Quote:
Quote by: ItsDarts  Zynner,
Christians are not required to follow most of the "OT laws" handed down to Moses during the first covenant after they left Egypt. They are only required to follow the moral laws (10 commandments and some others). The reason for this is that once Jesus came, Christians entered into a new covenant where the punishment of all sins were no longer required to offer a blood sacrifice (no more stoning or animal sacrifices). This was now done by Jesus when he was crucified. The civil laws of the OT(e.g. Deut 22:28-29) were handed down to gods "Choosen People", the Israelites, and were not meant for all people for all times. Chrisitains are only required to follow the teachings of Christ after the second covenant and moral laws.
In short, Christians do not follow the civil or ritutalistic laws of the OT, only the moral laws and the teachings of christ.
This is the way apologists have explained it to me. I'm an atheist and I have a hard time buying it. To me, it seems that depending on the christian you talk to, certain things are metaphorical, certain things are literal and it would seem they pick and choose which depending on the argument being discussed.
My suggestion to you is to pick apart the prophecies in another thread if you want to pick apart the bible.
:) |
Ah, dear boy thats very debatable. You say that you are required only to follow the teacings of Christ?
Here are some of the things that Christ said about the old testiment, and upholding laws written in the O.T.
"It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid." (Luke 16:17 NAB)
“Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law" (John7:19) and “For the law was given by Moses,..." (John 1:17).
Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children according to Old Testament law. Mark.7:9-13 "Whoever curses father or mother shall die"
Seems to me that if you wan't to get to your great gig in the sky, youd better start following the OT. I just hppe you haven't raped anyone.
Furthermore, the Ten commandments, or moral laws as you refer to them, are pretty brutal in their own right. Most of the punishments for breaking the 10 comnmandments are to be put to death, even though one of the commendments is that you shall never kill (Someone really didn't think that one through).