Hey Gang, Guess what! This will be a quick one to read today. Actually I have no big revelation to share, no mini-sermon or any of that. (and the crowd erupts) Instead today I am going to give you two verses state a small observation then ask you a question. Please feel free to respond.
2 Timothy 3:14 – 17 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Galations 1:6- 10 6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
There ya have the verses. Now Paul is speaking in both instances. The first saying ALL SCRIPTURE. Obviously 2 Timothy is not scripture according to Paul because it is the letter he is currently writing. In Galations Paul says “If any Angel or Man preach any other Gospel” In which he is simply saying preach any other message than that of salvation through Christ. (Which they proved through the “Scriptures”) Whenever they talk about “Scripture” in the new testament they clearly are not talking about the “New Testament” because it is in the process of being written by them. They don’t consider their writing “Holy Writings” They simply consider them letters. With that in mind paying special attention to the 2 Timothy passage verses 16 & 17 here is my question.
Do we put too much weight on the New Testament and not enough in the Old? (Especially the part known as the Torah, Genesis through Deuteronomy)
Note: this has nothing to do with living according to the Law. It has everything to do with getting our understanding of Salvation and embracing the gift given to us.
Give me your thoughts and of course as always Have a great week and lets Live it “UPSIDE DOWN!
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ReplyDeleteThe “Old Testament” is the foundation on which the “New Testament” was laid. The writers of the New Testament would build their points off of the depths and the context of the Old. Thought I will say the New Testament is a Gateway of gentile believers to connect with it’s Jewish roots in the Old. I think our skipping the Old Testament is a blatant “time saver” technique, which is bad news.
Viewing the new testament without the foundation of the old is like flying over a building without ever going inside.
I don't think we can say with certainty that Paul did not consider his letters to be Scripture. He was, after all, an apostle, hand chosen by Christ to convey what before had been mystery, that Jew and Gentile alike would form the "church". Peter referenced Paul's letters as Scripture in 2 Peter 3:15-16. He wrote with authority--his expectation was that the hearers would follow the instructions of his letters.
ReplyDeleteThat said, what we see in the New Testament is an explanation of the Old. This is sometimes called by those theologian types as progressive revelation. It implies that God is patient, and willing for his people through history to learn a little by little who he is. Indeed, we'll spend all of eternity learning this. We can think of the New Testament, especially the Epistles, as kind of a quick reference guide to what God wants us to know today. But we shouldn't stop there. Depth of understanding is added to the principles expressed in the NT by the examples of the OT.
As to your particular question, who is the "we?" If you are talking about Evangelical Christianity in America, or in particular the mega church movement, my opinion would be that the entire scripture is under-utilized, oversimplified, and often yanked out of context.
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ReplyDeleteVery interesting feedback. I of course knew Paul and the other Apostles wrote expecting their readers to follow but had viewed that more as if I am writing a letter to someone I am mentoring. The thought that they were writing with a viewpoint that all believers would be following their writings until the return of Christ brings their understanding of their personal Authority to a new level.
ReplyDeleteYour final statement is what I am struggling with. Not what you said I agree with that wholeheartedly. If we realize the scripture is underutilized and yanked out of context and we understand the dangers and plain & simple consequences of such actions. Why do we sit by so complacently and allow it to happen?