Church: Use of Old Testament Scriptures
I. The New Testament -- The Sole Rule of Faith and Practice:
1. Review briefly Lesson VIII (Art. 2, 3 and 6).
2. The New Testament fulfills and supercedes the Old Testament.
II. Old Testament Scriptures Cannot be Recognized as Authoritative Today:
1. Old Covenant taken out of the way:
a. Eph. 2:1 1-16 -- Old law destroyed that Gentile and Jew might be brought together in Christ.
b. Col. 2: 14-17 -- Not to be condemned for not keeping the old law.
c. Rom. 731-6 —- Made dead to the law that they might be married to Christ.
2. Christ the mediator of a New Covenant under which we live today (Heb. 8:6-13).
a. Heb. 7: 12 -- Law changed with Priesthood.
b. Heb. 7:18-22 -- Christ, the surety of a better covenant.
c. Heb. 10: 1-10 -- Imperfections of Old erased by New Covenant.
d. Heb. 9:15-17 -- New Covenant made effective after death of Christ.
e. Gal. 5: 1-4 -- To seek to justify ourselves in anything by Old Covenant is disastrous.
III. How Should Scriptures of Old Testament be Used?
1. As evidence of divinity of Christ (Jn. 1:45; Acts 2:22-34; Lk. 24:44; Acts 10:43; Jn. 5:39).
2. Exemplifying principles of righteousness (Heb. 12:1-2); Witnesses here mentioned had been
discussed in Heb. 11.
a. Faith, example of Abraham.
b. Patience, example of Job.
c. Courage, Elijah at Mt. Cannel.
d. Obedience, failure of Saul (I Sam. 15:13-23).
3. To give us hope (Rom. 15:4; 1 Kings 8:56; Josh. 23:14).
4. To wam us of consequences of disobedience (Heb. 2: 1-4; Heb. 10:26-31; I Cor. 10:1-13).
Conclusion:
From Old Testament Scriptures we learn two lessons of supreme practical importance to us today:
1. God always rewarded and blessed those who obeyed Him.
2. God condemned and punished those who were disobedient.
From a study of these four thousand years of history in the Old Testament Scriptures we see that God‘s word is steadfast and we cannot afford to trifle therewith.
Questions for Discussion:
1. What lessons are learned on faith and practice (Lesson VIII, Art. 1, 2, 3, 6)?
2. Why is the Old Testament not authoritative today in directing the course of Christians?
a. Why was it abolished?
b. Why is one not condemned for not adhering to its teaching?
c. Through whom was it made dead to Christians?
d. Why was the law changed?
e. When was the change made effective?
f. What of those who seek justification by the law?
3. Why should the Old Testament be studied?
4. What lessons are learned on obedience and disobedience in the Old Testament?