Christians say we're not subject to Old Testament laws, but why did God impose these laws in the first place

Question

Whenever anyone points out that God commanded people to kill disobedient children or kill people for working on the sabbath, Christians just say that we are no longer subject to those laws, but why did God feel it was necessary to impose those laws at all? Did God feel that in those days, it was good for people to kill their kids, but he doesn't think its so great now? Why would he change his mind?

Whoever works on the Sabbath should be put to death:
Exodus 35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.

Disobedient children should be stoned:
"If a man has a stubborn and unruly son who will not listen to his father or mother, and will not obey them even though they chastise him,his father and mother shall have him apprehended and brought out to the elders at the gate of his home city,where they shall say to those city elders, 'This son of ours is

is a stubborn and unruly fellow who will not listen to us; he is a glutton and a drunkard.'
Then all his fellow citizens shall stone him to death. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel, on hearing of it, shall fear.

- Deuteronomy 21:18-21

megegie: Of course I'm not. I'm asking why Christians condone this sort of thing and still call their God "all loving"

Ok nice job ignoring the question. WHY DID THESE LAWS EXIST IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Answer 1

Regarding the 'stubborn and unruly son' - you mislead your readers by saying 'Disobedient children should be stoned.' Clearly, you are unaware that this law applied only to offspring over the age of 30 years. Thirty was 'the age of majority' in ancient Israel. So God was dealing with a grown-up bully, who abused his parents, and such a one who refused to respect his parents was to be stoned to death. If a son has not learned to respect his parents by the age of 30, there is no hope that he ever will. Today, in our namby-pamby-human-rights state, we have 10 year olds raping and / or murdering children, and teenagers (or older) murdering their parents. Come back, Moses! All is forgiven!

However, to be serious, Jesus has completely and perfectly fulfilled the Mosaic law, thus proving that only a perfect human can do this. No other human has kept God's law completely, and that's why God gave his law - to humble us and make us realise what sinners we are. Even the Pharisees, who prided themselves on keeping every jot and tittle, sinned even more-so by adding to God's laws burdens that neither they, nor others, could keep. We all know what Jesus said to those hypocrites. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" was one statement; showing how God would move us on from the realisation of our own guiltiness to forgiveness of others. Jesus ushered in the New Covenant to replace the Old Covenant which had perfectly served its purpose. The principles of the Old Covenant are enshrined in the New, summed up by Jesus' two greatest commands (to love God with one's whole soul, heart and mind, and to love one's neighbor as oneself). It is impossible to keep them by breaking any of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandment principles STILL apply. It is the dietary and social laws that no longer apply; the moral laws are still obligatory on all Christians.

Answer 2

The Mosaic Law was actually a covenant between God YHWH and the nation of Israel (the Jews). It's a contract. I, as God, expect this; you, as my people, agree to do it. As with any contract, there are the consequences. If you don't adhere to this, then this will happen. Israel said, "okay".

So, history has recorded that the Nation of Israel failed to uphold their end of the contract (all 600+ articles (the law part)), and expectedly so, as NO ONE can be perfect and it required a PERFECT man/woman to live up to the contract. They quit trying to uphold their end of the contract also.

As part of what God said he'd do in the contract, He promised to send a Messiah (aka Jesus Christ as Christians believe). The nation of Israel rejected this man as their Messiah and King. With one voice the people yelled "impale him!!"

Now, Jesus was a perfect man. He upheld each and all of those 600+ laws (now there is a distintion here between the actual laws and the man made additions, or as Jesus said, they make void the law of God by their traditions of men). The contract between God and Israel could only be fulfilled once it was complete ie: both parties upheld it. Jesus completed the nation of Israel's part by obeying and upholding all the obligations. God upheld His end of the deal too.

SO at Jesus' death, the law (the contract) was fulfilled.

Now, there is another side to your questions that needs addressing also. capital punishment.
Yes, there were laws that had as their punishment a death sentence.

There are crimes today all over the world that have a death sentence.

You address the parents being responsible for bringing their child (unruly, stubborn etc) to the elders of the city. Re-read that passage. It states that the child had been chastised. So this wasn't just a "clean your room" and the child says "no" then they get stoned to death. It indicated a course of action, a record of disobedience, unrulyness, participating in actions that would eventually lead to a law being broken that did have the death penalty. Notice is says to clear away what is wicked in your midst. THis was the main reason for all punishments.

