Where the Old Testament Ends

Rom. 15:4
    
    Last week I wrote about the “Need to Study the Old Testament.” When studying the Old Testament, a good bible student must know where the authority of the Old Covenant ends. If we are trying to be justified under the Old Covenant, then we put our very souls in danger of being lost (Gal. 5:2-4). This is an important message that must be taken to the world. Many today cling to sections of the Old Law, but fail to recognize that if you keep part of it, you are under obligation to keep the entire thing (Gal. 5:3). Peter warned the church in Jerusalem, especially the judaizers, of this mistake. He tells them, through rhetorical questioning, that requiring parts of the Old Covenant is dangerous because they nor their fathers had been able to keep all of the commands found in the Old Testament (Acts 15:1-10). So back to the title of the article, where does the Old Testament end? The answer is quite simple. At the cross of Christ. Paul instructs the church in Rome of the same thing. He told them they “were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ” (Rom. 7:1-6). In Col. 2:14 Paul tells the church there that Christ had taken the Old Testament out of the way, “having nailed it to the cross” (Col. 2:11-14). Lastly, the Hebrew writer makes the same distinction telling us that a covenant, or law, is only valid when the one who made it dies (Heb. 9:15-22). This makes Jesus’ statement in the sermon on the mount so much clearer. “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill” (Matt. 5:17). He did indeed fulfill all the messianic prophecies and put a new and better law in the place of the old law (Heb 8:1-7). I love you all!

In His service,
Steven Hugley