The difference between OT and NT

[Doubting Tomas]

I'm sorry I misunderstood the intent of the forum I thought it was for new believers That had basic questions about the faith. I hope you can refrain from confusing them with your vast knowlage

No, you did not misunderstand the intent of this forum.
And I am a Christian, if God allows me to say that, with different ideas from most Christians in the USA.
And my question is very basic.
"The difference between OT and NT." is one of those I've been thinking.
As I've wrote before, there is one God in OT and NT, it's got to be.
However, I feel 2 different characters of God in them.
Some may say that Jesus is not God but Son of God.
Whatever they believe, to me, Jesus is God clearly.
Son of God is, I think, nothing but a rhetoric or metaphor.
As anyone knows the Bible is written with metaphor, sometimes not always, we must look at other side of words and in the most case the meaning is explained by followings.

If anyone read the Bible as is, the true massage will be missed out.

Near 2 thousand years ago, those people who read the Bible would understand it with little effort, or you may too.
However, I had very difficult times to understand words such as why do we have to love our enemies, and be perfect is the conclusion. Matthew 5:48
We all know God gave us our bodies, therefore we can't be perfect.
What is God trying to tell us?
Certainly it's not how to love your enemies.

Why do people have to die for the religion of Jesus?
I am talking about Christian martyrs.
Jesus once died for us.
When martyrs see Jesus, Jesus would say why did you die for me?

Why does the Bible say right cheek is the one to get first blow?
If any one hit me on my face, it likely to be on my left cheek.

Did Adam have a body like we have now?
I don't think so.
The likeness and the image of God must be look like the word in John 1:1.
Then why does "Creation of Adam" look like a human?

And so forth.

If you never heard of the different idea about the Bible, I would think it's new for you.
Or, it may not be new idea, it could be just a different idea you've heard before.

 

[Aibrean]

Most certainly Adam had a body like we have now. How else did we end up on the earth? It had to be populated. The image of God is human. It was a foreshadowing of Jesus.

There is only one God throughout the Bible.

Doubting Thomas - the issue is you should be asking questions, not giving answers, because your beliefs are not orthodox and you could easily confuse new Christians into believing something that is most certainly a different gospel all together (unintentionally of course, but certainly possible). I am sure your grasp of the English language has something to do with it.

 

[Royll]

Really? That is the opposite of my experience with the Word.

SoldierOfSouls.

That is my experience also because when you are truly being saved and have the Holy Spirit abiding in you. You are kept from being confused because he is your teacher not the wisdom of man.

 

[SoldierOfSoul]

Very good.
Then, can I ask some of your experience, spiritually?

Not sure what your asking...but all I can say is I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and I believe in every word of the bible to be ultimate truth. That is as far as my "experience" goes.

 

[now faith]

I my self have trouble comprehending the religious crowd in the time of christ and today.To Quote pastor John Hagee he stated legalism is demonic. The priest and those following the orthodox religion during the time of christs ministry and before were very carnel and committed many sins. Christ came for their redemption as well as ours. His statement during his torment father forgive them they know not what they do shows his unconditional love for all people. But its as if sometimes we are blind to the obvious. Yet many came to know him and also were persucuted for his sake.

 

[now faith]

My spiritual experience was that I grew up with the Gospel, my father was a Freewill babtist preacher. In my young adult hood I moved away from the faith.I still loved the lord but WA sent honoring him I had fire insurance barely. God called me back I repented and began studying back with the Babtist independent since my father had past. I found my self in disagreement with them continuously so now I attend a non denomination church that I am in perfect agreement with.I am spirit filled and go boldly before his throne daily bless god thank you for asking.my intent in this forum is to give god the glory and for the edification of his saints.

 

[now faith]

My reply on fourm new christians was in response to some one stating everything i posted was a clich

 

[Harry3142]

One of the major differences between the OT and the NT is the attitude the people themselves had toward there even being an afterlife to attain:

I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?

