Bible Study How important is the old testament?

[TheScarletPimpernel]

Hi,

I was wondering how important people think the old Testament is to Christians.

Is it:

1)Not important at all
2)Sort of important - worth a look at
3)It's important to me
4)I read a lot of old testament and my church expects me to know it.
5)I read nothing else except old testament. It's that important.

Thank you for your responses!

 

[PHIL121]

It's impossible to understand the New Testament without understanding the Old.

You can't even understand why Jesus is Messiah without reading it.

 

[cly]

It's impossible to understand the New Testament without understanding the Old.

You can't even understand why Jesus is Messiah without reading it.

I agree. What's more is, there are many highly important truths to be learned in the Old Testament. Not to mention things like Creation of the Universe and the history of the Jews. I know there are many differences in Jewish and Christian beliefs, but Christianity has its roots in the Jewish religion. I think it's very important to know the Old Testament for those and many other reasons.

 

[ddubsolo85]

I once heard someone say, "The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed."

God Bless!

 

[Blazin Bones]

I can't vote honestly in this one. I'm stuck some where in the middle of the last two. It's not the only thing you should read, but it is ertainly something a Christian should now. 8-)

 

[Brother Ian]

There are many New Testament books that are very difficult to understand without the Old Testament. For example, you need to stud Daniel before you even think about studying Revelation.

The OT lays the foundation for the NT. There are huge doctrinal issues that are dealt with in the OT. Creation, Christ, prophesy, and on and on.

Its as equally important as the NT.

 

[Brother Ian]

There are many New Testament books that are very difficult to understand without the Old Testament. For example, you need to study Daniel before you even think about studying Revelation.

The OT lays the foundation for the NT. There are huge doctrinal issues that are dealt with in the OT. Creation, Christ, prophesy, and on and on.

Its as equally important as the NT.

 

[Heidi]

Hi,

I was wondering how important people think the old Testament is to Christians.

Is it:

1)Not important at all
2)Sort of important - worth a look at
3)It's important to me
4)I read a lot of old testament and my church expects me to know it.
5)I read nothing else except old testament. It's that important.

Thank you for your responses!

Actually, it's just as important as the NT because it is the Word of God. It prophecies the messiah and makes the NT all come together. But one should read the NT first because Jesus says we have one teacher and that is the Christ. Therefore, one has to know the NT and paritcularly Christ's words, to understand the OT.

 

[Imagican]

As I have come to understand it, the Bible is like a beautiful intricate puzzle. As we learn and grow in the Word, this is like finding pieces of this puzzle that match up perfectly. As we find more and more matching pieces, we begin to get a glimpse of the 'whole picture'.

The OT is certainly a major part of the puzzle and intricately woven into the 'whole picture'.

We certainly need the OT for the completed picture to be revealed.

 

[MrVersatile48]

Great posts, 1 & all!

In my 4 years of imaginative involvement @ various 'Net discussion forums, I have never read a threaad that has thrilled & encouraged me so much :-D

Y? :roll:


- for several reasons.. :


As a grad of 2 Bible Colleges... :bday:

son of a Bible College mum.. :angel:

& a lay preacher dad.. :roll:

who knew his Bible even better than she did - (less distractions, as he was deaf!)... 8-)

but chiefly thru 40 yrs' experience of creative evangelism, that has found "precept upon precept & line upon line" - something fresh & relevant for each day - to be the most fruitfful way to go!..

Thinks..

did I mention the power of story in such post-modern times?? :x

That's another story, eh?? :-D [/i]

God bless!

Ian

 

[Darrell dunn]

As Imagican has said the whole bible is a intricate puzzle.

It is a written picture of the Lord, and without the OT we only have part of the picture.

 

[J6o7h8n3]

My friend once told me that the Old Testament is the cake and the New Testament is the Icing. I believe the Old Testament is important.

 

[Lewis]

All of the Bible is important. The Old Testament is very, very, very ,very important, and if you are one of those Christians who just read the New Testament, because there are those who do that, because I know some. You are in error. And also pssst psssst' come here let me tell you a secret, Jesus is in the Old Testament too, don't tell nobody that I told you, shhhhhh.

 

[BJGrolle]

The OT can be difficult to understand, but a Bible study plan where you read part of the OT and NT each day helps quite a bit.

To me, the OT reveals a great deal about God, His desires for us, His plans for us, His motivations, etc. I don't know how one can fully understand God without the insights given in the OT.

 

[BJGrolle]

My apologies, I probably shouldn't have said "fully", because I'm not sure it's possible for us to "fully" understand God, at least not while here on earth.

 

[Relic]

.

What kind of a question is that? :smt119

Of course it IS important.



Why would anyone think it to not be important? :smt064
That would be like asking this:
Is only half of your brain important to the rest of your body? :o

The Torah and many of the old testament books, are what Jesus Read.

The Old Testament books describe Jesus and His coming! The Old testament books clearly tie in with the Book of Revelation. You cannot understand the book of Revelation without studying the books of Ezekiel and Daniel let alone the others. :-? So yes! the whole Old Testament books are VERY IMPORTANT. That goes without question!

I wonder.... Honestly, :-? I can't imagine why anyone would even ask such a question concerning the Old Testament. It is as important as your oxygen is to your lungs. You cannot clearly understand the New Testament without studying the Old Testament. How would you even know half of what Jesus was talking about in his many references to the Torah and the books of the Prophets if you don't study the Old testament? Answer.... You would not!

Would you even know who Esaias is ( http://www.studylight.org/cgi-bin/Lexicon.pl?id=2268g.rm ) if you didn't study the old testament because you didn't consider it important enough to study?


Here are a just a few good answers to why we should study the Old Testament.
http://www.gotquestions.org/old-testament.html

There are plenty more articles and even books on the subject of why the Old Testament is important. All one need do (these days) is a google search on the internet and you will find plenty of useful information on the subject.

If you know what's good for you, STUDY THE OLD TESTAMENT and study it real good!

The bible takes a lifetime to learn all that is in it. God reveals to those that draw near to him.

Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

If you want to be ignorant as to what the Good Will of God is for us all, then ignore the old testament! Especially the book of Psalms which teaches us how to pray, to praise and to worship our Lord God. And oh, the book of Proverbs.... who wants to demean that and say it is not important? The book of Proverbs is a book that teaches virtue and integrity, let alone wisdom in daily living! Oh and what about the other 37 books? They are as important as the rest, even the books of the minor prophets!
The Old testament calls out to man to repent and look to God! It clearly shows how man is vulnerable and destructive without the love of God in them. It teaches about the whiles of the devil, how cunning and slick the spirit of the devil really is. How man might tend towards thinking his will is better than that of the HOLY God who created him, how man is so stupid to not rely on the Holy Good and Pure Will of God which saves us from sins and walking the crooked path! The Old testament defines the difference between good and evil, and how the spirit of it corrupts man, it describes the will of man what happens when he is inconsiderate of the Righteousness of God, clearly! The Old Testament teaches how history repeats itself. And Oh, the intricate truths about science and mathmatics are revealed in the Old Testament! So why even bother to ask is the Old testament important? Run from anyone who thinks it is not!

Oh, and.....