As an expository Bible scholar, teacher, theologian and writer, I feel greatly responsible for not doing much about the misconceptions on Christian affairs in our generation.
Believe you me, there are hundreds of thousands of things we do as Christians that are not Biblical.
Even our so-called modern churches are dropping the standards — lowering the bar — of the Bible so as to gain more members. Churches that used to be strict and insist on NOTHING but the word of God are now known for secular and popular civilized customs.
It’s a shame on us all!!!
Let me bring to your notice that the council at Jerusalem, as many claimed, did not abolish the laws of Moses. They only went against the practice of Christians keeping the CEREMONIAL LAWS after Jesus had fulfilled all of them.
Acts 15:24
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well
Perhaps, some of us don’t know that there are the different kinds of law in the Bible. These three laws are:
1. Ceremonial laws
2. Civil laws
3. Moral laws
Jesus, actually, never abolish any law; he came to fulfil them, and he fulfilled all the ceremonial laws.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17…
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mind you, Ceremonial laws were simply the laws that pertained to the way God was worshipped in the old testament: sacrifice making, washing of body before entry the temple, prohibition of disabled from entering the temple, women with menstrual period not allowed to stand or enter the temple and so on and so forth.
For civil laws, these were laws related to how one is expected to treat himself or herself and treat others, I mean people's relationship with one another.
In additional, Jesus never fulfil civil laws; so, as Christians we are all expected to fulfil civil laws.
As per the moral laws, they are simply the direct commandment of God which will all refer to as the 10 commandments. Every Christian, too, is expected to keep the 10 commandment laws as Jesus never fulfil any of those laws on our behalf as he did for ceremonial laws. That was why the Christians at the Jerusalem council sent letter to the gentile church to stay away from fornication and idolatry which are still part of the 10 commandments. The only law they told the people to do away with is the law of circumcision because it was a ceremonial law.
This will lead us to the law that has to do with virginity.
Notably, the law on virginity is a civil law. It involves the female and her relationship with the person she wants to marry and the person's family members. This law has nothing to do with ceremonial law of the Bible as virginity was not precipe for worshipping God.
Now, look at the law that has to do with virginity below…
Deuteronomy 22:20-21…
But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel:
21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among.
This may sounds absurd in 21st century. As the punishment of not being a virgin on one’s wedding night is death. As cruel as it sounds, that is how serious God takes the matter on virginity.
Some religious people that are not Christians can kill by stoning anyone who blasphemes the name of their prophet or God. However, it baffles me how they are contented and not bothered by any of their sisters, children and nieces not being virgins on their wedding night...that is hypocrisy of the highest order.
How can you have a sinner in your house and kill the sinners in other peoples' houses first???
As it is stated in the Bible verse above, NOT BEING A VIRGIN ON YOUR WEDDING NIGHT IS A SIN; of course, you should know all unrighteousness is a sin. Also, having a daughter who is not a virgin is a shame to you as a father and mother. That was why God told the children of Israel to stone to death anyone who has deflowered before her wedding right infront of her father’s house.
Ooooohhhh this is really getting serious!!!
What can this adulterous generation, then, do???
That is very simple…let’s read Deuteronomy 22:28-29
If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;
29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
Let me sound a warning note here, this verse doesn’t encourage rape of any kind. If a woman or a girl is raped when she is a virgin, the word of God says the man must pay 50 shekels to the Father of the female and marry the victim for life.
In other words, there is no leniency on not being a virgin for any reason. There is also nothing like he who disvirgins me must marry me. It is either virginity or no marriage before our God. The only case of man must marry me is if you are raped as a virgin.
Some Christians will still argue that all these were the old testament messages. If you are one of these,
• Hope you know Mary the mother of Jesus was a virgin? That's new testament...(Matthew1:23)
• Hope you know Philip the evangelist had four virgin daughters? That's also new testament (Acts 21:9)
• Hope you know Anna the prophetess was a virgin till she got married? That was also new testament (Luke 2:36)
• Hope you know Apostle Paul admonished the virgins in the church? That, too, was new testament(1 Corinthians 7:25).
For those who are not longer virgin:
Our God is a forgiving our Father. However, after he forgives you, it is to go and sin no more.
Read what Jesus told the woman caught in the very act of adultery...
John 8:10-11..
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: GO, AND SIN NO MORE.
Do you know if we have to go by the heritage of the Bible...that woman caught in the very act of adultery would have been married as a virgin as one could not marry without being a virgin in the Bible days.
A warning note, for that woman being an adulteress does not mean everyone should follow suit because Jesus forgave her.
GOD HAVE MERCY ON OUR GENERATION. THERE WILL, DEFINITELY, BE SURPRISES IN HEAVEN.
Don't wait till then my brother and sister, share on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. All Christians must read this article.
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