HARMONY BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS by Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 8, 1875

HARMONY BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

THE LAW OF GOD.—NO. 8.

BY J. H. WAGGONER.

In considering the relation of the two dispensations, and the effect of the change from one to the other, we notice as a very important point the

HARMONY BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

1. They have the same author. There cannot be that contrast, not to say conflict, between the two Testaments which some affect to see. It is a great mistake to ascribe the authorship of the Old Testament to the Father, and that of the New Testament to the Son. In all the dispensations, purposes, and revelations of Heaven to and toward man, the Father and Son have been, and are, perfectly united; and in all these the Father has revealed himself only through the Son. The highest evidence of divine authority that God ever offers in his word is that he made all things; and yet he made them by the Son. Heb. 1:1–3. Creation reveals to us the Son as certainly as it does the Father.

Not only in creation, but in the revelation of the Old Testament we behold the Son as clearly as we do the Father. He talked with the patriarchs. He was the Angel of God’s presence in whom he put his name, who led Israel out of Egypt, who communed with Moses, and ordered and arranged the first covenant with Israel. He went with Joshua, as “captain of the Lord’s host,” to bring the Lord’s people into the land of Canaan. He inspired the prophets of old to speak concerning himself, as Peter says the Spirit of Christ testified in the prophets.

And in like manner in the work of salvation, in all the New Testament, do we behold the Father and the Son. They who shut the Son out of the Old Testament and the Father out of the New, represent God as a stern, inexorable, and almost cruel governor, and, in contrast, they represent Christ as loving, kind, and merciful. They find a relief to their feelings in the thought that, as a minister in Indiana said, “their allegiance is transferred from God to Christ.” This is nothing less than a monstrous perversion of the gospel. In it we are told that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son”; “the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ”; “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself”; “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us”; in short, that “God is love”; and the richest blessing mankind can enjoy is to have “the love of God shed abroad in our heart.”

2. They have the same object. Ever since the fall of man, since the first promise that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent, we can see the same ideas and purposes running through all the revelations of God to man. By sin, God’s government was reproached, the earth was cursed, and man lost his dominion and his life. The offering of Abel, and all the offerings of the patriarchal and Levitical ages, looked forward to the same gospel truth, that the Son of God would put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

3. The Levitical system was preparatory to the gospel age. It was introductory, looking in the same direction. We should suppose from the teachings of some that they were in antagonism; but that is not the case. And so, also, the prophets spoke by inspiration of the Spirit of Christ. They not only foretold the glories of the work of grace through Christ, but they looked for it and longed for it.

4. The gospel is built upon the law of the Old Testament. The gospel is remedial—a system of pardon. It was a necessity because sin was in the world. And as sin is the transgression of the law, the gospel is a recognition of law, not merely a recognition of its existence, but a recognition of its claims, and of the justice of its claims. For, as Andrew Fuller forcibly and correctly remarked, “If the law which has been transgressed were unjust, instead of an atonement being required for the breach of it, it ought to have been repealed, and the law-giver have taken upon himself the disgrace of having enacted it.”

5. The perpetuity of the law is essential to the existence of the gospel. This may be shown in many respects, but we will content ourselves with a further quotation from Andrew Fuller, the celebrated Baptist author, on the atonement. He says:—

“Every instance of punishment among men is a sort of atonement to the justice of the country, the design of which is to restore the authority of good government, which transgression has impaired. But if the law itself is bad, or the penalty too severe, every sacrifice made to it must be an instance of cruelty. And should a prince of the blood royal, in compassion to the offenders, offer to suffer in their stead, for the purpose of atonement, whatever love it might discover on his part, it were still greater cruelty to accept the offer, even though he might survive his sufferings. The public voice would be, There is no need of any atonement; it will do no honor, but dishonor, to the legislature; and to call the liberation of the convicts an act of grace, is to add insult to injury. The law ought not to have been enacted, and now it is enacted, ought immediately to be repealed. It is easy to see from hence, that in proportion as the law is depreciated, the gospel is undermined, and both grace and atonement rendered void.”

