The Ten Commandments and other rules

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  • #33708

    griselda
    Participant
    I truly believe is up to the person God does not force us to believe in him or the bible. He left all his commandments for us to follow them so we could live a better life and a happier life. can you imagine living a life without law in this world, it would be horrible. Everything in the bible we should believe because we believe in God and because we have faith. God has always been the same God now and forever he will never change.

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    Name : griselda, City : salem, State : OR Country : United States, 
    #34398

    Irma Gross
    Member
    First of all, let me say that from a Christian perspective, the Ten Commandments were written for the brand new Jewish nation at that time. They were intended to be a set of rules to help them run their new country--a bit like the Constitution of the U.S. Secondly, the New Testament says that Jesus came to fulfill the law. In the New Testament, Jesus was asked by someone who had studied the Old Testament all his life 'what is the greatest commandment?' Jesus response to this question was that the greatest commandment was 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.' Matt.22:37-40 In other words, by keeping these two commandments, you are keeping all of the Ten Commandments. However, following the Ten Commandments to the tee is not what being a Christian is all about. They are still good guidelines for people to follow. For example, if one wants to get along in society, it is generally accepted that one will not steal from others. As far as the rest of the law of the Old Testament is concerned, there were specific reasons for those laws to be given to the Jewish nation at that point in their history, but laws have changed with the growing nation in the same way that our own nation's laws have changed dramatically since our nation's beginning. For example, at one point in time, if someone was caught stealing, that person's hand could be cut off, or have even more dramatic consequences--I saw a documentary where orphans in New York in our early years were acturally hung.

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    Name : Irma Gross, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 43, City : Cheney, State : WA Country : United States, Occupation : Teacher's Aide, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
    #19666

    Arnold-U23784
    Participant
    While the Lord has made it clear about His will in the Bible, yet God Himself wrote the very first tablets with the 10 Commandments. (Exodus 24:12) Yet many even in church history, some early church fathers have downplayed the 10 Commandments. It is the basic summary of what is important. Yes, all of God's laws are important. If anyone claims to follow God's laws perfectly, they haven't read Romans 3:23 (For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.) Many believers have lost their credibility and witness by selecting what they will and will not obey. Since no one can keep all of the commandments, this is why Jesus died on the Cross on our behalf to give salvation to all who believe, not just to those who have attained only a degree of obedience to God's commandments. Being right with God isn't a matter of perfect obedience, but of a right relationship through Jesus Christ.

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    Name : Arnold-U23784, City : Edmonton, State : NA Country : Canada, 
    #45544

    Rob S.
    Member
    I dont quite understand this bit too. With some of the things Jesus or Paul said in the New Testement, changed some of the old Testement Laws. Eating certain foods were considered ceremonily unclean for you, yet in the New testement Jesus said 'nothing that goes into a mans body makes him unclean, as what goes in only comes out again. Its what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. Thoughts of sexual immorality ect'. Also in the OT, A person caught commiting adultary had to be put to death. Yet in the book of John in the NT, Jesus said 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone'. And didnt allow the people to put that women caught commiting adultary to be put to death. Alot of people say, God never changes his laws or mind. Isent that there an example of him doing just that?. But some laws in the OT didnt get mentioned again in the NT. Like in Deutoronomy 22 vs 5, it sais a man musent wear womens clothes and vice versa. The lead singer of Sanctifica (Christian metal band) at this years Bobfest, wore a long skirt on stage. But this is not mentioned in the NT, so how do we know its ok to do that?. In Levictus 19 vs 28 ,it sais dont give yourself tatoo marks. Yet lots of Christians have Tatoo,s. Tatoo,s i dont think get mentioned once in the NT. Wouldent this mean in theroey, the law on abstaining from tatoo,s would still stand?, how do these Christians know its ok to stop doing those things?. So isent this being selective?. Quite a few Christians use the Lords name in vein, but God told us not to do that in the Ten Commandmants.

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    Name : Rob S., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 26, City : Poole, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, 
    #29436

    Sarah
    Member
    Let me preface this by saying that I can't speak for Jewish people. Before the coming of Jesus, Jewish laws were very strict regarding all areas of life, including the Sabbath laws. When Jesus came, He was the 'New Covenant' between God and His people. Jesus taught that many of the Old Testament laws no longer needed to be followed because He was the ultimate sacrifice. The old legalism was a thing of the past and Christians were instead to focus on a personal relationship with God, made possible by Jesus. Luke 6:1-11 and Matthew 12:5 are good examples. As far as 'more or less' Christians-- that's tough. Personally, I try to follow the Lord's commandments as carefully as possible and I've fallen short plenty of times. None of us will ever be perfect and we've all fallen short. Perhaps some people have a harder time admitting it?

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    Name : Sarah, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Southern Baptist, Age : 21, City : Burke, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 
    #23597

    Sherman
    Participant
    Actually to most christians who believe in jesus christ, the ten commandments no longer apply, Jesus fulfilled the law and replaced it with the 'Golden Rule' Love god above all else and love your neihbor as yourself. Christians still use the ten commandments for guidance because it has good principles but don't follow it to the letter, however the Ten Commandments are the most important rules in the Old testament because the were supposedly the only commandments written directly by the hand of god.

