I am kind of confused on this. Why do Christains quote a lot from the OT but then not do a lot of other things from it. For example it says not to eat pigs, but we do, it says not to work on Sundays, but we do. I know when Jesus came to earth He changed the covenant we have with God, but how do you know what to follow and what not to in the OT?
2006-11-07 15:25:35 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It gets really confusing, what with all the sacrifices and vengeance and retribution.
2006-11-07 15:29:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
THe OT is very important to christianity, and any christian who says it is not does not understand the bible. THere is way too much of this belief that jesus makes the old testament obsolete. Christ was the fullfillment of the OT prophecies. The OT tells you everything from creation to messianic prophecy. The fact that christ said he overcame the law does not make the law obsolete. The punishement for sin was death, sin could only be paid in blood. Christ paid that debt and makes us spotless before god, but that does not say that we are to just ignore the laws god placed in the old testament. THe only laws in the old testament that really were overcame are the law associated with sin and the paying of sin debt. IE there is no need to kill a bull to cover the sins that christ has washed away. The OT should remain as integral part of a christians life as the NT
2006-11-07 23:32:51 · answer #2 · answered by Robert K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Old Testament was God's laws for the Jewish people. The gentiles were never under Mosaic law. Those things in the Old Testament that Christians believe.....are repeated in the new Testament as well. If you look in the book of Acts, there was a similar discussion going on in the first "church"....which of the Jewish laws to observe, which not to. They came to an agreement of sorts; no sexual immorality, no idolatry, no eating animal flesh with blood still in it. The bible tells us that the "law" was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. When the Pharisees tried to trap Jesus into saying which of the commandments was the most important, He replied "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself, in these two, are all the laws and the prophets fulfilled".
2006-11-07 23:30:31 · answer #3 · answered by Esther 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, with all the Judaic laws, like in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, I see them as laws that God set out to keep the people of Israel healthy and faithful to their own God (not the other religions of the area).
When Jesus came, he said he came not to abolish the law, but to make it stricter - but he focused on relationships - how we treat each other - rather than cleanliness codes. (his disciples didn't wash themselves the way the phariseese did, and Jesus said that's ok because it's not what life is about)
Paul says that the law is there to show us that we aren't perfect. The law can't save us. Jesus saves.
I believe the law was specific to a time, but also can relate to us in matters of how to deal with other people - conflict resolution, taking care of the poor, loving others, etc.
Just keep reading the old and new testaments, and you'll see more and more how they work together, not contradict.
2006-11-07 23:30:37 · answer #4 · answered by hollynicity 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Old Testament was given to the Chosen people that God would bring Jesus through so everybody can now be saved.The moral laws were binding to them and are binding to us today.The ceremonial laws and
dietary laws delt with the Jews not gentiles.
When Jesus came he did away with the Ceremonial Laws and others
except Thou shalt not kill moral law is still binding to everybody.I know it
can be confusing but if you are saved The Holy Spirit will teach you from The Bible.Keep on keeping on the best is yet to come.
In Christ in Love,
TJ57
2006-11-07 23:53:59 · answer #5 · answered by TJ 57 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus gave the answer when he said that First and foremost we are to love our God, The Holy Father in Heaven, with all our hearts and minds and strength and souls, and the Second like it is to love our neighbour. The whole Law hangs on these two commands from God. As far as eating anything, God told Noah after the flood, I now give all things(meat without the blood) as food. For one thing, Noah's food supply was depleted and there was no crops of vegetables and wheat for them.
2006-11-07 23:37:19 · answer #6 · answered by avaddohn-Apollyon 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
None of the laws, statutes, or ordinances in the old testament are valid any longer, including the 10 commandments.
The new covenant church readopted and readapted the 10 commandments for use in modern times.
To view them, go here:
http://catholicism.about.com/cs/basicbeliefs/a/tencommand04.htm
2006-11-07 23:54:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. Answer: We're lazy.
Us Christians tend to listen to our preachers. Our preachers give us the Word of God, so we don't have to read it. Most of us have little idea what part of the bible our favorite catch phrases came from. Or even if they are in the bible at all. That's the done side of faith. Which is way I like this ( some what paraphrased ) saying:
Trust in God, but always tie up your horse.
Best wishes.
2006-11-07 23:30:39 · answer #8 · answered by Odindmar 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
all scrpture is beneficial for teaching, for reproving , for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness so that the man of God can be full equipped to handle the truth arightt.
all the bible is good..we learn from it all....but the old testament was God saying don't do this or that or else.....
The new testament is Jesus saying do this and that and get blessings.....
It is our manual for life...The whole bible.
2006-11-07 23:31:16 · answer #9 · answered by samuri_sam 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Old Testament is the story of the Jews.
I'm not a Jew.
2006-11-07 23:32:13 · answer #10 · answered by Lost. at. Sea. 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