Why don't Christians feel the need to follow old testament laws?

Question

Why don't Christians feel the need to follow old testament laws? Whenever I ask this question, I always get, "because Jesus died for us," but that tells me absolutely nothing. What exactly does the Bible say to lead Christians to believe the old laws to be null and void.

Also, why continue to follow the ten commandments but disregard many of the other laws?

Answer 1

Easy...

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. I Cor 6:12

You should read the whole book of I Corinthians to really understand what this means

Answer 2

Most Christians don't know which laws, if any, they should follow, because the Bible doesn't clearly explain the matter, and there are lots of false teachers in the world.

Why would we who live under the new covenant follow the ancient and obsolete laws of the old?

Why would those who enjoy the saving grace and mercy of Jesus Christ choose to follow a system of laws that never saved anyone?

Why would anyone in this day and age follow a commandment (the old 1st commandment) that would actually condemn people for worshipping Jesus Christ?

And why would some people actually believe that a book could take the place of the universal church that Jesus personally founded for the salvation of all?

The church possesses the only definitive new covenant authority, because Jesus founded and authorized the church. Not the Bible.

The only laws or commandments that are of any effect in these new covenant times are those that have been officially adopted or readapted by the God-given authority of the universal (Catholic) church ... the only church that Jesus himself founded, authorized, staffed, and trained, and that he continues to bless, sustain, and lead, from his heavenly throne.

It has been this way from the earliest days of Christianity, and anyone who fails to understand it has simply been deceived.

To see the official commandments for this age of grace, go here:
http://catholicism.about.com/cs/basicbeliefs/a/tencommand04.htm

Answer 3

This is a good question, one that I have posed to many people, but the answer is complicated.

Christ told people he did not come to abolish the law, he came to fulfill it. Which would mean that the laws are still in effect. However he wanted to make it so the Gentiles could join the faith and be saved, not just the "Chosen Ones". Through the Sacrifice of Death, he abolished the needs to sacrafice animals in the name of God.

Where it comes into play is when most folks quote from the laws in leviticus about a "man lying with another man" saying it is still in effect, but if this is the case then the stoning, burning, etc of people are still in effect.

It is not the case though, Christ gave new laws, Turn the other Cheek, worry about your own shortcomings before pointing out others, however he did go into and expanded the 10 commandments, because of this they say the Old laws do not apply, while the commandments do.

Hope this helps a little.
Regards,
Sekhem

Answer 4

Colossians 2:14 says the law was contrary to us and Jesus took it out of the way nailing it to the cross Hebrews 7 11, 12 says that with Jesus the Priesthood was changed so there was needed a change in the law.

You need to read the New Testament because it is clear that you cannot serve Christ and the law. The Old Testament Law was to bring us to Christ and to show us we need a Savior. That is if you believe the New Testament.

Please do your homework before asking questions like this. I gave you only 2 bible scriptures that prove we are not to serve the OT law, but there are many, many more, I refuse to do all your homework for you.

Isn't it a shame that me a lowly pagan has to quote the scripture your Christian friends should quote?

Answer 5

I can only speak for myself. I read much of the Bible as a child and did not like it. I was raised in a protestant church and went through early life lamely adhering to that Church's precepts. I did not seriously read the Bible again until near middle age when I studied it and still did not like it. I thought then as I think now that it must be the most horrible book ever written.It contains some good advice but has no discernible plot and no real purpose other than to scare one into fearing that there is a vengeful god. I knew there was a god as that child who first read the Bible. God was not like the ogre portrayed in the Old Testament.

I am a scientist. I believe the meaning to life is to solve miracles. A miracle is: "An event that cannot be explained by known laws of nature." To a wee child everything is a miracle because he or she knows few if any laws of nature. The child soon rectifies this by setting out guided by his or her God given curiosity to explore and understand these miracles. He is extremely happy in doing so. He or she is only bored or angry when prevented from finding or runs out of opportunities to solve miraculous problems.

In the course of life the child soon finds out death is a necessary part of life. The last great miracle we have to solve in this life is the mystery of death..

Answer 6

It is because Jesus died for us! ok here's a better example...

The old testament requires us to make sacrifices of baby lambs to god like each month. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice so no more sacrifices need to be made. Ok that sounds kinda evil and weird... but all people sin and the wages of sin is death so the jesus dying for us means that we are forgiven.

And Christians disregard other laws not purposely but because we are human! We don't purposely ignore these laws... but as followers of god we ask for forgiveness and try to do the right thing.

Haha i sound like such a bible basher

So yeah jesus means we don't have to follow everything in the Old Testament.

Hope that answers your questions

Answer 7

The first part of your question is, yeah, after Jesus died on the cross there was a new covenant and all that. Before Jesus, people were born sinners, and no one went to heaven. Jesus kind of sneaks people in the back door of heaven, as near as I can tell.

As for the Ten Commandments--I have no idea. They're just kind of cherry-picking at that point. I guess they liked those, but didn't like stoning adulterers.

Answer 8

Jesus nailed the ordinances to the cross but he fulfilled the commandments. We keep the commandments because he said that if we love him we will. The old testament is now governed by the new testament so it's all valid and we see the old testament in the light of the new.

Answer 9

Christ came and made all thins new eg. the New Testament.
Those that follow the old testament still, didn't believe Christ ever came (eg. Jews and some random churches)
Many follow the 10 commandments because they are so obvious in the Bible, but don't follow the other laws because their churches aren't true. sad, but true.
if its easier for people to come to church, the leader will take that route.

Answer 10

The turning factor is Acts 15:19 "it quite is my judgement, for this reason, that we ought to consistently no longer make it confusing for the Gentiles who're turning to God". relatively people have been turning to God to no longer a faith. For Gentile adult males, a minimum of, there's a painful criminal surgical prepare to stick to with the intention to grow to be Jewish and stick to all the previous testomony regulations. From that factor Christianity as a faith replaced into shrink off from Judaism. particular we ought to consistently stick to all the ethical innovations of the ten commandments: do no longer kill, do no longer lie, do no longer scouse borrow etc. especially G-d gave the ten Commandments to the Jews. Did G-d convey you out of Egypt, the land of slavery? possibly no longer. for this reason the ten commandments do no longer strictly conversing word to you. via the comparable token, taken allegorically, if God has freed you out of your guy or woman own 'land of slavery' it may be smart to place the ten commandments into prepare as much as conceivable. In total contract that this may be a hard undertaking.