Serious question for Christians only.?

Question

If god is, was and always will be the same then why are there 2 testements each with a different set of rules?

I've always wondered this. The old testement has sacrifices while the new one does not. In the old testement we could not directly talk to God while in the new one we can. There are others but I feel its redundant to point them out. Why would God feel the need to have 2 sets of rules? Why not just start with the 2nd set? Thanks, try and keep the sarcasm to a minimum if possible.

Answer 1

The Apostle Paul asked the same question (rhetorically, of course) in Galatians chapter 3.

(Galatians 3:19-25) Why, then, the ["Old Testament"] Law? It was added to make transgressions manifest, until the seed [Jesus] should arrive to whom the promise had been made... 21 Is the Law, therefore, against the promises of God? May that never happen! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, righteousness would actually have been by means of law. 22 But the Scripture delivered up all things together to the custody of sin, that the promise resulting from faith toward Jesus Christ might be given to those exercising faith. 23 However, before the faith arrived, we were being guarded under law, being delivered up together into custody, looking to the faith that was destined to be revealed. 24 Consequently the Law has become our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith. 25 But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a tutor.

1. Demonstrated that humans are imperfect, and humans need redemption (mankind needs more than just a list of do's and don'ts)
2. Protected god's people and true worship; many Jewish "laws" were beneficial godly "principles" (sanitation, etc)
3. Provided a prophetic framework whereby the Messiah would be recognized
4. Built faith in God; taught about God's love, justice, wisdom, and power
5. Was "a tutor leading to Christ"; early Christian congregation was overwhelmingly Hebrew

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/19980515a/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20020215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20020915/

Answer 2

Each testement says basically the same rules. The new testement only adds onto what was said before. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, so the new testement doesn't need anymore animal sacrifices.

Answer 3

During the lifetime time of Jesus, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life. Here was the place that animal sacrifices were carried out, and worship according to the Law of Moses was commanded, and followed faithfully.



Hebrews 9:1-9 tells us that in the Temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies where God dwelt from the rest of the Temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Only the High Priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7), enter into God's presence for all of Israel, and make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16).



Solomon's Temple was 30 cubits high (1 Kings 6:2) but Herod had increased the height to 40 cubits according to the writings of Josephus, a first century Jewish historian. There is uncertainty as to exactly what a cubit equaled in our feet and inches but it is safe to assume that this veil was somewhere near 60 feet high. Josephus also tells us that the veil was four inches thick, and that horses tied to each side could not pull the veil apart. And the account in the Book of Exodus teaches that this thick veil was fashioned from blue, purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen.



The size and thickness of the veil makes so much more momentous the events described as occurring at the exact moment of Jesus’ death upon a cross nearly 2000 years ago. “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom...” (Matthew 27:50-51a)



So what do we make of this? What significance does this rent-torn veil have for us today? Above all, the tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus' death dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins forever. It now signified that the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and gentile.

Answer 4

Jesus did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. The sacrifices in the OT was foreshadowings of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus- once and for all on the cross. There is no redemption except through the shedding of blood. The NT does have a sacrifice- Jesus which is for the forgiveness of sins. We no longer have to sacrifice lambs, etc once a year, because Jesus is the spotless lamb of God that came to TAKE away the sin of the world. When Jesus came He fulfilled the prophecies in the OT. Read Isaiah- and you will see that He is the one that was rejected and hated- and killed that we could be forgiven, once and for all, Again - there are no 2 sets of rules, the OT pointed to Christ's ultimate sacrifice, and the NT tells us about it.

Answer 5

The problem is not with God, it is how you are looking at it. God is still the same as He was from the beginning and always will be, no one said nothing else changes. Everything else changes, the same can be said when God created plants one day and animals the next... does that mean He changed or changed things? And the Bible is best read as 1 book, not 2 different ones. If you read it from cover to cover and eliminate the sepperation between the 2 testaments, it makes much more sense.

Answer 6

There are not "two sets of rules", though this can be easily misunderstood. There are two different "aspects" for the law in the old testament that display who he is. One portrays the holiness of God (morality, kingship) and they never change, the others portray His priestly role (mediator) these laws where to look ahead to the one who would fulfill or accomplish the task of reconciling man to God. These were fulfilled by the messiah Jeshua (Jesus).


There is no difference in God between the new and old either. God is a God of grace and mercy, in both testaments and He is a just, righteous, wrathful, judge in both.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Answer 7

The OT is the covenant with the Lord under the law. Jesus came and fulfilled the law and now we are under a new covenant. A covenant of grace...it's of the heart and in the spirit. Example, the OT said not to commit adultery meaning the actual act. Under the NT you sin if you even lust in your heart for that person. The diffence now is that God give us the grace or the ability to fulfill what truth (He) demands of us.

A blood sacrifice was needed due to sin. Jesus died for all mankind thus no more sacrifices are needed.

Also when Jesus died the veil in the temple ripped. We have been reconciled back to God. With His Holy Spirit we can communicate with God by prayer and etc.

I believe God created mankind to rule over the Earth. I believe He wanted us to even tread on serpents (satan). Because of the sin of Adam and Eve that caused a spiritual death. A separation from God. It was His original desire to have fellowship with us. Now, I'm not God and could speculate about everything but I think that if you really want a personal relationship with Jesus that all you have to do is ask. Seek Him out in the Word because He is the Word.

You can email me if you have any questions. It's hard to explain all this on YA

Answer 8

Hi Mars,

What we have is the Old Testament and the New Testament, with the Old Testament we were bound by the law, an eye for an eye. With the New Testament we fall under Grace, because of Gods Grace we no-longer are bound by laws, we are free now. His Grace has given us the freedom we need to live a victorious life in the name of Jesus.

Yes! we could always talk to God in the Old Testament, who do you think the prophets was talking to. God also talk to the prophets many times thur out the old testament- they delivered messages from God.

You see! In the old testament- Prophets, and Gods chosen (Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Samuel, Joel etc.,) could not die for our sins, they could only tell us of Gods goodness, However; Jesus Die for our sins in the new testament that we might be saved.

Answer 9

Good Question

The old laws, or what Jesus called the old Covenant, was replaced by a new covenant. We no longer make animal sacrifices to please God. We now understand that it is completely beyond our power to do anything to deserve His love.

He created the universe, what could I possible do to deserve his attention? God is perfect and we are sinners. It is beyond our ability to live a life without sin. But HE wants to have a relationship with YOU. So HE made a sacrifice that would repay our sins and make us worthy to enter heaven.

He became man. Suffered, and died for OUR sins. He then rose from the dead and beat death for all of us. Now if we accept the sacrifice HE has made for us, we can have a direct personal relationship with him. All the rules changed with that sacrifice.

Answer 10

The bible is not written by God or even by the disciples of God. It is a lot of here-say. The old testament more so than the New Testament. The Old Testament was the first attempt. There were a lot of errors and the people were lost. The New Testament attempts to correct that, but I feel it may not truly encompass what Jesus said and I think it has errors too because it is not written by the disciples or God. Even if the disciples did write it, God did not.