The book of Deuteronomy is the book where most of the law of Moses is written. It is the ordinance of which the people were to live given the circumstance they were in. It is impossible for a large group of people to live in peace without laws.
Laws are made according to times and people. The law making body looks at the time and then looks at the attitude and behavior of the people. Most laws are made out of the influence of the behavior of the people. If men behaved well then there will be no need of law. That is why in heaven there is no law because there is God and the presence of God brings holiness.
Cultures make norms depending on the people, their attitudes and behaviors and the way of living in the area. Many norms were formed long long time ago at a certain time because of a certain condition then, but are still forcibly followed by the people of a different time with different attitudes, behaviors and ways of living.
When YHWH made the laws, which He handled over to Moses it was out of the brutal hard hardheartedness of the people at that time. Since without having a sense of punishment, people will not do right out of their own will. It is important to understand why laws are formed, it is important to understand how cultural norms are enacted.
In the time of Jesus the Pharisees condemned Jesus of not being a teacher according to the Law of Moses, not of being lawless. Jesus understood their place of argument because they were strictly following what God said they should do. However they were not looking at the times and the people. It was a time that the law was oppressive and the Pharisees hypocrites for pretending not to see the reality of things.
Jesus came and He said He did not come to overrule the law but to fulfill it. In this way as Christ followers we are not lawless and shameless people but the law is complete in Christ. We have no obligation to carry the heavy burden, since the law that Christ gave is one. The law of love. Thou shall your LORD God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength, and you shall love the other like yourself. These covers all, because with the fear of God there is righteousness and with the love for other there is peace, Isaiah 6:1-5, Job 28:28 .
Many people misuse the law to do bad things. Many people call the law what is not to be the law at all. Many people use culture to oppress others. Many are living helplessly because of man imposed culture. This is not right. Therefore, I want to remind women who are victims of cultures that support sexual violence that culture is man imposed, and man can change it.
Since culture is man imposed, it can be changed to suit the people at the time. Many factors should be looked at when changing culture, technology, science, God and grace. Since the law on its own is brutal, the same way culture on its own is brutal. There is a need for grace. Without grace we will be savages, and barbaric.
Almighty God is not barbaric, He does not impose things on people. He is not authoritative. He gives people the freedom to choose the life they want to live. That is why He does not interfere with the lives of people, He only does that when grace is needed. Otherwise people are given bodies to rule them (the government) who are their own people, of their own kind. These are the ones that control and rule the people and interfere with the lives of its people.
Human beings can have freedom, but it must be exercised correctly. Freedom is a very dangerous tool in the hands of malicious and evil people. That is why even God places laws however He puts grace above law. God has a heart and when He uses the law on His children He places His heart before the Law, John 8:1-11, Luke 15:11-32. That is why so many of us are exhempted. This is the meaning of grace; that regardless of what the law says my heart feels mercy for you and so the tight strings of the law is loosed because of my mercy.
Why it will take a time to change a culture, since culture is a mindset of the people. However it is important to renew our minds daily the bible says, Romans 12:2. For the victims of the cultures that support sexual violence, you can renew your mind once you discover the truth. Once you discover the truth, the truth will set you free John 8:32. You will no longer see yourself as a immoral person for going against your culture but you will see that there was no need of that norm in the first place because it does not care for its people.
Another very important step is to separate the people from the culture. See the people as a different entity from the culture. Do not entwine the culture and the people. The culture may not be good but the people may be helpless. By separating the two, you will be able to see the people as victims of the culture just like you. You will understand them, and you might empathize with them. As Jesus did on the cross when looking at the Roman soldiers and all His prosecutors, He said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do"
When you are able to separate the people from the Culture then you will be able to forgive the people involved. This is very important especially for victims who have been involved with family. Because of the brutality of the actions it is easy to plant on the family as ruthless, however in the healing and recovering process it is crucial to see the parents as victims of the culture themselves and forgive them because they may be blinded by culture and do not know of a better way of living.
When coming out of an abusive culture do not carry the baggage of the past with you. All it will do is make you bitter, it will hinder your progress. This baggage will make you feel inferior and always remind you that you are different and less fortunate. Instead take the good things from your culture and carry them with you. They will remind you that you do not come from a whole corrupt culture. There is always something good to celebrate from any culture and that is what should be your memory.
Embrace the good and put aside the bad. Remember to come out of it a do it differently, if it is with your own children or by educating other people to do it differently. Be a candle and light up the dark space of the people who have made themselves prisoners of their own culture.
Above all remember, there is only one law, and that is love. Love comes from God, God is love. Where there the presence of God there is righteousness and ease and freedom. Isaiah 6:1-5
BIBLE VERSES
Romans 12:2 , John 8: 1-11, 32 , Luke 8:43-48
John 15:11-32 , John 11 , Isaiah 6:1-5, Job 28:28
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