“Why do you talk about the Old Testament so much, with all that blood and everything.”  “When do you sacrifice your animals?”  “You spend too much time talking about the Sabbath.”  “That’s just that Jewish stuff.”  These are a few of the responses I have received upon speaking or writing about the Old Testament.  And they all come from people who have the Old Testament in their homes and carry it to church with them on Sunday and refer to it along with the New Testament as “the Bible.”  They are right by referring to it as a single Book.  There should be no break between the Books and the single tome should be called the Holy Witness, Testament or Gospel.

In application the whole of professing Christendom treats God’s Holy Bible as two totally different sets of  instructions.  One set was designed for the ancient Israelites who were ruled by a stern, unyielding God (Yahweh) using His iron fisted, “One Way Only, Take It Or Leave It” method.  This Book is a Book of commands that are not to be questioned, only obeyed.  One might characterize this as “static ethics.”  The other Book was designed for Gentiles who are gently coaxed along by a gentle, understanding God (Adonai) using His “It’s All Good, Have it Your Way” method.  This tome is a collection of suggestions and alternatives that are to be applied when and if they fit into the current situation.  This Book could  be titled “situational ethics.”

Both methods were on display in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve heard both a STRICT COMMAND and an OPTIONAL SUGGESTION concerning a particular tree which stood in the center of the garden.  Every church member knows the story so we will not replay it at this point.  The point I will make is that the entirety of professing Christendom has, like Adam and Eve, having both sets of instructions, divide the Bible into two parts.  And like them, she has chosen to obey the part that gives her what she wants–self-direction.  The other part is referred to only in part–a very small part–specifically Isaiah 53 which tells of the death of the One she believes is her Savior.  The first part, we are told from pulpit and podium, is merely history–and insignificant history at that.  Nothing could be further from the Truth, which Jesus called God’s Word (Jn. 17:17), and which John called God’s Law.  This Law (Genesis to Revelation) defines both sin and righteousness (1 Jn. 2:6).  Every Word of that Law must be obeyed in order to receive salvation (Mat. 4:4;10:22).  Not so much as a jot or tittle can be changed; nothing can be added to it or taken from it (Mat. 5:18).  Not so, I am told.  The Old Testament has no significant part to play in the life of the New Testament Church.  How does the church know this?  Their leaders have told them so.  I have a novel idea: why don’t we allow God Himself, the Author of both Testaments, to enlighten us as to His Truth/Law/Word/Gospel and what part, if any, the first part plays in His church?  But first, a short lesson in Biblical writing.

Jesus makes plain the fact that the following is the method by which God to have thoughts, words, deeds and will to print.  God spoke to the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14) through Their Holy Spirit.  The Word then spoke God’s Words to His prophets using the same Holy Spirit.  That same Word, as Jesus of Nazareth, spoke audibly to His disciples while on earth.  Both the prophets and the disciples (apostles–“sent ones”) recorded His Words for those who would be His people.  That said, let us now read what God said about what He (God) said–God’s Word about God’s Word.

In John 12:44-50 Jesus (the Word/Creator/Adonai/Messiah) proclaims that to believe in Him is to believe in Yahweh–His Father–and that to see Him was to see the Father, and to believe His Words was to believe the Father’s Words.  Contrarywise, to reject His Words is to reject the Father’s Words because: “I have not spoken on My own accord.  He Who sent Me gives Me the Words to say ….  As the Father speaks to Me, so I speak.”  In verse 48 He settles every issue relative to the importance of the entire Word/Law/Truth/Gospel (Genesis to Revelation): “He who rejects Me and does not believe My Words has one that judges him–THE WORDS THAT I HAVE SPOKEN, THEY WILL JUDGE HIM ON THE LAST DAY.”  EVERY WORD IN THE BIBLE WAS RECEIVED FROM GOD AND SPOKEN BY JESUS CHRIST (THE WORD/ADONAI) TO EITHER THE PROPHETS OR THE APOSTLES WHO RECORDED WHAT THEY SPOKE FOR ALL MANKIND FOR ALL TIME.  EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS RELATIVE TO HIS WORD/LAW/TRUTH/GOSPEL, WHICH IS GOD IN PRINT FORM.  JESUS WAS GOD COME TO EARTH AS A 100% HUMAN.  Read Jesus of Nazareth: God, Man or God-man?  Key word–God-man.

In the next posting we will turn to the New Testament for some words of wisdom relative to the Old Testament, remembering that all of the Words written in both Books were spoken to their writers (prophets and apostles) by Adonai/the Word/Jesus of Nazareth–Who received them from God–Yahweh/the Father–by way of the same Holy Spirit.  Having the Holy Spirit involved in the movement of information makes the Unforgivable Sin ultimately important.  The Unforgivable Sin is speaking against the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, to deny the truthfulness of one Word of the Law/Word/Truth/Gospel is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit.  In other words, there are a lot of people in a lot of trouble, most of whom call themselves God’s people–i.e., “Sinners Saved By Grace.”

Ignorance of this Truth is no excuse.  Recall what God said about it: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hos. 4:6).  Israel’s lack of knowledge of His Word was no excuse.  The same malady afflicts their modern day descendants–“the church … the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16) who suffer from galactic, self-inflicted ignorance and unbelief.  This is inexcusable in that Bibles are relatively cheap.  Thousands are given away annually.  The problem is not a lack of opportunity to learn God’s Word.

The problem involves time.  Because time is limited, one must prioritize one’s use of it.  And in that there are so many important things one must know, such as who’s doing what to whom on t.v.  It is equally important that one knows what their favorite actor had for breakfast, and who’s divorcing whom to marry whom?  And who struck out how many in last night’s game.  And we must know that the one who was once a he is now a she and is in a twit over which restroom to use.  And then there is the number one consideration–what A said to Be about C within the golden bowels of the social media world.  With all of these things to deal with, there is no time left for the non-essential things, like Bible study, prayer, etc.  But all is well in churchland where her parishioners will hear their hireling assure them next Sunday that they are all saved, sanctified and born again.  And to show that he is really woke, he lets them go in time to watch the opening kickoff, pitch or center jump of “the game.”  One pastor I knew personally had a t.v. room set up in the church so that, if his sermon went too long, the men could leave the sanctuary and head back to the t.v. room where they could watch the opening play while he finished up.  He died years before his time.  L.J.