Why aren't old testament's rules applicable for today?

Question

I Never understand this...

I ask a question about evil things in the OT (such as slavery, and violence etc) and people say it no longer applies as its in the OT?

But im confused...isnt it all the word of GOD?

If god said in the OT to stone to death any dis-obeying teenagers, then surely he still believes this today?

Or did god simply change his mind about his beliefs, and sent jesus down to make a NT?

I dont get it! Surely the OT and NT rules apply today?

Because if the OT rules dont appl,y....we do people still follow the 10 commandments?

Answer 1

Jesus made it very clear that Gentiles do not have to become Jewish in order to follow Him.  The only rules He placed any emphasis on were the Ten Commandments, and sexual purity.  Non-Jews are not compelled to follow any other rules.  However.  He warned people that if they were going to be particular about the law, they had better follow every last one of them, to the letter.

This was also debated throughout the New Testament.  For a time, Peter and others were teaching that Gentiles had to be circumcised (basically, become Jewish) in order to become Christians.  He was confronted by Paul, and gave in.

The New Testament is very clear on this.  Perhaps you should start in Matthew, and read all the way to the end of Jude.  I'm in 1 Corinthians right now, and I've already completed each book up to that point.  I did not, and do not, have to become Jewish first in order to follow Jesus.  The Covenant was for Jews only, not for Gentiles.

Answer 2

All books of the bible applies to us. When Jesus came He corrected a few things in the Old testament and gave us some new thing to believe.

He gave us Baptism to correct the fall of Adam and Eve Original Sin.

He gave us the two greatest commandments, which entail the 10 commandments.

He gave us the sacrament of marriage-no more bigamy one husband, one wife, forever.

He instituted the priesthood-gave us structure in our faith

He gave us confession-made us aware of our wrong doings and allowed us to always put ourselves back in His good graces.

He gave us confirmation-to allow us to fight and stand up for our faith.

He gave us Extreme Unction- anointing of the dying and sick.

And most importantly He gave us Himself in the Most Blessed and Holy sacrament the Eucharist.

When He died on the cross he opened up the gates of heaven and gave us eternal life.

And before he died He gave us His Mother to be our Mother.

There is more but you see the OT and the NT applies in today's society. God bless you

Answer 3

Oh, such a loaded question. A good one though. I don't have extensive knowledge, and I'm no pastor that can show tell you specifics, but I'll try a general answer and a link that has some great commentary for you to study up on.

Generally speaking, we have to keep in mind 2 things. The OT was about God's wrath and the Law was there to show man just how badly he fell short and how sinful he was. This set up the NT to show us how badly we needed a savior who was perfect, enter Jesus. The NT was to show God's love and willingness to forgive men and his sin and what lengths He would go through to redeem us.

You mentioned 'slaves' and 'stonings'(sp?), this comes in 2 parts, CULTURE and TRANSLATIONS. There are words that simply do not translate well enough for us to understand without digging. There were a lot more slaves back then, because they were voluntary slaves. Basically times would get so bad people without families, or small "poor" families, would become a 'slave' to a rich family or land owner who would, basically, take care of them. This kind of "slavery" is more like having you job pay for everything for you as long as you live on their property, or something. It was NOT like what happened in the early years of the USA.

Sorry so long, but your question really is loaded. Personally I'd suggest to try to find a CALVARY CHAPEL near you and talk to the pastor about your questions. I can tell you this, there are answers to your questions, but no everyone is willing to answer them, but it is good that you are seeking answers.

Answer 4

God has never changed man has however been changed by God many times.

Do you realize that man lived around 2500 years before  the law?

How would you apply the law of Moses to those before Moses?

Welcome to the time where the law was fulfilled thorugh the atonement.

Man is now by faith made new through the righteousness of Christ.

If you are saying that God changed because he fulfilled the law of Moses then do you also think God changed when he gave the law to Moses?

Answer me about the time before Moses did man follow the ten commandments? Were they given to Moses by God?

Okay let's see if I can demonstrate that God is the same today as when he created Adam.

When Adam ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil did God change?

Man's circumstances sure changed. Of course man did change.

How about the covenant with Abraham? Did God change?

Again it seems that God had changed man.

Okay the law of Moses...Did God just now decide he needed a law? No God decided man needed a law and God was not changed but again man was changed.

The law changed man by demonstrating to man that he was a sinner and oculd not live up to the righteousness of God.

This seperation from our righteous Creator meant death for man.

The Son became flesh to overcome temptation as a man under law and to remain perfect overcoming sin and death.

Now if the penalty of sin is death and the price of sin is paid then through the righteousness of the Son Jesus Christ man can now by faith be rejoined to God for eternal life.

We are by faith made new.

Now if by faith we are resurrected with Christ we consider ourselves also burried with him.

If the law is paid with our death than a dead man is not under the law the penalty of sin is paid.

Those who have accepted the atonement are not  under any law but by faith made new in the righteousness of Christ.

You don't get it because we still follow the ten commandments?

Miss,  We are now by faith new creatures with no need of a law to say thou shall not kill...because we are not murderers having been made new in the righteousness of Christ.

God gave the law to sinners and they could not follow the law those made new do not need the law they are made new.

