UMC split

[Sailormilan2]

Bill is correct when he refers to laws other than the "10". Traditionally, the Jews/Hebrews believe that God gave to Adam 6 laws. Called for some reason, the 6 Laws of Adam. This was upgraded in Noah's time by adding one, hence the name, 7 Laws of Noah.
But there is only one "The Law", and that is the Torah(Tora). Which according to the Jews/Hebrews contains 613 Laws. I'm not aware of any place in the Bible that actually separates the 10 Commandments from the other 603 Laws. They are all referred to together.
Remember, when Christ spoke to the rich, young ruler, He quoted the
commandments" necessary to be saved.(Matt 19: Yet, the "love your neighbor", while in the Law/Torah, is not in the "10 Commandments", and He called it one of the greatest "Commandments" (matt 22:38,39).
According to the Mishnah, which are the Legal opinions relating the the Law, the Torah was only for Jews/Hebrews. In fact, any Gentile caught attempting to follow the Torah, or keep the Sabbath, could be punished. Punishment ranging up to, and including, death. Note Matt 23:2,3(scribers and Pharisees were the ones who sat in judgment and issued the verdicts/opinions)
Gentiles living in Jews/Hebrew controlled areas were required to follow at least the 7 Laws of Noah.


9.1 Adam, the first man, was commanded with six commandments: 1) idolatry, 2) “blessing”
(euphemistically) the Name (of G-d), 3) murder, 4) illicit sexual relations, 5) thievery and, 6) establishing
a system of justice.
9.2 Even though all of these have been received as a Tradition from Moses our Teacher and we can understand the rationale for them, nevertheless, from (verses in) the Torah (we learn that) it was these that they were commanded. A seventh commandment forbidding the eating of a limb torn from a live animal
was added for Noah, as it says, “Even flesh, life is in the blood, do not eat of it” (Genesis 9:4).
9.3 These commandments were universally applicable until Abraham. With Abraham, circumcision was also commanded and he prayed Shacharis (the Morning Prayer). Isaac separated out a tithe and added another prayer in the afternoon and, with Jacob, the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve was added, as was the Maariv (Evening) Prayer. In Egypt, Amram was commanded with other precepts and, with Moses our Teacher, the Torah was completed.

8.12 Moses our Teacher did not bequeath the Torah and the Commandments to anyone but to Israel, as it says, “the Heritage of the Congregation of Jacob” (Deut. 33:4), and to anyone from the other nations who wishes to convert, as it says, “as you, as a convert” (Numbers 15:15). However, no one who does not want to convert is forced to accept the Torah and the Commandments.

10.11 A non-Jew who busied himself with Torah is liable with his life. He must involve himself in their Seven Commandments only. Similarly, a non-Jew who “rested” as one would on [Sabbath], even on a weekday, is liable with the death penalty. There is no reason to mention (that he is culpable) if he invented
his own holiday.
10.12 The principle here is that we do not permit them to make a new religion and create new commandments for themselves based on their own reasoning. They may only become Righteous Converts and accept upon themselves all the Commandments, or they must observe their own (Seven) Laws only, and not add or detract from them. If a non-Jew busied himself with Torah or made [Sabbath] or made up
something new, we give him lashes and punish him and tell him that he is liable with the death penalty for
doing this. But he is not executed.”