Theists: Precedence of Commandments

[MindForgedManacle]

I have a inkling that I'd like to make a YouTube video on this issue. Eh, maybe someday.

Anyhow, this is, I think, an interesting question for theists: If the commandments from God/in the Bible conflict in some situation, what commandment(s) take precedence? Now, an answer I anticipate is pointing out that Jesus referred to 'loving thy neighbor' and the golden rule as the most important to follow. However, he also says in other places that he has not come to destroy the law, but that it would remain until heaven and earth fade. I suppose the response would be - and correct me if I'm wrong - that you follow the Law in as much as it doesn't conflict with loving others or following the golden rule, but that creates a bigger problem: What about when the commandments directly conflict with Jesus' claim of the primacy of those 2 commands? For example, what of Deuteronomy's command to kill unbelieving family members, or Leviticus' command to stone to death men who have had sex with another man? Clearly you cannot follow Leviticus' proscription and abide by Jesus, so what then?

[MindForgedManacle]

-bump-

Psst, theists.

[InevitableCheese]

-bump-

Psst, theists.

As a former theist, I could recommend this: http://www.gotquestions.org/

It's a site that what I would call "regular" Christians used a lot.

To answer your question, though, is a post from said website:

In place of the Old Testament law, we are under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), which is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and to love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). If we obey those two commands, we will be fulfilling all that Christ requires of us: “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:40). Now, this does not mean the Old Testament law is irrelevant today. Many of the commands in the Old Testament law fall into the categories of “loving God” and “loving your neighbor.” The Old Testament law can be a good guidepost for knowing how to love God and knowing what goes into loving your neighbor. At the same time, to say that the Old Testament law applies to Christians today is incorrect. The Old Testament law is a unit (James 2:10). Either all of it applies, or none of it applies. If Christ fulfilled some of it, such as the sacrificial system, He fulfilled all of it.

“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). The Ten Commandments were essentially a summary of the entire Old Testament law. Nine of the Ten Commandments are clearly repeated in the New Testament (all except the command to observe the Sabbath day). Obviously, if we are loving God, we will not be worshipping false gods or bowing down before idols. If we are loving our neighbors, we will not be murdering them, lying to them, committing adultery against them, or coveting what belongs to them. The purpose of the Old Testament law is to convict people of our inability to keep the law and point us to our need for Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 7:7-9; Galatians 3:24). The Old Testament law was never intended by God to be the universal law for all people for all of time. We are to love God and love our neighbors. If we obey those two commands faithfully, we will be upholding all that God requires of us.

Sauce: http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-law.html

[MindForgedManacle]

Strangely, Jesus disagrees with them elsewhere. But yeah, that's about the response that I expected, as I'm a former theist as well. Thanks.

[CleanShavenJesus]

Clearly you cannot follow Leviticus' proscription and abide by Jesus, so what then?

They're not really connected in terms of religions, though.

[John V]

I have a inkling that I'd like to make a YouTube video on this issue. Eh, maybe someday.

Anyhow, this is, I think, an interesting question for theists: If the commandments from God/in the Bible conflict in some situation, what commandment(s) take precedence? Now, an answer I anticipate is pointing out that Jesus referred to 'loving thy neighbor' and the golden rule as the most important to follow. However, he also says in other places that he has not come to destroy the law, but that it would remain until heaven and earth fade. I suppose the response would be - and correct me if I'm wrong - that you follow the Law in as much as it doesn't conflict with loving others or following the golden rule, but that creates a bigger problem: What about when the commandments directly conflict with Jesus' claim of the primacy of those 2 commands? For example, what of Deuteronomy's command to kill unbelieving family members, or Leviticus' command to stone to death men who have had sex with another man? Clearly you cannot follow Leviticus' proscription and abide by Jesus, so what then?

Most Christians are Gentiles, and the law never applied to Gentiles.

[Doubting Thomas]

If God were real, "Don't be a dick" would be one of the ten commandments.

[InevitableCheese]

If God were real, "Don't be a dick" would be one of the ten commandments.

In fact, isn't that one of Christopher Hitchen's Ten Commandments. I swear he's said/written that one before.