On the other hand, all can see that if the law were holy, and just, and good, and the rebellion against it wrong; if the authority, the claims, and the penalties, of the law were worthy of the highest regard, then an atonement to the law does honor to the government which enacted the law, and to the principles of justice and right. Truly, as the prophet wrote, the Son of God, in his obedience and death, has magnified the law and made it honorable; and, as the apostle said, we do not make void the law through faith, but we establish the law.

6. The New Testament endorses the Old as a means of instruction in righteousness. Says Paul, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. This is a most important testimony, and demands careful attention.

(1.) The word “Scripture” is here used as it is generally used in the New Testament; namely, as referring to the Old Testament exclusively. To this the Saviour referred when he said, “Search the Scriptures.” Paul used this as his authority when he “reasoned out of the Scriptures.” And this is rendered certain by Paul’s words to Timothy in the verse preceding the ones quoted: “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.” Timothy might have known the Old Testament from a child; but not the New, for the very good reason that the New Testament was not yet written when Timothy was a child. Hence all that Paul here says must apply to the Old Testament exclusively. If the Old Testament was for the Jews only, and of no profit in this dispensation, as some teach, then Paul surely knew it, and he would speak accordingly. And how does he speak of it?

(2.) He says of the Scriptures which Timothy knew from a child “that they were able to make him wise unto salvation.” No one can say more than this of the New Testament. Were this our own language, and not that of Paul, we are sure that they who teach that “rightly dividing the word of truth” is to separate the Old Testament to the Jews and reject it as a rule of right and means of instruction for Christians, would accuse us of being fanatical and of teaching error. But the words of this apostle to the Gentiles are a standing rebuke to that system of error which discards the Old Testament from the Christian church.

(3.) Paul says of the Old Testament it is “profitable for doctrine.” Hence on doctrine we are not shut up to the New Testament, and out of the Old, in this dispensation. We have as our book of doctrine all that God has spoken to the human race in all ages. They who accuse us of having a special hobby, or of being narrow and exclusive in our faith, are blind in regard to the instructions of the apostles on this subject, and they lose much of the blessedness and fullness of God’s revelations to his people.

(4.) Paul says the Old Testament, which Timothy knew from a child, is profitable “for reproof and for correction.” Here again we discover the error of those who make the New Testament their sole book of “discipline.” And why not accept the reproofs given by the writers of the Old Testament? They spoke by inspiration of God, even as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And this is not the only place where Paul endorses them as authority. He says to the Ephesians, who “were Gentiles by nature,” they were “built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles.” Therefore they who teach that the churches from the Gentiles are to depend on the instructions of the apostles alone are plainly in error. They who accept both the Old and New Testaments as the rule of their faith have a broad foundation on which to build. And this is what Paul calls it: “The foundation of the prophets and apostles.” They who reject the Old Testament, who receive only the teachings of the apostles, have a defective and one-sided foundation. Their whole system needs to be corrected in the light of Paul’s teaching.

(5.) The Old Testament is profitable “for instruction in righteousness.” Says another apostle, “He that doeth righteousness is righteous.” Hence, righteousness consists in right-doing. And thus is proved that the Old Testament is not merely profitable to us theoretically, or as to mere doctrinal points and prophetic declarations, but profitable as laying down rules of right action; as giving us divine instruction for regulating our lives, and forming our characters. This being true, how much is lost to many professors of religion by their neglecting the study of the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit dictated the words written by “holy men of old,” and inspired the apostles to confirm them as a rule of life; and they who reject those words grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and are left to walk in darkness. This is the reason why they who reject the Old Testament are found so generally denying the power of the Spirit of God. Their religion becomes nominal and formal.

