Old Testament – The Old Word, or The First Word?

It was once my belief that when I came to Christ that the “Old” Testament was “old” and the “New” testament was “new”, meaning: “BETTER”. But after much prayer, study, and leading of the Holy Spirit, I have been shown (along with thousands of others) that this simply is not the true gospel that Yeshua preached. If we truly wish to follow our Messiah and walk as He walked, we will obey the Torah.

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17)

Unfortunately, the majority of Christians, while often wanting to live a life consistent with Scripture, only follow the “New Testament.” Many fail to realize that the early Believers had only the “Old Testament” Scriptures. We can see that the gospel actually comes right from those Old Testament Scriptures:

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1Peter 1:25)

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. (Romans 6:17)
The question I present is this, which doctrine was delivered to them at that time? Was there a New Testament to preach from? With simple logic we can see the Old Testament Scriptures were the Scriptures delivered onto those people. It was those Scriptures that they heard and obeyed.

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2Timothy 3:15-17)

2Timothy 3:16 says, "all Scripture is inspired". So the question we must ask is, "which Scriptures was Paul referring to?" 2Timothy 3:14 makes it clear what Paul is speaking of,

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures…

The set-apart Scriptures which Timothy would have known as a child are without doubt the Hebrew Scriptures - the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms, etc. The New Testament as we know it today most certainly did not exist when Paul uttered those words.
Therefore the Torah is the standard for interpreting the revelations found in the writings of the New Testament. Applying this order of authority ensures that even though the revelation of Yahweh is an ongoing process, we cannot be mislead and lose The Way, for we can look back at each step, ensuring that we are indeed on the "narrow path."

Peter as our second witness…

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1Peter 1:23 & 25)

Just to reiterate, what “Word” did they have at the time Peter said those Words? They had the Old Testament. Here we clearly see two things. First, we see that the Word that they had at that time would be forever. Second, they used that very same Word to preach the gospel message.

Search the Scriptures

It is not my intention to minimize the significance of the New Testament. But it must be interpreted correctly within the context of the writers intended message. I recommend that we consider "Scripture" to be what the authors considered it to be.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11)

Why not search the same Scriptures that they searched and see if what we say is not so as well?

So now to answer our question, “How can sin still be tied into the Torah, isn’t that the OLD TESTAMENT?” If you look at the Old Testament as the Scriptures they truly are, and not what they have been painted to be – then yes, sin is tied into the Torah – even though it is founded in the Old Testament.
Freedom in Christ?

Some believe that “freedom in Christ” equates to not being held to any tangible set of standards or code of conduct (protocol) set by Yahweh our Father. Yet James calls Yahweh’s commandments the law of liberty:
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:25)

The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will collect out of His Kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there men will be weeping and gnashing their teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42)

Do you think that if Christianity taught that the Torah is to be followed, that we would have debates over whether or not premarital sex or homosexuality were sin? We would not have these debates because the Torah plainly denounces these things as sin and the penalties were serious.

and because of the abounding of the lawlessness, the love of the many shall become cold; (Matthew 24:12 YLT)

Perhaps it is time that we begin to seek Yahweh and truly ask Him how we are to obey Him. Many people today have no concept of what sin is, because sin is nowadays defined as what we “feel” is wrong, rather than the standard protocol that has been given by Yahweh in the Torah, and then in the remainder of His Word. It ought not to be this way.