Should the Old Testament be in the Christian bible?

Question

Georgiegirl brought up an interesting point when she said that the OT shouldn't be in the bible. Afterall, the OT is almost completely opposite of the NT.

What do you guys think?

I was referring to a controlling, vengeful, angry god in OT and loving, caring, forgiving gold in the NT. The two books carry entirely different philosophies.

Answer 1

i see no point in it even being there. if the christians know the 10 commandments, then there's no point for the rest of the o.t. but i think it's kept there to prove that jesus was the so called messiah.

Answer 2

The Bible is a progressive revelation. If you skip the first half of any good book and try to finish it; you will have a hard time understanding the characters, the plot, and the ending. Even so, the New Testament is only completely understood when it is seen as being built upon the foundation of the events, characters, laws, sacrificial system, covenants, and promises of the Old Testament (OT). If we only had the New Testament (NT), we would come to the gospels and not know why the Jews were looking for a Messiah (a Savior King). Without the OT, we would not understand why this Messiah was coming (see Isaiah 53); we would not have been able to identify Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah through the many detailed prophecies that were given concerning Him (e.g.., His birth place (Micah 5:2); His manner of death (Psalm 22, especially vv. 1,7-8, 14-18; Psalm 69:21, etc.), His resurrection (Psalm 16:10), and many more details of His ministry (Isaiah 52:13f.; 9:2, etc.).

In summary, the Old Testament is a mirror that allows us to see ourselves in the lives of OT characters and helps us learn vicariously from their lives. It sheds so much light on who God is and the wonders He has made and the salvation He has wrought. It shares so much comfort to those in persecution or trouble (see Psalms especially). It reveals through repeatedly fulfilled prophecy why the Bible is unique among holy books...it alone is able to demonstrate that it is what it claims to be: the inspired Word of God. It reveals volumes about Christ in page after page of its writings. It contains so much wisdom that goes beyond what is alluded to or quoted in the NT. In short, if you have not yet ventured in depth into its pages...you are missing much that God has available for you. As you read it, there will be much you do not understand right away, but there will be much you will understand and learn from. And as you continue to study it, asking God to teach you further, your mining will pay off in brighter treasures still.

Answer 3

How is the OT opposite of the NT???? The OT is quoted throughout the NT either directly or the idea/principle brought out. The book of Daniel speaks very much of out day, and contains a lot of the same information that Revelation does. The NT is not a replacement for the OT, but rather a continuation.

Answer 4

An excellent question. But no, it isn't. The violence in the OT had a reason - imperfect men weeding out evil in their midst the violent way. Israel getting rid of the pagans because their own men and women were sacrificing their children on the altar of Molech after marrying pagan women who were doing these things. Jesus Christ had to come down to show them how evil should have been really weeded out, with love. However human sacrifice is extreme evil. Even Jesus Christ had to weed out the moneychangers and merchants from the Temple of God. You can't ask the Holy Spirit to cohabit with a demon, not even in your own body.

The view that the spirit of OT prophecy is one and the same Holy Spirit that inspired the NT and the apostles is further substantiated by the early church fathers (Justin, Dialogues 1-7; 51; 82; 87; etc.; Irenaeus, Against Heresies II, 6.4; III, 21.3-4), and the apostles emerge as the "Spirit-bearers", a designation given to the OT prophets .

The church fathers say " Let no-one say of the OT and the NT, this was one spirit and this another for we have one God and Lord Jesus Christ and one Holy spirit, the author of all Scripture"

The Devil can't destroy the Bible physically, but he is trying to destroy its validity, just like many other heretical sects like Islam, the Gnostics, the Mormons, the JWs and the others who mock the Bible. The proof that their man-made doctrines are lies is that they cannot even agree among themselves what the "lie" is about.

Answer 5

The Old Testament has the lesser, preparatory law for the higher law that Jesus Christ brought to man. Without the Old Testament mankind would not have been brought to the point of being able to receive the New Testament.

There is much of great value in the OT. You need a way to cross-reference to clarify some of the verses. Knowledge of Hebrew culture is also very helpful in understanding the OT.

Answer 6

The OT is Scripture. It does have prophecies that are relevant today...the whole Bible is about God dealing with man. There are prophecies in Isaiah that tell about the wedding supper of the Lamb, which takes place at the Rapture. The 70th week mentioned in Daniel is the Great Tribulation, or Jacob's Trouble.

Remember that Jesus came to fulfill the law.

The Old Testament is still relevant, but remember that the OT laws were given to the children of Israel only.

Answer 7

God never changes. The idea of a wrathful God somehow undergoing an episode of multiple personality and then becoming Mr. Nice Guy in the New Testament looks no further than the grace of God. The fact is, in the end, the New Testament records Christ as "Treading the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God," and that the blood of the slain will be as deep as a horse's bridle for something along the lines of a 1,000 furlongs. Also, Christ will cast the wicked and satan all who follow him into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone. I believe in the mercy of God as much as the next man, but to remove the OT from the Bible on the basis of its violence just undercuts the NT since it derives from and eclipses the OT. Yes, we have forgiveness, but let us not forget "the goodness and SEVERITY of God."

Tom

Answer 8

Actually the new testiment is build upon the old testiment and the two are the word of God. Both testiments actually chief corner stones of the faith. They confirm one another as any educated christian can atest. Also it should be pointed out that great wisdom of found in the words of Soloman and the prophets of Old. And in the new testiment we are commanded to keep the law and the prophets by a apostle. Thus we are to study the prophets and the laws and ordances of God and keep them thru Grace. So the new testiment directs us to the old and the old confirms the new. God word is always good for instruction weather old or new. And the old testiment speaks on subjects that please the Father and things that do not. Indeed the old is needed.
So the only person that would want to do away with the old is some one that does not desire to know the Father God at all. As a real christian woudl be on the path of seeking out him and his nature in fullness.

Answer 9

Doug: You can not understand the New Testament without the Old Testament. That is why, both are included. The Old Testament is required for background and especially, illustrating humanistic attempts to attain to holiness by performance - based religion (legalism - do's & don'ts) on ones, own "steam" - apart from a working relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, via the help of the Holy Spirit, (a.k.a. "the Letter of the Law") !!! This is a history for people, recorded for our good, using the then, nation of Israel, supplied as God's example, for us today. This is why the promise of the Messiah rings out throughout the Old Testament. The promise of Jesus Christ coming to rescue the human creation from sin is recorded, as early as, in the Book of Genesis, 3rd Chapter, verse 15.

Answer 10

Yes I do because All Scripture is inspired of God and therefore God's Word, so if God didn't think it necessary he would have removed it, and the Old testament is not completely opposite to the New Testament, In Fact in the New Testament often the scriptures of the Old Testament are refferred to, Both Testaments Old and New go together to form the whole Biblenone of it should be removed nothing should be added either.(Revelation22:19)

Answer 11

Yes. The Old Testament tells about God and his relationship with several people on earth. It lets people know that if you truly seek God and a relationship with him, you won't be denied that relationship. It tells of the prophecy of Jesus and why it was necessary for God to send him. The events that led up to the New Testament are in the OT. There are teachings from God that we are to follow such as the Song of Solomon. The OT can be applied to our lives today just as the NT can.