Should I even bother reading the Old Testament?

"Should I even bother reading the Old Testament?" was a genuine question I wrestled with in the early years of my faith journey as an adult.

In 2019 as new graduate student at a Texas seminary, I was shocked to find the vast majority of my peers and academic leaders did not seem to put much stock in the validity of the Bible as authoritative scripture - especially the Old Testament.

To be clear, I encountered individuals who were the exceptions to that perspective, but the consensus was an indictment against the Old Testament.

I had grown up in the church and was more or less surrounded by believers in some form or fashion throughout my life, but until that moment, I had never met a self-proclaiming Christian who staunchly opposed nearly three-quarters of their Bible.

That reality completely puzzled me. So, I listened intently to my peers' critiques of these ancient scriptures. Maybe there was something to it?

Some of the most common judgments stated that the Old Testament is not worth reading because:

• It is archaic

• It promotes violence

• It is misogynistic

• It is racist/discriminatory

• It does not describe the same God of the New Testament

Simply put, nothing so grotesque could ever bear relevance to the life of the modern Christian.

The more I listened, the more I questioned these conclusions. I was not ignorant of the problematic passages enveloped in the pages of the Old Testament, but such a harsh stance didn't sit well with me. I began to question if there were any truths to these claims because if there were, why should I even bother to read the Old Testament?

Admittedly, the perspective I encountered within academia was and is extreme. And while I do not believe that the average Christian holds that same position, there is no question that the average Christian struggles to understand the importance and relevance of reading and applying the Old Testament scriptures in hindsight of Jesus.

I wrestled with that question for over two years of my education, and I weighed my classmates' claims the only way I knew how - by reading the Old Testament. But not just an "Old-Testament-in-a-Year" type reading - I mean reading, studying, reflecting, praying, and investing time with the Spirit, in these ancient texts.

The Holy Spirit showed me that the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament are one in the same. Through this transformation, I became aware of God's immense love for all people and His desire to save humanity and be in relationship with them at all costs. What I had once seen as archaic and violent now was valuable, relevant, enriched my relationship with Jesus and transformed my life!

Eventually, I transferred to Biola University, where I am currently pursuing my Masters of Arts in Old Testament in response to a calling and passion for helping followers of Christ learn, understand, and apply the Old Testament scriptures to their lives.

Obviously, my answer to the question "Should I even bother reading the Old Testament?" was a resounding yes, and I understand that this brief introduction probably hasn't convinced you just yet.

Through this platform, I pray that I can help others - like you - who wrestle with the same skepticism and uncertainty by sharing thoughts, tools, and resources that God used to build my faith and my confidence that this is not simply an "old" testament, but a timeless one.

Those experiences have been the catalyst of many events in my life - the beginning of this blog being one of them. I've been praying a lot about this journey and felt compelled to get it started. The mission of this blog is to help the modern follower of Christ discover the significance and relevance of the Old Testament in their lives.

I'm praying for you as you embark on this journey through the Old Testament and I'm grateful that you are here.