Question:
How much of the Bible is done away with? Is it all for humanity now?
Answer:
The whole Bible is for man now. Every part has its lesson for these days, although not all its laws are binding. To illustrate: God commanded men to offer sacrifices of different kinds for different purposes. He does not now ask us to offer these sacrifices, for they have all been met in Christ Jesus. Yet, we may learn important lessons from each of these sacrificial laws concerning God’s requirements, our duty, God’s love, and Christ’s offering. The sin-offering, the trespass-offering, the burnt offering, the peace-offering teach precious lessons of how repulsive sin should be in our sight, how utterly we should renounce it, how great and effectual are God’s love and grace. The injunction to circumcise is not now binding, but the very law and the circumstances of its giving show how completely we should put off the domination of the body, of the flesh. Some of these laws expired by limitation, but the lessons of the laws, and the conditions which called them forth, still abide. For example, no one has to warn now of a coming global flood, but the lesson of the Deluge still remains. There are many other illustrations. But one law forever abides, God’s great Constitution, Heaven’s Magna Charta, summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments; and the only Saviour from sin is Jesus Christ our Lord.
Remember, “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, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Though much of the Scriptures relate to the past experiences of God’s people in varying ages, “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4; See also 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11).
