Freedom is Good News Part 127

I have heard some people say the Old Testament has been done away with.  Making a statement like that, puts an individual on very shaky ground!!  Last week we took a look at a couple of statements Paul wrote to his young assistant, Timothy.  Let’s take a closer look at them.

In his first letter we find this admonition, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.” (1 Tim. 4:13)  What scripture did Timothy have to read and teach from?  At the time of this letter, the only scripture available to Timothy was the manuscript (or series of scrolls) we call the Old Testament – the New Testament had not yet been penned.  Timothy was to read, preach and teach the Old Testament, or as Jesus called it, “the law and the prophets”.

Are you familiar with the books from Genesis through Malachi?  Jesus certainly was; and so was Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter and James.  Over and over, these men quoted from them; they understood them; they taught from them – Jesus said, at one point, that they were the words of life (Matt. 4:4) and when He said this He was quoting from the book of Deuteronomy 8:3, “(God) humbled you (Israel) causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Jesus used these words when Satan was tempting Him to turn some stones into bread.  In Matthew 4:4-10 Jesus quoted words from “the Law” each time Satan posed a temptation, “Jesus answered him, ‘it is also written: You shall not put the LORD your God to the test’” (Deut. 6:16); and finally, “Away from me Satan!  For it is written: Worship the LORD your God and serve Him only.’” (Deut. 6:13)

I believe I have indicated in the past that the bible may be compared to a jig-saw puzzle.  God wants us to read, to think, to meditate and so to put together an understanding of His true plan for mankind.  But if we toss out three quarters of the puzzle, we have a very skewed; yes a very incomplete picture.  The Old Testament is an integral part of the picture God wants us to see.  And now we come to the second quote mentioned in last week’s article, “But as for you, Timothy, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:14-17)  

Here, Paul calls the Old Testament “the sacred writings” and also tells us that they are able to make one wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  Let me end here by stating that salvation is significant to the good news we seek!!