Saw This Posted On Facebook

Let me start by saying that I am not defending Patti (above) because that is NO way to go about  things. Nor is this response comprehensive, but for the sake of time and attention spans, this is what I am able to provide. I'm writing this because when people quote scripture, for whatever reason, and leave out the surrounding context, they're doing others a disservice.

There are many Laws in the Old Testament that aren’t relevant today. These were the Laws of Moses given by God. They were the legal and ethical principles by which the Jews governed their lives BEFORE Christ.

Back then, people thought that you could be righteous through outward works. They looked at the Laws and said, “I can do all those things and I’ll be a righteous person.” But they were missing the point, much like many people in the church do today. They were seeking the Law instead of seeking God and changing their hearts around. Ultimately, the purpose of the Law was to show people that they were unrighteous and in need of the God’s Grace.

If you fast forward to the New Testament, during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus interprets those Mosaic Laws. He was constantly accused of trying to contest the Law but He explained, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17). Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law through perfect obedience to them. This impeccability of Christ, or inability to sin, is one of the things that makes Him the Savior.

And it is through His life and death that we are released from those laws and live under a NEW covenant. "Sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!" (Romans 6:14-15) When we put our faith in Him and ask for God’s grace, then we are able to be righteous because of Him. It is not about your outward activity, but your inward attitude. The heart behind the Law was what was important.

Today, the New Testament is a complement of the Old Testament, which is basically used as just a reference. Obviously some of it (as presented by Lacey) is not relevant today. The New Testament contains the history and terms of our own NEW Covenant and outlines the terms of our salvation, but neither can be understood without the other. Either way, slangin' scriptures around to condemn others or taking scriptures from the Bible to prove religion impractical is just not OK. So, both of them are in the wrong if you ask me.