(6.) Some would be willing to admit that Paul’s indorsement of the Old-Testament Scriptures is correct in some degree; they would accept his words, yet under large limitations. But Paul’s words allow of no limitations; he has been careful to put them out of the way of restrictions. After saying they “are able to make thee wise unto salvation,” that they are profitable for doctrine, for discipline, for instruction in right-doing, he adds, “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto ALL GOOD WORKS.” However strongly people may doubt that all good works are embraced within the teachings of the Old-Testament Scriptures, there is no room to doubt that Paul says so. And his statement must be approved by all who examine the subject with any care and candor. A sufficient vindication of his words (if they need any) is found in the fact that the law of the Most High God is written in the Old Testament. Concerning this law Jehovah himself said if they would keep it they would be holy. Moses said it was their righteousness and their life to keep those commandments. Deut. 6:25; 30:15–20. David said that law was perfect. Solomon said it contained the whole duty of man. The particular declarations of the New Testament in favor of the law, equally broad and emphatic, will be considered hereafter. It is a very evident truth that a law which can make men holy in obeying it, which is righteous, which is perfect, which contains the whole duty of man, must indeed embrace “all good works.” But this is the nature of the law of God, and this law is written in the Old Testament. And so Paul’s words stand vindicated, that we are “thoroughly furnished unto all good works” in the Old-Testament Scriptures. Had we no other evidence in the New Testament in favor of the perpetuity and perfection of the law of God, we should consider this text amply sufficient; but, having much more equally decisive, we have no hesitation in planting ourselves on this truth, and claiming in its behalf a “full assurance of faith.”

(7.) The perfect harmony of the Old and New Testaments is further found in Paul’s answer to the objection which may be raised against his strong indorsement of the Old-Testament Scriptures. Thus, the objector questions, If the Old Testament is able to make us wise unto salvation, and gives complete instruction in doctrine, discipline, and right-doing, even furnishing us the rules of all good works, what need have we of the New Testament? Is not the Old Testament therein affirmed to be complete and sufficient without the New?

To open this subject more fully to the mind of the objector, we ask in return: If the law of the Lord was perfect, why make any further revelation through prophets and apostles? Is there a complement of moral perfection? or, if the commandments of God contained the whole duty of man, why add the New Testament to them? Does God require man to do more than his whole duty?

The whole difficulty is in the mind of the objector, in that he sees no difference between moral obligation and a remedy for sin. It is a Bible truth that the whole duty of man was revealed in the Old Testament; and it is equally true that man did not do his duty. Having failed in his duty; having subjected himself to condemnation and to punishment, he finds himself utterly helpless, unable to extricate himself from the difficulty and the danger. As a rebellious creature he is subject to the righteous wrath of God, without any means of averting it. God looks down upon him in pity. But the government of God is a right government; his claims on man are just, and cannot in justice be yielded. He cannot in any respect release man from his whole duty without doing violence to his own justice and dishonoring his own government. But in his infinite wisdom he devised a plan, wrought out through his own dear

Son, whereby “he may be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” Rom. 3:23–26. Had man done his whole duty he would, of course, have been accepted on his obedience; but now, in addition to future obedience he must receive “remission of sins that are past, by the forbearance of God.” And more than this, his rebellion has so alienated him from God that he is incapable of restoring himself to those privileges and to that allegiance from which he has fallen. Both remission for the past, and obedience in the future are secured through his surety. Thus “being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom. 5:1. Hence, now, when Paul vindicates the sufficiency of the Old Testament as a divine instructor on morals, he adds the means of restoration, as follows: “From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

Here we have a perfect union of the two Testaments—the Old, containing the law of Jehovah, defining the whole duty of man, and also pointing out his fall, his repeated failures to discharge his duty—the New, revealing the remedy for sin through God’s only Son. Thus we have “repentance toward God” because of transgression, and “faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ,” for remission of sin; past failures forgiven in “being justified by faith,” and future obedience insured by our having “peace with God,” the enmity or carnal mind, which is not subject to the law of God, being taken away.

Long time has error, like a pall of darkness, hung over the Christian world in regard to this important point. Grievous wolves have foisted their heresies upon the church, since the “falling away” foretold by the Spirit of prophecy. And no greater heresy has ever obtained than that which places the Son in antagonism to the Father; which makes void the law of the great God through faith in Jesus Christ; which makes God’s will, as revealed in this dispensation, conflict with his will as revealed in past dispensations. “All his commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.” Ps. 111:7, 8.