Momentum For Monday, February 10th 2025

“For I the Lord do not change…” (Malachi 3:6)

It is common for many who are in church and call themselves Christians to think that God in the Old Testament is different from God in the New Testament and even now. They think that the God of the Old Testament was a God of wrath and that the God of the New Testament is a God of love. I can totally understand this because even I thought this before. However, this simply isn't true.

God is definitely love. Not everything we consider to be love is God, but true love is God. Even more, God has always been that way. He always been the same in character and thought. We know this because Scripture tells us this. However, we're not crazy, there definitely seems to be a whole different mood and style from the Old Testament to New. So, what gives?

The main difference between these two Testaments is the covenant God's people were under. In fact, depending upon the Bible you have, it may be called the Old Covenant and New Covenant instead of the word testament because the words "testament" and "covenant" are interchangeable. It's like having an old contract agreement with God and then a new one. But God didn't change the agreement, he just brought one of his own in to come fulfill the old contract rules so the new one could be put into place (meaning Jesus). 

Even in the Old Testament, God was love. The covenant in the Old Testament was because of his love for his people. He fulfilled it in his faithfulness even when his people weren't faithful to him. God's love just isn't mushy or emotional. His love is faithful. It is patient and kind. It isn't boastful or proud or rude (is this starting to sound familiar?) …

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

(Hebrews 13:8)