[michele1983]

My questions is Why is it that some Christians are very strict about the rules that God had set and believe everything from the bible to be true but at the same time only seems to follow more of what is in the New Testament versus the Old... I mean... Its all GOD right? So shouldn't you follow all of GOD's order?

Old Testament
1) Sin offerings
2) Not cutting hair
3) Not entering where a dead person is

New Testament focus
1) No Sex prior to marriage
2) Accepting Christ
3) No drinking or getting drunk

etc...

I just don't get if the Bible is the tell all manual then why some is ignored and some isn't... Who says to ignore some. Even IF times are different the words still came from GOD and if he is all judging then how is everyone to assume that its OK?

I don't know if this makes sense. I had a Christian friend tell me that some of the things in the Bible don't count anymore. It blows my mind, its like picking and choosing.

I don't mean to be hostile at all, I'm just seeking some insight on this.

Thanks!

[De Maria]

I don't mean to be hostile at all, I'm just seeking some insight on this.

Ok. I'll do my best to give you some insight.

My questions is Why is it that some Christians are very strict about the rules that God had set and believe everything from the bible to be true but at the same time only seems to follow more of what is in the New Testament versus the Old... I mean... Its all GOD right? So shouldn't you follow all of GOD's order?

Yes.

Old Testament
1) Sin offerings
2) Not cutting hair
3) Not entering where a dead person is

New Testament focus
1) No Sex prior to marriage
2) Accepting Christ
3) No drinking or getting drunk

etc...

That summary leaves a lot to be desired. The Old and the New Testament are more perfectly summarized in this one verse:

Love God with all your heart and soul.

I just don't get if the Bible is the tell all manual then why some is ignored and some isn't... Who says to ignore some. Even IF times are different the words still came from GOD and if he is all judging then how is everyone to assume that its OK?

From a Catholic perspective, God didn't just give us a Bible. Yes, the Bible is God's word. But God also gave us the Church and Tradition.

The Bible is a record of God revelation to mankind.
Tradition is how God's word is applied by mankind.
The Church is the Teacher of God's word in Scripture and Tradition.

Unless you have all three, you don't have the fullness of God's truth.

I don't know if this makes sense. I had a Christian friend tell me that some of the things in the Bible don't count anymore. It blows my mind, its like picking and choosing.

Its true. The Bible tells us that circumcision is no longer necessary:

1 Corinthians 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Thanks!

You're welcome. I hope that helped.

[JoeCanada76]

Love is the greatest commandment. Love is greater then whether somebody cuts there hair or not. Whether somebody is clean or unclean. The greatest gift is to Love unconditionally and that is why we are here.

[JoeCanada76]

The old testament is a historical account of different customs and laws and a written history of the past. There are many laws that were given to be able to tell people apart from the people who were chosen and not chosen.

For example: Circumcision is a mark of God, the old testament says that all boys are supposed to be circumised, right. Yet why would God make your body a certain way and then tell you to disfigure it?

In the new testament. It does not matter whether we are circumcised or not. The only thing that matters is that we have Gods spirit within us and that we show others love. We belong to God regardless.

[michele1983]

[QUOTE=De Maria;1581329]

That summary leaves a lot to be desired. The Old and the New Testament are more perfectly summarized in this one verse:

Love God with all your heart and soul.
[QUOTE]

Yes, I have heard about that and understand that... But that still doesn't answer my question about all the "demands" and what GOD tells you to do in the Old Testament which people don't do anymore. Not all of it was disregarded in the New or was mentioned that it doesn't count anymore. I've been reading the Old Testament and so far I see all these specific rules.

And through these rules, it seems to display God more of a demanding tyrant who will smite you if you do not obey... And then in the New its all about love...

[JoeCanada76]

The old testament shows that God has the same emotions as us. We were made in there image. In the old testemant many people focus on the mad and angry God but they fail to see that he has great patience and love and forgiveness for his people and mercy.

[michele1983]

So... those rules just don't apply anymore?

[michele1983]

And what about all the people GOD killed that didn't follow his rules. Like being stoned to death when working on the Sabbath day? Where was the forgiveness?

Is it like GOD became nicer over time?

[JoeT777]

And through these rules, it seems to display God more of a demanding tyrant who will smite you if you do not obey...And then in the New its all about love...

I'd disagree; this one statement is the essence of the teaching in the Old and New Testaments. I started a response, answering each item listed, but seeing DeMaria's response, I couldn't find anything more fitting to say.

Now if you just want to argue over New Testament traditions verses Old testament traditions we can do that. But the essence of the response to your question is to Love God above all things.

Christ tells us the answer to the lawyerly question in His own words , “which is the great commandment in the law?” [Actually I secretly hope he'd say 'stamp out lawyers' but he doesn't] And, He didn't say, go wash, He didn't say, go prey, but what he did say was “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.” (Matt 22:36 seq.)

Far from being a tyrant; this makes God a loving Father. Michele, do this and you won't need to worry about rules.

