Why do people believe the Old Testament is null and void?

Question

God is consistent. He does not change. When He says something, you can live by it, whether it is said in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Yes God is dealing with people through grace instead of the Law, but He has not changed. Paul tells us that the Law was never meant to justify people but rather to bring people to Christ:

(Galatians 3:23-25 NIV) {23} Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. {24} So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. {25} Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Now there are lots of things in the Old Testament that don't really pertain to us. Such as the instructions for building the Tabernacle, or even the Law of Moses. However, people again stray when they think they can reject what the Old Testament says out of hand. For example people will say that we do not live under the Law, we live under grace. Well that is true, but what does it mean? People will try to tell you that it means we don't have to be concerned about things like the 10 commandments any longer because that is the Law and we are not under the law anymore. Well these same people might be surprised to find that the New Testament confirms all but one of those 10 commandments. The only one which is not confirmed for us by a new commandment in the New Testament is to keep the Sabbath.

You might wonder why the commandment to honor the Sabbath was not included. I think you can find your answer in the Old Testament: (Exodus 31:15-17 NIV) {15} For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death. {16} The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. {17} It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested. It was to be a lasting covenant between God and the Israelites. I am not saying that we shouldn't keep the Sabbath holy, but it is not commanded to us in the New Testament.

Now look at a few passages of Scripture with that in mind: (Hebrews 10:26-29 NIV) {26} If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, {27} but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. {28} Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. {29} How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? This is a warning to those who think that they can continue to sin after salvation.

Paul also warns us about the same thing: (Galatians 5:19-21 NIV) {19} The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; {20} idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions {21} and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Now look at what God said in the Old Testament, and you will see that He is very consistent: (Ezekiel 18:20-24 NIV) {20} The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.

{21} "But if a wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die. {22} None of the offenses he has committed will be remembered against him. Because of the righteous things he has done, he will live. {23} Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

{24} "But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked man does, will he live? None of the righteous things he has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness he is guilty of and because of the sins he has committed, he will die.

Alexander my dear, I ask questions for the opinions of others. You are not obligated to answer if you don't want to. Thanks and have a blessed day.

And no, the Old Testament is NOT null and void. Read the scriptures again.

Answer 1

I agree. I think it has something to do with the fact that people want to be free of such restrictions of a legalistic God. Yet if you search the scriptures both old and new testament you will see that the laws transend and are cohesive throughout the entirety of the BIble. The Sabbath, marriage laws, food laws, family, law suits, etc. Its all the same...except that now people feel they are free to pick and choose which they will keep and which they will not. The truth is that Jesus says..If you love me you will keep my commandments and these will be written on your hearts. We are no longer under the law but under grace and not to be judged or condemned by our transgression but with Christ in our hearts our propensity should be to seek Him and His will for our lifes. All laws were made for the benifit of man and in order to allow God to dwell with us. How precious is that history and record that has been kept for so long so we could witness just how long He has contended with us and strived toward our restoration...I would never dismiss it and I pray that those who call themselves Christian will understand that our daily bread is all of scripture. We are emplored repeatedly to rely on the Word of God throughout the New Testament, yet at that time..those prophecies, histories and epistles were in the process of being written so they had to have been referring to the "old testament" writings. Salvation has always been through grace..since the beginning. Love in Christ, ~J~ <><

Answer 2

You are right when you say God is consistent, He never changed. But the truth is the Old Testament is not null and void, it was rather incorporated into the new testament, with the exceptions of the rituals of the law which moses do write through the inspiration of God. This alw is no longer applicable for us today, who is under the law of Christ. This law was only given particularly to the JEWS and not to the Gentiles. Since the Gentiles do and observed the law as the Jews did, they are not bound by the law.

In fact, there is no salvation in the Law, But in the atonement of the shed blood of an animal (unblemish). without the shedding of the blood in the old testament there is no salvation for those who are under the law. Even today, some are practicing this law which have been nailed on the cross, incorporating the Old and New Testament.

Now let us check some in the old testament anti-type in the new testament, the physical and Spiritual aspect of it in the new testament. (of which the old testament is null and void)

Animal Sacrifices - Jesus the Lamb (1 Cor 5:7)
Ten Commandments - Law of Christ (Gal 6:2)
Sabbath Day - Eternal rest in heaven (Heb 4:1-9)
Incense - Prayer (Rev 5:8)
Candles - Christians are Light (Rev 1:20)
Physical Sanctuary - Our Bodies are a Temple (1 Cor 6:19)
Holy Water - Water Baptism(Acts 22:16)
Altar - Self Sacrifice (Phil 4:18)
Separate Priesthood - Every Christian is Priest (Rev 1:6)
Priestly Garments - Clothed by Deeds(Rev 19:8)
Physical Music: Harp - Spiritual Music: Heart (Eph 5:19)
Mandatory Tithing of 10% - Freewill Giving (2 Cor 9:7)

Old testament is not null and void, but it is no longer operating in our days today, we lived by faith and obedience to God through and in the name of Jesus christ who fulufill the law.

