God set out lots of rules and regulations, paticulary, but not limited to the ones in Leviticus. Now it is my understanding that these rules were "fulfilled" by the coming of Jesus. So my question is, is that mean all of the rules don't matter anymore........or maybe not all of them, but some of them, and if some of them how do you know what to choose. I mean "thou shall not murder" easy enough, but "kill adulters" uhhhh not so cut and dry there, so should we just scrap all of God's rules in the O.T. and focus solely on Jesus' teachings. But wait:
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
God never changes his mind? Okay I'm lost again, didn't God change his mind by coming down as Jesus and "fulfilling" the old rules. I'm confused, please help.
2007-01-24 09:54:17 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
New does not mean "trash" the old.
Our nation, our Constitution, often adds new laws. But, with few exceptions, does that mean to trash the old laws.
Now, in regards to Leviticus: Wow! In 325AD and then Again in 1611, Church Empire corrupted the "heck" out of those little jewels. (Not the 10 commandments", but the terminology was changed to do what ever Church Leaders, at the time, had on their agenda in regards to "How can we build and grow our Empires?".)
This is the way I read the Bible: A take the overall theme of God, Jesus, and the Bible. -- Any scripture that violates the overall theme is suspect, and then I run straight to my Greek/ Hebrew Study Bible.
And just what is that overall theme of God, Jesus, and the Original Bible?
"Harmony is harmony. Disharmony is the only sin against God."
I know, I know. Bubba Preachers accuse me of "Picking and Choosing" what fits my selfishness.
But I have listenend to Bubba Preachers all my 63 years of life. Every sermon, it seems, starts with their "Picking and choosing" in order to preach to the "Choir" so to say. They seem to preach whatever is politically popular in their congregations.
sorry for rambling.
2007-01-24 10:14:24 · answer #1 · answered by MrsOcultyThomas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is the law, the ten commandments. These are for ever. They are fully realized in the law of love. love God and love people. In the absence of perfect love these ten commandments cover the do's and don'ts very well without getting overly particular. Simple law is law well written.
There were the civil statutes of the nation of Israel such as you mentioned about stoning adulterers. As a theocracy it was the responsibility of the nation of Israel to be the exemplar people for His Name. Holy and without blemish. Any compromise with evil was a great danger to the necessary integrity of this small and vulnerable clan. Eventually they adopted the ways of their neighboring enemies and were brought down to dissolution as God had warned.
There are the Levitical (priestly) blood ordinances. These blood ordinances were fulfilled by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. It is no longer right to offer the blood of animals for sin. The old way of offering the blood of animals was an hollow example of the perfect way of the blood of the perfect man, Jesus the Messiah who has now become our eternal high priest before God. The former ways (of the Levitical priesthood) were a shadow or example of how Messiah would satisfy the penalty of death for all mankind.
Ancient Israel was entrusted with manifesting the pattern of Father's personal relationship with each of his children. Christ is the actuality of that pattern. Learn of the pattern as Paul did at the feet of the scholars and you better understand the actuality.
2007-01-24 10:37:17 · answer #2 · answered by David P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, God also said that he would initiate a "New Covenant" with his people once the Messiah came, that would replace the old one.
The early church decided that the only rules from the Law of Moses that applied to the Gentiles were those which were moral in nature, but not those which only served to set Israel apart as a nation (Mark 7, Acts 15, Galatians 5).
There are other passages that I could give you to answer your question, but I assume that you are not serious, and I am too lazy to do your research for you.
2007-01-24 10:05:03 · answer #3 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jeremiah 31:31 promised a new covenant in the old testament, not like the one he gave to our fathers when they came out of Egypt and broke.
:
Gal 5:14-18
For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulful the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
The Law of the Spirit through the heart.
2007-01-24 09:58:40 · answer #4 · answered by Sirius 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus himself said I have not come to do away with the Law but to fulfill it.
The purpose of the Law was to offer reconciliation between God and man.
Jesus fulfilled that purpose of the Law by HIS death and Resurrection, being made a sacrifice for the redemption of sin for all that believe in HIM.
However, the Law is still there offering guidance and guidelines as to living our lives in a Godly manner.
I compare them to the double yellow line in the road.
They keep us in our lane.
The Old Testament is still relevant and important today.
2007-01-24 10:04:43 · answer #5 · answered by drg5609 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without the O.T. the N.T. could not be fulfilled. I choose to believe the O.T. is showing us how impossible it would be to satisfy what God demands in a world of sin. We are born in sin and therefore it is our very nature to participate. The N.T. shows us the way to fulfill the law by forgiveness through Christ.
2007-01-24 10:21:23 · answer #6 · answered by edubya 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
jesus came down to hopefully set a new philosophy on we treat each other and how we view God. He never wanted a new religion or dismissal of the rule set before. god understands that human progression is going to alter our views and accepts that, which is why he is a forgiving and merciful God.
2007-01-24 10:00:38 · answer #7 · answered by roman_ninja 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nah, don't throw away the OT! It's angry God in the OT and Loving God in the NT!
I wouldn't take any scripture seriously, it's like the US Constitution, it's meant to be revised and changed.
2007-01-24 09:59:02 · answer #8 · answered by Fred L 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the OT rules do still matter if you're jewish and find the idea of jesus a complete contradiction of scripture.
2007-01-24 10:03:10 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was just a man-he was not G-d. Therefore, nothing in the NT has any validity, and that is that. Forget the NT. It is false.
2007-01-24 09:59:01 · answer #10 · answered by Shossi 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