Christianity today isn't what Christianity was 2000 years ago. Most Christians don't want to admit this, but wouldn't adhere to "Real Christianity." Much of it's irrelevant if
religious text, I think it's worth respecting insofar as it's worth respecting that they willfully submit to a set of rules which generally command they act in a way the rest of us would consider moral. Geography-based, non-voluntary governments aren't generally accepted to enforce "non-pragmatic morality" (... .... though this thought seems to be eroding every day), so it's reasonable to have "gap coverage" for people who want a more comprehensive set of rules we "all" agree on. The value of religion, though, erodes dramatically if they don't command a high market share with regards to the adherent market.
-But it should be sold that way, these days, I think, if it's to be honest. It should just be a kind of honor code, and if you want to have a bumper sticker saying you adhere to the set of rules, and even if you try to "convert" people to accept your honor code -- great! At least everyone else can know what to expect. ... I'm not totally put off to the idea that honor codes should exist... but the books of most religions are far too long, and in archaic language. The Bible, I'd guess, could probably be compressed to ~20 pages at most.
We all want these kinds of rulesets to some extent, I think. Some want the exhaustive Bible list (or just the 10 Commandments), some want the exhaustive list in the Koran... some have their own individual codes (or as they interpret the NAP)... some go by mafia codes... some go by law. If we could just all agree on what is and isn't the behavior of an asshole, I'd guess there'd be no conflict.
Actually, we only keep the moral rules from the OT.
In our beliefs Jesus made a new covenant on the cross, so the OT is... outdated.
But, Jesus isn't God and the Bible/your law is supposed to be God's word. I don't get it, I don't know of any scripture that says you should listen to the NT over the OT, or to listen to Jesus' law. And, since he made a new covenant, wouldn't you be disobeying the old covenant, too?
What if, since there's not publishing date of the Bible, the NT was published before the OT?
The Old Testament of the Bible was written over a period of about 1,100 years, roughly between 1,500 and 400 B.C. Jewish traditions and the writings of the church fathers of old confirm this. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain parts of Bible books that were placed there as early as 400 B.C.
Jesus, Himself, says that He is God, the Son of God, in the New Testament. Jesus' close disciples state the same, and others have understood it as well. Traditionally, the church says the same, way back near its beginnings.
The Old Testament is the foundation for the New Testament. The thread of the Messiah, Jesus, runs throughout the OT, right from the beginning. Believe in God according to the New Testament. Confirm your faith by the writings of the Old.
The Books of Moses - the first 5 books of the Bible - were/contained a covenant between God and the people of Israel. The people of Israel broke this covenant over and over. The evidence of this is in the rest of the Old Testament.
The New Testament is the new covenant between God and man, since people would not keep the old covenant. The new covenant (NT) exists in the body of the God/man, Jesus Christ. In this way (combining God and man in Jesus), and for His own purposes, God forced the covenant to be kept by man, even though individual people will not do it. It was done in the body of Jesus by the perfect life that He lived before God, and by His innocent suffering and death, and resurrection to everlasting life.