Ask Me Help Desk - Are old testament promises valid today?

OT promises may not be for today's church. Look at Jer. 29:11. A wonderful verse and a lovely promise! Read it in context, however, and it is for Israel (old Israel) at a certain time and certain circumstances. I don't believe that text is for today. Shouldn't one be careful in just assuming everything in the OT is valid today, or do we blindly accept all OT teachings as meant for us?

A way I like to look at it is this...
Obviously they were under the law then... and we are under grace. Has God changed His mind on all of those old matters? For instance saying that those practicing witchcraft should be put to death. That is not the case today. God has changed how He deals with us... not how He FEELS about something. This doesn't explain everything of course. There are some things said in the OT that were meant for certain people and you ALWAYS need to understand context in the Bible.

Just dealing with the example you gave, Jer 29:11, the specific statement addresses Israel in exile, and promises a return from captivity. However, the principle stated there is repeated in several forms in the New Testament, such as Rom 8:28. Jer 29:13 is the same way. "Seek me with your whole heart" is a theme repeated throughout both testaments, so there's no good reason not to see it as applying to people in every age. Does God have a good plan for his people today? Sure. We see this idea all through the epistles and elsewhere, so, while it's true that Jeremiah's original words were addressed to a specific people in a specific place, it's also legitimate to apply it to believers today and take comfort from it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwashbur

while it's true that Jeremiah's original words were addressed to a specific people in a specific place, it's also legitimate to apply it to believers today and take comfort from it.

I agree wholeheartedly.

It's like picking a juicy fruit from a tree - now that you have the fruit, are you going to chop the tree down? No because you want to get more from it right? The same with the bible and some really good passages.
If there was no validity in the OT for us, then the words in 2 Timothy 3:16, 17 would have no meaning. "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, vs 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." All Scripture, not just the NT. (compare also Romans 15:4)

I do believe that God will still deal with those who disobey regarding many of the laws set for the Israelites, just not on the spot. For e.g. Galatians 5:19-21 reads "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, and they are fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. As to these things I am forewarning YOU, the same way as I did forewarn YOU, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom."
So although we might not be struck down in death or with dreadful sickness as was more common in bible times for disobedience, the consequences will eventually be the same.
Malachi 3:6 and James 1:17 assure us that God does not change his standards, but it also means his love for us does not change and that we can always rely on him.

A few of the OT promises that are yet to be fulfilled and which are personal favourites of mine - Psalm 37:10, 11/ Daniel 2:44/ Isaiah 33:24.