Which Rules Are for Christians?

[Ancient Paths]

There seem to be different rules regarding right and wrong in different churches and denominations. In some Pentecostal churches, men should not wear short-sleeved shirts. In old-order Mennonite churches, everyone must (should?) drive a black car, but in some other Mennonite churches, any color car is acceptable. In Catholic churches, not going to confession means sins are retained, but most other denominations don't even have the practice of confession. To Seventh-Day Adventists, not going to church on Saturdays is a sin,... or is it that going to church on Sundays is a sin? Some churches/denominations ordain homosexuals and others consider homosexuality a sin.

Where do people/churches get these rules and their definitions of what's sin and what's not? Shouldn't Christianity have a common standard? Shouldn't the Bible somewhere define what constitutes sin and what doesn't, or does/should Christianity get its cues on right and wrong from whichever society or culture a church is in?

So I've asked several questions here that are all getting at the same point: how is right and wrong (sin) defined and who defines it?

Peace.

[bluethread]

That is a rather broad question. One would have to ask those individuals on each of those issues. That is one of the uses for this web site. It gives you the ability to ask about each of these things and decide for yourself.

[Ancient Paths]

[Replying to post 2 by bluethread]

What I infer from your post is that right and wrong are defined by each individual, and each individual's determination about right and wrong is right (or acceptable to God). Is that inference correct?

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 2 by bluethread]

What I infer from your post is that right and wrong are defined by each individual, and each individual's determination about right and wrong is right (or acceptable to God). Is that inference correct?

No, what I am saying is that one's reasons for why they see something as right of wrong is one's own. Also, if one wishes to establish the nature of something, one must first establish the criteria by which that judgment is to be made. The reasoning for one's preferred criteria is also one's own. That is how it is with all philosophies. That is why there are different rules on what is right and wrong in different churches. Different churches and denominations have different criteria by which they judge things, generally incorporated in their name(denomination). Pentecostals use their view of the events on the first Shavuot(Pentecost) feast after the resurrection as their primary criteria for judging things. Mennonites use the teachings of Menno Simons as their primary criteria. The RCC uses Papal authority as it's primary criteria. Seventh-Day Adventists use all ten of the Exodus 20 commandments as their primary criteria. Those who are accepting of the homosexual lifestyle do so based on an overarching philosophical principle of their own. Each of these have a different view of what Christianity is. Should everyone who claims Christianity have the same rules? Personally, I can't think of any philosophy where everyone agrees on the same rules. Similar rules, yes. The same rules, no. Such is the nature of philosophy.

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 2 by bluethread]

What I infer from your post is that right and wrong are defined by each individual, and each individual's determination about right and wrong is right (or acceptable to God). Is that inference correct?

No, what I am saying is that one's reasons for why they see something as right or wrong is one's own. Also, if one wishes to establish the nature of something, one must first establish the criteria by which that judgment is to be made. The reasoning for one's preferred criteria is also one's own. That is how it is with all philosophies. That is why there are different rules on what is right and wrong in different churches. Different churches and denominations have different criteria by which they judge things, generally incorporated in their name(denomination). Pentecostals use their view of the events on the first Shavuot(Pentecost) feast after the resurrection as their primary criteria for judging things. Mennonites use the teachings of Menno Simons as their primary criteria. The RCC uses Papal authority as it's primary criteria. Seventh-Day Adventists use all ten of the Exodus 20 commandments as their primary criteria. Those who are accepting of the homosexual lifestyle do so based on an overarching philosophical principle of their own. Each of these have a different view of what Christianity is. Should everyone who claims Christianity have the same rules? Personally, I can't think of any philosophy where everyone agrees on the same rules. Similar rules, yes. The same rules, no. Such is the nature of philosophy.

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 1 by Ancient Paths]

One rule is that since the Christian future is bright that they gotta wear shades.

But apart from that all those rules appear cultural and not biblical.

If you want rules stick to abiding by the laws of the land and the 10 commandments.

The summary from the bible is to love the Lord your God and to love others like you love yourself.

[Ancient Paths]

[Replying to post 4 by bluethread]

I understand that different groups and individuals accept different sources for their respective codes of conduct, but should they? Every church I have ever visited or been a part of claims that they live out their lives in accordance with the Bible, yet each one has been different from the other. If every Christian group and individual says that their goal is to live according to the Bible, then where in the Bible is one to find this code of conduct? There is only one God and he gave us only one book, so is it right to base a denomination's practices on the writings of, for example, Ellen G. White, Joseph Smith, Sun Myung Moon, etc.? Surely the code of conduct for a Christian must be found somewhere within the pages of the Bible, but where?

The Bible is silent on a lot of practices that "the church" today considers important if not a matter of sin. A lot of what "the church" does today would, according to the Bible, be considered sin. Who or what is the authority for making such a determination?

If nothing else, thanks for helping me to refine what's on my mind.

[Ancient Paths]

But apart from that all those rules appear cultural and not biblical.

Do you think it's okay for a Christian to accept cultural rules (or civil laws) if they conflict with biblical rules?

If you want rules stick to abiding by the laws of the land and the 10 commandments.

Then are the 10 Commandments the only laws a Christian must obey?

The summary from the bible is to love the Lord your God and to love others like you love yourself.

If this is a summary, then it is a summary of what? Where is the complete list?

[Ancient Paths]

[Replying to post 7 by Ancient Paths]

Maybe this will help:

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" -Isa. 5:20

It seems pretty important to God that his people be able to recognize the difference between right and wrong, so how are we to know right from wrong? If it's a matter of what our pastor or priest tells us, will that pastor or priest be there at my judgment to take any punishment for what I did wrong? I need to know for myself, just as does each individual believer, what's right and what's wrong. I believe the source for that must be in the Bible, but where?

[Wootah]

Laws are a subset of rules.

If you are playing a game then follow the rules because by not flowing them you are being immoral.

Laws are for things you should not do and have punishments.

It is contrary to the nature of laws to have them for what you can do.

Just try writing a positive complete list of things you can do.

The best guide to live is the golden rule.