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    Name : Sherman, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 34, City : Richmond, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Contractor, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class, 
    #36713

    Santiparam
    Member
    I think that you're quite right. It amazes me how so many people pretend that they don't interpret the bible when, in fact, they do. There are literally hundreds of arcane laws that we dispense with, but some are held up as still applicable by those who claim to be biblical literalists. I trust that these people have the townfolk stone their disrespectful children and that they don't wear clothing made of more than one kind of fabric. You can't have your cake and eat it to!

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    Name : Santiparam, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 23, City : Southington, State : CT Country : United States, Occupation : Musician, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #29759

    D.D.
    Member
    According to Jewish law there are actually 613 commandments to follow, not just 10. Most people cannot list all 613, but they are mostly common-sense things. (It's more often Don't do this or that than it is Do this and Do that.) However, many of these laws do not apply to today's society, and most Rabbis would agree. For example, a large number of the commandments have to do with sacrifice, which we can no longer perform. Sacrifice can only take place at The Temple in Jerusalem, which was destroyed long ago. Reform, and somewhat Conservative, Judaism does believe in picking and choosing your beliefs. Religion is what you make of it. The only Jews who follow the Torah (Old Testament) word for word and letter for letter are Orthodox Jews.

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    Name : D.D., Gender : F, Age : 16, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, 
    #15863

    Bonnie
    Member
    The instructions you are refering to come from the Old Testament (OT). They are part of God's communication to a specific culture at a specific point of time. Although I agree that many if not most of them sound terrible, I consider them valuable in their own context. As a Christian, I view that the things found in the OT have been fulfilled in the New Testement. In the New Testement Jesus, God's Son, lived, died, and rose again to create a new covenent with us. This covenent enables anyone who asks God to become His son or daughter. As someone who has done that, I do not view the 10 commandments as necessary laws. I do see them, like other OT passages, as being applicable to today, but only to a certain extent. I do accept all of the Bible, both OT and NT, but I try to look at the combined picture when deciding how to live my life. Let me know if this makes sense.

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    Name : Bonnie, Gender : F, Race : euro-american, Religion : Christian, City : Bangor, State : ME Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #19955

    Jamie20918
    Participant
    Some believe most of the other 600 and something laws were dispelled when Jesus came. Not the Ten Commandments, but the stricter ones like 'You are unclean for seven days after this happens...'

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    Name : Jamie20918, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, City : Wichita, State : KS Country : United States, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 
    #23821

    Sharon
    Participant
    The Law contained many principles and guiding statutes. The Law covenant between God and the Israelites as a nation was terminated at Pentecost, 33 C.E. ('since the priesthood is being changed, there comes to be of necessity a change also of the law'; Heb 7:12). Christians now come 'under law toward Christ.' (1Co 9:21) This new law had been foretold by God through Jeremiah when he spoke of a new covenant and the writing of his law on the hearts of his people. (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:6-13). Rom. 10:4 says: 'Christ is the end of the Law, so that everyone exercising faith may have righteousness.' God used Christ to bring that Law to its end. Nevertheless, a study of the Law with its Ten Commandments is essential for Christians, because it reveals God's viewpoint of matters, and it had 'a shadow of the good things to come,' of the reality that belongs to the Christ. (Heb 10:1; Col 2:17; Ga 6:2). Christians are not condemned as sinners by that law, for the undeserved kindness of God through Christ provides forgiveness for their errors due to fleshly weakness.-Ro 3:23, 24. Of course, there is a difference between errors due to fleshly weaknesses, and deliberately doing something clearly disapproved of by God.

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    Name : Sharon, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 38, City : Ligonier, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : Self employed, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, 
    #15476

    Crystal
    Member
    You raised a very good question that is easy to explain. The reason why there seems to be so much hypocrisy is because there are so many hypocrites. Many are not taught much of what is known as the Mosaic Law in churches today. And when it is discussed, they are taught all the reasons why they shouldn't keep them, even that it is impossible to keep them. So should it surprise anyone that we have a society that is turned upside down. Single parent families (which is evolving to children being raised by someone who is not of their family), all sorts of sexual practices, abortion, amongst countless other practices that only cause future generations to err by example. Things that were considered taboo generations before are common for us today. And believe it or not it will only get worse. And I have heard many things concerning how there are 613 laws and how people can not remember all of them...Well, if you include the New Testament there are over 613 laws. Plus, get this, you wouldn't need to keep all 613. For many of these instructions were given for special circumstances, such as leprosy, womens menstrual cycles, and instruction given to the priesthood. Let us not forget the Sexual morality laws which I believe speaks on matters I hope many on this forum have not engaged in. So in closing you would not need to deal with many of these instructions for daily practice unless it applies to you.

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    Name : Crystal, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Yisraelite, City : Greensboro, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : Machinist, Education level : 2 Years of College, 
    #42772

    JessTsab
    Participant
    I know that God sent Jesus to be our LIVING SACRIFICE. Before Jesus came we were unclean people and the only way to be with God was through sacrifice. Since he sent Jesus, it wiped out alot of the OT laws. Alot of OT stuff was observances, sacrifices, etc. Read the NT and some of Jesus' statements on OT law. You'll find your answer.

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    Name : JessTsab, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 20, City : Norfolk, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Military Police, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 
    #16125

    Angry-black-man
    Participant
    Sir obviously, you did not read the whole thing. Look back and recognize that he was talking to the israelites. They did not know God and God was making a hard acquaintance (laying down the rules). This instilled a well needed faith and ethic. You people need to stop running with half a scripture and trying to figure out fault. It won't work. This is why people like me are here.

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    Name : Angry-black-man, City : Don't worry about it, State : NC Country : United States, 
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