Exodus Chapter 22
A thief was responsible for his own life if he was caught and was killed in the process. No one was to be put to death for a thief. If he steals and was caught without losing his life, he was to repay five for the one thing he took.
The law was tough, very tough. It showed us the very high standard of holiness that God has.
We can see clearly how our laws of today is based on the laws in the bible. God is a just God and He made laws that are just and fair to all so that we can live in peace. We can't allow lawlessness. We must have just laws to keep society from destroying each other.
Back then, when a woman has lain with a man, she is ruined for anyone else unless she is a widow that lost a husband. Standards where much higher than they are in modern times. Women who slept around were considered harlots. In the case of rape though, she is considered innocent. God's laws have not changed. He still is the same God and has the same standard of holiness. Yet He saw that we could not keep the law perfectly and we needed a savior to save us from sin and also to empower us with the Holy Spirit. After receiving this wonderful gift of God, we can live a changed life by yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit given to us when we receive Jesus Christ into our lives. We can allow the Holy Spirit to live within us and have God's laws in the depth of our heart and soul. We still have the will power to sin but the Holy Spirit takes the "want to sin" out of us and gives us power to overcome those temptations that come; temptations that make us think we want to return to sin. We must keep in mind that we in the flesh can do nothing. It is the power of Christ within us and working through us that gives us power to overcome sin and live holy. Holiness is something God does through us. It is not something we try to do to please God. It is not something we do to try to earn salvation.
We must remember that this is the law of God given by Moses for Israel. This commandment was for a real witches that practiced witchcraft. True witchcraft was dangerous to the soul and took the followers away from the safety of being obedient and in God's favor and care. This was not given to false accuse someone who acts a little strange or is different than what society considers normal. We are all different. Another thing to consider, God has not given the church the power to put anyone to death for any reason. The church was commanded to go into all the world and teach all nations. We are to preach the gospel and teach God's word. We are not to use force or put any dissenters to death. That was the Law of God given to Israel at that time. The sacrificial system was fulfilled with the death of Jesus as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus substituted the law of the spirit in place of the law of condemnation. In our world we still have to have law and order against stealing, murder and other laws that threaten society. Although witchcraft threatens society in a spiritual way, we are very human and much abuse of this law concerning witches has occurred with people being put to death for merely being a little different. This is why God had to separate church and state. The church abused its power and lost it. God had to break it up. We were found unworthy to rule the government so He had to remove it from the church. We did this ourselves. I know many people have taken this too far and have removed God out of our schools. As a result our society is getting worse as time passes. Yet we reap what we sow. The church after the death of the apostles and during the time of Constantine allowed the joining of church and state. After much abuse, God removed that power from the church. They were probably only church in name only and not truly born again by God's Spirit. Because of that abuse, the secular world has rejected God and point fingers at the past church history to justify its removal of God out of our system. I write this though assuming what is written in church history is true. If what is written is true, we have reaped what the church sowed during the Middle Ages. Yet in saying that, I say also that the nations today that have overreacted to the threat of church and state will also reap what they sow if they leave God out of the picture entirely. God may allow a ruler that is the worst dictator that has ever existed. This could be the future antichrist. He will be a charmer, a pretended peace maker, appear to know how to solve problems and the world will love him.
We are seeing here in 2025 a renewal of idolatry, paganism and sexual immorality even that which involves beasts. It will surely bring swift judgment, if we goes on without repenting. We see that the law condemns almost all the sins we have ever committed. Yet we must remember that through Christ, all who have sinned can receive forgiveness and start a new life. It's true that God has not changed. He is still the same God. These sins will still be held against us if they are not put away by our faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ who paid the price for our sins. All judgment for breaking the law of God concerning our faith and conscience now must come from God. The church cannot put people to death for breaking God's law. The church must preach the gospel. The law shows us that we have sinned. The gospel shows us that we can get victory over sin and receive life eternal. Jesus takes away all guilt and causes us to be free. Jesus fulfilled the ritual sacrifices of the law by becoming a sacrifice to fulfill all requirements to free one from the guilt of breaking the law. He died for our sins. He puts the moral law of God in our hearts. No one who loves Jesus Christ and is living in obedience to Him will practice witchcraft, commit adultery and other things. If we do, we must repent at once before it grows so big we get beyond repentance and our heart hardens. Those who reject Jesus as the way out of the judgment of sin will die in their sins and pay for breaking God's laws. All of us are condemned already of breaking God's law unless we are under the age of accountability. Through Christ we can be free from that condemnation.
This can apply to the church. We are to win souls to Christ; not have a club that is exclusive and does not compel sinners to come and hear the gospel.
If we oppress the poor in any way, we will answer to God. I remember reading about debtor's prisons in England. The poor were not respected and were considered scum. Charles Dickens based his novels upon many of these social ills. While we as Christians need to be careful not to get into the social gospel and replace that in place of the real gospel that saves the soul, we need to use compassion and help the poor along with the preaching of the gospel.
Orphans and widows are our responsibility. We are to care for them and not oppress them in their situation.
God's law forbade anyone to charge interest to the poor when they needed a loan.
Judges, magistrates, rulers, kings and those in authority in the government were to be respected and obeyed. Of course that doesn't mean if they oppose God's law.
Dedicating the first born is to remember how the firstborn of Israel was spared during the Passover. Also this may refer to the time God gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins.
Jewish dietary laws are the best ever to exist. God made these laws for their good and for their health. All God's laws are good. We couldn't keep them so He made a way for His only Son to keep them for us and on our behalf. When we believe this and receive Jesus into our lives, we are saved from sin, the Holy Spirit is given to those that obey Him by believing and receiving the gospel. DC
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