The Old Testament Is For New Testament Christians
Jack Critchfield

Occasionally, someone will pose the question, "The Church of Christ doesn’t believe in the Old Testament, do they?" Often, this misunderstanding is the result of someone who has tried, with little success, to explain the difference between the Law of Christ and the Law of Moses. This could, unfortunately, also could be the result of the Christian's misunderstanding based on those who have influenced them in the past.

The denominations are not the only ones who sometimes misunderstand the value and purpose of the Old Testament. Christians tend to fight the extreme positions that denominations often take with positions of equal, but opposite, extremes that also miss the truth of God's Word. One example is the idea that we live under a New Covenant and therefore we don't need to study the Old Testament. This idea is just as wrong as wrong can be. By studying the Old Testament we can; (1) learn from the examples recorded (1 Cor. 10:11); (2) have true hope (Rom. 15:4), and (3) be wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:14-15).

As we read of the experiences of Israel, both during times of obedience and rebellion, we must remember we are serving the same God as they. A God who never changes (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8). It is through reading both the Old and New Testament that we may come to a full understanding of the God we serve. The Old Testament illustrates for us how "God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8, 16) as we read of His willingness to forgive Manasseh (2 Chron. 33:10-13) and how He delivered Israel time after time after their repentance. We also can understand how "God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:29) as we read of the judgments that came on Israel and other nations.

There are principles that were true before the Law, during the Law, and still true today. An example is the principle of the foundation of marriage, which rests, not on the New Testament, but the Old Testament. When questioned on this subject by the Jews, Jesus, instead of introducing a new law, asked them "have you not read?" (Matt. 19:4). He referred them back to the original creation account as the basis of marriage. Even the different roles of men and women today are founded on the account in Genesis (1 Tim. 2:11-14). It does not make any difference which covenant we may live under, the order of creation and the general roles of men and women will never change.

In His discourse on dealing with a sinning brother in Matt. 18:15-17, Jesus repeated a principle found in Deut. 17:2-6 when He said: "if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." Because of the evil influences exerted on man’s nature, there will always be the danger of someone wanting to accuse others falsely in this corrupt world. Therefore, this principle from God will always apply.

In Rom. 2:5-6, Paul did not mind referring to Deut. 32:34, nor quoting Psalms 62:12 and Prov. 24:12 when he said: "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds." Paul quoted the Old Testament with confidence and applied it to our time even though he clearly understood the covenants had changed. He knew there are principles in the Old Testament that will never change as long as this earth remains.

One of these principles is that God judges men according to their deeds. Later in the Roman letter, Paul refers to the teaching of the Old Testament concerning the blessedness of the man who is forgiven by God and how nothing can separate us from God's love, “just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." (Rom. 4:6-8; Psa. 32:1-2). “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom. 8:35-37; Psa. 44:22). Again, Paul is referring to principles that have not changed, even though the covenant changed.

On what authority did Paul base his statement that we are to "not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath" (Rom. 12:19)? The answer is "for it is written". Where? In the Old Testament (Deut. 32:35). He continues in the next verse to quote Prov. 25:21-22 while instructing Christians how they are to treat their enemies. How could the Corinthians know that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God? The answer Paul gave was that the Old Testament tells us this (1 Cor. 3:19-20; Job 5:13; Psa. 94:11). Yes, Jesus brought in a new and better covenant, but that does not change these truths found in Job and Psalms.

We can understand the need of putting away the wicked from among ourselves by reading the Old Testament (compare 1 Cor. 5:12-13 to Deut. 17:12). When there was sin in the camp, Israel could not stand against an enemy as small as Ai (Joshua 7), but when they were faithful to the Lord it did not matter if the enemy was "as numerous as locusts" (Judges 6 & 7), God's people were always victorious. The issue has never been, nor will it ever be, our strength or the strength of the enemy. The deciding factor is always our faithfulness to God. It is only through Him that we are able to overcome and be "more than conquerors" (Rom. 8:37).

Many Christians have, unfortunately, convinced themselves that no one in our society wants the truth anymore, so now it is nearly impossible to convert the lost. Instead of blaming the world for our problems, maybe some need to re-read the Old Testament to see what always happens when God's people compromise with sin!

