The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is lawfully absolute. You do something and there is the consequence lurking like a snake examining its prey. Genesis, the Beginning, begins that way with the Garden of Eden story: Adam and Eve committed an act that produced dreadful ramifications.
The OT by all accounts is a complex story of what to do and what not to do. Of how people behave, and the results that come forth from the behavior i.e. God's Chosen People were banished to wander in the wilderness. Actually, the OT has been designated by some to serve as a law guide i.e. Leviticus. Consequently, with most accounts when the laws were broken there was no preventable way to avoid the wrath of God.
When the reader reaches the New Testament there appears to be this new dramatic push of grace and forgiveness. The change is recorded in the synoptic gospels.
The NT tells the story of a man who unsuccessfully convinced man to love his brother. His story - despite man’s inability to adhere - serves as an example of how we should righteously live our lives so some level bliss dominates one’s life. It basically gives us a road map to be worthy of God's love without emotionally subscribing to the religion, Christianity. Whereas, in the Old Testament this love is somewhat void, and God's contempt, jealousy, vindictiveness, and callousness reigns. The NT pages are not completely consumed with condemnation as we see and read in countless places in the Old Testament. Not until one gets to the last book, Revelation.
Why the vast difference? Why did God's so called inspired writers suddenly change their tune?
Could it be that God had nothing to do with the creation and formation of the biblical text? Could it be that the writer's of the New Testament believed the people needed an easier version to embrace? We have to admit that there is a gentler process in the NT. One can make it to God’s heaven with a law breaking record that includes murder, molestation, and torture.
With what I have shared above - which has been shared by countless men and women before and is prevalent knowledge of any trained seminarian - why do Christians and other religious people hold the bible as their safeguard? Their crutch? It is like depending on something or someone who has a shaky past. No one does that when they are removed from emotion and forced to think with logic and reason.
Perhaps, a better question is, why do those (Today’s Preacher) who claim to know biblical truth do not utter it in sermon, bible study, and/or Sunday school? It definitely would not be a membership builder…
Written by the Preacher you will not hear during America’s most segregated hour; 11:00AM Sunday Morning.
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