What does the Bible say about man made laws?

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The Bible teaches that human rules are good and necessary when they reflect God’s moral will and serve love, order, and faithful obedience, but they must never replace or contradict God’s commands. Scripture defines sin as lawlessness before God, not merely the breaking of human customs (1 John 3:4). Believers are called to imitate godly examples and hold firmly to apostolic teaching (1 Corinthians 11:1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15). Yet outward regulations cannot give life apart from true faith, which necessarily bears fruit in works (James 2:26). Christians must resist worldly loyalties and discern whether human traditions lead them toward or away from devotion to God (James 4:4; 3 John 1:11).

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

  • 3 John 1:11

    Beloved, don't imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. He who does good is of God. He who does evil hasn't seen God.

  • 1 John 3:4

    Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness.

  • 1 Corinthians 11:1-2

    [1] Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ. [2] Now I praise you, brothers, that you remember me in all things, and hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you.

  • 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15

    [14] to which he called you through our Gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. [15] So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter.

  • James 2:26

    For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.

  • James 4:4

    You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

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