Unhitch
In May of this year, Andy Stanley suggested that Christians need to unhitch the Old Testament from their faith. Now recently in an interview, Andy Stanley tried to clarify what he meant by that statement. Unfortunately, his clarification is even worse than the original statement (and until I heard this, I didn’t think it was possible for Andy Stanley to make it worse).
To clarify the unhitching recommendation, Andy Stanley recently said that you don’t need to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. Then he further stated that when Jesus and the apostles talked about the Scriptures, we really don’t know what Scriptures they were referring too. Huh? Are you serious? Can you really state with a straight face that we don’t know which Scriptures Jesus and the apostles referenced?
Conversation I Wish I Could Have With Andy Stanley
There’s no way that I can talk to Andy Stanley, but if I could I’d say: Andy, a cool, seeker sensitive guy like yourself, you don’t mind if I call you Andy, do you? Great, I didn’t think that would be a problem. Andy, my suggestion is that you take a sabbatical, say take at least three months off and read the Old Testament. Read it slowly and carefully. Then read the New Testament and Andy buddy, really even an average study Bible should do because you see, a study Bible references in the New Testament the exact Scriptures that Jesus and the apostles were quoting from the Old Testament. We don’t have to guess which Scriptures there were referring to, we know which ones. We actually know, not guess, but know.
In fact, I enjoy reading through the Bible every year and I love when I read the Old Testament and recognize verses where Jesus and/or the apostles were referring to. For example, In Romans 10:15, the Apostle Paul is referencing Isaiah 52:7. I don’t have to guess about this, it is right there in my Bible, as plain as day and I just read Isaiah 52 the other day and immediately I recognized that’s where Paul was referring to in Romans 10:15.
Virgin Birth Of Jesus
Also Andy, dude, the virgin birth is talked about in the New Testament as well as the Old Testament. The virgin birth is important because it points to the deity of Christ Jesus. It also points out the predictive nature of the Old Testament and how it was written by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There’s absolutely no other book ever written that’s like the Holy Bible, the full Bible, that includes the Old and New Testaments.
The virgin birth and the Old Testament are important to Christianity. Here’s just a few examples of virgin birth verses: 1. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14) 2. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:34-35).
Old Testament Scriptures
Also, when you read about Jesus talking to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, in Luke 24 it says that Jesus talked to them: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27). Andy, Jesus expounded on the Scriptures, starting with the Torah and then worked through the Prophets showing them where the words were written about Himself, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Old Testament points us to Jesus. Why would we want to unhitch from Jesus?
God made us in His own image and we’ve all marred that image. We’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. That’s why we need a Savior. You know this Andy, Jesus is the only Savior of mankind. He is the perfect, acceptable, only pleasing sacrifice to God for our sins. That’s why we must repent and put our faith in Jesus and in Him alone. Starting in Genesis 3, the Bible points to Jesus. He is the only Savior of mankind. Jesus constantly quoted Scripture. The apostles quoted Scripture. We should not unhitch our faith from the Old Testament. There is not one God of the Old Testament and another God of the New Testament. God is God and there is none beside Him; He never changes.
Read The Old Testament
So please Andy, take some time off, say at least a three month sabbatical and read the Old Testament. Please read it slowly and carefully. Read it through the lens of looking for Jesus. He is there throughout the Old Testament. Then please publicly acknowledge your mistakes. Christians dare not unhitch their faith from the Old Testament. The Bible is God’s word from beginning to end and every word is important and all of it is inspired by God. Secondly, after you clearly see that Jesus and the apostles did reference Scripture – The Scriptures – the Old Testament, please acknowledge that mistake as well.
Finally, Andy, if you can’t read the Old Testament and see Jesus as well as see the actual Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus and the apostles referenced in the New Testament, then please, please, do not step behind a pulpit again – ever. Please, please, unhitch yourself from being a pastor of a church. This is not a prank or a joke, I’m 100% serious. May God open your eyes to the heresy that you have been pushing and may you repent and believe the Gospel (and believe the whole Bible). Again, I can’t talk to Andy Stanley, but these are the words that I’d say to him if I could speak to him.