When the Foundation Is Forgotten, the Fulfillment Is Misunderstood
Introduction: The Danger of Incomplete Understanding
Many modern Protestant believers focus almost exclusively on the New Testament while ignoring the Old Testament, or they interpret the New Testament through a lens detached from its Hebrew roots.
The result is a faith that:
Misunderstands God’s promises
Misinterprets Jesus’ mission
Lacks depth in worship, prophecy, and moral guidance
Ignoring the Old Testament while misreading the New leads to a shallow, fragmented Christianity.
- The Old Testament Is Not Optional
Some believe the Old Testament is merely history or legalism. Scripture shows otherwise:
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17)
The Old Testament reveals:
God’s covenant with His people
Prophetic foreshadowing of Christ
Patterns of faith, obedience, and judgment
Ignoring it is like skipping the roots of a tree and expecting fruit.
- Misreading the New Testament
Many read the New Testament as:
A manual for self-help or prosperity
A set of inspirational quotes
A collection of isolated verses
Without the Old Testament as context:
Paul’s letters can be misunderstood
Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy is overlooked
The Kingdom of God is often reduced to heaven after death instead of a present reality
Philosophical insight:
The New Testament without Old Testament understanding is fragmented knowledge, not wisdom.
- Examples of Misinterpretation
Prosperity gospel ignoring sacrifice and covenant faithfulness
Overlooking Jesus’ frequent Old Testament references in sermons
Misreading “grace” apart from God’s promises and moral requirements
“Everything written in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44)
Jesus Himself consistently tied His teaching to the Hebrew Scriptures.
When believers ignore the Old Testament and misread the New:
Covenant faithfulness is lost
Prophetic vision is diminished
Moral clarity is weakened
The continuity of God’s plan is obscured
Faith becomes temporal and shallow, rather than rooted in God’s eternal plan.
- How the Early Church Balanced Both
The apostles and early believers:
Regularly studied the Torah and Prophets
Connected Old Testament promises to Jesus’ life and ministry
Taught that fulfillment does not nullify foundation
“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)
Historical
Early church leaders saw Scripture as one story, not two separate books.
- Practical Lessons for Believers Today
Study the Old Testament to understand God’s character, promises, and patterns
Read the New Testament in light of prophecy and covenant
Teach Jesus as fulfillment, not as a replacement
Integrate moral, historical, and spiritual lessons from both testaments
Obedience, faith, and understanding grow when the whole counsel of God is considered (Acts 20:27).
Conclusion: A Unified Scripture Produces Mature Faith
Ignoring the Old Testament while misreading the New creates weak faith and misguided teaching.
The fullness of God’s revelation is seen when believers study Scripture from Genesis to Revelation, understanding the continuity and fulfillment.
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction…” (Romans 15:4)
A mature faith requires seeing the story God has been telling all along—from the Old Testament to the New.
✨ Final Reflection
Do not separate the Law from the Gospel.
Do not neglect the foundation while chasing the fulfillment.
Study both. Understand both. Obey both.
This is the path to biblical wisdom and genuine discipleship.