Message #251

[AndyHB]

We were talkig about Paul, and how, under the supposed inspiration of Jesus had one viewpoint, and then came around to another viewpoint. 

I realised that, Boudi, and that is why I moved this debate to its own thread, especially as I said on 'tother thread that I don't believe that he 'came around to another viewpoint', but rather acknowledged that - eg - Roman culture and Ephesian culture where different and therefore the Christian faith had to deal with different issues or similar issues in different ways.

I picked on the David/Beersheba incident because it is SO blatantly an example of 'cautionary tale', yet is still included in the record, suggesting that not all the Biblical record is as God wanted for humanity.

How do we tell whether the  rules in the Bible are man-made rules, and which are real commandments from God?

Martin, in some cases, its obvious - for instance, Paul's caveat in 1 Corinthians 7:8, where he makes it clear (contrast with 7:10) that this was his own opinion.  In other cases, such as parts of the Old Testament, it is obvious from even a fairly basic reading that the instructions are man-made - think, for example, of the laws about working on the Sabbath - because they run opposite to or at least at odds with earlier instructions, such as the 10 Commandments.