I have been studying the topics of repentance and restitution.  It is clear that God expected restitution in the Old Testament – Deu 22:19, 22:29 Neh 5:10-11, Lev 24:18, Ex 21:32, Ex 22 to name a few, but I find only one scripture in the New Testament (Luke 19:8-9 about Zaccheus).  And he was not under the New Covenant at the time.  So I am not sure it really proves God’s will on restitution today.  What is the New Testament teaching on restitution?  If someone repents of stealing, cheating, destroying others’ property, etc., are they required to right the wrong to the degree that they can?  Or as the one sinned against, are we to “turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, hand over the other cloak”, forgive and not ask restitution?

Sincerely,
Pay Back

Dear Pay Back,

If christians are sinned against, we should turn the other cheek and go the extra mile (Matt 5:39-42).  When a christian repents of stealing, cheating, etc., first and foremost, he must steal no more (Eph 4:28).  However, repentance involves more than just stopping a behavior – repentance is a change of mindset.  As you mentioned, Zacchaeus epitomized that heart of repentance (Lk 19:7-9).  The Bible never specifically says how much a christian should do to make restitution… and it would be unwise to make specific rules where the Lord hasn’t.  Many concepts in the Bible are a matter of principle and not a specific rule.  As we try to imitate Christ (1 Cor 11:1), issues like these often come down to simply asking the question, “What would Jesus do?”  Genuine repentance leads to a desire to rectify our wrongs whenever such means are possible.

Where in the Bible does it say God’s ways are not our ways (if it does)?  Also, where does it say God does not ask for more than we can give?  I’m not good at English, so Scriptures that are similar would work if the questions aren’t clear enough.  Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Verse Searcher

Dear Verse Searcher,

The first verse you are looking for is Isaiah 55:8-9.  That particular verse stands as a constant reminder that God has unique wisdom and insight into life’s purpose.

The second verse is found in 2 Corinthians 8:12.  The context of that passage is dealing with financial giving, but the principle would apply to every area of life.

Hope that helps.

In Leviticus 12, why were women who gave birth commanded to give a sin offering?  This seems to imply there is something inherently sinful about giving birth, which doesn’t make sense.

Sincerely,
Born Free

Dear Born Free,

It is hard to tell for sure why this law was written the way it was.  Most scholars agree that there is much that we don’t fully understand about the details surrounding Old Testament sacrifices.  There are a few possible answers, but certainly nothing definitive.

1. This sin offering could be associated with physical uncleanness, not a moral failing.  In Num 19:9-17, we see the ashes of a sin offering being used to purify people from the uncleanness associated with touching dead bodies, sickness, etc.  All of these impurities were ceremonial impurities – but not sin in the sense that we think of it in New Testament terms.  A mother was unclean from the blood involved in childbirth.
2. It may fit into the category of a generic sin offering because all people sin (Rom 3:23).  Job made sacrifices for his children in case they might have sinned (Job 1:5).  As the mother began the process of raising and nurturing a child, this sin offering would have served as a generic sin offering for previous sins she had committed unwittingly (Num 15:27).

Those are two possibilities, but as we said, there is no definitive answer that we are aware of.  This may fit into the category of “the secret things belong to God” (Deu 29:29).  No matter what, it doesn’t prove that childbirth is inherently sinful because God commanded Adam and Eve to “go forth and multiply” before sin entered the world (Gen 1:28).  God would never command mankind to do something that was wrong.

What happened before Adam and Eve?  Why doesn’t the Bible really take into account dinosaurs?  Or is it in the book of Job?  There are dinosaur fossils, yet no man fossils 6.5 million years ago.  Or is carbon dating incorrect?  I need help… I’m a saved and baptized man.  I just don’t understand this one little thing, yet I know there is an answer.

Sincerely,
Dino Doubts

Dear Dino Doubts,

The world existed for five days before God made Adam and Eve on day six (Gen 1:27).  Aquatic dinosaurs were created on the fifth day (Gen 1:21-23), and land dinosaurs were created on day six (Gen 1:25).

The Bible does mention dinosaur-like animals in Job chapters 40 and 41.  If you read the description of the Behemoth and the Leviathan found in those chapters, you should see the similarities between them and the dinosaur fossils that have been found.  For further information on dinosaurs, read the posts “Jurassic Parks & Rec” and “DINOSAURS!!!”.

As for carbon dating, all half-life dating methods are based off of several assumptions.  One assumption is that the levels of carbon-14 and other isotopes have been the same throughout history.  We know this to be false because we have seen fluctuations in carbon levels even within our recent recorded history.  The second assumption is that all fossils and rocks form and degrade at a uniform rate – this also is not true.  Mt. St. Helens’ eruption in 1981 formed rocks in hours that were subsequently dated as millions of years old!  Carbon dating is a system that is based upon evolutionary assumptions.  It isn’t that the math is wrong – it is that the assumptions behind the math are wrong.  You may also find the posts “Atheism-Colored Glasses” and “A Flood of Fossils” useful.

Where in the Bible does it say that an animal that hurts a person should be killed?

Sincerely,
My Dog Got Lead Poisoning

Dear My Dog Got Lead Poisoning,

You are probably thinking of the Old Testament law that commanded an ox to be put to death if it gored someone.  That verse is found in Ex 21:28-32.  Though not strictly applicable to christians today because we live under the New Testament, the Old Testament laws are holy and good (Rom 7:12) and can serve as a good rule of thumb for how to deal with violent animals today.

Why did God require blood sacrifice?

Sincerely,
Seeing Red

Dear Seeing Red,

Blood sacrifices taught the Jewish people something about the cost of sin.  The Old Testament was designed to prepare people for Christ’s coming (Gal 3:23-24).  The blood of the bulls and goats that were killed as sin offerings never paid the price of sin (Heb 10:4).  However, by making those sacrifices, Israel learned that all sin must be paid for with blood.  Eventually, Christ came and paid for our sins with His blood (1 Pet 1:18-19) – the blood of God.  All those animal sacrifices prepared Israel to see and understand what Jesus’ crucifixion meant.  He was the true sacrificial lamb (Jhn 1:29).  The Old Testament sacrifices were a shadow of the things to come (Heb 10:1).