If you’re trying to figure out Christianity, you have to come to grips with the Old Testament.
Many Christians view the Old Testament as an awkward relative: they know they share DNA but they block it on social media. Ignore the Old Testament and you won’t have to address the embarrassment. I use the word embarrass purposefully; some of the greatest challenges to our faith are found in these pages—in words of inspiration. Even the most devout believer would prefer that some of these texts didn’t exist.
Yet an essentially aspect of the Christian walk is grappling with the tension. While the gospel was created to resolve the stress of this duality (Holy God/Flawed humans), we must first admit that this strain exists.
Read the Old Testament and you’ll gain an understanding of this tension. I’m not suggesting that merely reading its pages will bring resolution, but you’ll at least develop an awareness. The Old Testament isn’t the story of a vengeful God but of a people who desire to live without accountability. A thorough study reveals the flaws of religiosity and why Jesus is desperately needed.
Read the Old Testament long enough and you’ll finally see that you’ve long held misconceptions about Christianity. And you’ll recognize anew that Christ is the hope of humanity.
My advice: if you’ve recently started a Bible reading plan, don’t skim the old stuff.
Dive into it. Embrace the awkward. You’ll be the better for it.