So I saw that there is nothing better for a man that to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22,NIV)

The man whom many regard as the wisest man to ever govern Israel wrote this passage. It shows us vividly what the ancient Hebrews' attitude was toward there being a life following this one, and it is an attitude that has come down to the present day. Many Jews still accept OT teaching such as the teaching of Solomon, and for this reason do not accept that there is any life to be aspired to after our present life has ended.

So why was the Mosaic Law written? It was written as a constitution, under which a people who had been scattered throughout Egypt could live together safely, with each of them knowing exactly what behavior was to be accepted as beneficial to their society, and what behavior was to be shunned as detrimental to their society. It was never intended for the individual except as that individual interrelated with their society.

The NT is quite the opposite. Every instruction we find there is aimed at the individual Christian, irregardless of where that Christian is living. There is an afterlife to be accepted as real and desired, but the way of attaining this afterlife is to be seen as set apart from any and all that we could ever say and/or do. Instead, we are to accept what God himself has already done as our source of salvation (Romans 3:19 to 5:10). Following our accepting this gift of salvation, our mindset is to be such that we become a positive influence on all around us (Galatians 5:16-26) and our practical application of the compassion that we have received is to be the alleviation of the suffering of those around us (Matthew 25:31-46).

So the Old Testament was specifically intended for the Hebrew society that its laws and commandments soldified into a strong, cohesive society, but the New Testament is intended for any individual, in whatever society he might be located.

 

[now faith]

Harry has brought up some good points We know that life after death Was reality for the children of israel. do to moses transfiguration elijah enoch samuel. but their attitude is a different story. I believe if I didn't think there is life after death they wouldn't have been as faithfull as they were. as far as solomon he fell from grace and lost his kingdom do to sin nevertheless he was spared I do not know at what what point of this life he had written this passage

 

[heymikey80]

I think much of the difference between the OT and the NT is accounted for by what happened in between.

The OT is crying out for something more. It's as if nothing is really good enough, but as you read the predictions from the OT and read into the ceremonies and imagery, "it's not here; it's on its way".

And then Jesus came.

 

[Doubting Tomas]

Not sure what your asking...but all I can say is I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and I believe in every word of the bible to be ultimate truth. That is as far as my "experience" goes.

Thank you SoldierOfSoul for your honest reply.

A religion is spiritual belief, therefore a religion without spiritual experience could be a mere knowledge of religious doctrines.
Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, all four Gospel says that Jesus will baptize Israelite (and us) with Holy Spirit.

If you received baptism without Holy Spirit, it would be a mere religious ceremony.
Moreover, if you receive the Holy Spirit, couldn't be itself baptism?

It doesn't mean anything, without spiritual experience in Christian life.

Those words above may sound harsh, but I mean well.

 

[Aibrean]

Baptism, as shown by multiple examples in the NT, requires water.

 

[SoldierOfSoul]

Thank you SoldierOfSoul for your honest reply.

A religion is spiritual belief, therefore a religion without spiritual experience could be a mere knowledge of religious doctrines.
Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, all four Gospel says that Jesus will baptize Israelite (and us) with Holy Spirit.

If you received baptism without Holy Spirit, it would be a mere religious ceremony.
Moreover, if you receive the Holy Spirit, couldn't be itself baptism?

It doesn't mean anything, without spiritual experience in Christian life.

Those words above may sound harsh, but I mean well.

...

Who do you think you are?

You do not know me or what I have experienced...the point I was trying to make is that my faith is not based on some emotional experience I may have went through, it is based on the unchanging truth of scripture and not my feelings.

 

[Aibrean]

^ Agreed.

 

[LilLamb219]

Thank you SoldierOfSoul for your honest reply.

A religion is spiritual belief, therefore a religion without spiritual experience could be a mere knowledge of religious doctrines.
Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, all four Gospel says that Jesus will baptize Israelite (and us) with Holy Spirit.

If you received baptism without Holy Spirit, it would be a mere religious ceremony.
Moreover, if you receive the Holy Spirit, couldn't be itself baptism?

