Old Testament God vs New Testament God

There’s always been objections to Christianity, but a growing concern is that these objections get “air-time” on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter where millions of people, including Christians, can start to question the Bible.

These short videos can be digested quickly by a population that loves convenience and quick “lessons” – it’s actually quite concerning to me. In fact, our society is getting to the point where most people would rather have someone tell them what the Bible says instead of reading it for themselves.

There are many intelligent people who are atheists, agnostics, and unbelieving skeptics that can easily infiltrate the Christian theological conversation via social media. Therefore, I want to warn you about one objection to Christianity that many believers get hung up on and even stuck in their walk with the Lord. And that is this: “The God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament.”

Some “scholars” have even gone as far as saying that there are two Gods – an Old Testament God and a New Testament God. Others suggest that God may have evolved or “calmed down” over time. Both of these suggestions are pure nonsense. The Old Testament God is the same God of the New Testament. Atheist Richard Dawkins went as far as saying this about God: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

Dawkins quote about “The God of the Old Testament,” shows his utter ignorance. He either doesn’t know what he’s talking about or is maintaining ignorance in order to hold to his nonsensical beliefs. Either way his quote is ridiculous, yet many subscribe to it.

What we must realize is that people like Dawkins don’t realize that the Bible is an unfolding love story of God’s deep care for humanity culminating in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Furthermore, Dawkins and others fail to understand the nature of God to be one of complete holiness so He must judge sin. Simply put, sin and holiness don’t mix – at all.

Interestingly, before God flooded the earth and before He “wiped out” (a phrase many skeptics use) the Canaanites He gave hundreds of years of warnings! He warned the Canaanites for over 400 years! That seems like a patient and loving God to me – this isn’t a God who is temperamental and moody.

Sodom and Gomorrah are other examples that atheists like to talk about when it comes to God. In regards to these cities, Abraham asked God, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” and was told that if God found only ten righteous people in those cities, He would withhold judgment. God is slow to anger and judgmentthe exact opposite of Dawkins assertions.

We see throughout Old Testament the plain truth that God is a “compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:5, 15; 108:4; 145:8; Joel 2:13). Take a look at those passages for reassurance.

I don’t have time to tackle all of Dawkins’ mischaracterizations of God, but they are all easy to refute. Friends, trust in God’s Word and don’t get caught in “easy to digest” short videos by atheists, secularists, and even well-meaning but misguided Christians. Above all, test everything you hear about God by going to His Word.

In His Love, Drew