Have Question...

Originally posted by Nemesio
So God's Word, then, is not eternal nor inerrant, for following the
strictures of the OT would then constitute a sin.

And, what is your Scriptural support for believing that adherence
to the Old Law (as such) is an insult to God? How ...[text shortened]... Law will never be abolished' said by
Jesus, Himself?

Nemesio

The laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy are part of God's covenant with the nation of Israel and have never applied to the world at large. Even rabbinic Judaism does not expect or even desire for non-Jews to keep all of these commandments. In rabbinic Judaism, a non-Jew is a "Righteous Gentile" if he keeps what are called the Seven Noachide Commandments, based on Genesis 9:1-17

1. Practice civil justice
2. Do not blaspheme
3. Do not practice idolatry
4. Do not commit incest (sometimes read to mean any sexual sin)
5. Do not commit murder
6. Do not steal
7. Do not eat flesh cut from a living animal. (sometimes read as prohibition against cruelty in general)



More importantly, the New Testament teaches in Galatians 3:23-25 and elsewhere that the Church is not under the Torah (or "Law," meaning the five books of Moses). In Acts 15 the issue arose in the early church as to whether Gentile believers should undergo conversion to Judaism. The decision of the apostles was that this was not necessary. They asked only four things of them:


1. Abstain from eating meat sacrificed to idols
2. Abstain from blood
3. Abstain from meat of strangled animals
4. Abstain from sexual immorality


(Acts 15:28-29)


This does not mean, of course, that incest, murder and thievery are acceptable forms of behavior, but these values are more or less universal, and were certainly familiar to the Greek converts. These things are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament.(1 Corinthians 6:10, for example, or Galatians 5:19))

Notice that there is nothing in either of these lists about keeping the Sabbath or any Holy Day, or about avoiding certain kinds of meat or other food, or how to prepare a grain offering, or pay a bride price or stone a sorceress or any number of laws given to the wandering Israelites. In Galatians 4:8-11, Paul specifically chastises the Galatians for observing special days and seasons.
Paul saw the Law as a "pedagogue," using the Greek word for a slave whose job it was to usher his master's child safely to school. According to Galatians 3:24, the job of the law was to usher us to "Christ" (the Messiah). Once the "pedagogue" has delivered the child, he lets go -- otherwise his job is not done! By the same token, once we have come to Messiah, we must "let go" of the law, because otherwise it will hold us back. (Galatians 4:9) (How can a child go to school if he refuses to get off the bus?)

Of course there are good principles in the law which can still be applied ("Thou shalt not steal" for example is still a very good idea), but there a many, many rules which would only be a burden to us now. To use the bus driver analogy again, there may be some things the bus driver told you as a child that are still useful today. It's still a good idea to look both ways before crossing the street, and not to get out of a vehicle until it has come to a complete stop. But if you refuse to chew gum because a bus driver forbade it twenty years ago, that's just silly. You are no longer under that authority.
If you find an idea in Old Testament law that helps you become the kind of person that exudes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22), then that's wonderful. Do that as long as it helps. But let it go as soon as you see that Keeping the Rule has become more important to you than these things. Paul said no law can match up to these things. (Galatians 5:23)

EDIT I apologize. http://www.amfi.org/mailbag/busdriver.htm

Originally posted by Nemesio
First of all, I would appreciate if you would cite the source of
your copied posts. It's a common courtesy.

Second, I'd point out one line:

Originally posted by Darfius
[b]If you find an idea in Old Testament law that helps you become the kind of person that exudes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and ...[text shortened]... o have a slave.'

This suggests non-eternalness. Do you have another explanation?

Nemesio

God doesn't ever say it is moral to have a slave. He just made rules for the Jews who had slaves. Would you prefer they killed the enemies of war instead? He never said slavery was wrong, but it is impossible for a Christian to reconcile slavery with the love we are commanded to show.

Therefore there is no contradiction, and God is of course eternal.

Originally posted by Darfius
God doesn't ever say it is moral to have a slave. He just made rules for the Jews who had slaves. Would you prefer they killed the enemies of war instead? He never said slavery was wrong, but it is impossible for a Christian to reconcile slavery with the love we are commanded to show.

Therefore there is no contradiction, and God is of course eternal.

Why would God give rules for an immoral action as opposed to,
say, telling them to do the moral thing (i.e., Free them immediately
rather than in 7 years)?

I'll ask again: is it immoral for a Othrodox Jew in Israel to have a
Palestinian slave (or one in America to have an Iraqi one)?

And, if it is impossible to reconcile this behavior with Christianity,
how has it that this law has not 'passed away.' Either the Law is
still applicable or it is not.

Which is it, Darfius?

Nemesio

Originally posted by Nemesio
Which is it, Darfius?

Nemesio

bump

Originally posted by Nemesio
Why would God give rules for an immoral action as opposed to,
say, telling them to do the moral thing (i.e., Free them immediately
rather than in 7 years)?

I'll ask again: is it immoral for a Othrodox Jew in Israel to have a
Palestinian slave (or one in America to have an Iraqi one)?

And, if it is impossible to reconcile this behavior with Christi ...[text shortened]... way.' Either the Law is
still applicable or it is not.

Which is it, Darfius?

Nemesio

The Law hasn't passed away. It never will. Because Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. The written laws in the OT are no longer binding, but the Word of Jesus is.

Bump.

Originally posted by Wulebgr
I'm much relieved to know that I have slapped God in the face through my rigid adherence to 'You shall not commit adultery.' Now I can freely pursue my neighbor's wife.

If you happen to live next door to Darfius this should prove interesting indeed....