Answer 3

To live by grace is not to say we are no longer bound by the old testament. God meant every single thing He has ever said to us through the messengers He has sent to us. Nothing has changed. Just as you have rightly pointed out.

When we say we live by grace, we are saying Jesus has filled in the gaps where we have come short. The whole reason why God the father sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to ultimately give His life was because God knew we could not full fill every letter of the law on our own; loving us as He did, He sent Jesus to take our punishment. Jesus to this day is the only one to ever walk this earth, having never committed one single sin.

Jesus did change one of the commandments to make it even stricter than it was. In the old testament, God gave Moses the 10 commandments. One of which stated "Do not commit adultery."

Jesus said," You have heard it said 'do not commit adultery', but I say if you even look on a woman with lust in your heart you have committed adultery already." Those are pretty strong words, aren't they?

In conclusion, God knew we could not full fill the law on our own. He sent Jesus to die for us. The grace extended to us by God through the life, death, burial and Resurrection of Jesus fills in the gaps where we all have and will come short in following God's commandments. We are no less obligated to follow the 10 commandments just because Jesus has covered our sins with His blood.

Answer 4

Often people do not go deeply enough into the word to find understanding. The Law came by God but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Jesus said He did not come to abolish the law but to complete the law. He completed the law by expressing the spirit of the law....as in I say unto you, not only to kill is wrong but even to be angry .... not only to commit adultery is wrong but even to look on a women with lust. What Jesus abolished was not the Ten Commandments given by God but all the other ceremonial laws and various laws created by the religious leaders.

Answer 5

I completely agree with you, and I think we can and should learn some very valuable lessons from the Old Testament. I hadn't realized the importance of the Old Testament until I took a 2-year bible study course that covered both the Old and the New. Bible study is so important to understand why some of the stories are in the bible, and the different ways to interpret them.

Answer 6

To many who believe that Christ is indeed the Saviour the OT is dead...There are still millions of Jews who utilize the OT exclusively so it's not entirely gone. FYI the books of the Bible are the words and stories of MEN and not of God (if there is one). So far as God (if there is one) being consistent...yeah he/she/it certainly is in terms of the strife he/she/it allows in the here and now. When was the last time there was a GLOBAL miracle...not a individual one, but something effecting all of humanity in a positive way? PEACE!

Answer 7

First unless you were a Jew (which I am guessing you are not) the Laws of Torah do not apply. Only the Noahide Laws do. If you cannot follow these laws you have a big issue:

1. Not to deny God.

2. Not to blaspheme God.

3. Not to murder.

4. Not to engage in incestuous, adulterous, bestial or homosexual relationships.

5. Not to steal.

6. Not to eat a limb torn from a living animal.

7. To set up courts to ensure obedience to the other six laws.


Which of these can you not do? As for keeping the other laws leave that to us Jews. And please try and read Deuteronomy 30:11-14:

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not too hard for thee, neither is it far off.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?'

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say: 'Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?'

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

Answer 8

Jesus said: Do not think that I have come to do away with the law and the teachings of the prophets. I have come to give them real meaning. He is referring to the Old Testament. So those who believe that the Old Testament is null and void are wrong.

Answer 9

Thanks For Your Question :)

Well as a Muslim I believe in the Torah which was the book sent to Moses peace be upon him but we also believe that the pure word of God in the Torah was added to it the words of translator and the words of historians so as you see now its not 100% pure from God because the human factor has been put into it unlike the Quraan which is now considered the most authentic never changed book and most memorized book in the world

check it out http://thequraan.blogspot.com
http://islameveryday.blogspot.com

Answer 10

People only say that because the Old Testament is more obviously full of flaws and violence condoned by god than the New Testament is. My personal favorite is Leviticus:

20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Come on, christians, kill the those smart-mouthed kids! After all, isn't god's law higher than man's?

20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

While I don't condone adultery, I'm not sure killing them all is the answer. But what do I know? If god says kill them, I guess we should.

20:11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
20:12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

C'mon, christians, why are these people still alive? You could quit complaining about homosexuals if you just murdered them like god wants you to...

20:14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.

Tut, tut, you horny bastard. We're going to have set you on fire.

20:15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
20:16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

Bestiality. Gross? Yes. Deserving of death? I think not. (And why do we have to kill the poor little puppy rape victim?)

20:17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

If a man walks in on her while she's in the bathroom, exile him!

20:18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people

Ha! I love this one. How, exactly, did god expect you to find out if a man slept with a menstruous woman (monstrous act that it is)?