im sure most of us have noticed strange thingz written in the bible.like why is there a page that teaches you how to sell slaves?why doez it tell us to stone homosexuals to death?does anybody know if these things are to be taken literally?if not, then how do you know?
Strange Verses
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QUOTE (LostSheep @ Mar 3 2009, 02:56 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=70144
im sure most of us have noticed strange thingz written in the bible.like why is there a page that teaches you how to sell slaves?why doez it tell us to stone homosexuals to death?does anybody know if these things are to be taken literally?if not, then how do you know?
Homosexuality is a definitely sin in God's eyes. (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:23-32) However, God doesn't change His mind on what's right or wrong. However, after Christ's death on the cross, we don't do that anymore... the ordinances and the statues are completely removed by Christ (Colossians 2:14) but the Law of God is not destroyed as Christ did not come to destroy the Law. (Matthew 5:17-18)
im sure most of us have noticed strange thingz written in the bible.like why is there a page that teaches you how to sell slaves?why doez it tell us to stone homosexuals to death?does anybody know if these things are to be taken literally?if not, then how do you know?
Homosexuality is a definitely sin in God's eyes. (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:23-32) However, God doesn't change His mind on what's right or wrong. However, after Christ's death on the cross, we don't do that anymore... the ordinances and the statues are completely removed by Christ (Colossians 2:14) but the Law of God is not destroyed as Christ did not come to destroy the Law. (Matthew 5:17-18)
QUOTE (LostSheep @ Mar 3 2009, 03:56 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=70144
im sure most of us have noticed strange thingz written in the bible.like why is there a page that teaches you how to sell slaves?why doez it tell us to stone homosexuals to death?does anybody know if these things are to be taken literally?if not, then how do you know?
God took a primitive people and made them his own. He had to teach them right from wrong. Death was a common reality in ancient times. You were just one misstep away from the grave. Any sickness, childbirth, invasion or mishandling an axe could lead to death. Death was nothing new. In order to teach the seriousness of wrongs he attached meaning that people could relate to or it would have no impact.When we look at these practices with 21st century eyes they seem barbaric and they are, but these were barbaric times. They weren't meant for us. People of that era understood them. Slavery was common practice. God never condoned slavery, plural marriage or other things mentioned in scripture. He wanted slaves and all people treated properly. These practices eventually died on their own. God could have hastened it by outlawing them, but he chose not to because it would not have worked. If you let your slaves go someone else would just take them and treat them less well. They had no chance of employment and would have to make their way back to their own country on their own. Which is crueler? How about giving God some credit?Many of the practices of the time were based on the morals of the age. Another reason why laws were made were to protect the people. At a time when there was no social welfare people had to depend on each other. The family was the most important unit in this. Protecting the people meant protecting the family unit. Homosexuality and sexual promiscuity were against the family unit and counter to the strength of the group. We look at it differently now. But in those days the family was all important. Similarly many of the health practices were based on good medicine. They were given to restrict disease and protect the people. The Hebrews did not understand about germs so God just told them the proper sanitation practices that would prevent disease.Why death by stoning? It is a cruel way to die. It was a strong deterrent. God wanted people to know that he was serious and that he meant it. Death is final and people understood it. Stoning is a memorable because it is done by the community. Your crime was against the community. If you wanted to be part of the community then you had to abide by its principles. If not you could leave. If you stayed and broke the laws you paid the price. That is the ancient way.Why did God kill innocent people when he killed whole families? If a woman had no husband she was destitute and a threat to the survival of the community. She could remarry, but if her husband was killed as criminal then she would be ostracized and had no hope. She and her children would starve. Those are harsh realities of the times.God is loving and merciful. He does not want us to behave cruelly, but to get us from where we were to where we needed to be we had to be ready. We had to know right from wrong and good from bad. We had to learn that mercy is not weakness but strength. The ancients were incapable of this. We are because we can learn from the past.God has not changed. He was just as loving in the OT as now. Sometimes we confuse things when we transpose our own thoughts on a different era. God's view on life is different from ours. For us it is linear and finite. For God it is not. Life does not end with death and he can create and destroy life at will for his own purposed and from his perspective it does not change anything. To question his reasons for his actions is to do so based on imperfect knowledge.
im sure most of us have noticed strange thingz written in the bible.like why is there a page that teaches you how to sell slaves?why doez it tell us to stone homosexuals to death?does anybody know if these things are to be taken literally?if not, then how do you know?
