You can read the rest of the article below. Do we really need to explain this, or the difference between the Law (OT) and Grace (NT)?
This is the top 10 list in full:
No. 1:St Paul’s advice about whether women are allowed to teach men in church:
“I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” (1 Timothy 2:12)
No. 2: In this verse, Samuel, one of the early leaders of Israel, orders genocide against a neighbouring people:
“This is what the Lord Almighty says… ‘Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” (1 Samuel 15:3)
No. 3: A command of Moses:
“Do not allow a sorceress to live.” (Exodus 22:18)
No. 4: The ending of Psalm 137, a psalm which was made into a disco calypso hit by Boney M, is often omitted from readings in church:
“Happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us – he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.” (Psalm 137:9)
No. 5: Another blood-curdling tale from the Book of Judges, where an Israelite man is trapped in a house by a hostile crowd, and sends out his concubine to placate them:
“So the man took his concubine and sent her outside to them, and they raped her and abused her throughout the night, and at dawn they let her go. At daybreak the woman went back to the house where her master was staying, fell down at the door and lay there until daylight. When her master got up in the morning and opened the door of the house and stepped out to continue on his way, there lay his concubine, fallen in the doorway of the house, with her hands on the threshold. He said to her, ‘Get up; let’s go.’ But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.” (Judges 19:25-28)
No. 6: St Paul condemns homosexuality in the opening chapter of the Book of Romans:
“In the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:27)
No. 7: In this story from the Book of Judges, an Israelite leader, Jephthah, makes a rash vow to God, which has to be carried out:
“And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, and said, ‘If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, then whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the Ammonites, shall be the Lord’s, to be offered up by me as a burnt-offering.’ Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and there was his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and with dancing. She was his only child; he had no son or daughter except her. When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, ‘Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low; you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.’” (Judges 11:30-1, 34-5)
No. 8: The Lord is speaking to Abraham in this story where God commands him to sacrifice his son:
‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ (Genesis 22:2)
No. 9: “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22)
No. 10: “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel.” (1 Peter 2:18)
Read the rest here: Top 10 worst Bible passages – Telegraph.
And on a lighter note, you remember the crasher squirrel?
And, since we are the Top 10 theme, how about Top 10 reasons men shouldn’t be ordained. (HT)
Why #8? I always took it he never really meant it, but he was just testing Abraham asking for an offering that wasn’t unheard of back then. Abraham didn’t know the new laws yet, and probably thought, dang, my god is into that too? But i better do as he says.
This is the result of years of secularization in England, Jordan. They don’t understand the Law and Grace. Of course, I know of a few here in this country who don’t know the difference either.
I see can why no.5 is there…I have always hated that narrative…Why would he do this?! He should have gone out himself instead of sending her…Really-what kind of godly man would ever do that to any woman…Gosh they abused her till she died…He tells her to get let us be going…HE ___!
Everyone’s heart break for Jephthah (no.7)… What a lesson in not making vows to God…Well anyway his daughter was dedicated to Lord and lived…
In reality, we all should note Rom. 15:4, the word “whatever” ‘was written…was written for our instruction’, etc..
Fr. R.
Joel,
No not at all, the aspect of “regeneration” in the OT, would be more along the lines of spiritual quickening. Also the true saints of God in the OT, were born again, or born from above by the Spirit of God (Heb.11). It seems Jesus thought that Nicodemus, as a teacher of Israel, should have known something of what Jesus spoke? (John 3:10)
Fr. R.
Joel,
Check out some modern Theolog’s here, on this subject. Especially the Dutch Reformed. The aspect again is to the covenants of grace.
Fr. R.
Polycarp what happens to those who died in faith before Jesus came? They having faith in all the promises of God.Not just of his coming…But like Abraham who looked for (awaited) the ‘ city ‘ Perhaps the New Jerusalem? Who’s builder and maker is God…All who believe(d) were and are sojourners and pilgrims ‘ here’ including us…Genesis 47:9- Hebrews 11:8-10 and 1 Peter 2:11,12
There are some rough spots in the OT, but it points to the fact that no matter who good the Law was, it did nothing to change a person. The Grace provides us not merely a judicial standing, but a new position with God. We are regenerated.
Joel,
Don’t you believe there was “regeneration” in the OT?
No, I don’t believe in Regeneration in the OT. Wouldn’t that negate the Cross?
I would disagree, Fr. Robert. While certain saints were quickened, they had to wait on Christ and His Church to be perfected – thus regeneration.
Polycarp you do not believe that OT saints were indwelled by the Spirit? What did the Apostle Peter mean-when he said that the Spirit of Christ was ‘ in’ the Prophets? 1 Peter 1:11…
Y, very good question, and scripture reference!
Fr. R.
But, what is regeneration? Is it not the removal of condemnation/judgment? In Romans 5.1, condemnation is removed because of Christ’s work on the cross. How then can anyone before Christ be regenerated?
