An evangelical Christian megachurch located in the suburbs of Atlanta is home to the latest Biblical interpretation controversy. The Senior Pastor of North Point Community Church, Andy Stanley finished up a three-part sermon series called “Aftermath” where he concluded that Christians should detach their faith from the Old Testament.
Stanley’s argument was based on Acts 15, the chapter in the Bible that tells of the early churches debate over whether they needed to follow Jewish laws. Stanley notes that some believers today start their faith journey wanting to follow the law, but soon come to find that they can’t and must depend on the grace of God.
“[First century] Church leaders unhitched the church from the worldview, value system, and regulations of the Jewish scriptures,” said Stanley.
The pastors reasoning behind this was that the early church wanted to be more inclusive of gentiles.
“Peter, James, Paul elected to unhitch the Christian faith from their Jewish scriptures, and my friends, we must as well.”
“Jesus’ new covenant, His covenant with the nations, His covenant with you, His covenant with us, can stand on its own two nail-scarred resurrection feet. It does not need propping up by the Jewish scriptures,” Stanley said.
“The Bible did not create Christianity. The resurrection of Jesus created and launched Christianity. Your whole house of Old Testament cards can come tumbling down. The question is did Jesus rise from the dead? And the eyewitnesses said he did.”
Our faith should be solely in Jesus Christ, but there are various places in the New Testament where Jesus himself clearly references scriptures in the Old Testament; therefore we should never discount the value of any of Gods word. Would Stanley have us throw out the ten commandments as well?
Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39 [no second NT ref])
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5, cf. Leviticus 19:18)
Jesus showed us that the Old Testament holds prophecy.
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’” (Matthew 21:42, cf. Mark 12:10, 11, Luke 20:17)
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. (Psalm 118:22, 23)
Jesus expanded already powerful scriptures from the Old Testament.
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13, cf. Matthew 12:7)
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
Given that Jesus directly quoted Old Testament, it’s hard to see what Stanley means by calling a vital part of the Holy Bible a “house of Old Testament cards” that will come tumbling down.
In Matthew 5:18 Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Written by: Emily
Feature image: North Point Community Church
Article source: christianjournal.net
I agree that there is that one section in Acts where it sounds like the early church unhitched Christianity from the Law. However, if you read the New Testament as a whole,then it is clear that the Law (minus the ceremonial law) is very much at the heart of New Testament Christianity. The goodness of the law is at the core of the kingdom. I believe that Andy Stanley has erred.
I think people come to conclusions to easy before making sure what was said by the preacher. Perhaps there is certain laws that we as children of God can put aside. I don’t for one moment Andy thinks that we must ignore the Ten Commandments as some of the Jewish Laws, but there is surely Laws in the Jewish Laws in the Old testament that does not apply for todays children of God. It makes 100% sense to me what Andy means. Let us study what was said and make sure if we comment
that we don’t judge to easy.
The law was given to highlight sin , the scarifical system was there to atone daily and yearly(passover) for these sins, once Christ had died on the cross and been resurrected the law has no power over the new believer but to the unbeliever still is valid and highlights thier sin. The 608 odd laws the Jewish people had to follow is what the council in Acts is talking about and that it should no burden the new believers, God bless all
If Christians were to unhitch their faith from the Old Testament, it would be tantamount to a surgeon in the operating theatre unhitching the thread from the needle that has to steer the thread to its logical end. The needle provides the impetus and direction for the surgeon, but it is the thread that facilitates the binding and healing of the wound. The fact that it is the thread that facilitates the binding and healing of the wound, does not mean that the needle has become obsolete or redundant. (Maybe this pastor should read more about the interplay between the Law (O.T.) and Grace (N.T.) as explained by Charles Spurgeon and others).
Acts 15 itself quotes the Old Testament itself. The progressive revelation in God’s Word moves forward from placing our ‘faith’ in the Law to placing our ‘faith’ in the Lord Jesus. But the Old Testament is not invalidated by this. “All Scripture is inspired”, and Paul included the Old Testament in this meaning of “Scripture” This is a Hermeneutial issue. But Stanley seems to make it a Salvation issue.
As I read this article my first concern is did the person writi g the article have a conversation with Andy Stanley about what was said first before writing a critisim following the required way of dealing withunclear issues? This does not come through in this article. I am very weary of Christians who comment without having comments from the one being criticised
By studying the Law, I come to understand the difference between the Spirit and the Flesh, intellectually. By applying that understanding to my experiences, I come to experience the Spirit and the Flesh. The Law therefore gives me a label to describe and distinguish my experiences. I am then able to know whether I’m operating from within the Holy Spirit of Christ, or from the corruption of the Flesh. The Law, which originated in the Old Testament, is therefore crucial to knowing who the Holy Spirit of God is, and for learning to walk in accordance with that Spirit.
I think there’s an over-reaction to a misinterpretation of what Andy said. You just have to listen (or watch) his messages on the “Sinai Code” or “Guardrails” and may others or consider his frequent references to Psalms, Proverbs … to the lives of the patriarchs to see that he isn’t suggesting our abandoning the OT. Let’s not over-react but see this in balanced context. I’m sure that he’d support the old addage: “The New is in the Old concealed; The Old is in the New revealed.”