God’s Law vs Man’s Law

We do not have to obey God if we don’t want to.

God, our Creator and the Creator of the whole universe gave us free will and lets us do whatever we want.

Right or wrong.

When Lucifer had so much as the thought of, “I will not serve,” he was immediately cast out of Heaven and into Hell.

But we humans can disobey God, ignore His commandments, and arrogantly follow our own will, completely oblivious to anything but our own selfish desires.

I recently saw a commercial on TV where an attorney said that something is not only wrong, but it’s illegal!

As though morality and the laws of God are not really that important, but man’s laws are more important and should be taken more seriously.

It’s tough teaching our kids right from wrong when the laws of our society sometimes directly oppose the teachings of the Church.

God’s Law says, “You shall not kill.” But man’s law says that it is legal in America for any woman to end the life of her unborn child.

Telling kids that something is not only wrong, but it’s illegal makes it confusing for them to figure out how we are supposed to live, and why.

Man's laws exist out of convenience in our society. But God’s laws exist out of His pure love for us.

The Jews were forbidden to eat pork, not just because God decided to make another rule to follow, but because people used to die from trichinosis found in pork in those days. It was a law in order to protect the lives and health of God's people. Because He loved them.

None of His laws are arbitrary rules we must follow just because He is the Boss. They are all for love of us.

God’s commandment not to commit adultery, which the Church understands to mean any sex outside of marriage, is also there to protect us. If everyone obeyed this commandment, there would be no rampant sexually transmitted diseases, no "unwanted pregnancies," no broken-hearted teenagers who are not emotionally equipped to handle sex.

We may not always clearly understand God’s laws, but out of humility, we should accept and follow them. He is GOD! Who are we to question Him or anything He tells us? Why are we so arrogant and prideful? Especially because He truly loves us and wants only the best for us.

It does not come easily for us Americans to blindly obey. We are an arrogant culture. But Jesus tells us if we love God, we will follow His commands.

It is our Catholic Christian responsibility to love our neighbor. Love. If our neighbor is gay, we love him just the same. We don't judge, and we don't hate. However, we don't need to make a law that we accept as higher than God's law in order to endorse that lifestyle.

We must love the sinners, not the sin. We are all sinners, and we cannot assume that God hates someone else's sin more than our own. But neither should we pass laws that say it’s right and good to disobey God.

For us humans to make a law that directly defies God's law is arrogance and pride. If we embrace the socially acceptable law that it is okay if a woman chooses to abort her baby, we defy God's love.

But if a woman does terminate her pregnancy, it is absolutely wrong to judge her. That defies God's love too. We cannot begin to know what is in her heart, and only God can judge. Jesus wants us to love and accept her, and to help and befriend her. Not browbeat her or look down on her because abortion is a sin. We are all sinners, but some of us are blessed enough that we were never faced with someone else’s challenges or choices.

In Jesus' time, the law stated a woman caught in adultery could be stoned to death. But Jesus is all about love and forgiveness and second chances. We read in the Bible that He saved the adulteress; he didn't punish her. Love.

Love sinners, but not the sin. God loves us. He doesn't make laws to hurt us. When we make up our own laws in conflict with His, they can harm us in ways we can't even understand. It's simple really. If we love God, we will keep His commands.

Do you know a soul who has been hurt by so-called Christians full of self-righteousness and judgment? Or do you know someone who has been treated gently by a real example of loving Christianity? Please leave a comment or tell your story.