Dear Pastor and People,
I am the pastor of a wonderful, growing, and thriving church. However, we have a situation that I would like some advice on. We have an occasional visitor that interrupts anytime, anything about the Old Testament is being spoken of as a reference, or support chapter. He claims that reading anything from the OT is wrong since Christians are no longer under the law. He only wants to hear about the NT.
As any pastor knows that we should never add nor subtract from the word of God, we have mentioned this to him but he rejects the OT so much that he is in some frame of mind that does not seem Godly. We are not sure where he got this from but it is surely interrupting our ministry and we are praying for him. I was wondering if you might pray about this matter and send us any advice on how to address this matter without hurting this man since he claims he was offended and rejected from his previous Pastor. He even refuses to accept the matter of tithing and only accepts the word offering. Please advise.
Scott G.
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Dear Scott,
Thank you so much for visiting Pastor and People and asking such a good question.
A careful study of the Greek phrase (logos theou, “The Word of God”) finds over forty uses in the New Testament. It is equated with the Old Testament in Mark 7:13. It is what Jesus preached (Luke 5:1). It was the message the apostles taught (Acts 4:31 and 6:2). It was the word the Samaritans received (Acts 8:14) as given by the apostles (Acts 8:25). Paul acknowledged that it was the source of his preaching (Col 1:25; 1 Thess 2:13). In other words, your husband as a preacher of the “whole counsel of God,” must include in his preaching the Old Testament. There is absolutely no way around this.
The Old Testament is biblical history and biblical history is not an objective reporting of purely human events. It is an impassioned account of God’s acts in history as He works in the world to save his people. The OT is theological, prophetic and historical and should be preached in through this framework. The study of the OT is for the purpose of bridging a gap between the Old and New. A primary text encouraging such an approach is found int he gospel of Luke. In his post-resurrection appearance to two unnamed disciples, Jesus remarks, properly, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Lk 24:25-27). Then again to the broader circle of disciples Jesus said, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (v. 44). It is therefore evident that in both cases Christ was speaking of the entire Old Testament. In other words, the OT does not simply provide proof texts for the coming Messiah. Its major themes point forward to Christ’s coming suffering and glory and therefore must be including in preaching. I could go on with biblical evidence for OT preaching but I will address your visitor at hand.
It sounds to me as if he does not understand the Bible with a historical and theological perspective. The Apostle Paul said he could not know his sin unless it was for the Law. If we do away with the Law we have no sin. I understand your desire to minister to this man but he must subject himself to the teaching of the Word of God, Old Testament and New, if he is to be apart of your fellowship. I would pray first and foremost that he is a Christian. Please remember as you strive to minister to him that he cannot hinder your husband from preaching the “whole counsel of God” or deprive the other members from hearing the “whole counsel of God.” Do not let him be a hindrance to the church and cause division among the other members. If he is not willing to be taught and shown the importance of the OT then the problem goes deeper than him simply disagreeing the OT. The problem stems from his view about the Bible as a whole.
Be assured of my prayer for this man and I hope this advice, what little it is, helps in some way. Please keep me updated on this situation.
Dustin Benge
Filed under: Bible Study, Letters from a Pastor, Old Testament, Pastors, Preaching
Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament
An Old Testament Theology: A Canonical and Thematic Approach
Eschatology of the Old Testament
Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch
Old Testament Commentary Survey
An Introduction to the Old Testament
