Why Christians Should Study the Old Testament Today: 10 Reasons That Still Matter

In a world filled with fast answers and quick summaries, many Christians find themselves asking: Why should we study the Old Testament? Isn’t the New Testament enough? After all, that’s where we read about Jesus, grace, salvation, and the early Church.

But to ignore the Old Testament is to misunderstand the Bible’s full message. The Old Testament is not outdated, irrelevant, or inferior. In fact, it lays the very foundation for everything we believe as followers of Christ. It points to Jesus, reveals God’s character, and equips us for the kind of faith that endures.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• Why Christians read the Old Testament
• What Jesus taught about it
• Whether we should take it literally
• And 10 powerful reasons why it’s still essential for believers today.

Why Do Christians Read the Old Testament?

Christians read the Old Testament because it is the first part of God’s inspired Word. It tells the story of creation, the fall of man, God’s covenant with Israel, and the unfolding of His redemptive plan.

Everything that happens in the New Testament builds on the themes, prophecies, and promises of the Old Testament. Without it, we wouldn’t understand:

• Why we need a Savior
• What sin is
• How God deals with His people
• The purpose of the law
• The meaning of sacrifice
• The hope of a coming Messiah

Christians don’t read the Old Testament out of obligation. We read it to know God more deeply.

 Why Should Christians Follow the Old Testament?

While believers are no longer under the Mosaic Law in the same way Israel was, the Old Testament still holds spiritual, moral, and prophetic authority.

Jesus Himself said He didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. This means He completed its purpose, not that it’s irrelevant.

The Old Testament continues to teach us:

• Moral principles that apply to life today
• Wisdom for daily decision-making
• Prophetic patterns fulfilled in Christ
• Powerful stories of faith, failure, and redemption

To follow the Old Testament is to follow the full story of God, not just the final chapter.

 Why Did Jesus Quote the Old Testament?

Jesus quoted the Old Testament constantly. From His teaching in the synagogues to His responses to Satan during temptation, He showed deep reverence for Scripture.

Why?

Because Jesus saw the Old Testament as:

• Authoritative: It carried the weight of truth.
• Inspired: Every word was breathed by God.
• About Him: He told His disciples, “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”

Even on the cross, Jesus quoted from Psalms. He lived, taught, and died in full alignment with the Old Testament.

If Jesus valued it so deeply, shouldn’t we?

 What Is the Main Purpose of the Old Testament?

The Old Testament’s main purpose is to:

1. Reveal who God is – His holiness, mercy, justice, and love.
2. Show humanity’s need for redemption – through the law and stories of broken people.
3. Set the stage for the coming of Christ – through prophecy, typology, and covenant.
4. Demonstrate God’s covenant faithfulness – even when His people failed.
5. Offer wisdom for life – through Proverbs, Psalms, and narratives that shape godly thinking.

It’s not just history. It’s holy revelation.

 Should Christians Take the Old Testament Literally?

Yes - and with discernment.

Some parts of the Old Testament are historical narrative. Others are poetic, prophetic, or symbolic. Christians should read it as it was intended:

• Literally, when describing real events (like creation, the Exodus, the life of David)
• Symbolically, when using metaphor or prophetic imagery (like Daniel’s visions or Psalm poetry)
• Typologically, seeing how people and events foreshadow Christ (like Moses, Joseph, the Passover lamb)

The key is not to dismiss it as outdated or too complicated. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom to understand and apply it faithfully.

 What Does the Old Testament Teach Us About God?

More than any other book, the Old Testament teaches us about:

• God as Creator – powerful, purposeful, and good
• God as Covenant Keeper – faithful even when people fail
• God as Judge – holy and just in dealing with sin
• God as Deliverer – rescuing His people time and again
• God as Father – deeply loving and protective
• God as Redeemer – setting the stage for the coming Savior

If you want to know God deeply, you need the Old Testament.

 Why Is the Old Testament Important Today?

In today’s world of cultural confusion and spiritual compromise, the Old Testament stands as a moral anchor and spiritual compass.

Here’s why it matters now more than ever:

• It confronts sin and idolatry
• It calls us to obedience and holiness
• It points us to the cross
• It shows God’s sovereignty over nations
• It strengthens our endurance in hard times
• It equips us with spiritual discernment

The Old Testament isn’t just about the past. It speaks prophetically and powerfully into our present.