JoeT

[ebaines]

etc...

I just don't get if the Bible is the tell all manual then why some is ignored and some isn't...Who says to ignore some. Even IF times are different the words still came from GOD and if he is all judging then how is everyone to assume that its ok?

I don't know if this makes sense. I had a Christian friend tell me that some of the things in the Bible don't count anymore. It blows my mind, its like picking and choosing.

This topic can be a source of MAJOR disagreement among Christians, and contributes to some of the schisms between the varius denominations. Christians generally believe that Jesus brought a "new covenant" that basically over-wrote the original covenant between God and Moses as described in the Old Testament. Hence many of the old prohibitions against things like wearing clothes of different materials, or dietary laws, or lending money with interest, were essentially swept away as the New Covenant ends sin and death for everyone who accepts it. Again, different people have different interpretations of just how much attention to pay to the prohibitions proscribed in the old testament (with the exception that all Christians have a belief in the 10 commandments).

Here's an article on the New Covenant that may help:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Covenant

[De Maria]

Yes, I have heard about that and understand that...But that still doesn't answer my question about all the "demands" and what GOD tells you to do in the Old Testament which people don't do anymore. Not all of it was disregarded in the New or was mentioned that it doesn't count anymore. I've been reading the Old Testament and so far I see all these specific rules.

And through these rules, it seems to display God more of a demanding tyrant who will smite you if you do not obey...And then in the New its all about love...

God still smites the disobedient.

However, the New Testament reveals that God became man to fulfill the Old Law and then establish in Himself a new, more perfect Law of the Spirit.

This is how the Bible says it:

Romans 7:2
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Does this mean that the Old Law is void?

Romans 3 31Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

What this means is that if we live by the law of love and do good to all men, we will not infringe on any of the Ten Commandments. The law is not annulled. It is not voided as you seem to think. But we strive to live by a higher calling.

That is why the emphasis is on love. Thou shalt.

Rather than on punishment. Thou shalt not.

Am I making sense?

[De Maria]

and what about all the people GOD killed that didn't follow his rules. Like being stoned to death when working on the Sabbath day? Where was the forgiveness?

Is it like GOD became nicer over time?

No.

Have you noticed that civilization has progressed, even in the last 100 years? People know and understand more. And they can handle more information. I'm old enough to remember when some people didn't believe that man would ever go to the moon.

God knows us better than we know ourselves. God waited for men to progress to a certain level of understanding before He gave them more information. But God is still the same.

[michele1983]

Do you believe that God speaks with Holy people? That more writings may someday come?

Or when the Pope stated that there was no hell?

I'm also curious about how new information that may come from God inspired people are taken seriously or disregarded since its not written in the bible...

[JoeT777]

Or when the Pope stated that there was no hell?

I’m unaware of any such pronouncement When did this happen?

JoeT

[michele1983]

"No Hell": Pope

Basically saying that Hell is not a physical place. But the tormet and emptiness that a soul feels when not in a union with God... and that the Union with God, is heaven... but not a physical place...

[michele1983]

Also: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1572646.ece

[JoeT777]

"No Hell": Pope

Basically saying that Hell is not a physical place. But the tormet and emptiness that a soul feels when not in a union with God...and that the Union with God, is heaven...but not a physical place...

That's a far cry from saying there is no hell. What was said was that hell is a state of being - forever tormented. I think this is the statement that CBS was referencing: Heaven, Hell and Purgatory

JoeT

[michele1983]

Point taken

However, I am still curious people's opinion about the rest of my post... in that do you believe that there is or will be more God inspired texts or writings? And if there is, would everyone just assume that its from the devil?

[JoeT777]

I'm also curious about how new information that may come from God inspired people are taken seriously or disregarded since its not written in the bible...

Yes there can be private revelations from God, but the Catholic Church treats them much differently than other faiths


Private Revelations

"There are two kinds of revelations: (1) universal revelations, which are contained in the Bible or in the depositum of Apostolic tradition transmitted by the Church. These ended with the preaching of the Apostles and must be believed by all; (2) particular or private revelations which are constantly occurring among Christians (see CONTEMPLATION). When the Church approves private revelations, she declares only that there is nothing in them contrary faith or good morals, and that they may be read without danger or even with profit; no obligation is thereby imposed on the faithful to believe them. Speaking of such revelations as (e.g.) those of St. Hildegard (approved in part by Eugenius III), St. Bridget (by Boniface IX), and St. Catherine of Siena (by Gregory XI) Benedict XIV says: "It is not obligatory nor even possible to give them the assent of Catholic faith, but only of human faith, in conformity with the dictates of prudence, which presents them to us as probable and worthy of pius belief)" (De canon., III, liii, xxii, II). " see CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Private Revelations


JoeT

[michele1983]

Hmmm, there is a lot to contemplate! You are most helpful Joe, as you gave me a better understanding then most were able to!

Thanks!