Why are not 10 commandments something else?

[PeterKovac]

I think that people are evolving over time. We think differently than people in Old Testament times and we think differently than 2000 years ago. So in my opinion we should study laws, events, parables and so on from our point of view. from our own life experience. I believe that God is omnipresent and "For in him we live and move and have our being." We are part of Him. So He knows what we think and feels what we feel. And if we truly believe what He said, we dont have to be affraid of anything. And when we free ourselves from all of our fears, and realize that He will give us anything we ask from Him (we must believe it), then we wouldnt do things mentioned in 10 commandments. For me they are more simple statements than commandments. Its "thou shall not kill" not "you dont dare to kill somebody!" I hope you get what I mean even though my English is poor.

 

[addo]

I think the following is a simplification of what I think regarding this.

God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth. The He created the living things on earth (plants, animals) and finally man. God had a plan when He created. God wants thing to work as He wants for a purpose (in other words, to work according to His plan). Things that go wrong, in other words, that go against God's plan, are called sin.

For example when God created marriage He had various things in mind. He wanted marriage to represent His relationship with us, to be a channel of love and the basis of society. A woman and man become united by love and they represent the relationship between man and God. This is why the commandment "do not commit adultery" exists: because committing adultery would go against the plan of God for marriage to represent His relationship with us; committing adultery would make a marriage give a false image of our relationship with God implying that God abandoned us or we separated from God.

We have the commandment "do not have other gods" because in God's plan man is not to live separately from God. We have a prohibition against homosexuality because in God's plan sex is to be between man and woman. Many other examples could be given.

To make a summary: God has a plan for us, and what goes against that plan is wrong.

This is why what is wrong is wrong: because it goes against God's will or plan. The potter gave shape to the clay. If the clay deforms itself it is doing something wrong, isn't it?

If you see any errors in my reasoning please tell me and if you have question please ask.

 

[DArceri]

You are right about that. Things aren't right or wrong because God says they are; things are right or wrong because they are right or wrong.
In revealing these things to us God expresses and reveals His love and concern for us.

ACTUALLY, morality is both defined and determined by God. If He says some things are right and some things are wrong, it is because He DEEMS them to be so. That being said, if God's ultimate purpose for US is to be conformed to the image of Christ, then we have full confidence in knowing that whatever He deems to be morally right and wrong is NOT ONLY for our good, but to serve His UTLIMATE PURPOSE of conforming US in His image.

ROM 8:28 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

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[CryptoLutheran]

The Euthyphro Dilemma, I think, needs to be considered--and responded to--carefully here.

Saying that God commands something because it is good (and leaving it at that) is as faulty as saying that something is good because God commands it (and leaving it at that).

The former proposes a proto-goodness, a standard which is above God, which is incompatible with Christian doctrines about God being the highest and best; the latter gives the impression of petty arbitration, that what is called good could/can be total whimsy on the part of God.

Instead, what is good is intrinsic to God. Because God cannot be not-God, God cannot command what is contrary to Himself; what He commands is good because He Himself is good. To love is good; not because there is a moral command above God nor because God simply demands it, but because God is, Himself, in all that He is, perfect and great Love. Christian theology maintains this through diverse ways, in the Nature of God (Three mutually self-outpouring consubstantial Persons of Father, Son and Holy Spirit), in the activity of God (the act of creation, the act of redemption, etc), in the Incarnation (the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, He suffered under Pontius Pilate) etc.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[DArceri]

The Euthyphro Dilemma, I think, needs to be considered--and responded to--carefully here.

Saying that God commands something because it is good (and leaving it at that) is as faulty as saying that something is good because God commands it (and leaving it at that).
........ the latter gives the impression of petty arbitration, that what is called good could/can be total whimsy on the part of God.

I totally agree that what is good is intrinsic to God, HOWEVER, YOUR NOT DEALING WITH THE ISSUE OF GOD'S STATED MORAL DECREES TO HIS CREATED BEINGS!!! Since God is 'ontologically other', we (as the created) must recognize that God created man for an ultimate purpose, and since God is the author and creator of HUMAN JUSTICE, He IS NOT BOUND BY THOSE SAME MORAL DECREES HE GIVES TO US HUMANS...We know through scripture that action x is only a moral action because God permits it. If God should choose to forbid action x, it would no longer be a moral action. There are several O.T. moral actions that were permitted by God, however, are no longer considered moral actions, ie. 'eye for an eye', genocide, polygomy.....I believe you are confusing human justice/morals with God's Divine Justice in relation to Himself, ie. a justice that flows out of His own nature and relates to His RELATIONAL existence as Trinity....That being said, no matter how 'whimsy' (as you put it) God's wisdom appears, God's revealed moral decrees for His created is for His Holy Divine purpose of ultimately conforming a Holy people for Himself that will reflect the image of the Son at the end of this age (Rom 8:28).