The rules didn't change.

I know that some of my Christian friends will disagree with me, but this is how I see things.

1) Animal sacrifices - Reminded the people that sacrifices were necessary for the forgiveness of sin. They also were a sign of faith that God would provide a sacrifice.
2) Kosher laws - Teach the people that they must fill themselves with that which is holy (this is my flesh, this is my blood...).
a) Christians should know that being filled with the Holy Spirit is more important than having a full belly.
b) Christians should read the Bible, to fill their minds with God's truth and to feed their spirit.
3) Sabbath - Represents the rest from sin that we find in Jesus.

All three are merely the shadow, while the substance is Jesus. Now that Jesus has lived a sacrificed, we can follow him and ignore the shadow.

Though both Redy and Wench essentially asked the same question I merely copied this for convienience.

Wench said:

"Ya need a sacrifice before Jesus dies

Jesus dies and guess what you no longer need the animal sacrifice

Was this not a rule changing?"

The rule did not "change" - it expired. It was always going to do that. It was a covenant - not a rule. The sacrifices that were made for the forgiveness of sin before the coming of Jesus were part of a covenant with Abraham in return of the faith he showed in his willingness to sacrifice his only son. The fullfillment of that Covenant was God sacrificing his son for the completion of reconciling the sins of the world. But as with all of God's covenants - faith was a requirement that God would do what he promised to do, and that was the part of the covenant that man was responsible for. Without it - man breaks the covenant.

And Spider - though I can see where a non-Christian would not quite understand what you've posted, I agree with you, you have stated exactly what a covenant represents as seen through to completion. This is also what has happened with circumcision. No longer a requirement to be a child of God.

Redy wrote:

"The point is that some rules stayed and some didn't. Some say there are many more than 10 commandments, were there more before Jesus? And the stories that were not included in the Christian Old Testament, is it because what they taught no longer pertained? If that's so, why are some, that no longer pertain still included?

>>> Di - the 10 commandments wer a covenant. They were guidelines for the jewish people to follow as they were being led to the land which was promised to them. Because they broke the covenant, they were not allowed to enter the land for 40 years. After which - because they showed a propensity to not follow the covenant - "rules" if you will, given to them for their own good, and because they had problems reasoning out the difference between what is right and wrong, they were given a number of rules, laws, call it what you will - to guide them. I don't remember the exact number of them - but they can be found in Deuteronomy, as well as in the Proverbs, and Ecclesiates. <<<<

So the rules did change, but none of that change hardly represents a valid reason for God to take human form, preach ambiguously, bow to persecution, and suffer torments of the flesh.

>>>>> When Jesus came - the practice of following these rules to the letter had gotten so out of hand - that he summed up the spirit of all the laws with the Golden rule. Jesus did not come to abolish the law - but to fullfill it. The law was put into place to establish rightiousness amounst the people. Through the sacrifice of Jesus - he became our rightiousness. In fullfillment of the covenant with Abraham - that God would reconcile all nations unto himself, faith in that sacrifice is all that is required. So the laws did not "change". They were just fullfilled through the sacrifice of Jesus. <<<<

Ya know laughing, spider, and eljay, I'm glad you all found what's right and proper for you. The bible just doesn't speak to me in the same way as it does with y'all. I do appreciate the time you take to explain your understandings of it.

Thats a beautiful thing to discover about the old testament and the new being so intertwined......I think all should do some major bible studies and see all the Bible has to offer....I have been studying for a long long time....and still am discovering new all the time......What a blessing the word of God truly is.