Timeless Truths

Where do the teachings in our New Testaments originate from?  Where do they find their definitions, explanations and expanded details?

In my life as a Believer I began my study of God’s Word in a little Baptist church as “the neighbor kid”.  I said the “sinner’s prayer” in between pews with a lovely lady that helped me say the right words.  I was fortunate enough to have some youth group experience and a few summer camp experiences.  Then, prior to getting married in the Lutheran Church, the Pastor told me that either my fiancé or I had to take 9 weeks worth of classes to learn about the Bible as taught by the Lutheran tradition.  It was my favorite class throughout my entire college experience (and it helped that the precious Pastor’s wife would often bake homemade bread and bring it to me at my sorority house).

Then in my late 20s my family began attending church regularly.  At that point I also began an in-depth study of God’s Word with a group of women.  The first book that God gave me to study was the Book of John.  I was VERY confused by all of the Johns (John the Baptist, John the Beloved…was he the same John that wrote 1, 2, 3 John and Revelation?).  So, because I came to the game late, I began to devour the Scriptures.  I built my theology in the New Testament, and used the Old Testament as a somewhat irrevelent, yet holy backdrop.

I studied this way for about 12 years …until I realized that the Old Testament (The Tanak) was the Bible Jesus read, and the Bible that the Apostles studied diligently.  It was at that moment that I began devouring the Old Testament Scriptures, and began to rework my theology using the “Bible that Jesus read” as my foundation.  It would be a gross understatement to say that the New Testament became technicolored as I filtered it through the lens of the Old Testament.