Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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My question is regarding the Jewish laws in the Old Testament and why only certain laws such as a priest's beard or certain church regulations such as women's side not being consecrated but laws of stoning or a man marrying his brother's sister if he dies and other Jewish laws are not practiced today. Another question was about Leviticus 31 regarding God telling the people to go out in war. In my understanding, the Ten Commandments say, "You Shall Not Kill" no matter what, but then how could God command the people to kill even in a time of war?

The general response for why Christians and Jews do not apply the punitive outcomes of the former law is that the consequences of committing a crime under the Old Law has been replaced according to the judicial context of modern society in regard to crime. As for Christians, moral sin is no longer under the law of the Old Testament. Being under grace, Christian conduct regarding moral sin is governed by repentance.

The Commandment of "Thou Shat Not Kill" refers to murder. The children of God were allowed to go to war in self-defense and in order to defeat sinful nations, threats, and enemies. Thus, the Church allows military service as this is mentioned and supported in the biographies of many of our saints who held military ranks. 

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