Oh, my. A thread about Sabbath worship has turned into a diatribe suggesting that those who believe in the law are trying to "burn witches, stone adulterers, judge everybody for what they eat or wear, hates his enemies and owns slaves". First, let me say that as a Christian, I believe first and foremost in the teachings of Christ as they apply to the law (or any other subject for that matter. Christ did make some modifications to some points of the law and clarified others. I don't know where to start. First, as to burning witches, stoning adulterers and judging everybody for what they eat or wear. These actions are all judgements and Christ clearly modified the law to indicate that judgement was no longer our responsibility. As a matter of fact He warned against it in
Matthew 7:1-5 where He says; "
1Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam
is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." In
John 8:15-16 He says "
15Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. 1
6And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me." So, Christ not only taught us that we should not judge others and said that even He judges no man, He also noted that judgement is God's. As to the point of burning witches, for clarification the Old Testament Law did not prescribe burning of witches but rather stoning was the death penalty that He commanded. In
Leviticus 20:27we read; ""A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist, shall surely be put to death; they shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them". Further witches were not a concept in those days. Witch and witchcraft are Middle Ages English concepts. The earliest recorded use of the word "witch" in the English language is found in the laws of AElfred, dating to about 890, where it refers to women who are "accustomed to receiving enchanters and sorceresses and witches" The translations that mention witches are using this Middle Ages concept to describe what in the Old Testament referred to necromancers, sorcerers and the divination of "familiar spirits" (as in "Witch of Endor"). As for their burning at the stake, that was a part of the witch hunts and trials that followed the "witch" mania from those times. At the time of these happenings, there is no evidence that any of those people who were burned, drowned or otherwise executed were even practicing any of the "witchcraft" of which they were accused. Thus the term witch hunt has come to symbolize the hunting of something that doesn't exist. While witchcraft in those days were trumped up charges, there is an actual modern practice of "witchcraft" which gained popularity in the 1940s. According to Helen Berger of Brandeis University "Wicca, an alternative minority religion whose adherents, regardless of gender, call themselves witches, began
in the U.K. in the 1940s. Wicca and Witchcraft are part of the larger contemporary pagan movement, which includes druids and heathens among others. All these spiritual paths, as pagans refer to them, base their practices on pre-Christian religions and cultures. I believe as Christians we should point out that these practices are sinful but again we shouldn't judge much less burn or stone anyone.
As for the stoning of adulterers, that is an Old Testament law. The point is one of the things Christ modified is that we as humans are no longer responsible for judgement. We must still call out sin where we see it but Christ taught that we must not engage in judgement, in other words earthly punishment. Ancient Israel was a theocracy so the Law of God was also the law of the land. As such, it included earthly punishment as outlined by God's commandments. Christ changed that when He fulfilled the Law and warned us against judging a person. He never told us not to call out sin but that God would judge people.
As for judging anyone for what they eat or wear, Christ clearly addressed dietary restrictions when He said in Matthew 15:11;
11Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." He goes on the explain in verses 17-19 "
17Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
19For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:...". As for what people wear, the Old Testament does speak of a dress code of sorts in Leviticus 19:19 where we read; "neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee." and in Deutoronomy 22:11-12 which reads "
11Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts,
as of woollen and linen together. 12Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest
thyself." I'm not sure what you're referring to by judging someone for what they wear but I judge no one. One can point out the sinfulness of a persons behavior without judging the person. As for clothing, I do believe in modest dress both for men and women.
You mention hating ones enemies. First God never commanded us to hate anyone and Christ told us in Matthew 5:44 "
44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;".
As for slaves, I believe Clare73 covered that subject quite thoroughly. I don't even know what you are trying to say with your closing comment "God's commandments can hardly be against Christian conscience. If they were, I would question and carefully investigated them, whether they are really from God." At any rate, as God's commandments aren't against my Christian conscience, I don't think I'll question them.
