Sinai and the Saints: Reading Old Covenant Laws for the New Covenant Community

Product DescriptionWhat should Christians do with all the laws in the Old Testament? The Old Testament tells the story of the beginnings of God's salvation history, and it is part of the authoritative canon of Scripture affirmed by the church. But what role should the laws of the old covenant play in the lives of those living under the new covenant? Can Christians embrace the commandment to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" but ignore the laws regarding clean and unclean food? Some have suggested that Christians remain under the moral laws of the old covenant, while others have argued that some of the Old Testament laws?for example, the Ten Commandments?still apply to Christians. James Todd makes a bold claim by contending that as followers of Jesus Christ who'stand under a new covenant, Christians are no longer subject to any of the Old Testament laws. Focusing on the laws of the Pentateuch, he then addresses the proper role and benefits of the Old Testament laws in the Christian life. With wit and insight, Todd helps Christians to understand how the laws given to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai should be read by those called to live as saints.Review"Whether you are already a committed 'moral law' or 'Ten Commandments' Christian or are interested in exploring a Christian approach to Old Testament laws, I would recommend this book. Todd's thorough presentation of the 'no-old-law' position will help you test and refine your own approach." -- Elliot Ritzema, Bible Study Magazine, July/August 2017"Todd has provided the church with a wonderful introduction on how to appropriate and engage with this vital portion of Scripture." -- Ryan J. Cook, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Fall 2017Review"Many readers of the Old Testament struggle to understand all of those random, bizarre, strict, and oppressive laws. What's a Christian to do? Start by reading Todd's Sinai and the Saints. Todd offers his readers engaging stories, provocative insights, and a compelling interpretation that offers a way forward?one that makes sense of the law and helps people understand it in light of Jesus and the rest of Scripture." -- David T. Lamb, Allan A. MacRae Professor of Old Testament, Biblical Theological Seminary, author of God Behaving Badly and Prostitutes and PolygamistsAbout the AuthorJames M. Todd III (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) teaches biblical studies in the Biblical and Theological Studies Department at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri. He is the author of Remember, O Yahweh: The Poetry and Context of Psalms 135-137.