Old Testament/New Testament

[Charlies Angel]

Most of you know I'm new at reading the Bible & I've got so many questions that I don't even know where to start!First) Is the Old Testament relevent to the time we are currently living in? Should we live by the ways of those days & in Lev. should we not eat the foods it list? As a new comer should I be more concerned with the New Testament or should I live by both books?Second) Jesus died on the cross to save the ones born after Him but what happened to Adam, Eve, Cain and all of the people in the Old Testament that didn't live a sinless life? Are the in Heaven or Hell? How does that work???Third) Did God know that Adam and Eve were going sin against him? Did God know that we would be where we are today and did he know He would have to send Jesus to save us? Was it planned out?Thanks for any answers...just trying to consume all of this knowledge of something so great and powerful.

 

[Jackie D]

First) Is the Old Testament relevent to the time we are currently living in? Should we live by the ways of those days & in Lev. should we not eat the foods it list? As a new comer should I be more concerned with the New Testament or should I live by both books?
Many will argue that the Old testament is not as relevant as the New Testament. I disagree simply because God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. However, Christ did come to do away with sacrifice of sins to atone. Therefore the ritual of animal sacrifice no longer is necessary. We still sacrifice and Christ taught us what our sacrifice is and should be(openly explained in the gospels).So to answer your question both books are very important and should be paid attention to. The OT is prelude to the miracles of Christ in the flesh. There is much in the OT that points to Christ, the types of Christ through key players and prophecy of His birth, life, death and resurrection. As for living as the Law in OT explains, I believe that the Sabbath should be recognized and observed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. I believe that we should not eat blood, that women and men should not have intercourse during the woman's menstration. I believe that shell fish should not be eaten and I believe that pork is unclean. I believe that homosexuality is as much an abomination to the Lord today as it was then. I believe that the 10 commandments are applicable today. And that when Christ said that the two commandments, love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and to love your neighbor as you love yourself, the law and the prophets hang on those two commandments, He was not throwing out the other 8 commandments but explaining that love will drive us to keep the other 8. For if we love as we should we would not commit those sins. These are my beliefs and my practices. They do not come from any church or denomination. I have never belonged to any church therefore, do not live by doctrine born of man. They come from a walk with the Lord and seeking an understanding through much reading, prayer and listening. I know I didn't answer question 2 but that is because I cannot. I cannot tell you where or what happened to those who did not believe before Christ came because I am unable to judge the souls of others. Question 3 is really answered through careful and thorough reading of both the OT and the NT. Let the Lord guide you. Be blessed

 

[jtartar]

(Charlies Angel;50816)
Most of you know I'm new at reading the Bible & I've got so many questions that I don't even know where to start!First) Is the Old Testament relevent to the time we are currently living in? Should we live by the ways of those days & in Lev. should we not eat the foods it list? As a new comer should I be more concerned with the New Testament or should I live by both books?Second) Jesus died on the cross to save the ones born after Him but what happened to Adam, Eve, Cain and all of the people in the Old Testament that didn't live a sinless life? Are the in Heaven or Hell? How does that work???Third) Did God know that Adam and Eve were going sin against him? Did God know that we would be where we are today and did he know He would have to send Jesus to save us? Was it planned out?Thanks for any answers...just trying to consume all of this knowledge of something so great and powerful.
Charlies Angel, You have asked some profound questions. Please look up what I am telling you, to make sure what I say is what the Bible says. First, about the Old and New Testaments. The Hebrew Scriptures were mainly about the fleshly Jews. The Hebrew Scriptures are also a key to help us to understand much of the Greek Scriptures. The Mosaic Law Covenant is now obsolete, with the death of Jesus, Col 2:13,14, Heb 8:13. Christians are not under the Mosaic Law Covenant. Under the Mosaic Law, homosexual behavior was to be punished by death, Lev 20:13. Since we are not under the mosaic Law Covenant, we are to obey things that were reiterated, which things that are also under the New Covenant that Jesus instituted on the night before his death, at the Lords Supper, Luke 22:19,20, Heb 8:6-13. Some of the things mentiioned in the Old Covenant are reiterated in the New Covenant. One of the things mentioned again is the prohibition on homosexual behavior, 1Cor 6:9,10, 1Tim 1:9,10, Rom 1:26-28,32. Many say that people are born homosexual. This is not true!! If it were true that a person could not help himself, God would not have condemned homosexual behavior. There have been may who have changed to heterosexualality.

 

[Learning]

I believe that the laws set forth in the Old Testament still apply and yet the way we seek forgiveness has changed.