Dear Editor,
I feel sadness when a church preaches mostly from the New Testament and ignores the Old. So I was pleased to read the article by Glen Scrivener in the September issue of
en on teaching from the Old Testament.
He gives examples of stories in the Bible which mirror life today. But I feel it is important that we do not take a passage out of context. The Old Testament is the foundation of our faith. The doctrines of Creation, Covenant, Law and worship lead on to the New Testament teaching on salvation through faith in Christ.
Also when applying Old Testament passages to life today, we must remember that there are two important differences between the teaching of the Old Testament and that of the New. The Old Testament spoke to Israel as a nation. They were blessed or cursed as a nation. And these blessings or curses were in this life. But in the New Testament, each person has to come to faith in Christ personally. We are judged for our sins, not for those of others. And this judgment is after death. In fact a Christian is told that suffering and persecution is to be expected in this life.
Therefore, we must consider what changes must be made if a passage is directed to the nation of Israel, and realise that when good things are promised they may not be in this life. May God raise up more who will faithfully teach from both Old and New Testaments.
Yours sincerely,
Roland Morriss Rossendale, Lancs
