Comparing the Old and New Testament...?

Question

don't u think the OT shows a 'punishing' God rather than the God of love Jesus talks about? Did God change? Or God sent his son for people to understand his message correctly?

(For 'punishing God' I would mention all the sufferings he inflicted Job, or the tests he put Abraham into)

Answer 1

I believe that at the very heart of this question lies a fundamental misunderstanding of what both the Old and New Testaments reveal about the nature of God. Another way of expressing this same basic thought is when people say: “The God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath while the God of the New Testament is a God of love.” The fact that the Bible is God’s progressive revelation of Himself to us through historical events and through His relationship with people throughout history might contribute to people’s misconceptions about what God is like in the Old Testament as compared to the New Testament. However, when one reads both the Old and the New Testaments it quickly becomes evident that God is not different from one Testament to another and that God’s wrath and His love are revealed in both Testaments.



For example, throughout the Old Testament, God is declared to be “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:5; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 108:4; Psalm 145:8; Joel 2:13). Yet in the New Testament, God’s loving-kindness and mercy are manifested even more fully through the fact that “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Throughout the Old Testament, we also see God dealing with Israel much the same way a loving father deals with a child. When they willfully sinned against Him and began to worship idols, God would chastise them, yet each and every time He would deliver them once they had repented of their idolatry. This is much the same way that we see God dealing with Christians in the New Testament. For example, Hebrews 12:6 tells us that “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives."



In a similar way, throughout the Old Testament we see God’s judgment and wrath poured out on unrepentant sinners. Likewise, in the New Testament, we see that the wrath of God is still “revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). Even with just a quick reading of the New Testament, it quickly becomes evident that Jesus talks more about hell than He does heaven. So, clearly, God is not any different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament. God by His very nature is immutable (unchanging). While we might see one aspect of His nature revealed in certain passages of Scripture more than other aspects, He Himself does not change.



When one really begins to read and study the Bible, it becomes clear that God is not any different from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Even though the Bible is really sixty-six individual books, written on two (or possibly three) continents, in three different languages, over a period of approximately 1500 years, by more that 40 authors (who came from many walks of life), it remains one unified book from beginning to end without contradiction. In it we see how a loving, merciful, and just God deals with sinful men in all kinds of situations. Truly, the Bible is God’s love letter to mankind. God’s love for His creation, especially for mankind, is evident all through Scripture. Throughout the Bible we see God lovingly and mercifully calling people into a special relationship with Himself, not because they deserve it but because He is a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth. Yet we also see a holy and righteous God Who is the judge of all those who disobey His word and refuse to worship Him, instead turning to worship gods of their own creation, worshiping idols and other gods instead of worshiping the one and only true God (Romans 1).



Because of God’s righteous and holy character, all sin past, present, and future must be judged. Yet God in His infinite love has provided a payment for sin and a way of reconciliation so that sinful man can escape His wrath. We see this wonderful truth in verses like 1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” In the Old Testament, God provided a sacrificial system whereby atonement could be made for sin, but this sacrificial system was only temporary and merely looked forward to the coming of Jesus Christ who would die on the cross to make a real substitutionary atonement for sin. The Savior that was promised in the Old Testament is more fully revealed in the New Testament, and the ultimate expression of God’s love, the sending of His son Jesus Christ, is revealed in all its glory. Both the Old and the New Testaments were given "to make us wise unto salvation" (2 Timothy 3:15). When we study them more closely, it really is evident that God is no different in the New Testament than He was in the Old Testament.

Answer 2

The God in The New testament according to Hebrews 13:8 has always been, and in John 8:58 says Jesus is THE I AM, God IS Love He does offer salvation but it is conditional, "IF" you love me [THEN] keep my commandments Jn 14:15, but IF you will not keep His commandments IF you refuse then God's Justice is all that is left, God IS NOT trifled with if you belief God is not the same as the old then read the account of Ananial and Sapphira in Acts 5. find out more free bible lessons www.itiswritten.com OR www.amazingfacts.org God bless talk to me also [e-mail]

Answer 3

the way people react to this is interesting, actually...

the old testament God was admittedly relatively harsh for the living world. all sorts of death and torment and devestation and whatnot.

so everyone compares that to the new testament which is so nice and forgiving and all that...

but theres a problem. ... look at the afterlife. in the old testament theres no reference to an eternal hell. the old testament God HAS NO ETERNAL HELL and HAS none of this unforgivable sin stuff. didn't NEED a blood sacrifice to forgive, ect.

yet the new testament god... well, the vast majority of the human population gets eternal punishment for simply exercising the free will god gave them.

eternal hell is not just or merciful, regardless of what means you provide to avoid it.

there is absolutely no situation in which a human being can commit a crime that justly deserves eternal punishment.

Answer 4

God allows things. Jesus fulfilled the law of the Old Testament.

Answer 5

God is the same yesterday,today,and forever! In the Old Testament we were living by the law, ex.The Ten Commandments, but people weren't abiding by the law so God sent His Son as a living sacrifise here on earth so that we would be saved if we just accept Him. The laws were perfect laws, but people weren't abiding by them! God was punishing them as He couldn't look upon sin! They weren't worshipping Him but all of these idols that they were making!

Answer 6

The writers of the OT and the NT were different peoples.

The people who wrote the OT were the evil Taliban like Hasmoneans during the time of the Maccabean kings. The NT was written by people like but not limited to the Essenes and the Theraputae.

Answer 7

till you have studied the holy writings of all of the main religions you haven't any longer any concept what the bible is approximately. Scoff and snicker all you prefer to, any progressed pupil of comparative faith could make you sense silly in ten minutes. in certainty that the previous and new are 2 separate platforms and regardless of the undeniable fact that they do have factors of commonality, greater often than no longer they do no longer seem to be compatible, no longer even close. And you would be able to bear in mind that we (in fact no one) knows who the writers have been or why in basic terms those sixty six booklets have been chosen from the thousands that (nevertheless) exist. i will inform you with out hesitation in any respect that the tenets and teachings are of the optimal order, yet i visit additionally inform you with out hesitation that till you have the keys to liberate it you're dropping some time. and those keys are to no longer be chanced on interior of itself, there are in basic terms tricks or perhaps they require which you realize specific different issues or you will examine suitable over them with out understanding it. The English "Bible" is between the excellent manuals of that's form it rather is accessible to the final public, yet regrettably it is likewise between the main difficult (almost impossible) to interpret with no commencing place interior the secret teachings and a minimum of an off-the-cuff familiarity with the Socratic/Platonic philosophies. once you're confident you already understand the fact approximately your Christianity you're superb recommended to stay out of the seek, because of the fact in case you do be able to "carry the veil" you would be astonished at what you discover and your faith in all faith would be examined. If regardless of the undeniable fact which you get via that first point the rewards would be previous something you have experienced earlier. The Christ mentioned "I in basic terms exhibit my MYSTERIES to the pick" and as quickly as you get a glimpse of what he's speaking approximately you will understand why. proceed with warning, the potential is recommendations boggling and respects no guy. advantages.

Answer 8

Don't you think the god of the new testament is the punishing god. First he sent his son to earth to die an excrutiatingly painful death on the cross, and then proceeded to send anyone who didn't *believe* to eternal torment. I'll take my God of justice and mercy any day!
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Answer 9

god was showing that he is fair when he has 2 B but is also loving and peaceful... he has always been all things... and it is known that the 2nd person of the trinity, jesus, is a forgiving and compasionate person !!!

Answer 10

well, the people who wrote the old testament were old fashioned, and new that religion was based more on fear. when the church got smarter, they realized what a bunch of unbelieveable crap was in the OT so they made it more kid friendly