I think the original manuscripts that comprise what we call ‘the Bible’ nowadays were inspired by, and given to us by, God. The story of how the world got ‘the Bible’ begins with a single event ~ an event that was so extraordinary that it was worth writing about. The backstory of ‘the Bible’ gives us important context for the stories that are in it. The Old Testament is a gritty, epic history of the people of Israel. But even broader than that, it’s the story of God preparing the world for a Savior. I read the Old Testament for inspiration and motivation, but not application. I can easily let go of the moral values and imperatives in it because of Jesus’ New Covenant.
The Old Testament is not and never has been the go-to source regarding any behavior of Jesus’ New Covenant ekklesia. New Covenant values and imperatives stand in sharp contrast to the values and imperatives of the old covenant. I’ll take my application from Jesus’ New Covenant commands.
The Bible did not create Christianity. Christianity created ‘the Bible’. That means that peace with God is possible even when we don’t have peace with everything in ‘the Bible’. Jesus’ New Covenant commands should be the primary focus of Christians’ lives. Jesus’ earliest followers based their faith on His extraordinary resurrection.
It makes sense to me that people nowadays should revisit that fact. And it makes sense to me for people who want to follow Jesus nowadays to base their faith on that too.
