Question:
Hi,
Your
web site is very informative and most of the questions are very good.
Your answers to these questions help us understand the meaning of the
Bible better as well.
In
several of your answers I understand that the New Testament is a new covenant
for us, replacing the Old Testament/old covenant.
Examples are the Sabbath being recognized as the day of rest and worship
in the Old Testament, and Christians recognizing Sunday today.
The eating of specific foods as described in Leviticus does not apply to
us today, as in the New Testament it is not the food that defiles us as it goes
through our stomach.
My
question is two-fold:
1.
Why these dramatic changes from the Old Testament to the New Testament?
Why
would the old laws apply to the early Christians, but we live under a new law?
Were not these “old” laws made to help us in our life and seem
righteous before the Lord? If so,
why the dramatic change? (Aside
from Christ shedding his blood for us for our sins in place of the burnt
offerings?).
2.
If the old covenant does not hold true for us any longer and we can eat
pork
and
shellfish; worship on Sunday, etc., why do we study the Old Testament so much
(aside from understanding the early Christians, historical reasons and making
cross-references to the New Testament) instead of focusing primarily on the New
Testament? I am currently going
through the Bible studies that you offer and I enjoy them immensely. They too include studies of the Old Testament.
I
look forward to your answer and keep up the good work.
God
bless,
Axel
Answer: Dear Axel,
Thanks
for your encouragement – and for your questions.
We thank God that we can help to serve your spiritual needs.
Your
question – why the dramatic change from old covenant to new?
Simple answer – that’s the way God chose to reveal his plan to us.
But the next question, and probably at the root of yours – why?
Many
possible reasons.
1.
God created us physical human beings, captives of time and space, with a
limited
life span, with a limited ability to understand him. Therefore, he started to reveal himself to us in more
physical ways. That is, the law of
Moses – the covenant of Sinai was based upon rewards and punishments.
It was based upon simple, child-like (Paul tells us in Galatians 3 that
the law was like a schoolmaster) principles.
If Israel obeyed, they were blessed/rewarded.
If they disobeyed, they were punished.
2.
Thus, the old covenant appeals to more simple human instincts. Obey and you will be blessed, disobey and you will be cursed.
But the new covenant went far beyond that.
The new covenant is spiritual, not physical.
The new covenant is not based upon an eye for an eye and a tooth for a
tooth – you do this and I will do that. The
new covenant is based upon God’s grace. He
loves us unconditionally. The new
covenant is unconditional – the old is conditional. The new covenant is based upon God’s grace – the old
covenant upon human obedience/disobedience.
3.
The old covenant draws clear and distinct boundaries – if you do a
certain
thing,
if you follow a certain law, if you are a certain race (Israel) – then certain
things follow. The new covenant
tells us that God’s grace is not as easy to contain or understand.
God’s grace surpasses human boundaries of race, culture, denominational
affiliation, gender, etc. God, we
are told, makes the rain fall on the just and the unjust.
Evil people may appear to live comfortably in this physical life. They may have money and health.
Christians may live lives of adversity.
Under the new covenant God gives no absolute promises about our lives
while we are in this body – the promises of the new covenant, the abundant
life that Christ brought (John 10:10) are for eternal life, the life of the age
to come. The old covenant is all
about life in the flesh, the new covenant is about a different kind of life, the
new life in Christ, eternal life by God’s grace.
4.
We study the Old Testament because it has moral value for us
(1
Corinthians 10:4). There are
examples written for our benefit. Human
beings are human beings – whether they lived in 2000 BC, 500 AD, or
2001
AD. There are lessons to be
learned. We study the Old Testament
because it is a testimony of how God works in our world, how he miraculously
intervenes. The new covenant is a
continuation of God intervention in our world – beginning with the greatest
intervention and miracle of all, God in the flesh coming into our world.
The Old Testament tells us about our physical beginnings, “beginning”
with the creation – the New Testament tells us about the beginning of our
spiritual heritage, our salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament shows us how God prophesied the coming of Christ, and
how everything that happened in Christ was carefully foretold.
A
short answer Axel – there is much to say, but I hope that will give you
something to think about and consider. May
God bless you and be with you, and again, thanks for allowing us to serve you.
In
Christ,
Greg Albrecht