Exodus 22:18 states, "Suffer not a Witch to live." What does that mean to you as a Christian, or those of other religions?
Because to me as aWiccan it means that Christians should kill Witchs. What say you Christians?
2007-10-05 06:50:09 · 14 answers · asked by aviana_snowwolfe 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You only find one verse disturbing?
Love and blessings Don
2007-10-05 06:54:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
First of all, the King James translation is a bit old and potentially misleading. The New International Version is more accurate: "Do not allow a sorceress to live." In the original Hebrew "sorceress" is more accurate as it rightly describes the kind of religion found in the Near Eastern culture that Exodus would be speaking against.
Second, Exodus 22:18 was given to Israel to govern THEIR community. It was against their moral and society laws for a Jewish person to practice sorcery. You don't have to agree with their Laws but they were THEIR laws. Hence, Exodus 22:18 ONLY applied to an Israelite then who practiced sorcery (in any form).
Third, hence, Exodus 22:18 was not given to Christians or to the church though when Christians read such a verse, the "application" of it (to most non-extreme, non-fundamental, non-theonomistic Christians) is to see the principle that God is opposed to such practices. This is why you do NOT see churches carrying out the Old Testament law as if they were Israelites. (Otherwise there would be a lot more deaths happening, not just for wiccans.)
Fourth, Christians believe that a fundamental shift happened in the New Testament. That's what's "new" about the "New Testament." Testament means "covenant." There is a new covenant predicted in the Old Testament itself (Jeremiah 31:31 ff), which was brought in by Jesus. This covenant, among many things, shifted the Old Testament emphasis of law and punishment to grace and forgivenness (not that the former does not exist in the New Testament nor is the latter absent in the Old). Jesus shifted the priority of believers to winning people by love and sacrifice. This IS what you see through most Christian practitioners (though with exceptions, of course). This is what you saw through Mother Teresa.
2007-10-05 14:03:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Under The Law of the Old Testiment time that was what was to be done... Since the commissioning of The Church under Grace, not The Law, even witches have the oportunity to come to God through Jesus The Christ... it would not be permited for a Christian to kill a witch just because they were a witch... or a warlock for that matter... that does not mean to imply any tolerance or acceptance of any witchcraft practices... they are still great sins against the Word and Will of God....
The Salvation Message is given to every one... including witches... if a witch accepts what God offers then they are not a witch anymore and they will be accepted by God
All who come to God in The Way He prescribes will receive His free gift of Salvation. Those become part of The Body of The Church ofwhich Jesus The Christ is The Head. Those are the ones of The True Christian Faith. ONly those of The Church will enter Heaven.
2007-10-05 14:05:55 · answer #3 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If God's will for you is blessings through a life of faith then seeking to be blessed apart from God will only get you into trouble.
Christianity is not 'old school' Judaism. The Church age is now and God calls everyone to repentance and to give an account of their choices.
The Bible also says that witchcraft is equal to rebellion so the heart of witchcraft is anti-Christ. It seeks knowledge and power through the elements and other spirits and a hierarchy of evil.
2007-10-05 14:05:48 · answer #4 · answered by Who's got my back? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry - Christians don't kill people. We are commanded to love everyone. I can see why it would disturb you though. I think it should disturb you, but not because Christians are going to stone you. Please let me explain it a bit.
The purpose of the law is to show that we've sinned. Sin is being outside of God's will.
Romans 3:20 Therefore, no human being will be justified in God's sight by means of the works prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the full knowledge of sin.
Punishment for sin is death. In the Old Testament, people were stoned. It's a representation of spiritual things though. If we sin, we are spiritually dead, meaning we deserve Hell.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Exodus 22:18 is stating that witchcraft is a sin and leads to Hell. Everyone has sinned including me. If you prefer Heaven, all you need to do is accept God's free gift of salvation. Christ fulfills the law for us.
Romans 10:4-9 For Christ is the culmination of the law as far as righteousness is concerned for everyone who believes. (5) For Moses writes about the righteousness that comes from the law as follows: "The person who obeys these things will find life in them." (6) But the righteousness that comes from faith says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down), (7) or 'Who will go down into the depths?' (that is, to bring Christ back from the dead)." (8) But what does it say? "The message is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart." This is the message of faith that we proclaim: (9) If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
If you would like to check out how to go to Heaven instead of being spiritually dead, check out www.godlovestheworld.com.
2007-10-05 14:21:57 · answer #5 · answered by MikeM 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The three sins mentioned in these verses merited the death penalty; they anticipated Israel's struggle against the worship of idols.
The first deals with female practioners of sorcery of telling the future or controlling others by demonic power.
2007-10-05 13:57:25 · answer #6 · answered by Angelbaby7 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
They will tell you that is a Old Testament law and times have changed, but they can't help but pull up the OT for homosexuals. They are supposed to kill them too. Both are ridiculous statements. They all need to get together and decide whether to follow OT laws or not. It must be nice to just pick and choose like that.
2007-10-05 13:54:38 · answer #7 · answered by Blue girl in a red state 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I wish Christians could agree on which old testament laws they should or shouldn't follow...and then talk to the Jews about killing witches. Who the heck has a book that tells them who to kill? It's insane!
2007-10-05 13:55:06 · answer #8 · answered by primary_chem 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋
I thought Wiccans were not considered witches?
It means do not live as a witch.
Do not live by a witch's life.
Suffer if you live like a witch.
It does not condemn a witch to death. That is another fable made up by people who do not know any better.
Get A Grip
2007-10-05 13:55:07 · answer #9 · answered by Get A Grip 6 · 0⤊ 6⤋
I find most bible verses disturbing
2007-10-05 13:54:12 · answer #10 · answered by darwinsfriend AM 5 · 5⤊ 4⤋