💕muthoni🍭 :
Christians believe that the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament is the same, unchanging God, so the difference is not that God suddenly became less strict or more loving, but that the covenant between God and humanity changed through Jesus. The Old Testament contains laws given specifically to ancient Israel under the Mosaic covenant, including moral laws, ceremonial laws, dietary rules, sacrifices, and civil laws. Christians generally believe that Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic covenant, meaning that some of those commands, such as animal sacrifices, circumcision as a covenant requirement, and dietary restrictions, are no longer binding on Christians, while moral principles such as loving God, loving others, avoiding murder, adultery, and idolatry continue. The important point, however, is that Christians are not supposed to simply choose whichever Old Testament commands they personally agree with. They determine what remains binding by looking at the New Testament and how Jesus and the apostles interpret the Old Testament. This is why Jesus says he came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it, and in some cases he actually makes its moral requirements deeper, such as teaching that hatred and lust are also morally significant.
2026-08-14 07:06:41