Christians will sometimes feel that it is appropiate to break certain laws. Christians will consult God (by praying) and the bible before making a decision like this to seek guidance.

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Christian Law Teaching- PARTS A & B

A) Christians will sometimes feel that it is appropiate to break certain laws. Christians will consult God (by praying) and the bible before making a decision like this to seek guidance.

Although there are some good reasons why God has forbidden some activities and commanded others (our protection and the protection of others, for example), it is a mistake to assume that God's protection is the only reason for the 10 commandments or any other of His moral commands. The true foundation for all morality lies with God Himself.

Christians would therefore make sure they didn’t break the 10 commandments :

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:2-3, NIV - Because there are no other gods, because there is no one greater than God, because nothing deserves first place in our lives, we must naturally have no gods (whether images, money, or whatever) placed before Him.))

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6, NIV). God is spirit (John 4) and no picture, sculpted image, or other physical representation ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7, NIV). God never goes back on His promises and neither should His people. This command's main point is that mankind shouldn't swear by His Name and then renege. If His Name is used in a vow, it must above all things be kept.

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11, NIV). God here explains clearly how this command and His nature coincide--God rested and wanted His Old Testament people also to rest

"Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12, NIV). God is not Himself disrespectful, and we must not disrespectful either.

"You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13, NIV - The command is not to murder or take innocent life. God doesn't take innocent life and we must follow His lead.)

"You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14, NIV - God isn't unfaithful to His "wife", Israel in the OT and the church in the NT. He keeps is vows unstained. This means God's people must also be faithful to theirs.)

"You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15, NIV). God isn't a thief, and we mustn't steal either.

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour. (Exodus 20:16, NIV – This means that God never lies, and we must also speak the truth, the language of God.)

"You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour." (Exodus 20:17, NIV – This meansIt is not in God's nature to desire things that don't belong to Him)

These commandments are in the bible, and its what God expects us to go by. The bible teaches christians to ‘pay to ceasure what is to ceasure’ (this means taxes etc), and ‘Pay to God whats to god’ – this means to worship and to follow the Christian community.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B) Most Christians believe in punishing criminals, however most do not believe in the death penalty as christians believe it goes against the will of God.

Many Christians who oppose capital punishment use the passage of Scripture in John 8, where Jesus refused to condemn a woman caught in adultery and then confronted the religious leaders of that time about their own darkened hearts.

Jesus declared that he came into the world to fulfill the law, not to destroy or overrule it (Matt. 5:17-19) – Christians will try and follow what Jesus says.

Jesus

Rehabilitation is a method that is likely to be more popular with Christians who in general do not approve of corporal punishment under any circumstance.

Christianity teaches us that we should have forgiveness. So therefore, this is the way we should treat criminals, using prison as rehabilitation but not as a punishment/torture.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------