It’s a huge topic I know but what’s your relationship to the Old Testament? Also how do you see the relationship between the old and new testaments?
My mother is a church goer but if I remember correctly she once told me she doesn’t really believe in the OT so I’m not sure what sort of credibility to give it.
I’m no biblical scholar. I know most of Jesus story, and a bit about Ten Commandments, and a vague recollection of the parting of the Red Sea. Didn’t god in the OT help the Jews win battles and things like that?
Rest assured that if your mother knew more about the New Testament -- she would not say that about the Old Testament.
The New Testament writers base all their doctrine on the OT and called it "Scripture" - we also call it scripture.
New Testament writers like Paul said of the O.T. "
ALL scripture is given by inspiration from God AND is to be used for doctrine, instruction and correction" 2 Tim 3:16
More of
2 Tim 3
14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned
them, 15 and that
from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the
wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16
All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for doctrine, for rebuke,
for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man
or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.
When he speaks of the OT Paul says "The Holy Spirit says"
Heb 3:
6 but Christ
was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our hope.
7 Therefore,
just as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today if you hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me,
As on the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers put Me to the test,
In Acts 17 Paul preaches to those who are not yet Christian - and when they want to "see IF" Paul is correct - they read the OT - called "scriptures"
Acts 17:11 "they
studied the scriptures daily to SEE IF those things spoken to them by the APOSTLE Paul -
were SO"
Christ continued to preach from the OT even AFTER his resurrection
Luke 24:
25 And
then He said to them, “You foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to come into His glory?” 27 Then
beginning with Moses and with all the Prophets, He explained to them
the things written about Himself
in all the Scriptures.
Acts 8:35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this
Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
Acts 17:2
And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the
Scriptures
2 Peter 1:
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20 knowing this first, that
no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but
holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
There are bazillions more - but I don't want to flood this thread with them.