Capital punishment, in my opinion, is lacking. PUnishment in general is lacking. If more sentences were implemented in a timely manner and those sentences were just and equal the crime, I can imagine that the crime rates would drop, as would the cost of incarseration, the cost of the legal system in general.

I am sure that if Jeffery Dahmer's parents knew what he was doing, they would have turned him in....there is no difference here. If my child was breaking the law, I would have no hesitency to encourage them to turn themselves in, and if they didn't to turn them in. That's just my opinion.

As far as changing. It was a good idea then and still is. HOWEVER, when Jesus gave his perfect life in sacrifice for everyone's sins, there was a new covenant established. This new contract has new rules and regulations. No difference that a revision of a fulfilled contract, a renewal, there are always changes from the original. It doesn't mean the old one was bad, just things are different.

For those that believe we are still to uphold the Law of Moses or the Mosaic Law, I ask, when was the last time you sacrificed an animal for atonement of your sin. When was the last time you participated in the Festival of Boothes? When was the last time you upheld ALL 600+ laws. IF Jesus did away with the animal sacrifices, then yes, a part of the law was done away with.....JUST AS HE SAID, after ALL things have been done. He fulfilled it after he said this. So, at the time he spoke those words, all things had not taken place...YET!!! At his death, they had taken place, thus fulfilling the law and bringing it to and end.

May God bless.

Answer 3

Love fulfills the Law.

-and,

I'm not Jewish

-but,

It was first instituted I think to show the consequence which would occur eventually anyhow. A person who does not take a day off eventually will die of exhaustion or his wife will kill him.

I am sure that there was no long line of parents to have their children put to death. In fact, since the enforcement of this law was left up to parents, I imagine that it was rarely employed at all. I do however imagine the threat being made, "If you don't start listening, all I have to do is ......". What do you imagine it would take for a mother and father have their own child arrested? An extreme case of drug abuse perhaps maybe. But the natural consequence of disobedience could very well be death. If I say to my son or daughter to never drink and drive but they do anyway.....

Answer 4

God imposed the law to Israel through Moses to organize the nation and establish a visible form of worship with God dwelling in the midst of His people.

Answer 5

These laws existed as a way to bring man back to God because the connection was severed in the garden with Adam's sin. God's presence can not abide with evil so if evil is present it must be destroyed. Now Christ fulfilled the law for us so God no longer uses the law top allow connection back with him and so the law does not need to be followed like it was under the old covenant.

Answer 6

The New Testament is an extension of the Old. The overall theme is one GOD wanting the Greater Good of people. Those rules had a purpose ( to understand this you should talk to a Rabbi) do not look at the old testament with present day mentality. To fully understand it you should also understand the circumstances and time when the Old Testament took place.
This meant God had a different way of interacting and relating to people. Do not look at this with a GREEK ( occidental ) mind set. Other wise you will never under stand it.

Answer 7

13 Christ by purchase released us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: “Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.” Gal.3:13.........Consequently the Law has become our tutor leading to Christ, that we might be declared righteous due to faith. 25 But now that the faith has arrived, we are no longer under a tutor. Gal3:23-24. After Christ was sacrificed there was no need for the law. People had a choice to follow him by teaching others and declaring the Kingdom or rebell by not. The same stands true today.

Answer 8

As Christians we can not discount the laws from the old testament. Jesus Himself said I do not come to change the law but to full it. Yes God is a God of love but He is also a God of justice which none can escape from.

Note no one has to pick Sunday as their day of rest and worshiping of the Lord. Jesus is the Lord of the sabbath and it can be any day.

Answer 9

Aren't you overlooking the FACT that these laws were given only to Israel through a covenant? Were you a party to that covenant? Are you not aware that covenant ended?

It served its purpose. It brought them all under sin.

Galatians 3:19 ¶Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Galatians 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Is this too hard for you to understand?

There was no changing of God's mind.

.

Answer 10

Probably because at that time there was no self governing bodies such as today.
We have our laws that we are suppose to follow and have some sense of responsibility to each other.
In the beginning it was not like that. There was mush corruption greed an so on.
The laws were made to be strict.
Since man was not able to govern himself, (only slowly over a period of time did that happen) the laws were put into place. When Jesus arrived that was changed.
Kind of a short answer but it could get too long.

Get A Grip.