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Here is a "big" answer for the Old testament/New testament split, and why christians draw differences from them. The testament is a record of a covanant, or agreement. The division of the two is based on an old testament idea that God himself would fulfill his requirements for "holiness", so that man would not have to, because man is not able to in and of himself. God made this promise as soon as adam and eve fell. Then, the old testament becomes a record of Gods agreement with man, first thru adam, and then primarily and most substantially with abraham. The promises made to abraham represented what was to come, when the permanent would replace the temporary, and God would make his home with men. God himself said without the shedding of blood there can be no remission for sin, and so a system of sacrifices were established. The idea behind the sacrifice was that man would take the best that he had, and give it unconditionally, and it would be given to God, as the price for sin. There is a huge amount of biblical law surrounding the complicated relationship God and his people, Israel, had. The history of Israel is given to us all thru the Bible, and it served as both a record, a prophecy of what was to come, and as far as the old testament is concerned, an example of what not to do in relating to God. Then God sent his son, Jesus, who was at once all-God, and truly all-man, to be the perfect sacrifice, that would once and for all satisfy Gods requirement. Jesus is not a created being, but rather part of a Trinity (this is not explainable) that is at once three seperate representations and manifestations of God, and completely God as one, just as Jesus said, I and the father are one. That is the point the muslims get hung up on. That Jesus could even be the messiah is the point the Jews get hung up on. Jesus himself said that he did not come to bring a kingdom that was of this world, but a spiritual kingdom that would be found in the hearts and lives of believers. He also said after his resurrection that he would be coming back, but the next time, it would not be as the savior, but as the judge. Here is the old/new testament thing. Because Jesus, by his death and resurrection fulfilled the law of God completely, once and for all, and conquered death, so that it has no power over him, he is able to justify us before God, if we will simply believe. The old contract, or testament, has been fulfilled, and a new, better contract is inplace. One was law, and the other is grace and love. God didn't change, and his requirements didn't change, he just realized that no man could ever be good enough to be in his incredible, sinless, holy presence, so he went ahead and fulfilled the requirements himself.
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"My give up, my give up." - Jar Jar Binks
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