God does not change. His will and His character do not change from one testament to the other. As Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Regarding the authority of the Old Testament, Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
The Law accomplished its purpose of demonstrating God’s holiness and our guilt, pointing to Jesus as the atonement for our sins. His sacrifice on the Cross set us free from the curse of failure and made grace through faith the way back to Him. He did not, however, throw out the Old Testament as the expressed heart and will of the Father. In chapter 1, verse 17 of his gospel, John writes, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” But we know from Scripture that there is grace throughout the Old Testament.
It simply came into its fullness through Jesus. So, grace was neither inaugurated nor instituted with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was rather “revealed” and “realized” (see the NASB). It existed in the heart of God and His dealings with His people from eternity. Grace expresses who God was, is, and always will be.
Furthermore, Paul, the teacher and affirmer of grace, wrote in Second Timothy 3:16-17 that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” By “all scripture,” Paul must be referencing the Old Testament; the New Testament had not been written yet.
He is clearly affirming the value of the Old Testament in equipping saints for life and ministry. In this context, we must affirm the validity of the Old Testament and its agreement with the New Testament even as we discuss something apparently as controversial as “New Covenant judgment.”
To believe and proclaim that the God of the New Testament is not the same God as the God of the Old Testament is a grave doctrinal error with sobering consequences. In fact, the New Testament identifies three groups of people who are or will experience God’s judgment—unbelievers, pretenders to the faith, and believers.
Blest be the name of the Lord.
My name is Cesar and I’m a Voice in The Desert
#avoiceinthedesert
#unavozeneldesierto
www.mywalkwithmycreator.com
The Law accomplished its purpose of demonstrating God’s holiness and our guilt, pointing to Jesus as the atonement for our sins. His sacrifice on the Cross set us free from the curse of failure and made grace through faith the way back to Him. He did not, however, throw out the Old Testament as the expressed heart and will of the Father. In chapter 1, verse 17 of his gospel, John writes, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” But we know from Scripture that there is grace throughout the Old Testament.
It simply came into its fullness through Jesus. So, grace was neither inaugurated nor instituted with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was rather “revealed” and “realized” (see the NASB). It existed in the heart of God and His dealings with His people from eternity. Grace expresses who God was, is, and always will be.
Furthermore, Paul, the teacher and affirmer of grace, wrote in Second Timothy 3:16-17 that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” By “all scripture,” Paul must be referencing the Old Testament; the New Testament had not been written yet.
He is clearly affirming the value of the Old Testament in equipping saints for life and ministry. In this context, we must affirm the validity of the Old Testament and its agreement with the New Testament even as we discuss something apparently as controversial as “New Covenant judgment.”
To believe and proclaim that the God of the New Testament is not the same God as the God of the Old Testament is a grave doctrinal error with sobering consequences. In fact, the New Testament identifies three groups of people who are or will experience God’s judgment—unbelievers, pretenders to the faith, and believers.
Blest be the name of the Lord.
My name is Cesar and I’m a Voice in The Desert
#avoiceinthedesert
#unavozeneldesierto
www.mywalkwithmycreator.com
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