Do you believe in the Old Testament?
Introduction. Those who believe and teach that the Hebrew scriptures ("Old Testament") point to the New Testament as the source of salvation and that salvation is not in the Hebrew scriptures as such, are sometimes charged with "not believing in the Old Testament."
The Hebrew scriptures are inspired of God. Paul wrote, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15: 4). The Hebrew scriptures contain examples for us (1 Cor. 10: 6). There are numerous examples showing God's love toward those who obeyed him and his wrath toward those who rebelled (1 Cor. 10: 6-11). The Old Covenant contains many types and shadows of the antitypes and substances of the New Covenant scriptures (Heb. 10: 1-4), Moreover, the Hebrew scriptures are inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:15,16).
Many do not believe Genesis through Malachi. Some exhibit their disbelief by simply denying the inspiration of these scriptures. Others display their disbelief by rejecting the purpose of the Hebrew scriptures. These scriptures had the expressed design of bringing the Jew to Christ (Gal. 3: 24). Christ was "the end" of the law (Rom. 10: 4). The "end" means culmination. As a binding system as such, the Hebrew scripture, containing "the law," was nailed to the cross (Col. 2: 12-14).
Conclusion. Those who truly believe in the Old Covenant scriptures are those who believe they pointed to Christ and that we now have a "better covenant which was established upon better promises" (Heb. 8: 6,7). This covenant is Christ's last will and testament (Heb. 9: 15), a system of grace and law, the perfect law of liberty (1 Cor. 9: 21; Jas. 1: 25). To bind or use the Old Covenant scriptures for authority today is to be "fallen from grace" (Gal. 5: 1-4).
The Hebrew scriptures are inspired of God. Paul wrote, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15: 4). The Hebrew scriptures contain examples for us (1 Cor. 10: 6). There are numerous examples showing God's love toward those who obeyed him and his wrath toward those who rebelled (1 Cor. 10: 6-11). The Old Covenant contains many types and shadows of the antitypes and substances of the New Covenant scriptures (Heb. 10: 1-4), Moreover, the Hebrew scriptures are inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:15,16).
Many do not believe Genesis through Malachi. Some exhibit their disbelief by simply denying the inspiration of these scriptures. Others display their disbelief by rejecting the purpose of the Hebrew scriptures. These scriptures had the expressed design of bringing the Jew to Christ (Gal. 3: 24). Christ was "the end" of the law (Rom. 10: 4). The "end" means culmination. As a binding system as such, the Hebrew scripture, containing "the law," was nailed to the cross (Col. 2: 12-14).
Conclusion. Those who truly believe in the Old Covenant scriptures are those who believe they pointed to Christ and that we now have a "better covenant which was established upon better promises" (Heb. 8: 6,7). This covenant is Christ's last will and testament (Heb. 9: 15), a system of grace and law, the perfect law of liberty (1 Cor. 9: 21; Jas. 1: 25). To bind or use the Old Covenant scriptures for authority today is to be "fallen from grace" (Gal. 5: 1-4).