Why does god expect us to follow his standards from 2000 years ago?
Answer
Actually, God does not expect us to follow his standards from 2,000 years ago. He expects us to follow his standards from the beginning of time. That is because God, who does not change, is the standard. “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16, paraphrasing Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:26) God’s holiness has always been the target for man.
Unfortunately, we have been unable to attain that holiness. If we fail in any respect in that effort, we fail to meet God’s standards and cannot come into his presence. Since we all fail, we were all doomed to an eternity away from God. The good news is that God’s mercy allowed for a substitute to die in our place. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:27-28) The standards do not change, but the payment of the penalty for not meeting them has now been paid.
Why would we expect God’s standards to change? We don’t expect standards or values to change in other endeavors, why would we expect it in respect to God? For instance, in the United States we expect to live by standards that are now over 200 years old. In Great Britain the standards date back at least to 1215, and in some cases even farther than that. Yet few people suggest that these standards are outdated. In fact, if our values changed with every whim of change, we would have no security, no government, and in some cases no life. For if there is no standard such as God, then the only standard is self-interest. And your self-interest may not agree with mine.