My argument is not that the NT is not scripture -- my argument is that every time that term is used in the NT it is a reference to the OT which is NOT 'expected' by the made-up-rule that NT saints should never read the OT as if it were scripture for NT saints. 
How fully "debunked" that idea is by the actual example of the NT writers not once saying "the scripture of Paul says" or "the scripture of John says" or "in the scripture we find - all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" quoting NT text prefixed by "scripture" as is always done in the NT for the OT.
Again - I am not arguing against the NT being scripture - my argument is that we do not find any support for ignoring the OT as scripture - binding and authoritative for the NT saints given that ALL reference to scripture in the NT is for the OT. 
The "practice" I am challenging is the one that rejects the example we have from NT writers of upholding the OT as the "scripture" binding and authoritative for NT saints.
in Christ,
Bob
		
		
	 
Brother Bob,
I trust you were blessed by your service this morning. I thank you for your reply. I am a bit long winded, but hope you bear with me and read my post. This is a very important subject we are discussing.
I agree with you that a child of God should read both the New Testament and the Old Testament as Paul tells us, "
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16). (I do not know any Baptists that say we should not read the Old Testament, but I suppose there may be a few).
I also think we would agree that if someone is truly a child of God they will have evidence of this by obeying the commandments (though we differ on our belief of if the Sabbath is for the New Testament church). Jesus points out obeying the commandment is evidence of a child of God when he declares, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me" (John 14:21) I think we would also agree that keeping the commandments does not bring one eternal life, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20). In other words, one of the purposes of the law for an elect child of God is to act as a prosecutor to show them their sin so we recognize the need why Christ died for them and have faith in Him.
However, we must also recognize we are not under the old Covenant, but the new Covenant, "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Hebrews 8:8) and also, "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away". Much that is in the Old Testament such as the ceremonial laws, animal sacrifice, circumcision were merely signs and shadows pointing to Christ's sacrifice and thus are no longer applicable to the New Testament church.  That is why Paul asks the Galatians who were relying on their flesh, rather than His Spirit working in them through grace to produce sanctification, "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?" Galatians 4:21 and Galatians 3:3, "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?". They were relying on their own flesh to keep the law, not God's spirit in them.
The Old Testament was given to the Israelites, "because that unto them were committed the oracles of God" (Romans 3:2), but they are types and shadows.The book of Joshua makes it clear that the old covenant was a system of blessings and cursings that would come upon Israel conditioned on if they obeyed the law. "And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law." (Joshua 8:34)
National Israel never received a single blessing as the result of their obedience to this conditional covenant, for they did not keep it, and if it had been replete with heavenly treasures and blessings to have been dispensed upon condition of their obedience, they would never have obtained one of them, for it is written, “They continued not in My covenant and I regarded them not, saith the Lord” (Hebrews 8:9).
We are not under the old covenant, but under the new covenant. "6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6). Why is this covenant better? Because it is based on grace, therefore all blessings bestowed upon a believer are not based upon obeying the conditions of the law, but by grace are bestowed unconditionally. The proof? "...our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
hath blessed us with 
all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1:3). Notice it says "all spiritual blessings" and they were given to us "in Christ" in the past as the verse says "hath blessed". If a blessing could be earned by obedience, it would not be considered a blessing, but rather a wage. Further, this would only motivate a person to obey from a fleshly perspective in order to get, grace and unconditional on the other hand is a much more effective motivator
than the law and fear of punishment ever could be!
For the New Testament church, we are not under law (the ten Commandments), but under grace. "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace", however because of this grace we are under  it motivates a true child of God to  obey the law, not break it, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Romans 3:31) and "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans 6:1-2) Grace is a motive to serve, not a license to sin for a true child of God.
We should study the Old Testament, but realize most of it (though not all) was not written to us and about us, but the New Testament should be studied more as it was written to the church Christ founded that we are members of (we are not members of National Israel under the Old Covenant), and Paul's epistles in particular were written to Gentiles, thus they are too us and about us.
God bless you brother Bob,
Brother Joe