Paul gave this instruction to the young evangelist Timothy: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling [rightly dividing, KJV] the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). We need to learn how to handle God’s word accurately in order to be approved before Him.
Old Testament and New Testament
The Bible can be broken down into two major sections – the Old Testament and the New Testament. Understanding the differences between the Old and New Testaments is essential for us to accurately handle the word. Not understanding the differences accounts for much of the difficulty people have in understanding the message contained in the Bible.
The Old Testament was specifically given for the Jewish nation (Romans 3:1-2). The New Testament is intended for all nations. Jesus told His apostles, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). They were to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The Old Testament has been taken out of the way. The New Testament is the law we are now under. The old law “consisting of decrees” was taken “out of the way” and was “nailed…to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). Even the Old Testament pointed toward its removal. Jeremiah prophesied that God would “make a new covenant” with His people (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This prophecy is quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12. In this context, the new covenant was described as “better” (Hebrews 8:6) and the old covenant was “obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13). Since the old law has been taken out of the way, we are now under the new law – the “law of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:21). There will never be another testament or law. This was “once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3).
Limited Use of the Old Testament
Since the old law has been taken out of the way, we cannot go to the Old Testament to find authority for a practice or to establish a rule of law.
Some bind requirements and rules found in the Old Testament upon men today. The same thing happened in the first century. Some were teaching the Gentile Christians, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). Circumcision was a practice that was commanded under the old law (Leviticus 12:1-3). But “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything” (Galatians 5:6). The reason why it did not mean anything was because it was not commanded under the new law. Therefore, no one had a right to teach anyone that they needed to observe the practice.
Some today do this same type of thing with regard to keeping the Sabbath. We see the instruction to the Israelites under the old law: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). We never see this command reinstated in the new law. Yet there are some who insist that we observe the Sabbath, just as the Jewish people were commanded. However, God made it clear that the Sabbath was for the “sons of Israel” (Exodus 31:13-17). It was not intended for all peoples. We cannot take Old Testament laws and bind them upon men today.
Others try to go to the Old Testament to find permission for a practice they wish to engage in when they cannot find any such permission in the New Testament. A common example of this has to do with using instruments of music in worship to God. The New Testament is clear that Christians are to sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), but there is no example of or divine permission granted to the use of instruments of music with our singing.
The argument is often made that instruments were used in the days of the Old Testament. A passage often cited is Psalm 150: “Praise Him with trumpet sound; praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals” (Psalm 150:3-5). But again, we cannot go to the Old Testament to authorize a practice because that law was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14). Some will say that this is from the psalms, not the law. But Jesus quoted from Psalm 35 and referred to the passage as “their Law” (John 15:25). We must not use the Old Testament to justify something for which we find no authority in the New Testament.
To go to the Old Testament for our authority obligates us to keep everything, not just what we choose to keep. The major problem along these lines in the first century had to do with circumcision. Paul told the Galatians, “Every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law” (Galatians 5:3). Will those who want to go back to parts of the Old Testament be willing to do that today? Will they practice the animal sacrifices? Will they enforce the death penalty for numerous offenses? If not, then they need to refrain from using the Old Testament to establish laws and authorize practices in the matter of religion.
What Is the Old Testament Good For?
Sometimes when we teach the things discussed here, we may be accused of not believing the Old Testament. That is simply not true. Paul said, “All Scripture [the Old Testament included] is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Old Testament is not useless. It has been preserved for a reason.
The Old Testament tells us about God. He is unchanging (Malachi 3:6), so what was true about Him in the Old Testament is still true today. We see His power over the universe in creation (Genesis 1; Psalm 19:1-6). We also see His attitude toward sin and righteousness (Deuteronomy 28; Ezekiel 18:20-24).
The Old Testament is also there to point us to Christ. Paul said, “The Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). There are numerous Old Testament prophecies that point to Christ (Genesis 3:15; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; et al.).
Paul spoke of another benefit of the Old Testament Scriptures: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). We can be encouraged by the fact that God is able to see His plan through until completion. The coming of Christ and the scheme of redemption were part of God’s “eternal purpose” (Ephesians 3:11). We can have hope when we see that God is able to reward the faithful. Just as Abraham “obtained the promises” from God (Hebrews 6:15), we can have “a hope both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19) as we also patiently wait for what He has promised us.
We can also use the Old Testament to help define and explain things in the New Testament. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, the text does not say what type of bread was to be used. But we do know that they had “prepared the Passover” (Matthew 26:19). Going to the Old Testament, we see that the only bread they could have used was unleavened bread (Deuteronomy 16:1-4). So we know this is the type of bread used in the Lord’s Supper. We also have Paul’s instruction to dress in “modest apparel” (1 Timothy 2:9). But it is necessary to go to the Old Testament to show what God considers to be immodest or naked (Genesis 3:7-21; Isaiah 47:2-3). This is not going to the Old Testament for law. The law is in the New Testament, but the Old Testament can be used to help define the terms.
Conclusion
We should not desire to go back to the old law. The New Testament contains a “better covenant” (Hebrews 8:6). Salvation by grace is now open to all (Titus 2:11). If salvation were on the basis of keeping the old law, no one would be saved. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). No one kept the Law perfectly other than Jesus. Therefore, we all deserve punishment for our sin (Romans 6:23). Yet God makes salvation available to us by His grace.
The Old Testament, while useful, is not our law today. The New Testament is the law we are answerable to. We will be judged by it (2 Corinthians 5:10). Therefore, we need to be diligent to present ourselves approved to God in this manner.
