{"id":49461,"date":"2025-04-09T12:23:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T09:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=49461"},"modified":"2025-06-05T22:33:06","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T19:33:06","slug":"understanding-the-difference-between-law-and-principle-in-the-bible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2025\/04\/09\/understanding-the-difference-between-law-and-principle-in-the-bible\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Difference Between Law and Principle in the Bible"},"content":{"rendered":"

In biblical, it’s important to distinguish between a <\/span>law<\/strong> (Hebrew: <\/span>torah<\/em> or <\/span>mishpat<\/em>) and a <\/span>principle<\/strong> or <\/span>ordinance<\/strong> (Hebrew: <\/span>chuqqah<\/em> or <\/span>piqqudim<\/em>). Though related, they are not the same.<\/span><\/p>\n

A law<\/strong> is a direct, binding command from God\u2014a moral or ceremonial obligation that must be followed.<\/p>\n

A principle<\/strong> (or ordinance) refers to the detailed instructions or regulations that guide how the law is to be carried out.<\/p>\n

This distinction helps us understand how God communicates both what<\/strong> He wants from us and how<\/strong> to fulfill it.<\/p>\n

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Biblical Example: The Passover<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In Exodus 12<\/strong>, God commands the Israelites to observe the Passover<\/strong>\u2014this is the law<\/strong>. But alongside the law, He gives very specific principles<\/strong> about how it should be observed.<\/p>\n

“This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you… On the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb…”<\/strong>
\n(Exodus 12:2\u20133)<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The law is: “You shall keep the Passover.”<\/strong>
\nThe principles include:<\/p>\n