The Gospel According to the
                      Older Testament

 

Christianity, and specifically Jesus’ claim of being the only way to God, is oft accused of being narrow minded or exclusive. The fact is Jesus opened the way for all peoples, Jew and Gentile, to enter God’s Kingdom.

Jesus and the Apostles taught from the Older Testament—they had no other Bible. Therefore, their teachings and writings, found in the New Testament, are commentaries on the Older Testament.

Let us look now at one evangelistic technique from the New Testament, referred by some as the Roman Road, and compare it to what the Older Testament has to say concerning our sin and God’s solution for humankind:

 

Older Testament Isaiah 64:6 “…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…” Isaiah 53:6a “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…” Isaiah 53:6b “…and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Genesis 2:17 “…you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Leviticus 17:11 “…it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life.” Isaiah 53:12 “…he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

New Testament Romans 3:10 “There is no one righteous, not even one...” Romans 3:23 “...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...”   Romans 5:8 “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”       Romans 10:9-10 “If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In this, we learn our problem—our righteous acts are not enough to place us in good standing before Holy God. Moreover, there is no pardon for sin apart from sacrifice—it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life; echoed in Hebrews 9:22 “…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” We need atonement “at-one-ment” with God. In other words, we need to be made right, our sins must be satisfied, our debt paid— either by the death of the one who sinned or the death of another to take the place of the sinner.

“…he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.”  Isaiah 53:12  

We also discover our sin-problem requires divine intervention. The prophet Isaiah declared, “…he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” And the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Romans said, “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God provided the solution for our sin.

This is the gospel, the good news: All those who call on him, who trust in God’s atoning work, will be freely pardoned! 

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation…” Isaiah 52:7

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” ~ Jesus ~ Mark 16:15

Copyright 2009 S.A. Keith - All Rights Reserved.

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