This title sounds very academic, doesn’t it? But if you were challenged to defend it, could you? It is one of many things that is so commonly accepted by Christ-followers that we are seldom ready to show the truth of this statement.

Recently I had a very sad conversation with a close friend about this topic. He strongly claims to be a Christian yet was quite aggressive in attacking the Old Testament, rejecting the God found there, and the history and reliability of the text. He only believed in Jesus and the New Testament. He rejected the “infallibility” of the Hebrew Scriptures because it was written by corrupt and sinful men.

So, this is not so academic after all. In living out our call to proclaim the gospel, this is an example of being ready with an answer. Obviously, we can’t answer every question that skeptics throw at us, but we should have a proper response. The Apostle Peter tells us, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

There are several points to make in a case like this. First of all, my friend did not know the proper definition of “infallibility.” It does not mean that the Bible says everything there is to say about God. It means that what is in the text is true and will not lead us astray. We can believe it and confidently live our lives according to it teachings.

But how can we back this up in a conversation with an unbeliever? Here are some quick points to raise that would hopefully lead to productive discussion. These are presented briefly here but I encourage you to meditate on these points and study them further:

— Jesus believed the Old Testament. He referred to the “Scriptures” 24 times, to the “Law” 33 times, to the “Prophets” 91 times. So he specifically referred to the Old Testament 148 times, but he alluded to it even more often. How could someone who claims to believe in Jesus reject the Old Testament?

— The Old Testament was the Bible to New Testament authors. All the Gospel writers referred to it. Peter, Paul, and James all refer to the “Scriptures” in their epistles. They could only have been the Old Testament at the time.

— When you understand the purpose of the Old Testament, you will see it blends perfectly with the story of Jesus. It explains how humankind fell from grace and the resulting unrighteousness that followed. It shows God’s judgment and grace in relation to the fall, ultimately foretelling the coming of the redeemer and what he will accomplish.

— It establishes our basic doctrines that are fulfilled and reinforced in the New Testament. Who God is, the Messiah’s purpose, how God will establish salvation, and how this whole story ends in God’s glory.

— We cannot fully understand the New Testament without the Old Testament. Much of what we know about the Messiah begins in the Old Testament. What does “the Lamb of God” mean? The genealogies show Jesus as the Son of David, a messianic identification. What is the primary significance of the Passover and the other feast days in the Jewish year? Tons more examples.

Like Jesus, we should have compassion on people around us who don’t understand. We should pray that the Lord opens their spiritual eyes to be drawn to his grace and mercy. This compassion should move us to being ready to help them.

In Christ,

Todd Bradley