One thing missing from many biblical teachings is context.

As followers we need the Old Testament for the context of the coming of Jesus but that anthology of folklore, campfire stories, articles, prophecy, poetry, philosophy, folk tales, song, historicity and accounts was written over centuries and much of it passed down orally. Successive generations inevitably embellish the tales their parents told them although there is truth at the core.

Take the book of Leviticus for example, written as a constitution of sorts for the newly formed nation of Israel telling the Hebrews how to function as a state after generations living in and subsequently enslaved by the Egyptians. Relevant some 2500 years ago, not so much now.

And without this context many pull passages from it and use it as a rule book whilst completely ignoring the parts of the bible that we are not supposed to: the things Jesus said. And this can really be boiled down to 3 things: love God (and by extension all of creation), treat others with nothing but the kindness, dignity and respect they inherently deserve and forgive your enemies.

They aren’t always easy and he never said they would be but anyone who isn’t doing these three things as a follower is doing it wrong. We are not to judge the lifestyles and beliefs of those outside the church but we are most definitely supposed to hold each other to account within it.