UASV’s Daily Devotional All Things Bible, Saturday, April 19, 2025

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What Is the Purpose of the Old Testament for Christians According to Romans 15:4?

A Study of Romans 15:4 and the Enduring Value of Scripture for Endurance and Hope

Romans 15:4 presents a foundational truth regarding the relevance and purpose of the Old Testament for those living under the New Covenant. The verse reads:

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

This statement, penned by the apostle Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, affirms that the Hebrew Scriptures—the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings—were not merely historical artifacts or covenantal arrangements limited to Israel alone. Rather, they were intentionally recorded by God to teach, strengthen, and sustain all who trust in Him, including Christians living in the post-resurrection era of Christ. The Old Testament, far from being obsolete, remains indispensable for understanding God’s character, receiving encouragement, and developing perseverance and hope in the life of faith.

The verse begins: “For whatever was written in former days…” This clearly refers to the Old Testament Scriptures, which were complete and in common use by the time Paul wrote the epistle to the Romans in the mid-1st century C.E. The phrase “whatever was written” (ὅσα γὰρ προεγράφη in Greek) emphasizes the totality and relevance of all Old Testament writings—not just selected passages or moral teachings. The term “former days” does not suggest outdated material, but rather recognizes the chronological context in which these texts were written under God’s guidance before the coming of the Messiah.

Paul affirms that these Scriptures “were written for our instruction.” The word instruction here comes from the Greek διδασκαλίαν (didaskalian), meaning teaching or doctrine. It indicates that the purpose of the Scriptures is not merely to preserve historical memory but to educate, inform, and shape the believer’s understanding of truth. The instruction referred to is not generic moral advice—it is grounded in divine revelation. The Old Testament teaches about the nature of God, His covenant dealings, the seriousness of sin, the pattern of faithful living, the consequences of disobedience, and the unfolding of redemptive history leading to the arrival of Jesus Christ.

Paul does not limit this instruction to Israel. Though the Old Testament was originally delivered to and through the nation of Israel, its value extends to all who seek to serve Jehovah today. The Gentile Christians in Rome, to whom Paul was writing, would have included many who did not grow up immersed in the Law of Moses. Yet Paul includes them in the “our” of this verse, making clear that the Old Testament is for the church. It is still inspired, authoritative, and beneficial. As Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” This includes both Old and New Testament writings.

The next clause further explains the result of this instruction: “that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Here, Paul identifies two outcomes of engaging with the Scriptures: endurance and encouragement, both of which lead to hope. These are not abstract emotions—they are spiritual qualities that equip the believer to remain faithful, especially during life’s difficulties.

The term endurance (ὑπομονή, hypomonē) refers to steadfastness, the ability to remain faithful and patient under pressure, persecution, or suffering. The Scriptures provide examples of such endurance in the lives of God’s people—Noah, who obeyed God in a corrupt generation (Genesis 6–9), Joseph, who remained faithful through betrayal and imprisonment (Genesis 37–50), Job, who did not curse God in the midst of devastating suffering (Job 1–2), and countless others. These historical records serve not merely as stories but as reminders that God sustains those who trust Him. The believer learns to endure not by inward strength but by recalling what Jehovah has done for His people in the past.

The term encouragement (παρακλήσεως, paraklēseōs) refers to comfort, exhortation, and strengthening. The Scriptures do not only challenge—they uplift. They remind the believer that God is faithful, that His promises are sure, and that righteousness will be vindicated. The Psalms, for example, offer frequent comfort to the afflicted and assurance to the faithful. As Psalm 119:50 declares, “This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” Encouragement comes not from vague hope but from concrete truth revealed by God and recorded for all time.

The final goal in Romans 15:4 is hope. In Scripture, hope is not wishful thinking. It is confident expectation based on the nature and promises of God. It is rooted in certainty, not speculation. As Paul writes in Romans 5:3–5, “…suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame…” The Scriptures foster this hope because they demonstrate that Jehovah keeps His word. Every fulfilled prophecy, every act of deliverance, every assurance of forgiveness builds the believer’s confidence that God will continue to be faithful. As Hebrews 10:23 exhorts, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

Romans 15:4 also affirms the unity of the Bible. While the Old Covenant has been fulfilled and replaced by the New Covenant through Christ (Hebrews 8:13), the moral, spiritual, and theological truths of the Old Testament remain instructive. The believer must interpret them properly—using the Historical-Grammatical method—and apply them in light of Christ’s fulfillment. But they still serve their divinely intended purpose: to instruct, encourage, and sustain. They reveal the character of Jehovah, the seriousness of sin, the necessity of obedience, and the reality of divine justice and mercy.

Furthermore, Paul’s use of the Old Testament throughout the book of Romans itself models this principle. In Romans 4, he expounds the example of Abraham’s faith from Genesis 15:6. In Romans 9–11, he quotes from Hosea, Isaiah, Deuteronomy, and other prophets to show God’s sovereignty and plan for both Israel and the Gentiles. In Romans 3:10–18, he strings together several Old Testament passages to demonstrate the universal sinfulness of mankind. These are not allegories or moralistic retellings—they are authoritative uses of the Scriptures, rightly understood and applied to teach truth and strengthen the faithful.

In practical terms, Romans 15:4 calls Christians today to actively engage with the entire Bible, not just the New Testament. It affirms that studying the Law, the historical narratives, the prophets, the wisdom literature, and the poetic writings is spiritually profitable. The faithful must not neglect the Old Testament, nor view it as a relic of ancient religion. Rather, it must be read regularly, studied carefully, and understood rightly. In it, the believer will find the examples, commands, warnings, and promises that strengthen faith, refine character, and produce hope.

In conclusion, Romans 15:4 powerfully affirms the continuing value of the Old Testament for every believer in Christ. It was written not only for its original audience but for all who would serve God in every age. It teaches endurance by example, provides encouragement through its truth, and strengthens hope by revealing the faithfulness of God. To disregard these writings is to weaken one’s walk with God. But to treasure them—to read, study, and obey them—is to be equipped with the strength and encouragement necessary to persevere faithfully, even in the face of difficulty, while holding fast to the hope that God alone provides.

While Romans 15:4 clearly affirms the value of the Old Testament for teaching, encouragement, and the development of hope, it must also be carefully understood that Christians today are not under the Law of Moses. That covenant, including the Ten Commandments, was fulfilled and brought to an end through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. As Romans 10:4 states, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” The Law served its purpose as a guardian and tutor until the arrival of the promised Messiah (Galatians 3:24–25), but now that Christ has come, believers are no longer subject to that system. Christians are not bound by the Sabbath, the festivals, or the ceremonial codes of the Mosaic law. Even the Ten Commandments, though rooted in righteous principles, were part of the covenant that has been set aside (Romans 7:6–7; 2 Corinthians 3:7–11). Instead, we are called to obey the law of Christ—that is, the teachings and commandments revealed through Jesus and His apostles. Many of those commands reflect moral principles also found in the Old Law, but they are binding on us not because they were part of the Law of Moses, but because they have been reaffirmed under the New Covenant. We are to walk in obedience to apostolic instruction, guided by the Spirit through the inspired Word, serving not under the old written code, but in the new way of life shaped by the teachings of Christ (Matthew 28:20; Galatians 6:2; Romans 7:6; 1 Corinthians 9:21).

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).