What I Thought Would Get Me in Trouble

My commentary on what happened will follow on another post:

Article 7: God’s Will
We believe God’s will for humanity can best be found in the pages of Scripture as we read the law, prophets, teachings of Jesus and the epistles. We recognize that some laws have been made null and void, and we recognize that some laws are more important than others–Jesus makes this clear in His teachings. When conflicting laws and teachings come before us, we judge which is greater by our canon within the canon.

Since we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus, we are no longer subject to the disciplinary aspects of the law. (Galatians 3:26). This means, God no longer punishes us when we break His commandments. Rather, He allows us to face the consequences of our actions in due time. This is why sometimes evildoers get away scott-free. Technically, a Christian can do the same since he or she no longer will get zapped by God for committing evil. Grace overcomes all sin. As such, a Christian is completely and totally free.

However, a Christian does not take this freedom to indulge himself or herself selfishly (1 Corinthians 6:12). A Christian who has been saved by God’s grace, is motivated to follow the will of God and produce fruit. Jesus makes this clear on numerous occasions: Matthew 3:8; Matthew 7:16; Mark 4:20; Luke 6:43; John 15:5. Yet, we must ask ourselves, what is the good fruit we are intended to bear? How does one know which actions bear fruit and which actions do not?

Thus, we return to God’s law. Through His teaching to us, we learn what it means to live in a right relationship with Him, with creation, and with one another. Such teaching is found throughout the Old and New Testaments. Any time there is an instruction of how a person should or should not act, it can be considered part of the law. When a person carries out the law, a person is producing fruit.

Yet, we know the question is now begged: does a Christian have to follow all the law? Are there some laws which have been nullified by grace? Can a person pick and choose which laws to follow and which laws to ignore?

First, we must recognize all of scripture is not equal. A simple test, used earlier in this apology, proves this quite easily. In the book of Leviticus, a good deal many foods are considered unclean. God clearly states these foods should not be eaten by His people (Leviticus 11). Yet, in the book of Mark, Jesus has the following teaching:

14Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: 15there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile." 17When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18He said to them, "Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile, 19since it enters, not the heart but the stomach, and goes out into the sewer?" (Thus he declared all foods clean.)
Clearly, one teaching is more important for the Christian than the other in this circumstance, and clearly the Christian places more emphasis on Jesus’ words than the words written in the dietary laws of the Old Testament. Therefore, one says at this point, no, a Christian does not follow every law which is contained in the Bible. One must discern which laws are more important than others.

For the Christian, the laws and commands Jesus gives are paramount. Jesus reveals to us the true nature of God and what God expects from us as we live with Him, with creation, and with one another. Jesus’ teachings and actions give us the foundation of understanding when it comes to which fruit we are most called to produce. In the above instance, Jesus’ teachings have rendered dietary laws null and void. Therefore, a Christian does not follow such laws.

However, we encounter further challenges when it comes to discerning which commands we are called to follow and which are null and void. As pointed out earlier in this apology, there are commands concerning stoning a child if he is stubborn and rebellious. Again, the Christian points to Christ and asks, "Does this law parallel what Christ taught and His actions?" Of course, the answer is, "No."

Yet, more challenges remain. There are teachings within the New Testament which cause a Christian pause. St. Paul prohibits women from worshiping if they do not have their heads covered. Is this a law which Christian women must adhere to in order that they may produce fruit?

The reformers considered such things as they wrote these words in the Augsburg Confession:

It is proper for the Christian assembly to keep such ordinances for the sake of love and peace, to be obedient to the bishops and parish ministers in such matters, and to observe the regulations in such a way that one does not give offense to another and so that there may be no disorder or unbecoming conduct in the church. However, consciences should not be burdened by contending that such things are necessary for salvation or that it is a sin to omit them, even when no offense is given to others, just as no one would say that a woman commits a sin if without offense to others she goes out with uncovered head.

A further read of the confession elaborates more fully a decree the Apostles’ gave to the Gentiles to abstain from blood:

The apostles directed that one should abstain from blood and from what is strangled. Who observes such prohibition now? Those who do not observe it commit no sin, for the apostles did not wish to burden consciences with such bondage but forbade such eating for a time to avoid offense. One must pay attention to the chief article of Christian doctrine, and this is not abrogated by the decree.
The Lutheran tradition gives us insight into how to handle laws which do not affect salvation but they do affect the hearts and minds of fellow believers. In the 21^st century, hardly any one would argue worshiping God with or without a head covering is sinful. Likewise with the eating of blood. But at the time such things were written, these would have been incredible offenses to those who gathered for worship. For the sake of good order and to keep the church united in mission, Paul and the Apostles put these laws in place. As time passed, and such practices became less offensive, the practices were abandoned.

Some might call such a practice "picking and choosing" which laws to follow. There is truth to such a statement for one could easily say, "Perhaps adultery no longer becomes offensive to a group of people. Would that then mean the law could be abandoned?"

To this we must reply as did St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, "All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything. " (1 Corinthians 6:12) Living by the chief article of Christian doctrine (that we are saved only by grace through faith in Christ Jesus) means that we leave the door open for people to choose how they act. If they choose to act against certain commands found in Scripture which are clear and have no opposing stance–either by Christ’s words or in any other part of the Bible–we believe they will be answerable to God.

We believe that before a law be ignored or considered abandoned, careful and prayerful study must be held. Will the action lead to offense? Will the action cause division? Will the action be consistent with the way God has acted as revealed in the pages of Scripture and in the person of Christ? Is the law being challenged on a solid, theological basis or on the basis of importance to a person or a certain group of people? All such questions must be answered with satisfaction before such a decision should be made.