A teaching that is widely accepted, but rarely practiced, is that elders who rule well may be paid by the church. We know this is true, "For the Scripture says, you shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain, and, The laborer is worthy of his wages" (1 Tim. 5:17-18). Where do the Scriptures say this? In Deut. 25:4 and Luke 10:7. Deuteronomy chapters 12 thorough 26 give many laws for the Jews to observe regulating their treatment of one another and their service to God. Throughout this section, God said nothing about the treatment of animals except this one passage. Why did He insert it here? Paul asks in 1 Cor. 9:9, "Is it oxen God is concerned about?", thus implying there was a greater purpose in this law. If we understand the principle of allowing an ox that is working for us to be feed from it’s work, how should we treat a man in this regard? Has this principle ever changed? If it hasn't, we can quote Deut. 25:4 with the same confidence as Paul to prove that elders can be paid.

Another interesting point about this passage in 1 Timothy is that Paul also quotes Luke 10:7. We have some among us who claim that the four gospels cannot be applied to us today. This usually is an effort to eliminate the teaching found in Matt 19:1-12 and similar passages. In this one passage, Paul quotes from both the Old Testament and one of the gospels and applies them to Christians! Yet these are the two sections of God's Word which some today claim have no application at all!

Why could the Corinthians eat anything in the marketplace with a clear conscience (1 Cor. 10:25-26)? According to Paul, the reason was that the truth found in Psa. 24:1 and 50:12 still applies today. We can give to the Lord, knowing He will bless us because of the truths found in the Old Testament (2 Cor. 9:8-9; Psa. 112:9). We also know we are to glory in the Lord and not in ourselves as the world does because of the truth found in Jeremiah (2 Cor. 10-17-18; Jer. 9:24). The writer of Hebrews needed to remind the original readers that God still chastens His people during the New Covenant. To make his point, he wrote "you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons." Notice that he quotes Prov. 3:11-12, “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights,” and prefaced it by saying this exhortation spoke to them! This clearly says that this truth found in Proverbs still applies today. This principle is not bound just to the Old Law. It was true before the Law (Job 5:17-18), it was true during the Law (Prov. 3:11-12), and it is true today (Rev. 3:19). We have established the New Testament church in some ways that are not good. Not only did some first century Christians forget this truth, so have many twentieth century Christians!

How can Christians live contented lives in our society? Because we can read in the Old Testament that our God has promised to never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5-6, Deut. 31:6, Joshua 1:5, 1 Chron. 28:20). Once we understand this wonderful truth, we can boldly quote Psalms 118:6 (“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”) and apply it to our lives! (cp. Heb. 13:6, Psa. 118:6). We agree that we are to be a holy people. How do we know this? According to Peter, we are to be holy "because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Pet. 1:15-16). We are to be holy because of the truth found in Lev. 19:2. Yes, the covenant Leviticus was part of was changed, but this truth found within Leviticus will never change.

1 Peter 3:8-12 tells us to "be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling." Why are we to do this? Because we know we were called to this manner of living. Why do we know we are called to live like this? Because we can read Psa. 34:16 and know this truth will never cease.
The Bible clearly teaches that we are no longer under the law of Moses. Galatians 5:4 tells us if we try to justify ourselves by the old Law, we will fall from grace. We must continually teach this because there are many who do not understand this simple truth. But, while teaching this, let us not fall into the error of thinking that since we are "New Testament Christians," we do not need the Old Testament.

As we read the Old Law, we need to remember that nothing was wrong with the Law itself. It revealed the standard that, if lived by, would make man perfect before God. The problem was not in the Law, but in man who did not keep the Law. Because of man's failure to keep the law, God made provision for a new covenant. A covenant by which we could be forgiven. Let us praise our God for the love and mercy bestowed on us through the sacrifice of His Son. Let us never forget that the principles of living a life acceptable to God have never changed. As we strive to live in such a manner that we may glorify our God, let us remember to diligently search ALL of the Bible for the rich treasures of wisdom revealed to us by our God.