LETTER: There is a guiding principle regarding Old Testament laws

There’s no doubt about it, Drexel Rayford is correct in that today Galileo is remembered and Cardinal Bellarmine is not remembered [For the BGAV, a Galileo moment]. Cardinal Bellarmine was not very wise in his ignoring of fact and his probable failure to look through Galileo’s telescope.  But even today some figures of speech found in the Bible, such as the “sun’s rising and setting” and “the four-corners of the earth,” are still (understandably) used by us.
 
However, in answer to Dr. Rayford’s question as to what guiding principle do we employ when we ignore many of the Old Testament injunctions such as those which refer to beard trimming and tattoos, and yet condemn homosexuality — there is a guiding principle. Our guiding principle is whether or not these injunctions are in the New Testament.
 
The Lord had many rules and regulations for biblical Israel which probably do not apply to Christians. If the admonition is not mentioned in the New Testament (and is not common sense, conscience, nor part of our governing body of laws), we have ample reason to believe that it does not apply to us today.
 
I whole-heartedly support Dr. Rayford’s stance on the significance of the Great Commandment of loving God and loving neighbor. We had better all agree on that law being the one to “hang with” as he said. No one on earth ever loved God and his neighbor as much as Jesus and yet even he declared very strongly that marriage is to be between a male and a female (Matthew 19:4). Other New Testament verses make it plain that homosexuality is condemned by the Lord (Romans 1:18-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
 
I appreciate the Baptist General Association of Virginia taking the stance which they did. A year of further dialogue on the matter might have left many wondering about what is right.
 
L. Hoyt Griffith, Wirtz, Va.