Further, we note that the Prophets searched for the time of Salvation – but did not find it. Surely, regenerated people would have no further need of Salvation (1st Peter 1.9-10; Matthew 13.17; Hebrews 11.39-40)
Further, as Calvin said,
When the Spirit of Christ is within them – their words – this does not signify the regeneration due to the Grace which Christ brought.
Further, we can only receive the new man through Christ (Col 3.8-10)
Polycarp is not regeneration the quickening/making alive or giving new life-to the soul which is dead in trespasses and sins? Ephesians 2:1.
The Gospel was certainly preached to Abraham-and the Jews were the first to believe in Christ (Eph 1:12)…Or better said the promise of his coming…What then would the purpose of the preaching of the Gospel-had those who heard it (before) not received the down payment of the Spirit? Ephesians 1:10-13…
Yes grace and truth came by Jesus and the law was but a school-master…As the Apostle Paul said-how would he have known ‘coveting’ had it not been written…Romans 7:7…
Further it seems to me that Moses knew what and to whom he looked forward too.Hebrews 11:26…
It was revealed by the angel Gabriel to Daniel the Seer/Prophet precisely when he (Jesus the Messiah/Christ) would come and when he would die for the sins of the people and for the world…And so he wrote it in 9:27…
In Matthew 13:17 Jesus was speaking to that ‘generation’…They had the Lord of Glory before there face…We have not seen him nor have we heard him…Yet we believe…For this cause those of ‘ that generation’ who believed and US- will not be made complete (perfect) apart from they which are spoken of in Hebrews 11…I do not believe that this speaks of regeneration…
Y, as Paul wrote to Titus (Titus 3.4-6),
Regeneration literally means new birth – Christ brings us the New Birth. Regeneration can only occur after the Incarnation.
Yes, if regeneration is the making us alive, it is only through the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6.1-9), not the works of the Law, which is the only thing the Prophets had. Otherwise, the Law was sufficient, and Christ needless.
Abraham had faith, indeed, but he still had to offer to sacrifice for his sins. We have one sacrifice – Christ. Abraham, and the Prophets, and the Jews, looked to this day – which does not mean that they had Christ was thus regenerated.
Regeneration can only happen through the faithfulness of Christ, which is the Cross – which no one had, many looked forward to, until Calvary.
Ok Polycarp…Sorta sounds like dispensationalism to me…Which i know for a fact that you do not belong to that ‘group’…No matter-All who have ‘ believed’ and believe will see the Glory of the Lord together-in one body perfected (complete) when he comes again…
I have to say this then i will let it go…I do not believe that Abel the brother of Cain (who was not a Jew) could have offered his sacrifice with the right heart towards God-had he not been regenerated first… Anyway this was a good discussion…
See ya later…
Sorry about the double post…
Y – If regeneration, the new birth, was offered before Christ, then there is no need for Christ. This is not a matter of dispensationalism, but a matter that before Christ, we had the Law, and sacrifices, works, but as the writer of Hebrews notes, all those that have gone before us did not receive the promise and we also know, that no one was set right before God until Christ.
Further, we know that Israelites did sacrifice to God – even those that believe that YHWH was one of many. Further, we note that the Law was about the flesh – but Christ is about the Spirit:
Polycarp-does not the actual atonement made on Calvary ‘ complete’ the promise made in Genesis 3:15? We do not believe that Christ’ atonement was limited-to certain generations or people-right?
I believe that they spoken of in Hebrews 11 having not ‘ received ‘ the promise means that they did not live to see with their own eyes the coming of Christ..The promise in the flesh…I do not think it means that they were not born again (regenerated….
Y, Christ’s atonement fulfillment completed the promise – and those that had looked forward to it received the reward, but it did not take effect until the Act.
How can you be born again unless Christ has brought the new birth?
They had faith in the Promises, but the Promise was only fulfilled in Christ. They did in the promises, but were perfected in us – the Church, this new City. I don’t think I wait with Abraham, Y, but now wait for the heavenly sit. Again, I refer to Hebrews 11.39-40.
As Calvin says, here:
If regeneration could be achieved without Christ through the sacrifices of the Law, then what would be the necessity of Christ?
I must again go back to Regeneration as the Second Birth – and it is only brought through Christ.
In my opinion, this goes back to the Calvinist understanding of regeneration.
No Polycarp not John Calvin’s understanding of regeneration…Rather John Wesley’s understanding of Prevenient grace…That is the (help) freely given by God to all…Titus 2:11…
Let us not forget they who were first called the ‘ church’ Acts 7:38…Yet most of them-save a few resisted the Spirit of Grace and truth and never received the gift of faith that saves…
Joel,
Y is right here as to both Calvin and Wesley!
Fr. R.
Wesley’s prevenient Grace, just as Calvin and Augustine, I believe, is the grace with calls us to Christ. We can not come to Christ on our own, but must be called to Him. If we say with John the Baptizer that the Law come by Moses, but Grace by Christ (Incarnation), then the idea of NT Grace remains so that only after the Cross can God achieve in us what He has worked, which is a right standing before Him, as it was in the days of Eden. The Law is our school master, but could not provide then God-kind of righteousness which is needed to be holy in His presence.