Did i hear right?

[Deborah_]

I've met a lot of individual Christians who never read the Old Testament - because it's "too difficult", or "too gory", or "irrelevant". I've never come across a church that avoided it as a matter of policy - but I'm sure there are many preachers who don't preach on the OT because the NT just seems so much easier and more accessible.

[Justin Adams]

The New testament is a commentary on the Tanach. You have to know BOTH to get any real understanding.

[Neighbor]

7 hours ago, other one said:

I grew up within the CoC…    what I was taught from birth to about 17 years of age was that when Jesus died and was resurrected he completely fulfilled the Old Testament.  They do believe that the OT is God inspired but is basically a history book explaining where and why Jesus came.    John is correct that they focus only on the New Testament for salvation and as to how we should live and how our relationship with the Lord should lead us.    They also believe they are the only church.

I am not aware of others that focus that heavily on the NT.    If they were not CoC it would be interesting to know about...

Hi, I attended a CoC for almost two years and was in a home study group too. They had no problem with the OT, in fact went through it  verse by verse, week after week. What they did not do was read the Book of Revelation in church. They Just skipped it altogether and returned back to reading Genesis after Jude. That's when I left. I did ask why not the Book of Revelation? The response was, it cannot be read  without reading Daniel at the same time and there is no way to do that in church  going verse by verse.  "Say what?" ??? was my response to that one.

In the home group I found that  it is considered inconvenient to try to  understand revelation because their calendar of events does not fit it well at all. Seems they are in the millennium now, Satan is bound, and so on. Got way too much for me and I left though I do love them as brothers and sisters in the Lord. They are some of the kindest  I have met.

--------------

NT only:

Included in some of the New Testament only groups of worshippers are some of those that promote the "replacement theology" theory. There is an excellent update on this heresy ( my choice of word) at June 2019's Levitt letter

See https://www.levitt.com/wp-content/uploads/LL-2019-06.pdf 

 

When Zola was still with us teaching he fought a strong battle against this seriously flawed teaching that had become part of textbooks used in multiple seminaries.

See https://old.levitt.com/newsletters/1998-08.html

 

I am aware having been close to some that adhere to it that this heresy is found in some churches that avoid the OT altogether, dismissing it with  basically a statement that declares we are the true Jews.

Further, they may go into a splitting of the twelve tribes as history to justify themselves being the lost tribes. There are several which I will call really whacky  congregations around my own locale.

They also love to tie in appreciation of unicorns especially crystal ones, yes unicorns, and private militia groups. Seems they declare that we will be attacked, "they" the attackers are coming from the South and we won't be able to hold "them " off until the Georgia border, so there are rallies and camp meets where practice maneuvers go on. It gets very weird, but to them it is reality.  And as the true church the real or replacement Jews the lost tribes they will prevail.

Go to a carnival or fair or craft met, if you see a display of unicorns for sale and admire them you might be asked do you know why you like these unicorns? and then you will be told because you are one of the lost tribes members and the recruitment presentation is on....

 

Not all are so silly a presentation of course, but this is real.  And so is replacement theology which is a real threat placed deep within some if not many Christian ministry preparation education facilities (seminary).

 I do believe that these errant textbook teachings lead up to whole denomination leadership committees eventually promoting serious anti Israel campaigns, boycotts of companies that have ties to Israel  and so on.

 

Without the basis  the OT, there is no reason for Jesus, Christianity loses it's foundation and Jesus stands upon nothing. Which is the goal of the evil one.

 

[JohnD]

10 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

Years ago, when I was finally ready to dive in to the OT, I figured, “Man , THIS is going to be chore !

What a surprise it turned out to be! I was always pleasantly surprised to see how much of the  NT was in- folded into the Old Covenant. Some have the mistaken idea that the God of the Old Testament is that “Mean Old Man in the Sky”. A complete lie. I was AMAZED to see God’s Love, His Mercy ,But what really stood out was His Long-Suffering.How He can put up with His Creation is beyond me.I am just glad He does. 

So true.

Most are shocked to discover that the God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New: Jesus. 

Or God the Word (preincarnate).

Exodus 3:13–15 (AV)
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

John 8:58–59 (AV)
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

This wasn't just a membership passage as if to say "I AM among those who are the one God..." this is to say I AM the God who's been dealing with humanity all along.

The Father (1 John 1:1-2) and the Spirit (Genesis 1:1-2) were always there of course... but the God of the Old Testament is Jesus preincarnate.

John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:13-16, Hebrews 1:1-2, ISAIAH 44:24, Genesis 1:1. The one in the Godhead who created all things created in the beginning alone / by himself is God the Word:

John 1:14 (AV)
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

This verse also points out that the human body of Jesus is the ONLY creation of the Father...

Hebrews 10:5 (AV)
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Hebrews 1:5 (AV)
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

...which did not occur until his holy embryo was planted in the virgin womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit

Matthew 1:18–20 (AV)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Here's where I tend to get into hot water for suggesting this...  Jesus is the Last / Second ADAM (which means prototype).

1 Corinthians 15:45.

{More later... the point is all of this was set up by the Law / Old Testament for qualification for Christ's Messianic Office, without the Old Covenant, there is no criteria}

 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by JohnD

[OneLight]

What I find as even scarier are those who neglect all the bible except the words of Jesus.

[johnthebaptist]

20 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

Someone i know from a different church said they 'do not use the Old Testament'. 

What? I did not get a chance to discuss this matter with this person fully yet. I find this notion incredible! Are there really churches that only use the New Testament?  Why? 

I think some people don't like the Old Testament. They think Jesus freed them from any requirements of the Old Testament. The Old Testament has a wealth of information that aides in our spiritual development.

[Guest]

Well, the principle is you cannot just ignore and cut out what you don't fancy in the Bible! 

I'm reading about a character called Marcion in the 2nd century A.D. He decided to cut out and edit large sections. Rejected OT completely. He was a powerful nan but so arrogant and misguided. Eventually got ex-communicated. Amazing behaviour!

My view is you cannot mess with the inspired Word of God. Must never. 

 

[Guest]

My view is simple. The whole Bible or nothing. 

I believe the whole Bible is truth and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

[ReneeIW]

55 minutes ago, Melinda12 said:

The whole Bible or nothing. 

For centuries Christians didn’t have the whole Bible. Anyway, I’ve never heard of a church avoiding every book of the Old Testament.  I don’t know any Christian that can go their whole life without reading from the Psalms or Proverbs. 

[Dennis1209]

22 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

Someone i know from a different church said they 'do not use the Old Testament'. 

What? I did not get a chance to discuss this matter with this person fully yet. I find this notion incredible! Are there really churches that only use the New Testament?  Why? 

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed ~ Augustine

Most of us know our Bible is one book that answers all our questions, and fits perfectly together better than a glove. I've heard of some churches that stick only to the New Testament and that's wonderful for Salvation; but one can not get the big picture if you will, on how everything perfectly fits together from creation to the unveiling of Jesus Christ, and everything in between.