The
error and heresy of being
Neo-Testamentarian
There are those who brag about being “Neo-Testamentarian” while they show contempt towards the Old Testament and those “wretches” that follow it together with the New Testament. They talk and act as if the Old Testament had been inspired by Satan and not by God, or as if God had changed his mind after its inspiration.
Evidently that was not Paul's
mental structure. When he wrote the second letter to
Timothy, the New Testament did not exist
yet, and much less when Timothy was a
child. Obviously, what
Timothy knew from infancy was the Old Testament and not the New
Testament. That is what Paul calls
here “the Sacred
Scriptures” and not the New
Testament yet.
Therefore, all that Paul says in
these verses he says it in reference to that Old Testament that so many
Christians reject and even abominate.
“14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 and that 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. 16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works”. (II Tim 3:14-17)
What does Paul say about the Old Testament? He, who knew what he was talking about, better than all of the talkative “doctors” that we now have, says that the Old Testament can make us wise for our salvation by the faith that is in Christ Jesus. Yes, for anyone who does not close his eyes, the Old Testament will guide him to Jesus. That is why it was written! Don't you remember that it was to that respect that the Berean Jews used it according to Acts 17:11?
Later, referring still to the Old Testament, he says that all of it was inspired by God. This does not mean that later when the New Testament came into existence, it could not apply to it as well; but when Paul said it, he was referring to the Old Testament.
Later on he says that the Old Testament, which is abominated by the Neo-Testamentarians, is useful for teaching. Teaching who? The Christians. And teaching them, what? Everything, because all Scripture (he says of the Old Testament) is inspired by God, including the Decalogue and all of God's laws.
And not just that; he also says that the Old Testament is useful for reproof, and for correction for Christians. If Christians were reproved and corrected through the use of the Old Testament, it is because Christians followed the Old Testament. In other words, because Christians had it as a standard of behavior; they did not consider it obsolete not abominate it. If Paul approved and encouraged such thing, even at the end of his life, why can't Christians do so today? Why reject the Old Testament and hate it and even contradict it? Isn't that one of the reasons for the weakness of Christianity in all times? When will we have an integral Christianity that follows the entire Bible and not just part of it, to the convenience of each sect?
I don't see a conflict, but
rather a complement between the Old and the New Testaments.
Lastly, Paul says that the Old Testament is profitable for instructing in righteousness, or that its laws must be our model for justice, our guide for righteous behavior. This, I have always said, there are many things that we would never have known they are sinful if we did not read the Old Testament, whose validity the apostle is not rejecting, rather he highlights.
So what else is the Old Testament that so many Christians despise or abominate good for? Well, it is so that every man of God (Timothy and Christians in general) be perfect, fully instructed for all good deeds. Nothing much what is ignored by those who brag about being Neo-Testamentarians!
And who says all this in favor of the Old Testament? The same man who, erroneously, those who consider the Old Testament useless, hold as their champion. The same man who they say he insisted that the law had been abolished and that the Old Testament was old fashioned. The same man that, when speaking of a new covenant replacing an old one, they believe is talking about the Old Testament and God's law, and not the ritual laws and the rites and Jewish ceremonies.
To read the Bible many times
without fear of finding the truth is a very good way to find it.