How does one differentiate?
Which are to be obeyed?
How many are there of each?
So many important questions, and this post is designed to enlighten the reader as to the meaning of each.
COMMANDS
Commands of God differentiate sin from obedience. To be fair, there are three groups which could be considered commands:
1. Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40):
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had left the Sadducees speechless, they met together. One of them, a legal expert, tested him. “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?”2. Decalogue - "Ten Commandments" (Exodus 20:1-17):
He replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You must love your neighbor as you love yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
(1) You must have no other gods before me.(2) Do not make an idol for yourself—no form whatsoever—of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow down to them or worship them, because I, the Lord your God, am a passionate God. I punish children for their parents’ sins even to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. But I am loyal and gracious to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.(3) Do not use the Lord your God’s name as if it were of no significance; the Lord won’t forgive anyone who uses his name that way.(4) Remember the Sabbath day and treat it as holy. Six days you may work and do all your tasks, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. Do not do any work on it—not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants, your animals, or the immigrant who is living with you. Because the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.(5) Honor your father and your mother so that your life will be long on the fertile land that the Lord your God is giving you.(6) Do not commit murder.(7) Do not commit adultery.(8) Do not steal.(9) Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.(10) Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet and try to take your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox, donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.
3. Noahide Laws (various verses):
These three categories of commandments clearly do not contradict, but rather, reinforce what each says. Also note that the 7th Noahide law deals with setting up courts of law to enforce the others. This is a job for a society, not an individual, per se.
Note that the Noahide Laws overlap the Decalogue almost entirely. This is not accidental. It would behoove a Christian to follow the Decalogue, and use it as a gauge for determining what is and what is not sin.
Violation of these commandments would constitute sin.
When God established the nation of Israel, and the Jewish tradition, He set up certain laws for the Jews so that they could show themselves as distinguished from the other people of the region and of the world.
There are 613 laws for Jews to follow. The first ten are very familiar - the Decalogue. The other 603 are simply laws for the Jew to follow. They are not intended for the Gentile (non-Jew) to follow. Most Jews consider it poor form for a Gentile to attempt to follow these laws. Most Jews feel that a Gentile ought only follow the Noahide Laws, with most accepting that following the Decalogue is equally acceptable. Some more orthodox Jews actually feel it to be blasphemy for a Gentile to follow the 613 Laws of Judaism.
Violation of these laws would classify as a transgression, not as sin. Only a Jew could conceivable commit such a transgression, as these rules were never designed for all of mankind... only for the practitioners of the Jewish faith.
An example - the eating of pork is forbidden: Deuteronomy 14:7-8 -
A third and final set of instructions from God are suggestions He gives us. Broadly speaking, suggestions from God are things that will improve our lives, prevent us from harm, or otherwise give us instruction on some of life's situations.
An example: being in debt is not a sin. Borrowing money is not a sin. However, God warns us of the perils of too much debt: Proverbs 22:7 -
These three examples show how to improve your life, avoid harm, and how to handle situations. To fail to do any one of them is clearly not a sin. However, to listen to the word of God is to have a more fulfilled life, so avoid the preventable situations.
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(1) Respect others / prohibition of murder (Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds human blood, by a human his blood will be shed; for in the divine image God made human beings.).Definition
(2) Respect the property of others / prohibition of theft (Leviticus 19:11 - You must not steal nor deceive nor lie to each other.).
(3) Respect the institution of marriage / prohibition of adultery (Genesis 2:24 - This is the reason that a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife, and they become one flesh.).
(4) Humaneness / prohibition of eating an animal that still lives (Genesis 9:4 - However, you must not eat meat with its life, its blood, in it.).
(5) Put God first / prohibition of idolatry (Exodus 20:3 - You must have no other gods before me.)
(6) Believe in God / prohibition of blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16 - And anyone who blasphemes the Lord’s name must be executed. The whole community will stone that person. Immigrant and citizen alike: whenever someone blasphemes the Lord’s name, that person will be executed.)
These three categories of commandments clearly do not contradict, but rather, reinforce what each says. Also note that the 7th Noahide law deals with setting up courts of law to enforce the others. This is a job for a society, not an individual, per se.
Note that the Noahide Laws overlap the Decalogue almost entirely. This is not accidental. It would behoove a Christian to follow the Decalogue, and use it as a gauge for determining what is and what is not sin.
Violation of these commandments would constitute sin.
LAWS
When God established the nation of Israel, and the Jewish tradition, He set up certain laws for the Jews so that they could show themselves as distinguished from the other people of the region and of the world.
There are 613 laws for Jews to follow. The first ten are very familiar - the Decalogue. The other 603 are simply laws for the Jew to follow. They are not intended for the Gentile (non-Jew) to follow. Most Jews consider it poor form for a Gentile to attempt to follow these laws. Most Jews feel that a Gentile ought only follow the Noahide Laws, with most accepting that following the Decalogue is equally acceptable. Some more orthodox Jews actually feel it to be blasphemy for a Gentile to follow the 613 Laws of Judaism.
Violation of these laws would classify as a transgression, not as sin. Only a Jew could conceivable commit such a transgression, as these rules were never designed for all of mankind... only for the practitioners of the Jewish faith.
An example - the eating of pork is forbidden: Deuteronomy 14:7-8 -
However, here’s a list of animals that either rechew food or have hooves divided in two parts that you are not allowed to eat: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger—because these rechew food but don’t have divided hoofs, they are off-limits for you; and the pig—because it has a divided hoof but doesn’t rechew food, it’s off-limits for you. You may not eat these animals’ meat, and you must not touch their carcasses.But Gentiles (and Christians) are not bound by these laws. Acts 15:28-29 -
The Holy Spirit has led us to the decision that no burden should be placed on you other than these essentials: refuse food offered to idols, blood, the meat from strangled animals, and sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid such things. Farewell.
SUGGESTIONS
A third and final set of instructions from God are suggestions He gives us. Broadly speaking, suggestions from God are things that will improve our lives, prevent us from harm, or otherwise give us instruction on some of life's situations.
An example: being in debt is not a sin. Borrowing money is not a sin. However, God warns us of the perils of too much debt: Proverbs 22:7 -
The wealthy rule over the poor; a borrower is a slave to a lender.A second example, pointing to a method of improving our lives, can be had from Proverbs 15:31 -
The ear that listens to life-giving correction dwells among the wise.Another type of suggestion give by God are His instructions for situations. Again, these do not constitute sin necessarily, but guidelines on how to handle things, as well as warnings for common errors. Take the situation of correcting or helping a fellow believer who is having issues with a sin. It is common for those making the accusations of sin to fall into sin themselves (often the exact same sin!). Galatians 6:1-2 provides just such an example -
Brothers and sisters, if a person is caught doing something wrong, you who are spiritual should restore someone like this with a spirit of gentleness. Watch out for yourselves so you won’t be tempted too. Carry each other’s burdens and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.
These three examples show how to improve your life, avoid harm, and how to handle situations. To fail to do any one of them is clearly not a sin. However, to listen to the word of God is to have a more fulfilled life, so avoid the preventable situations.
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