|
I love the Old Testament. I enjoy
reading about different people. I could never understand why
everyone spends so much time in the New Testament. I always
thought I loved the Old Testament because I really love history
but now I know there is a different reason.
I love the Old Testament because I
believe in reputation. My reputation has always been important
to me. I have never needed approval from others but I have
always desired respect.
All my life I have guarded my
reputation. My reputation defined me. Some people want to have
the reputation of being a person of common sense, being a hard
worker, or being a consonant professional. The reputation that I
guarded with tenacity was my integrity.
In the Old Testament we are given the
privilege of knowing God’s reputation. If we only had the New
Testament we would not know God in such great detail.
We would not know:
1. He created the universe with calculated detail.
2. He preformed miracles of incredible portion when He delivered
the Jewish nation from Egypt.
3. Why Jesus had to die and be the sacrifice for our sins.
4. The extent of His patients and longsuffering when it comes to
sin.
5. About His jealousy and love for us.
6. How to reach the heart of God.
7. The God of Abraham.
The New Testament gives us the new
covenant relationship with God but why would we want to know God
if we did not have the Old Testament to show us who God is. The
last book of the Old Testament connects the two with this one
scripture. This is my husband’s favorite verse.
Malachi 3:6a "I the LORD do not change.”
We enter a relationship with God in
the New Testament which is different from the Old Testament but
the God portrayed in all the books of the Bible is the same.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son
. . .” John 3:16. Why would God love the world?
1. Because He created the world
2. Because He loved us from the beginning when He created us
3. Because He is LOVE
My husband reminds me that when we are
saved we are only exposed to the New Testament and the life of
Jesus Christ and the way of salvation. Then I reminded him that
as we mature in our relationship with God we need to know more
about Him.
The best example is when we are born.
We depend solely on our parents for love and support but as we
mature we learn to give back that love and support in appreciate
for all that they have done for us.
God wants a relationship. He wants you
to give back. He wants to be your friend. A true relationship is
based on mutual respect and love. Although this relationship
benefits us more than Him, He still loves us and wants to live
in us. You need to give to God like He has given to you. He set
the example for us to follow. We are granted this relationship
for one reason, God is gracious. God has given us unmerited
favor and we owe Him our life.
The following passage not only states
that God set the example but it reminds us that God dwells in us
and we in Him. Although this passage is from the New Testament I
believe that when you read the Old Testament you realize the
significance of who is “dwelling” in you. God is and always will
be LOVE.
I John 4: 10-19
10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another.
12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he
hath given us of his Spirit.
14And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son
to be the Saviour of the world.
15Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God
dwelleth in him, and he in God.
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and
God in him.
17Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in
the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect
in love.
19We love him, because he first loved us.
|
