,
Acts 10:9-20. Paul went up to Jerusalem by revelation through the same Holy Spirit, Galatians 2:2. Likewise, the Holy Spirit can lead us. The principle of inspiration is God working through you. Therefore, be careful with those who may quote Scripture in order to misguide you and lead you astray. In 1 Kings 13:1-32 a lion ate up a young prophet who was misled by an older one. Today others make some false claims on promises that worked for someone else, at a different time, under different circumstances. Be careful. God does speak to us today, but we must learn to hear and discern His voice.
2. Scripture must be considered in context
In studying a verse or passage in the Bible, you have to consider the theme of the whole book. Ask questions such as, ‘Why the writer wrote the book?’, ‘Who wrote the book?’
'To whom was the book written?’ Examine the historical, cultural, geographical and language context.
3. Determine the genre or type of literature
Is the passage a hymn, poetry, prophecy, history, a letter, a Gospel, or even law? Language often has different meanings in different genres.
4. Assume the literal meaning of words unless there is a good reason not to
Generally the Bible means what it says—literally. The genre and context may indicate that some words are figurative. The Bible contains metaphors, similes, parables, allegories and hyperboles. For example, the apocalyptic literature of the book of Revelation contains much figurative language. For example, God is not a cold, hard, unfeeling rock, but He is solid, reliable and trustworthy to stand on, Psalm 18:2.
5. Determine the exact meaning of words
Often, exegesis includes a word study to determine what a word meant when it was written. Word meanings may change over time.
6. Follow the rules of grammar
Bible students should understand the use of verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, direct objects and other parts of speech.
7. Let Scripture interpret Scripture
Clear Scripture passages elsewhere often explain obscure Scripture passages. Consider parallel accounts, such as those found in the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Use references, such as those found in chain reference Bibles, to locate other Scriptures related to a topic. Also, concordances and topical Bibles are useful in finding related Scripture.
8. The first mention of something may explain it’s meaning wherever else it occurs
When an event or word first occurs, the meaning may be given. So consult a concordance to find the first occurrence of that event or word.
9. The Bible is a progressive revelation
Early Biblical writers did not have as much information as did later Biblical writers. For example, various mysteries were revealed with the first advent of Christ. OT prophets
were not given information concerning the Church. OT prophets did not understand that there were to be two advents of the Messiah. Even though revelation is progressive, the information given in the OT is still valuable and can be foundational.
10. Carefully use resources outside of the Bible
The Bible itself is our major primary text in knowing the will of God. Various other aids are useful in understanding the Bible and the cultures of Bible times, like dictionaries,
commentaries, concordances, etc.
Conclusion
Dear friend, as we conclude our discussion in this article, I want to emphasise once more our methods for interpreting Holy Scripture so that the believers we teach may genuinely understand the sound doctrines of God.
1. Interpret Scripture literally and grammatically
During the medieval period, the church strayed from interpreting Scripture literally to interpreting it spiritually or allegorically. As a result many heresies arose. We need to interpret Scripture in the literary sense it was intended to be in. There is a natural, grammatical, intended meaning in Scripture that holds the intended meaning. True
scriptural exposition is through examination of the structure of the passage and the intended meaning of it, for example see John 6:51, “I am the living bread”. To protect
the purity of the church from pluralism, liberalism and other pitfalls, we must constantly be applying these Bible interpretation principles.
2. Interpret Scripture consistently and harmonistically
Since Scripture is God's word it is the expression of a single divine mind. All it says must be true, and there can be no real contradiction in either its parts or its whole. To harp on about apparent contradictions shows irreverence and can put the scholarly mind above God in importance. If all I have written above is true, then the infallible rule for interpreting Scripture is Scripture itself. Two principles follow off this rule: (a) What is obscure must be interpreted in light of what is plain. (b) Peripheral ambiguities must be interpreted in harmony with fundamental certainties. For example see John 1:29, “the Lamb of God”.
3. Interpret Scripture doctrinally and theocentrically
Scripture is a doctrinal book that teaches us about God and created things in their relation to Him. For example see James 1:22-25. Scripture is described as being a mirror.
When you look in a mirror you see three things: the mirror, yourself, and all other items and persons in view in the room. In the Scripture mirror, you see truths concerning
Christ and God foremost, but you also see yourself. You see your dirty face, and those of other empty creatures with you. Scripture also teaches a theocentric standpoint.
Where fallen man sees himself as the centre of the universe, the Bible shows God as the centre. It puts man and the rest of creation in proper perspective. This means we exist through God and for God. One of the most important aspects of faith that we need to recover is the centred standpoint of Scripture. The modern church has fallen more and more into a “self-help, fast-food” mentality, where Christianity is about us as individuals,
focusing on what we can get here and now for ourselves. There is no eternal perspective like that Paul wrote about over and over again in Scripture, see Colossians 3:1-4. Mankind takes over the Church he should serve, making Church a servant for his selfish interests. It is no longer the Church of Christ. It has become the Church of mankind. God help us with our motives!
4. Interpret Scripture Christologically and evangelically
Dear friend, lastly always interpret Scripture by putting Christ at the centre. Christ is the true subject matter of all Scripture. All was written to bear witness to Him. He is author of the whole Bible, prophesied, typified, prefigured, exhibited, demonstrated, to be found on almost every page, almost every line, the Scripture being, as it were, the swaddling bands clothing (the baby) Jesus. Christ is the substance of all types and shadows we find in the Bible. Christ is the substance and matter of the covenant of grace, and all its administrations. Under the Old Testament Christ is veiled. Under the New Testament Christ is revealed. Christ is the central meeting place of all the promises of God. Christ is the person signified, sealed and exhibited in the Sacraments of both Old and New Testaments. Scripture uses genealogies to lead us on to the true line of Christ. Scriptural chronologies show us the times and seasons of Christ. Scripture's laws are our schoolmasters to bring us to Christ, the moral law by correcting, the ceremonial law by
directing, Galatians 3:24. The Gospel is Christ's own light whereby we hear and follow Him. Christ's chords of love bind us, whereby we are drawn into sweet union and communion with Him. Scripture is the very power of God unto salvation for all people who believe in Christ Jesus, Romans 1:16-17. Therefore think of Christ as the very substance, marrow, soul and scope of the whole of Scripture.
God bless you, dear friend. It is my prayer that God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring out to you His rich resources of Scripture, especially of the Old Testament. As you grasp His revelation (rhema) may you interpret and apply it for the Christian believers’ growth.
Discussion questions
1. “Many Christians violate a number of OT laws with some regularity”. Is this true?
How can it be right to do so?
Give biblical reasons for your answer.
2. Explain, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath”, Luke 6:5, in view of the Pharisees’ accusation against Jesus and His disciples.
How does this help us apply the OT to ourselves?
See Luke 6:1-5; 1 Samuel 21:1-6.
3. Does God speak through anyone today in the same infallible way He spoke to the writers of our Old Testament?
Can any preacher claim similar, faultless understanding and application for his sermons? Why?
Why not?
4. Put 2 Peter 1:20-21 in your own words, giving the
meaning, as you understand it.
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