 10 Reasons Why We Should Study the Old Testament

Let’s break down 10 practical, spiritual, and theological reasons every Christian should engage with the Old Testament.

1. It Was Jesus’ Bible

Before the New Testament was written, Jesus and the apostles quoted, studied, and taught from the Old Testament. If it was good enough for Jesus, it should be essential for us.

2. It Points to the Gospel

Every major theme—sacrifice, covenant, redemption, kingdom—leads to Jesus. The gospel doesn’t begin in Matthew; it begins in Genesis.

3. It Shapes Our Understanding of Sin and Grace

The Old Testament shows how sin infects individuals, families, and nations. But it also reveals how grace breaks in through promise, mercy, and deliverance.

4. It Teaches God’s Character

Through its pages, we discover a God who is righteous, patient, just, loving, and holy. These are not abstract ideas—they are demonstrated through action.

5. It Contains Prophetic Insight

From Isaiah to Malachi, we find hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah, many fulfilled in Jesus, others pointing to His return.

6. It Prepares Us to Understand the New Testament

Without the Old Testament, we wouldn’t understand the background of Jesus’ teachings, the purpose of the cross, or the mission of the church.

7. It Builds Spiritual Maturity

The wisdom of Proverbs, the prayers of David, the endurance of Job, these aren’t just stories. They’re spiritual mentors for our daily walk.

8. It Reveals the Big Story of the Bible

Creation, fall, redemption, restoration, the Old Testament lays the framework for the grand narrative of Scripture.

9. It Equips Us for Spiritual Battle

The Psalms teach us how to pray through pain. The prophets teach us to stand firm in dark times. The law teaches us how to walk in holiness.

10. It Deepens Our Worship

When you see how faithful God has been throughout generations, you can’t help but respond with praise, awe, and trust.

 The Significance of the Old Testament in Relation to the New

The Old and New Testaments are not opposites. They’re two acts in one divine drama.

• The Old is promise; the New is fulfillment.
• The Old is shadow; the New is substance.
• The Old is expectation; the New is realization.

Without the Old, the New would be impossible to understand. The sacrifice of Christ only makes sense in light of Leviticus. The title “Son of David” only makes sense if you’ve read 1 Samuel. The cross only becomes glorious when you’ve seen the lamb in Exodus.

 What About Catholics and the Old Testament?

The Old Testament is vital to Catholics and Protestants alike. It’s part of the full canon of Scripture. Catholic teaching includes Old Testament readings in every Mass and holds the stories of Abraham, Moses, and the prophets in high regard.

The themes of covenant, sacrifice, and holiness, woven throughout the Old Testament, form the doctrinal foundations of Christian theology in all traditions.

 Why Do People Search “Old Testament PDF”?

Because the hunger is real. Many people are looking for downloadable, easy-to-read, well-structured content that helps them:

• Understand Old Testament books in summary
• Study prophecies and fulfillments
• See how the OT points to Christ
• Learn how to teach or preach it

Whether it’s for sermons, Bible studies, or personal growth, people want easy access to in-depth truth.

How Is the New Testament the Fulfillment of the Old?

The New Testament completes what the Old began:

• Jesus is the second Adam, obeying where the first failed
• Jesus is the true Israel, perfectly faithful to the covenant
• Jesus is the better Moses, delivering from sin
• Jesus is the true Temple, where we meet God
• Jesus is the final Sacrifice, making atonement once for all
• Jesus is the promised Messiah, born of a virgin, healing the broken, rising from the grave

To understand Christ fully is to see Him through the lens of the Old Testament.

 Final Thoughts: Don’t Neglect the Old Testament

In an age of short attention spans and New Testament-only theology, we must return to the full counsel of God’s Word. The Old Testament is not less Christian—it is foundational to Christianity.

Reading and studying the Old Testament:

• Grounds you in truth
• Expands your knowledge of God
• Builds spiritual depth
• Strengthens your faith
• Prepares you for kingdom impact

So don’t avoid it. Don’t overlook it. Don’t skip to the end of the story.

Start at the beginning—and watch your faith come alive.