Does Romans 15:4 say the Old Testament is for doctrine or for learning?
Romans 15:4 states that whatsoever things were written aforetime—the Old Testament—were written for our learning, not for our doctrine. The purpose is that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures believers might have hope. So the Old Testament functions as learning material, not as the source for Church Age doctrine.
Les explains that Paul writes to Gentiles in the Church Age, and all we can do with our Old Testament is use it for building blocks of learning. He points to Romans 15:4, where “whatsoever things were written aforetime”—that is, the Old Testament—“were written for our learning.” Les emphasizes that this is not for our doctrine, but for our learning, so that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope. He also notes the Church Age is insulated from everything written to Israel under prophecy and will be taken out before the Antichrist, the seven years of tribulation, the Second Coming, the millennial reign, and eternity.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
More Questions
What was the Old Testament written for according to Romans 15:4?
According to Romans 15:4, the Old Testament scriptures were written for our learning, not for our salvation or our doctrine.