Did you know that some Christians read the Bible but not the Old Testament? In one corner of the room, we have those who keep wanting to try and follow the laws of the Old Testament, while the other corner doesn’t like to acknowledge the Old Testament as vital to Christianity.

St. Augustine once said, “In the Old Testament the New is concealed, in the New the Old is revealed.” What do you have if you take either the “new” or the “old” out? An incomplete book and where there is an unfinished book, there will be misunderstanding and confusion. Thus, what Augustine meant is you cannot have one without the other.

While there are many reasons people prefer the Old Testament over the New, or vice-versa, God is the same in both. God is no more angry or wrathful in the Old Testament than in the New. The ministry message is the same, and although we don’t follow the laws of the Old Testament, we follow the moral laws and tenets of the faith. One such idea is found here in Leviticus 18:3.

You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.

Leviticus 18:3 (NIV)

Although the Israelites weren’t “born again” as we who are in Christ. They were, in a sense, born again. They were once slaves in Egypt, and as slaves, they had to do what their masters told them to do. As Christians, we were once slaves to sin, bound to do what our master, sin, told us to do. Hence, the metaphor we use for Egypt is the world and the place where we used to live. In Leviticus 18:6-23 there’s a list of things the Israelites weren’t told to do. Verses 26-27 tell us why the Israelites weren’t to do those things.

But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled.

Leviticus 18:26-27 (NIV)

The Israelites weren’t to do things because the people who used to live in the land did them and were paying the price for what they did.

When I think of Leviticus 18:3 and not doing as they do in Egypt. I think of Romans 12:2.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

Essentially, that’s what we see in Leviticus 18:3. A warning not to conform to the pattern of the world. As Christians, we aren’t to conform to the world. We’re not to turn back to Egypt and live as we once did. Even being transformed by renewing our minds reflects turning away from sinful debasing things and thinking about noble and pure things.

The most compelling reasons to read Old Testament and the New come from verses like these.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Luke 24:27 (NIV)

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus encountered two depressed disciples mourning his death. The disciples didn’t recognize Jesus, but he explained everything Scripture said about him from the Old Testament. It wasn’t like Jesus said, let’s turn to Mark and see what he wrote about me. We see something similar with Philip and the Eunuch from Acts 8:31-34.

After the Eunuch read from Isaiah 53:7-8, we are given this insight into how Philip presented the Gospel message to him.

Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

Acts 8:35 (NIV)

Again, Philip didn’t read anything from the New Testament to convince the Eunuch. In fact, no one who was saved in the first two hundred years after Christ’s glorification was saved by reading the New Testament as we know it.

Therefore, anyone who turns from the Old Testament to focus only on the New is not only missing out on the very foundation of Christianity, they’re missing out on the wonder that is Christ Jesus, our Lord, and of God, the Father who planned our salvation before the first word of Genesis was ever written. Without those roots, it will be easy to topple when the winds blow against their faith!

Do you know God? God knows you, and he loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, and he wants you to know him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, freed from death, and live eternally with him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away.

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe that you died on the cross, were buried, and on the third day, God the Father raised you from the dead. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart and receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.

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