[Steve Myers] I was talking with someone the other day, and they had mentioned how their former pastor had told them that they could take their Bible and tear out the Old Testament and ignore it because it was already fulfilled and it really didn't apply that much to life today. He was told that he just needed to look at the life of Jesus and everything forward, that that was what really mattered. And as we talked about that I began to think about how important the Old Testament actually is.

You can't take the word of God and just tear it apart and just select what you want because so oftentimes people miss the fact that the Old Testament and the New Testament fit together. And they fit together perfectly. It is amazing to think that the Old Testament inspired by God says so much of what the New Testament itself says as well.

You may not realize that in the New Testament it has references to the Old Testament over 4,000 times. So is that something that you can just tear out and throw away? You see, I don't think so. I don't think it's possible to do that.

In fact, oftentimes people will forget that in the Old Testament it reveals that God is not some harsh god, some mean god, but actually the Old Testament reveals God is a God of love. And for many, they might not think that those two things go together: Old Testament and a God of love. And yet they do. There's an interesting passage you can find over in Isaiah chapter 46. And in Isaiah chapter 46, we'll begin in verse 9 where it tells us very clearly. It says, "I am God. There is no other." He says, "I am God. There is none like Me declaring the end from the beginning, from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'" (Isaiah 46:9-10).

So here we begin to see that God not only is love, but He's the creator. He's created all things. And that God of love shows that He cares about all things. He cares about you and I. And in fact, just a couple of pages later in the book of Jeremiah is where he focuses on that very fact. In fact Jeremiah 31:3 he says, "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love."

And so these two characteristics of God become very clear in these two passages. One of God being creator, and secondly He created us out of love. He cares for us. He loves us. In fact He says, "Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you." 

So, rip apart the Bible and throw away the Old Testament? Not possible. It is as much important today as ever. So don't let anyone ever tell you just look at the New. The Bible is one book. It is constant throughout in its meaning. So, remember God is creator and He is love and He's revealed Himself in that way in the entirety of His book.

That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.