religion vs. people
I brought this passage up during a discussion in our sunday school class about the the seperation of church and state. We can make rules to govern the consequences of our actions and to deal out punishment for committing harm to others, but that is not our goal as children of God. We are here to offer an example of the higher moral character thru the righteousness of sanctification. Our focus toward others should not be the rules that we should follow, but rather the personal understanding that God has of each of us and the compassion that he extends as part of that understanding. We are here to encourage each other in the path of sanctification, not tear each other down for our sins.
