THE LAW: Another church “truth” believed by the modern church is that the Old Testament (the Law and the writings of the prophets) was “done away with,” God having “nailed it to the cross” of Jesus Christ. Therefore the Law has no place in the modern church. What is the Lord’s response to these church “truths?” The Ten Commandment Law defines sin (1 Jn. 3:4). To do away with the Law is to do away with sin, therefore we have no need of a Savior. However, the Apostle Paul, who received his Gospel directly from Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12), called the Law “holy, just and good” (Rom. 7:12). He also stated that only the doers of the Law are justified (Rom. 2:13). Jesus said that we prove our love for Himself and His Father by obeying the Law (Jn. 14:15,23; 15:1/ 1 Jn. 2:3-5). He also said in Luke 10:16 that to reject any part of the Holy Scriptures proves that we despise both Him and His Father.

In Second Timothy 3:15,16 the Apostle Paul states that ALL SCRIPTURE is God-given and essential for salvation for those in the New Testament Church, only the righteous of whom will be saved (1 Pet. 4:17,18). Peter also commanded that we be holy as God is holy (1 Pet. 1:15,16.) The “Scripture” Paul was referring to in his letter to Timothy was the Old Testament–the only Scripture available at that time. The New Testament would not come into existence for another 40 to 50 years. In Second Peter 1:21 the apostle confirms the importance of the Old Testament by stating that holy men of old spoke (and wrote) what they had heard from God through the Holy Spirit. Why did they record what they spoke? The Scriptures were preserved “for our (the end-time church’s) instruction” (1 Cor. 10:11). Doing away with the writings of the Old Testament prophets eliminates about 70% of God’s Word to the church. It is important that we know the identity of the Old Testament God Who instructed the prophets as to what to say and write. Let us determine Who He was and how He fits into the New Testament Church.

“The SCRIPTURE (the Word/Jesus–Jn. 1:1-4,14) PREACHED the GOSPEL to ABRAHAM” (Gal. 3:8). This is the same Gospel (“oracles of God”) that was preached to the “church in the (Sinai) wilderness” which was to preserve it so as to “give it unto us” (Acts 7:38), so as to form the foundation of the New Testament Church (Heb. 4:2). The strength of any building depends on its foundation (Mat. 7:24-27). The foundation of God’s church consists of the teachings of both the Old Testament PROPHETS and the New Testament APOSTLES (Eph. 2:19,20). Note that the same Gospel that was taught by God to the prophets, who taught it to the Israelites in the wilderness, is being taught to God’s true church today. Obedience to that same Gospel qualifies the true convert (saint) to receive salvation upon the return of Jesus Christ. Sadly, only a minutely few people hear God’s Truth today because Satan will not allow it to be taught in His Catholic/Protestant Religious System known as “the church.” He has hundreds of counterfeit gospels by which he deceives the religious masses. Read Bait and Switch. Key word–Bait.

That Paul and the other apostles taught the Old Testament Scriptures (Gospel) to the newly founded Church of God is revealed in Acts 17:10-13 where we are told that the men of Berea “consulted THE SCRIPTURES daily” to see if what Paul was teaching them was true. The Old Testament was the only Scriptures they had. PAUL AND THE OTHER APOSTLES TAUGHT ALL SALVATION SEEKERS OUT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. In spite of God’s Word on the subject, some believe that the Old Testament was only for the Jews. Are they right? Let’s find out.

In Matthew 28:19,20 Jesus instructed His apostles to go into ALL THE GENTILE WORLD AND TEACH ALL GENTILE NATIONS ALL THINGS HE HAD TAUGHT THEM, AND TO DO SO UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD. I and a minutely few others continue to preach God’s Truth today. The apostles had heard Jesus tell a rich man that he must obey the Ten Commandments (including #4) in order to be saved. They also heard Him say that He had not come to destroy the Law and the prophetical writings (Lk. 10:26/ Mat. 19:16-19; 5:17). They had heard Him teach for 3 1/2 years the way of His Father. They taught as they had been taught, which included the Law and the teachings of the prophets. Their ministerial descendants are commanded to do as they did. As one of their disciples, I teach what they taught and will continue to do so as long as the world stands (Mat. 24:14) or as long as I live.

Gentile converts were instructed to hear the Old Testament Scriptures read in the synagogues every Sabbath in the cities nearest to where they lived. Note that the apostles instructed Gentile converts to hear the Jewish Law taught in Jewish synagogues on the Jewish Sabbath. Why? Because the Lord does not change (Mal. 3:6); the Gospel is everlasting (Rev. 14:6) and the world has not ended (May. 28:18,19).

To reject any part of Old Testament Gospel Truth is to reject the all New Testament Truths (Jam. 2:10) because both contain the same God-given foundational Truths which God preserved to “give unto us” (Acts 7:38) and must be believed and obeyed in order to receive eternal life. God spiritually nailed the sacrificial law (Moses’ “handwriting of ordinances”) to the cross of Jesus Christ. His once and for all blood sacrifice is sufficient, as He told the disciples and us during the Last Supper. L.J.