Why Not Tear Off The Old Testament?
Question:
Why do churches of Christ follow only the teachings of the New Testament? Is it that they do not believe in the Old Testament? Shouldn’t they tear out the Old Testament from their Bibles if it is completely irrelevant? Why should they still read it?
Answer:
Churches of Christ believe in the Old Testament. In fact, they believe it is authentic and inspired by God (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21). However, they teach that one must follow the New Testament teachings in the Christian dispensation because the Old Testament is not binding on Christians today since it was a shadow of good things to come (Hebrews 10:1). To teach that one must follow only the teaching of Christ as revealed in the New Testament is in line with the Divine injunction (Matthew 17:5) and this does not suggest a total disregard for the OT writings nor mean that those who uphold such do not believe the Old Testament to be God’s word. The truth is that the Old Testament has its purpose and direct recipient. The covenant or testament was made with the Children of Israel in Horeb (Deuteronomy 2:1-3) and Moses stresses the fact that the covenant was not made with their fathers but with them. The covenant was not made with the Christians either.
The purpose of the Old Testament was to bring us to Christ so that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24). The Law came by Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). When Christ died on the cross, he nailed the OT to the cross and its purpose was fulfilled (Colossians 2:14). Christ took away the first covenant that He may establish the second (Hebrews 10:9). The change in priesthood necessitated the change of the law (Hebrews 7:12). The New Testament has made the Old Testament obsolete (Hebrews 8:13). Churches of Christ still need to read it (and cannot tear it out of their Bibles) because it is still relevant to teach them the lessons of history, that they may learn from it (Romans 15:4; I Corinthians 10:6,11). Jesus is the only one we must listen to today and His words are recorded in the New Testament for us (Matthew 17:5; Hebrews 1:1-2; II John 9). The New Testament is God’s complete and final revelation to man (Jude 3). It is the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25).
Answer Provided By Osamagbe Lesley Egharevba