God took a primitive people and made them his own. He had to teach them right from wrong. Death was a common reality in ancient times. You were just one misstep away from the grave. Any sickness, childbirth, invasion or mishandling an axe could lead to death. Death was nothing new. In order to teach the seriousness of wrongs he attached meaning that people could relate to or it would have no impact.When we look at these practices with 21st century eyes they seem barbaric and they are, but these were barbaric times. They weren't meant for us. People of that era understood them. Slavery was common practice. God never condoned slavery, plural marriage or other things mentioned in scripture. He wanted slaves and all people treated properly. These practices eventually died on their own. God could have hastened it by outlawing them, but he chose not to because it would not have worked. If you let your slaves go someone else would just take them and treat them less well. They had no chance of employment and would have to make their way back to their own country on their own. Which is crueler? How about giving God some credit?Many of the practices of the time were based on the morals of the age. Another reason why laws were made were to protect the people. At a time when there was no social welfare people had to depend on each other. The family was the most important unit in this. Protecting the people meant protecting the family unit. Homosexuality and sexual promiscuity were against the family unit and counter to the strength of the group. We look at it differently now. But in those days the family was all important. Similarly many of the health practices were based on good medicine. They were given to restrict disease and protect the people. The Hebrews did not understand about germs so God just told them the proper sanitation practices that would prevent disease.Why death by stoning? It is a cruel way to die. It was a strong deterrent. God wanted people to know that he was serious and that he meant it. Death is final and people understood it. Stoning is a memorable because it is done by the community. Your crime was against the community. If you wanted to be part of the community then you had to abide by its principles. If not you could leave. If you stayed and broke the laws you paid the price. That is the ancient way.Why did God kill innocent people when he killed whole families? If a woman had no husband she was destitute and a threat to the survival of the community. She could remarry, but if her husband was killed as criminal then she would be ostracized and had no hope. She and her children would starve. Those are harsh realities of the times.God is loving and merciful. He does not want us to behave cruelly, but to get us from where we were to where we needed to be we had to be ready. We had to know right from wrong and good from bad. We had to learn that mercy is not weakness but strength. The ancients were incapable of this. We are because we can learn from the past.God has not changed. He was just as loving in the OT as now. Sometimes we confuse things when we transpose our own thoughts on a different era. God's view on life is different from ours. For us it is linear and finite. For God it is not. Life does not end with death and he can create and destroy life at will for his own purposed and from his perspective it does not change anything. To question his reasons for his actions is to do so based on imperfect knowledge.
Romans 9: 14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” 16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. 17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[j] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. 19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?” 20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles. (NLT)
Job 40: 1 Then the Lord said to Job, 2 “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” 3 Then Job replied to the Lord, 4 “I am nothing—how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand. 5 I have said too much already. I have nothing more to say.” 6 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 7 “Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. 8 “Will you discredit my justice and condemn me just to prove you are right? 9 Are you as strong as God? Can you thunder with a voice like his? 10 All right, put on your glory and splendor, your honor and majesty. 11 Give vent to your anger. Let it overflow against the proud. 12 Humiliate the proud with a glance; walk on the wicked where they stand. 13 Bury them in the dust. Imprison them in the world of the dead. 14 Then even I would praise you, for your own strength would save you.
(NLT)It is easy to think that we know, but don't have all of the information. We weren't there and we are not God. As Paul said "12 Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then [in the end] we will see everything with perfect clarity." (1 Corinthians 13)Similar threads
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