We are no longer under old testament law. You only need to look at the words to understand what's going on. There are two words: "Old" and "Testament". Old means that it's something outdated. It's the old way of doing things. It's old fashioned. It means it's not the way we do things any more. The other word is testament. Testament is an old word for contract. In ancient times they didn't have papers drawn up when a deal was made; they called for people to witness the transaction so they could testify in court that it happened. They called it a testament because there were those who could tesitfy that the deal was made. Today we call that a contract. So God had a contract with people under the Old Testament. It was a govermental contract with the Jewish people. The New Testament is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ available to any who will believe. The Old Testament law was governmental law. Many of the laws they had are still governmental laws today. Things like murder, theft, liability, self defense, health codes etc. are all in the Old Testament. We would have a difficult time doing them today. For example: it says under their governmental law, that a person caught having an affair should be executed by the people who catch them. You'd get in big trouble for that today... something like twenty to life.
So your next question, then, is "If the Old Testament means nothing to us then why is it in the Bible?"
I'm going to confuse you now when I say that the Old Testament means as much to me as the New Testament. The New Testament says, "All those things (written in the Old Testament) were written for our edification (to help us)." The Old Testament shows us alot about the character and will of God. The New Testament has few "commands" in it. When it does it is commands to "Seek God" or to "Be worthy of your calling." The Old Testament was God telling people how to act so that they might have a life pleasing to Him. The New Testament (this new contract that God made with people) tells us how to get life so we'll act pleasing to Him. The Old Testament emphsises doing while the new emphasises being. You face up to what's true so that you become what God wants you to become so that you do what God wants you to do. The differences can be described as OT (Old Testament) was God's people (the Jews) under Law, New Testament is God's people (all true christians) under grace. The OT was about what we should do to please God, the New Testament is God pouring His goodness into our lives as we receive Him, so we can be the kind of people who are pleasing to Him in all we do.
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We are no longer under old testament law. You only need to look at the words to understand what's going on. There are two words: "Old" and "Testament". Old means that it's something outdated. It's the old way of doing things. It's old fashioned. It means it's not the way we do things any more. The other word is testament. Testament is an old word for contract. In ancient times they didn't have papers drawn up when a deal was made; they called for people to witness the transaction so they could testify in court that it happened. They called it a testament because there were those who could tesitfy that the deal was made. Today we call that a contract. So God had a contract with people under the Old Testament. It was a govermental contract with the Jewish people. The New Testament is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ available to any who will believe. The Old Testament law was governmental law. Many of the laws they had are still governmental laws today. Things like murder, theft, liability, self defense, health codes etc. are all in the Old Testament. We would have a difficult time doing them today. For example: it says under their governmental law, that a person caught having an affair should be executed by the people who catch them. You'd get in big trouble for that today... something like twenty to life.
So your next question, then, is "If the Old Testament means nothing to us then why is it in the Bible?"
I'm going to confuse you now when I say that the Old Testament means as much to me as the New Testament. The New Testament says, "All those things (written in the Old Testament) were written for our edification (to help us)." The Old Testament shows us alot about the character and will of God. The New Testament has few "commands" in it. When it does it is commands to "Seek God" or to "Be worthy of your calling." The Old Testament was God telling people how to act so that they might have a life pleasing to Him. The New Testament (this new contract that God made with people) tells us how to get life so we'll act pleasing to Him. The Old Testament emphsises doing while the new emphasises being. You face up to what's true so that you become what God wants you to become so that you do what God wants you to do. The differences can be described as OT (Old Testament) was God's people (the Jews) under Law, New Testament is God's people (all true christians) under grace. The OT was about what we should do to please God, the New Testament is God pouring His goodness into our lives as we receive Him, so we can be the kind of people who are pleasing to Him in all we do.
http://www.harborside.com/~ljglazner/qot.htm