So under the NC, how should pedophiles be dealt with? And how would it have been dealt with under Mosaic Law?
May I assume you're addressing me, dear Freydo (may you have peace!)? If so, my response would be that under the Mosaic Law (OC/OT) such a "crime" would have been left to the family (meaning, primarily the father, uncle, or oldest son). The family... and only the family... could decide how to "deal" with such a matter. And if THEY chose to avenge the crime, no one could judge them for doing so (the Law allowed them the freedom to avenge without reproach in such a case). Likewise, if they chose to forgive the crime... no one could judge them for doing so (the Law was fulfilled in such forgiveness, because it is a manifestation of LOVE... and there is no law against love. Love... IS the Law's "fulfillment").
[Personally, I think that is how crimes [against the person] should be dealt with today: by the family. Because along with the actual victim, they, too, are victims. Unfortunately, Israel demanded a king from among themselves and so that right was taken away. Likewise, today, the western world is founded upon that same kind of heirarchy (i.e., the government seeing to it that the laws (which are somewhat - okay, loosely - based on the laws stated in the Bible) are carried out. And so families, while granted to speak to the perpetrator and/or as to what they want to have done... have little or no influence on the actual outcome, either way.]
And what about homosexuality?
Homosexuality is not listed among the infamous "[Ten] Commandments," dear one. Rather, it is mentioned in the "Second Law" (Deuteronomy) after the status of a menstruating woman. Both conditions were considered "unclean" (with the latter also being described as "something detestable" - but then, eating certain animals was, at that time, also "something detestable").
My Lord, however, who is Mediator OF the N[ew] C[ovenant] made no mention of it, at least as far as HIS teachings/sayings as recorded show. And I follow him, not Paul (Paul did not give his life for me, nor can his blood cleanse me or save me).
As for menstruating women, it is recorded that rather than brush her off as unclean, my Lord actually felt compassion for a woman whose "flow of blood" had burdened her for more than 12 years. Rather than cringe away when she touched his clothing (as the Jews/Israel were wont to do, in a showy, outward display of "righteousness")... he felt PITY for her and took HER "uncleanliness" into HIS body (that is why he felt "power go out of him." She received power from him, which power healed her; in exchange, he received HER "sin" (i.e., the "corruption" that was IN her flesh)... which he took with him to the grave. Isaiah 53:3, 4). And he did it simply because... he WANTED to. He wanted to ease HER pain, so much so that he was willing to take it on himself.
But I moved past what was written because my spirit did not "bear witness" with the truth of Paul's exhortation on the matter. It did not make sense, in light of what I was learning about my Lord as I was coming to know him even better. So... I asked. And what I received from his is what I should have expected to receive: he said to me, "Are you without sin, child? If so, then cast your stone. If not, then how can you even see to take a stone up, let alone cast it?" He was reminding me of his teaching about the "rafter" in one's eye.
But he did not stop there (which is what I LOVE about him - when he drives a point, he drives it home!). He reminded me that while homosexuality is NOT listed among the "Ten," adultery is. And that when a woman whose caught in the act of adultery (not alleged, not rumored, but actually caught) was brought to him, he being one who WAS without sin... what did HE do? "Did I condemn her, child?" and when I replied that he did not, he asked me to recount for him what he DID do. And I responded that he forgave... and released her. He then asked me whether if he, the one WITHOUT sin, did not judge a woman who was brought before him after being caught in the very act... who are others... who HAVE sinned... to judge those like her, let alone someone who commits a sin which is NOT of the "Ten"?
Can one who has a tatoo judge one who covets? Can one who has pierced his/her skin judge one makes an image and bows before it? Sin... is sin, dear Freydo. There is no "ranking" of sin with the Most Holy One of Israel. You transgress one Law... you transgress them all. BUT... love... covers a MULTITUDE of transgressions!!
So, rather than concerning myself with someone else's "transgression" of the Law... regardless of what that transgression may be... my only concern is that I... keep an eye on myself so as not to transgress it myself... while doing all that I can to SURPASS the Law... by means of MY love for that one. And leave that one to answer for him or her self.
THAT... is the TRUE "fulfillment" of the NC on MY part, dear one... which truth I have learned from my Lord.
And if, for some reason, I DO transgress the Law myself... then, I have a Helper from God: Christ, the Comforter and Holy Spirit. As dear John wrote:
"My little children, I am writing YOU these things that YOU may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a Helper* with the Father, [Jesus] Christ, a righteous one. And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s." 1 John 2:1, 2
(*paraclete)
What if someone asks me is it "okay" to commit adultery or engage in homosexuality? What am I to respond? I asked my Lord this and he said the answer depends... on what the person really wants to know. If they want the truth, I must share with them the truth: it is a transgression against the Law... BUT, there is a Helper in Christ... NOT to "remove" the desire (we will, some of us, continue doing things we don't want to do until our last breath!)... but to COVER our transgression... with his blood. And I would explain how that comes about.
If they really DON'T want to know but only want justification for the transgression... or validation of their position... I would simply say, "Who appointed me judge over you? To your own master(s) you will stand or fall." My love for such one, however, would NOT fail. It cannot. Because then, I would be transgressing the NEW Law... of love... and as a result my transgressions under the OLD Law... whatever they were and whenever they occurred... would no longer have a "covering."
I hope this answers your questions and, again, I bid you peace!
A slave of Christ,
SA
