Page 94 - Laying Down the Law

The Road Less Traveled

here are two main paths, or doctrinal positions, embraced by the majority of
TChristians today. One path promotes keeping the Law of Moses, or a body of laws
endorsed by their group. These laws are used as the chief instrument to guide
believers in their daily lives and various decisions. The other path teaches that
Christians are free from the Law, and they are to do what their conscience tells them
is right. Both of these doctrinal positions may allow for the Holy Spirit to guide the
saint, however, this guidance is exceptional rather than the norm.
In actual practice, these two positions have some overlap. For example, groups
who teach that the Law of Moses is still in effect do not practice all of the Law. Some
make a show of keeping the Law, but the soul ultimately finds some application of the
Law that satisfies self.
Some years back I had correspondence with a man who was a lawyer by
profession. His occupation appeared to be symbolic of his life, for his doctrinal
position was that all Christians must keep the Law of Moses. I observed this man
handle one particularly difficult situation in a very disingenuous manner.
This man was married and had a wife and young children. The family had a dog,
a golden retriever. This was the family pet and it was allowed in the home. Some
friends came to visit the family and the dog got excited and bit one of them. Later,
another family came over who had a small daughter and the dog bit her as well. This
man was now faced with a crisis. The animal in his care was known to bite, and after
this was revealed the dog had caused injury to another person. This man wanted to
do the righteous thing, and he began to consider what the Law of Moses required in
such an instance. He focused on the following:

Exodus 21:28-32
If an ox gores a man or a woman to death, then the ox shall surely be stoned,
and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted. But
if the ox tended to thrust with its horn in times past, and it has been made
known to his owner, and he has not kept it confined, so that it has killed a man
or a woman, the ox shall be stoned and its owner also shall be put to death. If
there is imposed on him a sum of money, then he shall pay to redeem his life,
whatever is imposed on him. Whether it has gored a son or gored a daughter,
according to this judgment it shall be done to him. If the ox gores a male or
female servant, he shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox
shall be stoned.

Although this animal was not an ox, this man discerned that the principle was
the same. The Law taught that people were responsible for the actions of their
animals and must prevent injury from occurring to others. This lawyer considered
that his dog had bitten someone before, so this second event was very serious. He
arrived at the conclusion that he must kill the dog in order to prevent it from biting