Now understand I say by faith because we have not literally died and been born again and made new literally.

We are yet in a sinful world and still in our flesh.

Answer 5

The OT rules still apply but us crazy humans just can't keep them all ...that's why Christ came !

Jesus is our last option to get right with God....blow it & we fry !

Answer 6

Jesus personally fulfilled and set aside ALL the old law. Then he gave us the New Covenant in his blood, and founded the Church. Then he officially replaced the old Law with the Church, on the first Christian Pentecost.

NONE of the Old Testament laws apply today, nor do any of the statutes and ordinances that Moses crafted, to go with them. The Old Testament, as scripture, remains as the God inspired written word, and will never become obsolete.

The New Covenant Church constitutes the official government of the Christian Church, under the awesome power of binding and loosing, which was given to the Church, through the apostles (bishops).

And while the NT Church does indeed make laws, those laws differ significantly in effect from the Old Testament laws and/or commandments, because in OT times, anyone who failed to keep even a small part of the law was doomed, while today, we Christians have recourse to the grace and mercy of God, courtesy of Jesus Christ, our savior.

For much more on this, go here:

http://douglawrence.wordpress.com/christ...

Answer 7

Yes all the Bible is the Word of God, and yes He did make a new covenant through Jesus Christ, His Son.

So many things are done away with, because we can talk directly to God today, where-as in the OT, only high priest could.

I totally understand your dilemma, and Darl, there are many things regarding the OT and now, what happens in our lives and of those around us, that we won't understand just yet, but when we get there!

Please be assured He is a good God and knows your frustration.

Why not ask Him when you (if you do) say your prayers, and please say one for me too,

Always,

Le7

Answer 8

As others have said, Jesus fulfilled the law, or satisfied it.  What was given as written law in the Old Testament is now written in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  

Those 'laws' do apply, the punishment does not.  There is no therefore no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.  

We are led by the Spirit of God to do the right thing, we change from corruptible (the law) to incorruptible (the Spirit) daily when we stay in His Word.  

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Gal 3:24

Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The law was made to show man we could not do it alone.  Christ came and paid that punishment.  He sent the Spirit to us to help our hearts turn from slave under law to a child/father relationship, one that we love to obey, not have to obey.  A father protects, nurtures, loves, and enjoys his children.  So much more does God the father love us.

When reading some other answers, I realized that there are 2 theologies, or schools of belief, here.  You have the covenant believers, those who believe there were different covenants for different times and those like me how realize the covenants, though different, work together as God does nothing by accident and never changes.  Though the end result is the same, belief only on Christ Jesus and His sacrifice for us, the terminology can be confusing.  

This is just one of the many things that form denominations.  Differences of opinion.  This is called nonessential theology.  It is the stuff that makes us all different, which is not a bad thing as all the parts work together, like a clock or tapestry.  We just have to step back and take a good look at the big picture and let God be God.  We are told to get along as much as possible with as much as is in us, which is the Holy Spirit!  :-)  

The end result, again, is the same.  We all believe that Jesus died to pay the punishment for sin.  That is the essential part of the Christian faith.  

Seems confusing, but it's not.  It's the beauty of the mystery of God, the church.

Answer 9

The laws and sacrifices of the OT are archetypal and prefigured the coming of Jesus, the sacrifices are no longer required from man but the obedience to the law is. The penalties for breaking any of the laws has been paid for with the ultimate sin offering/sacrifice the precious blood of the Lamb of G D, the Lord Jesus.

Peace

Answer 10

Well, you're very close. Christ came to satisfy the Law, so that we would not have to. He had to die to pay the ultimate price for the sins of a whole planet of people throughout time. During His life, he reiterated the Top Ten, so that they would still apply.

Answer 11

It's just the prime example of why religion and in this case Christianity is a farce.

You will see the Bible Bashers here constantly quoting from the Old Testament.

Of course they only quote sections to support their case.

If I want to have incestuous relations with my daughters I can quote Genesis 19:30. If it is good enough for Lot to make  his 2 daughters pregnant why isn't it good enough for me? It's in the Bible, that makes it OK doesn't it???

Answer 12

They do still apply to us today.

What people mis-interpret is that there are TWO laws in the bible, moral and ceremonial.  When Jesus came and died, all of the ceremonial laws that were written by Moses were done away with.  Because Jesus paid the price for sin and we are no longer under those laws because Christ took them upon himself.  The moral laws will always be in effect though.  All of God's Commandments are repeated in the New Testament, Jesus said to continue to keep them.  He said I have not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill.  He also said "IF you love me, keep my commandments".  

The New Testament says we are under grace, however it also says "shall we sin so grace may abound?  God forbid!"  Jesus dying did not give us a license to sin, it is in case we accidentally sin we have an advocate.  There is a difference.    

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He never changes.

Answer 13

the Ten Commandments are ten rules for the perfect society based on love respect for you fellow man peace and worshipping G-D, ten easy rules for a life in paradise, this was the message from G-D through the teachings of Jesus Christ whom he sent to earth to re-establish G-Ds covenant with man.

Ten easy rules that would allow us to walk with G-D  and we still can;t get it right.