I am just getting into Christianity and starting to read the Bible. One of the first things I have noticed is that some passages seem to contradict others. In Leviticus, one of the passages says, 'A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.' But one of the ten commandments says 'Thou shalt not kill'. How do Christians come to understand the seeming contradictions?
2007-12-31 00:02:04 · 45 answers · asked by Warm Breeze 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When you have had time to read/study more of the Bible you will find that things you think are contradictions are things you don't fully understand just yet.
The Bible taught that mediums were looking to the occult world for wisdom and that it was a capitol offense in Israel. It was a crime against God and punishable by death, because it lead people astray from God. God will not share His role as God with anyone else and mediums replaced people going to God directly for wisdom/help.
The commandment says, Thou shalt not murder! It is talking about people taking each other's lives in fights/crimes. It is different than when God says something is a crime and therefore a capitol offense. Isreal was a nation under God's rulership and He outlawed occult practices. He wanted to guide his people and didn't want them to go to mediums/etc for their guidance. Mediums aren't nearly qualified to help people live life like God is qualified to help them live.
It takes time to learn how to study the Bible and how to know when a thing is literal and when a thing is one way for a period of time and then changes when God institutes a new way of doing things. There are some things that never change over time and some things that became different because of Jesus and what He did.
I've been reading/studying the Word of God for 37 years since I became a Christian. I have found the Word of God to be trustworthy and fascinating. I could study it forever and not know it all. I picked it up as a new believer and immediately found it helpful. Be patient with yourself and us Christians and it will become more clear.
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? It was after I asked Jesus to be my God and forgive my sins that the Bible became meaningful. Before that time it just seemed like a weird, old , religious book. The relationship makes all the difference. I hope you have a great New Year! =)
2007-12-31 00:18:32 · answer #1 · answered by LeslieAnn 6 · 6⤊ 2⤋
The contradictions are in the mind of the unbeliever who has not done enough study to understand the paradox, the change in times, the change in conditions, contemporaneous conditions, repeating events, or even the fact that it is dark outside now, but it was light outside 4 hours ago. You have to be open to the fact that the Scriptures were written in a language that you do not understand, and were translated into a language that you (should) understand. That the language Scripture was written in did not have vowels, or punctuation marks. Don't let a comma keep you out of heaven. (My favorite is the one where people claim that Scripture says that Jesus sat on two donkeys, because they did not understand that the word "them" was referring to clothes) You have to take them one at a time, not an entire website that helps you misunderstand the Scriptures. You have to be seeking truth, not wanting truth to not be true. And you have to have a humble heart, that is willing to repent of sin once it is understood that as a sinner who is in rebellion against God that you need to be forgiven and receive His saving grace. As you stamp your feet yelling "IS TOO! IS TOO!" it is your soul that hangs in the balance. Are you seeking salvation and want to know the truth of the gospel so that you can humble yourself before God and ask His forgiveness for your sin, or are you simply displaying your lack of understanding for all of us to see, hoping that someone will polish the brass on your sinking ship?
2016-05-28 05:18:34 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stoning someone under the laws of Old Covenent is not murder but the execution of God's judgment for the sin that deserved stoning. God bless you.
2007-12-31 01:47:05 · answer #3 · answered by seekfind 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You are trying to figure out something that you just don't have any understanding of. Until you become a believer, the bible will not make any sense to you. It was written for believers.
2007-12-31 01:16:17 · answer #4 · answered by FROG E 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jesus quotes the 6th commandment, in Matthew 19:18, in the KJV as, "...do no murder..."
Regarding punishing mediums - the laws of the Old Testament are not binding on Christians (see Galatians), although "all scripture is profitable" for various reasons (2 Timothy 3:16).
There is a new covenant, as spoken of in Jeremiah and Hebrews.
The old testament law was nailed to the cross of Christ.
"..dead to the law by the body of Christ.." -Romans
Christ's death abolished "the law of commandments" -Ephesians
"blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us,...nailing it to his cross; -Colossians
2007-12-31 01:01:28 · answer #5 · answered by Renata 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The same way a child acts when he cant get what he wants
2007-12-31 00:25:59 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Where is the contradiction. Heavenly Father decided the punishment as to the medium or spiritist. We decided to kill without His permission. Again I ask where is the contradiction. Heavenly Father knows that we have no knowledge as to the mind and heart of any individual and He does. He can see the evil among us, we can't. Therefore, we have no right to take a life, just because we want to. DUH. We are not Father God.
2007-12-31 00:21:44 · answer #7 · answered by martha d 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
they recontextualize it.
your first answerer gives a prime example.
throwing stones at someone until they die is also murder.
2007-12-31 00:07:57 · answer #8 · answered by eelai000 5 · 4⤊ 6⤋
Faith in God
2007-12-31 00:06:54 · answer #9 · answered by Charlene 6 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Keep reading, you'll find many, many more.
2007-12-31 00:04:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 11⤋