CHRISTIANS: Why did God Change?

Question

Christians say that the Old Testament Laws are no longer required to be followed. I've even heard some Christains say that God changed from harsh and punishing in the Old Testament, to loving and forgiving in the New Testament.

It seems to me that an eternal God would be constant, not affected by the actions of the creation. To those who believe that God changed, what caused this change? Or if you prefer, why did God change?

I've read the Bible, JustThinking.

Ok, this "fulfilled the law" thing. . . so how many times do I have to not speed before I've fulfilled the speeding law? What about if I drive really, really slow for a few days? Perhaps something is lost in translation, but that just doesn't make sense to me.

To those who say the Old Testament laws are still in force: Do you avoid eating pork or meat which has not had its blood drained? Do you keep holy the Sabbath in the way that it is described in the Old Testament? Do you sacrifice a goat as an atonement for sin once a year? Do you wear a beard and four tassels on your cloak, if you are a man, or avoid showing your hair and limbs if you are a woman?

Answer 1

God did not change.

Think about how a parent appears to a child. When the child behaves poorly IE. (the sins of Adam and Eve/) the parent appears to be angry.

This doesn't mean that the parent stays angry forever or that they don't still love the child.

The old testament laws are still being followed - the 10 commandments are as valid today as they were in Moses time.

I believe that old testament laws were written down to give the ancient Jews a structure on how to live - much like the Constitution & science give US people a structure on how to live. Much of it we consider to be common sense now. Such as don't marry your sibling. Back then they didn't know about DNA but God let them know things to do or not to do via Old Testament rules.

Answer 2

God did not change. The law was fulfilled by the life and death of Jesus. Absolutely nothing happens by mistake in God's world. Old testament laws were written for the people at the time to guide them. As the world changed, the rules changed. The best way to view it: God made the world and 10 rules. Mankind messed up the rest.

Answer 3

The old covenant (Mosaic law) made the way for the new covenant (Christ). Jeremiah 31:31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. The new covenant 'set us free'. There for we have been 'saved'. Hebrews 8:12-13 By calling this covenant "new," he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. The old law pointed to sin, and the new set us free from the penalty of sin: 2 Corinthians 3:7 [ The Glory of the New Covenant ] 7Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? Its a beautiful thing, that God set us free from the penalty of sin. God never changed, he set his course from the begining and every Word will be fulfilled. The Jews of the OT had a difficult course: introduce the world the the Living God. So, they had more rules - and many of them kept them safe from desiease etc. Jewish Law is the root of Christianity. They (the Jews) prepared the way for the Savior. Sin is still sin, but you have the choice to stand free of penalty before God if you repent, and try to change your ways. All of us sin. Being gay is just one of them. Those sins that slip by will have to be corrected after jugement. The process of being made whole and rightous will be done with the hands of a loving God. Separate Gods perfection from mans inability to comprehend it, write about it, live it and teach it. Its man's change that your angry with. The truth sets you free, and you dont sound 'free', you sound angry. Therefore ... you haven't heard the truth. The truth is not a burden. You are on the right track. Keep listening to that still voice in your heart. God is still at your door, I can tell. Your not an X Christian .. your still hanging on by a thread. That thread is the hand of God .. not letting you go. You are truly lucky, not everyone is called. You will, I promise have all your concerns put to rest and have a flood of love fill your heart for God. Your testimony will help others. I can prove it. email me anytime. One last thing ... the bible has mistakes and even intentional untruths. Original scriptures tell the truth but interpreting it is difficult. Christ is the Word of God, not the bible. All will go to heaven, eventually. Some sooner than others. Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Answer 4

God is immutable, unchangeable. His plan for the salvation of man from sin was determined after the fall of man. It took three millenia to lead the Jews out of the desert and into the promised land, be occupied and dispersed. But in all of that time, God began to pre-figure the action of the Church in His Son. We see His use of the unleavened bread, the manna in the desert. The passover itself is the feast being celebrated at the Last Supper, when Jesus became the Paschal Lamb of sacrifice. And we see that although the prophets of old had faith, worked miracles and even called down fire from heaven (as in Elijah), none could offer sacrifice to redeem mankind from their sin. Jesus asked them: who do you say that I am. Some said Elijah has returned. They did not recognize Him, although they had been made in His Image. Sin is a great deformity in the soul.

It was not until Christ died on the cross and transformed this sacrifice as sufficient in His Grace to supernaturally change the condition of men's souls, that God then appeared to them as the loving, caring and good Father of mankind.

Prior to this time, the Jews did not understand what it was that God was asking of them, and they grumbled at Him. They were thinking all the time in a worldly way, about the Lord teaching them about spiritual matters. Only with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through Baptism, could men come to see "with the mind of Christ."

So it is not that God had changed. But rather that man's sight which had been gifted to him in the Garden and had been lost through sin, was restored. Once again they could see God walking in their midst, through the eyes of the soul.

Answer 5

God did not change at all. He is the essence of everything, harsh and loving. It just tends to be easier in society to believe in a god that is loving and forgiving. The real changes happened when science started explaining things that were inconcievable once in the past. Not only was god no longer angry, but ceased to exist too.

Answer 6

God did not change. The Old and New Testament were written by men ... different men in different times with different attitudes. Times change, and the Old and New Testaments reflect those changes.

Answer 7

Old Testament to the New Testament is about faith in God.
On the laws, refer to the link.

Answer 8

God is unchanging, the difference is not with God between the two testaments its the people. People change, god remains constant.

Answer 9

Well he technically shouldn't have because he knows everything. He should have known this was going to happen in the first place and just got it right the first time.

Answer 10

Jesus came down from heaven and died for us then god said OK I'm kewl now ill let them in, i know it doesn't make sense