It doesn't mean anything, without spiritual experience in Christian life.

Those words above may sound harsh, but I mean well.

Our experiences mean nothing...God's Word means everything. Why rely on some flimsy experience when God's promises hold the key to everything?

 

[Doubting Tomas]

...

Who do you think you are?

You do not know me or what I have experienced...the point I was trying to make is that my faith is not based on some emotional experience I may have went through, it is based on the unchanging truth of scripture and not my feelings.

It's not about me, but it's about the relationship with Spirit and I.
I do not know you and your experience with Spirit, therefore I politely asked about it.

>Then, can I ask some of your experience, spiritually?

Not sure what your asking...but all I can say is I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour and I believe in every word of the bible to be ultimate truth. That is as far as my "experience" goes.

I believe that Christian Church means more than two people who has spiritual experience with Holy Spirit meat in one place.

Of course I am not expert of Holy Spirit, however, if Holy Spirit doesn't talk to your emotion and feeling, where would you think it does talk to?

When I thought Holy Spirit touched me, I cried with big tears and sometimes I felt goose-bumps all over my bodies.

If you have anything similar to that kind experience - I thought many Christians have it -, then, can I ask some of your experience, spiritually?

But I don't want you make another big mistake about what I've written above, those Holy Spirit experience could be a just emotional feeling.
However, whose place to judge?

 

[Doubting Tomas]

Our experiences mean nothing...God's Word means everything. Why rely on some flimsy experience when God's promises hold the key to everything?

Of course, God's words means everything.
However, the most important thing for us individuals is to get know God's heart by Words, not just knowing of God's words but meaning behind it.
You must learn let Holy Spirit into your heart to feel him, listen to him.
Then you wouldn't call it some flimsy experience.

 

[SoldierOfSoul]

When I thought Holy Spirit touched me, I cried with big tears and sometimes I felt goose-bumps all over my bodies.

In worship, there have been times I have been overcome with emotions and felt close to God. I go to a Charismatic church and worship is very much an emotional experience.

But the thing is, although I FEEL that these emotions were from God and I'm sure they were, there is no way to prove that these feelings were truly from God. I have seen others experience the same thing in church services and yet remain unconverted. Our feelings can be manipulated and we can be deceived by them. If the heart is not changed, the experiences are nothing more than an emotional feeling of the flesh.

But I don't want you make another big mistake about what I've written above, those Holy Spirit experience could be a just emotional feeling.
However, whose place to judge.

Saying the above I still believe God reveals Himself through experiences in our lives, but the fact is: our feelings are untrustworthy and unreliable when it means a foundation for our faith. Faith is only to be placed in Jesus Christ, His word is our firm foundation, we know that He loves us not because we cried in church yesterday but because the Word says He laid down His life for us. We place our faith in the latter because it is unchanging, although our tears will eventually dry up His word will remain firm and true.

I trust in the unchanging (unlike feelings) word of God, there is no shadow of turning in Christ and His word, He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

 

[Aibrean]

Feelings can be deceiving.

 

[LilLamb219]

Of course, God's words means everything.
However, the most important thing for us individuals is to get know God's heart by Words, not just knowing of God's words but meaning behind it.
You must learn let Holy Spirit into your heart to feel him, listen to him.
Then you wouldn't call it some flimsy experience.

Ah, so once again it's about what I do?



Faith...even a baby in the womb can have it. If we're talking salvation talk, well then, faith isn't something I do. It's given to me so I may believe. As hard as I try, I cannot fathom it. It's the work of the Holy Spirit who teaches me what God's Word means...it's not about me letting him in because if it were up to me, well, I'm a sinner and want to be my own god just like Adam and Eve.

We can't keep putting it back onto us. That's what makes people really get frustrated with Christianity.

Now if we're just talking about being sound in faith...then sure we want to learn more about who God is and what He has done for us and is still doing for us. But really, isn't that still the Holy Spirit leading me to want that?