Did Paul change some OT laws? After reading, this question crossed my mind. The OT says in one of the commandment not to eat pork. Paul says it alright. OT says a person has to be circumcised. Paul says it alright. What do we do in this confusion. Disregard the OT?
2007-02-17 05:20:24 · 21 answers · asked by brys' 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am a spiritual. I believe all religion is grounded on the same concepts
2007-02-17 05:27:56 · update #1
This is a very good question, and another nail in the coffin for Christianity.
You're right; what are you susposed to do? Disregard the Old Testament (which is supposedly inspired by God himself), or accept that Paul was a flawed human who may have gotten a little too self important and thought he could rewrite the Bible? While we are on that note, the Old Testament has a lot of rules in it that modern day Christians choose to ignore. What's with that? You can't pick and choose which beliefs you want to uphold...
2007-02-17 05:22:44 · answer #1 · answered by rita_alabama 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Paul didn't change laws. He was shown in a dream that God had declared certain foods now clean. Pork being one of them. The circumcision thing was because the Jewish Christians were telling the Gentile Christians they had to be circumcised. The meaning was the Gentiles did not need to become Jewish before believing in Jesus.
The Old Testament is not to be disregarded. Jesus said the two commandments He gave (Love the Lord your God & love your neighbor) where the greatest and all the rest of the law was hung on them...(in other words if you do those, it will be so much easier to follow the rest.)
Hope that helps.
Blessings to you.
2007-02-17 13:29:20 · answer #2 · answered by Jan P 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Acts 11:7-10 explains Paul's reason for this. Also, God told Noah when the flood was over that EVERY living thing shall serve as meat for you (Genesis 9:3). Remember also that the OT was dealing with the Israelites specifically when they were His chosen people. The NT deals with "spiritual Israel", made up of God- fearing people of all nations. True also is the fact that Jesus' coming and subsequent sacrifice made some aspects of the OT law obsolete. Animal sacrifices were no longer necessary since Jesus died for all mankind, once and for all.
2007-02-17 13:33:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anomaly 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you do not disregard the OT. Any sensible Christian can see that the matter of whether or not its okay to eat certain animals is not part of doctrine. There are lots of contradictions in the Bible. Few would argue that. But the OT is still full of beauty, meaning, mystery, inspiration, prophecy, and the teachings of God.
2007-02-17 13:28:26 · answer #4 · answered by Zezo Zeze Zadfrack 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus came as the ultimate sacrifice, atonement of sin, thus being why we no longer sacrifice sheep and turtle doves. His death on the cross broke the bound of the Mosaic law, found in the Old Testament. Because He is the Messiah, and He fulfilled the prophesy of old and we are no longer bound to the "pre-Messiah" law, and instead follow a new and higher law. In the midst of tossing away the man made laws, Jesus did not destroy the ten commandments, instead He added to them, Matthew 22: 37-39;
Jesus replied: " ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; ' Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Jesus removed the man made laws that separate us from the Living God and enabled us to have a real face to face relationship with God. He did not abolish the Law of God found in the Old Testament but instead came and fullfilled the 'Law and the Prophets.' See Matthew 5:17-20. At the time Christ came the Pharisees were implementing a bunch of extra rules which were making it more difficult for people to commune with God and that was the main thing that Jesus wanted to remove. The Pharisees were all about judging others and imposing unwritten marks of spirituality on themselves and others. In order to be holy you had to pray three times a day at particular times, and they made fasting a badge of spirituality. The Pharisees were actively taking the joy out of following God, which was yet again a problem with their doctrine Christ came to give us the ful and abundant life which includes joy. Galatians 5 - Fruit of the Spirit, includes joy. John 15 'abide in my love...that my joy may remain in you.' Acts 20 ... finish the race with joy. John 17.. that they may have my joy fulfilled in you. Jesus was God walking and living among us, He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, and made a way for us to communes with God.
2007-02-17 13:44:01 · answer #5 · answered by All 4 His Glory 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The purpose of the Law was offering reconciliation between man and God.
Jesus Christ fulfilled this purpose as reconciliation is now offered through His shed blood.
The Law is still there however as a guideline, if you will, to acting responsible.
As far as the dietary Laws are concerned, even medical science has concluded that the outline of the diet in the Old Testament is a healthy diet.
2007-02-17 13:31:58 · answer #6 · answered by drg5609 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yea the rules were changed because in the OT the rules were just specifically for the Jews and in the NT because of Jesus death all people were now able to be saves not just the jews so new rules were brought up most of the rules were keep like the 10 commandments but like you said about eating pork, those were removed and now it was not viewed as a sin to do that. hope this helps
2007-02-17 13:27:32 · answer #7 · answered by emzaid_0408 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You do not disregard the Old Testament. But you must remember that the Old Testament is about the Mosaic law as brought down on the tablets by Moses. The Savior came and fulfilled the law, thus changing certain aspects of the law to a higher law. That is why we are no longer required to offer sacrifices, either.
2007-02-17 13:24:12 · answer #8 · answered by Raising6Ducklings! 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Paul said that the gentiles didn't need to be circumcised or follow the laws of the Jews to be saved. John was given a vision of all kinds of animals descending on a cloth to him from God and God telling him to eat animals that the Jews saw as unclean. When John said he wouldn't defile himself with unclean foods, God told him that all creatures are clean in Gods sight and all are to serve mans purposes.
God changed the rules after the coming of Christ.
God Bless
2007-02-17 13:29:54 · answer #9 · answered by L Strunk 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think you've got it.
The Old out, the New in.
New Testament inaugurated in Jesus Blood 2000 years ago.
You can have the old or the New. Not Both.
I choose the New.
By grace--unmerited favor towards me. That is what Grace is.
It is by believing, not the works program.
I'm working my way into heaven.--No working your way into heaven. Not going to happen.
Believing what? That Jesus paid for all your sins. That His blood was sufficient enough to cleanse you and make you clean and acceptable to God. OLAY!
The old testament was full of rules and regulations. They were perfect in the law.
We are imperfect, how can you being imperfect keep a perfect law? You can't. You break one of the laws--rules you break them all because the laws are like the links of a chain, break one and the chain is broken. The works program will drive you crazy.
God says about His Son---He paid the price for you.
Done deal. Accept what was said. Faith ( believe it for youself )
Proof---NO! Faith Believe. By believing you are made righteous.
OLAY!
2007-02-17 13:36:01 · answer #10 · answered by chris p 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