Perhaps they taught right and I just learned wrong.

Sunday school was an undercover clandestine movement led by churchwomen.

I do remember the colorful flannel graph—the foundation to all digital graphics—telling the stories from Old Testament Scripture.

The churchmen never set foot inside the classes so they had not a clue as to the error taught to children.  The great women of the church saw Old Testament Scripture as important.

Once in the Sanctuary, truth rang from pulpit.

I could swear—not literally—I learned from the pulpit that God nailed the Old Testament Scripture to the cross so we weren’t to follow its teaching.

We could use a principle found in a battle story, and it was OK to receive encouragement from the Psalms as long as we didn’t sing them in the same manner of the original author.

To confirm my belief, bookstores sold small New Testaments that included a copy of the Psalms.

What more would a New Testament Christian need?

The Old Testament Scripture had nothing to do with my deliverance. After all, God had Old Testament Scripture only recorded for “our admonition”—whatever that meant—and not for my salvation.

Much later in life, I learned I was attempting to navigate life with half a sword.

OK, this is my current understanding. All Scripture is inspired of God.

The only portion of the entire Scripture that was nailed to the cross—or perhaps better understood as fulfilled by the cross—was the Mosaic Law.

Jesus was the fulfillment of the sacrificial system. He became the culminating sacrifice sent by God to atone for sin. 

Restoration of what was lost in Eden is now possible. Any person who wants to live anew in the presence of God can get there through Jesus.

I find in order to know God and grow in His likeness I need to dwell in the entirety of Scripture.

Jesus set the example for me by living in fellowship with God through His consistent interface with Old Testament Scripture. He quoted from it often. He used Old Testament Scripture to stand firm against Satan.

Shouldn’t I too face Satan from the strength of the entirety of Scripture?

What does all of the above have to do with unity in the church?

Sure church is simple as joining with other sinners to praise God and honor Jesus for the undeserved grace I receive.

It is also complex in my attempt to worship the God described from Genesis to Revelation as a God beyond description.

Shouldn’t we give each other a little grace in attempting the unfathomable while we are trying to learn it right?

Stay tuned.

Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – Reflecting on Cross Church.

Gary@GodReflection.org