Sometimes in an effort to answer criticisms for certain practices, an individual will say that it is biblical and give a passage in the Old Testament. An example is clapping at the conclusion of a baptism as an expression of praise and joy and then they will give Psalm 47:1 "OH, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!" Another example is "dancing before the Lord" like David in 2 Samuel 6:14 as an expression of praise and joy. The question is can we use this defense today as a way to justify what we do in religion?
First of all, one can use this argument for several different activities that many will not accept. One example is animal sacrifices. Starting in Genesis 3 and continuing throughout the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed for sins. Another example is worshipping God on Saturday as the main day of worship, Exodus 20:8-11. A third example is husbands having more than one wife, 1 Kings 10:3 among others. A fourth example is the death penalty for those who commit adultery, homosexuality, incest, etc., Leviticus 20:10-16. If one uses Old Testament passages to justify their practices such as clapping and dancing before the Lord, they must practice these other practices. Paul emphasizes this principle in dealing with the "biblical" practice of circumcision in Galatians 5:3. "And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law."
Also, one should keep in mind what happened on the Mount of Transfiguration when Peter saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. Peter suggested that they build three tabernacles, one each for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. When he made that suggestion, God spoke from Heaven to the effect that we are to hear Jesus and Jesus only. We are not not hear Moses, Elijah, David, the Psalmist or any Old Testament character as authority for our religious practices today. Hear the words of the text: "Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" (Matthew 17:4-5)
In addition, Paul shows in Romans 7:1-6 that we are guilty of spiritual adultery if we try to follow both the Old Testament and the New Testament. "Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another-- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.
The Hebrew writer in chapters 8-10 emphasizes the fact that his readers should not go back to the Old Testament and live by the teachings of it because we have a much better covenant today.
This should be enough to show that we cannot go to the Old Testament for authority for our practices today even if they are "biblical"; i.e., they are listed as having been practiced only under the Old Testament.
Stanton See
