OT WITNESS TO THE CHURCH'S IDENTITY
The church is the people of God not the building. What is the church? What does it do? The OT helps us to understand.
The Hebrew word qahal is often used in the OT for the gathering of the Israelites to worship God (Deut. 9:10, Nehemiah 13:1). Greek-speaking Jews used the word ekklesia. Jesus used this word (Matthew 16:18, 18:17). It was used by the apostles as well (Acts 20:28, James 5:15). In Acts 7:38 then in Acts 8:1 the same Greek word is used to describe the congregation of Israel then the Christians. The church is a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5). The gates of heaven bear the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (Revelation 21:12). Gentiles are grafted into the Jewish olive tree (Romans 11:24). The patriarchs are called our fathers (Romans 9:10). It's clear that language about OT Israel is applied to the church. That is not to say that OT Israel is the NT church or that the church replaces Israel, but that a similar language is applied to us so that we may know our identity. Just as the OT helps us to know sin and the gospel, it helps us to know the church and thus ourselves.
1. Offspring of Abraham - Galatians 3:29 tells us that if we are Christ's then we are Abraham's offspring.
a. The Promised Nations - The church is not just made up of Jewish believers. It includes Gentile believers (Galatians 3:8/Genesis 12:3, Romans 4:18/Genesis 15:5, Romans 4:17/Genesis 17:4). Paul sees Abraham as the father of all who believe (Romans 4:11). So a fresh reading of Genesis 15 sees how God's promise extends beyond Abraham to all nations.b. The Children of Promise - In Galatians 4:22-31 Paul quotes Genesis 16-21 and speaks of Sarah and Hagar. Hagar helps us see present Jerusalem which is a reference to the Judaizers seek to impose some sort of law-adherence on Gentiles. Sarah helps us to see Jerusalem above and those who by true faith are the true church. Sarah is our mother. We are free by faith in Christ not slaves to works.c. The True Circumcision - In Colossians 2:11 Paul speaks of baptism as a circumcision made without hands. In other words, the physical act of baptism signifies spiritual circumcision of the heart--or the new birth, regeneration. This should take us back to Genesis 17 where God requires the sign of circumcision for Abraham and his descendants. In Philippians 3:3 Pauls says that "we", the church, are the circumcision. We have been consecrated unto God. Indeed, those who are born again are children of Abraham.
2. Exodus Generation - The NT draws upon to Exodus to help us see our identity as the church.
a. Passover - Paul alludes to Exodus 12:1-8 in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8. We are recapitulating the story of Israel and have been delivered by Christ our Passover Lamb.b. Sinai - Israel and Moses feared the Lord at Mt. Sinai (Genesis 19:12-17/Hebrews 12:18-21) but the church has drawn near to a heavenly mountain (Hebrews 12:22-23). As Moses was transformed by the glory of God, so we, too are transformed into Christ-likeness by beholding Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18) and we too are ministers of the NC as Moses was of the OC.c. Wilderness - In 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 Paul warns Christians not to commit the same sins as Israel in the wilderness. Hebrews describes the church as longing to enter "rest" (Hebrews 4:1-10).
3. Spiritual Sacrifices
The sacrificial system was central to Israel's way of life. Christ brings it to an end as the ultimate priest and sacrifice. But this system shows us something about the church as well.
a. Sacrifices - Philippians 2:17 says that their faith was sacrificial offering. Philippians 4:18 speaks of their financial offerings as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice acceptable to God.b. Temple - In 2 Corinthians 6:16 Paul cites Leviticus 26:12 to make his point that we are God's temple.c. Priesthood - Revelation 1:6 says that we were made "priests to...God." 1 Peter 2:5 says that the church offers "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.
4. Exiles - The NT employs exilic language to help us understand the present state of the church. 1 Peter 1:1 says that we are elect exiles. Peter and John use Babylon as a label for Rome (1 Peter 5:13 Revelation 14:8, 16:19).
5. Summary - Sometimes the NT expresses continuity and sometimes discontinuity. The church does not replace Israel but neither is it entirely separate from Israel.
OT WITNESS TO THE CHURCH'S MISSION
After opening their minds to understand Scripture, Jesus speaking in Luke 24:45-47 states the message of Scripture. That it was written to tell us that Christ should suffer and be raised on the third day. He also says that the OT Scripture state the mission of the church: repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. The message and mission of the church go hand-in-hand with the OT Scriptures. Without citing any OT passage, this is Jesus' blanket statement regarding all the OT. In Acts 13:46-47 Paul cites Isaiah 49:5-6 to show the church's mission.
OT WITNESS TO THE CHURCH'S CONDUCT
1. Two Great Laws - Romans 13:9, James 2:8, Galatians 5:14 all cite Leviticus 19:18 as the church's duty to love neighbor as yourself. In Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus says that all the law and prophets hang on the two commands to love God with your whole being and to love your neighbor as yourself (Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18).
2. Ten Commandments - The Decalogue (Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21) are key to Christian living as cited in many NT passages. The Sabbath is the exception.
3. Principles - The NT authors sometimes provide rules for Christian conduct based on OT passages. Sometimes these passages are principles. Sometimes they are analogical.
a. Genesis - Christian norms for marriage and sexuality are taught to us in 1 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 5:31, Romans 1:26-27 and these principles are taken from Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:22-23.b. Exodus - To encourage financial giving (2 Corinthians 8:15) Paul cites Exodus 16:18. Paul uses analogy to help us understand this principle for living and giving.c. Leviticus, Isaiah, 2 Samuel - To explain the concept of being unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:16-18) Paul cites Leviticus 26:11, Isaiah 52:11, 2 Samuel 7:8, 14.d. Deuteronomy - Matthew 18:16 speaks of church discipline and the principle of 2 or 3 witness concept taking from Deuteronomy 19:15. Other principles in the NT are taken from the OT as well.e. Psalms - In 1 Corinthians 10:25-26 Paul cites Psalm 24:1 to help us understand how to know whether Christians can eat food sacrificed to idols.f. OT Examples - Hebrews 11 points back to a host of OT people to show us how to believe God at His Word and conduct our lives in sync with trust in God's Word.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
A more thorough reading of the OT will help our ecclesiology.
1. Read the OT as early Church History
2. Applying the Wisdom of an Unchanging God to Today's New Context
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