* Those taught by Jesus are marked with an asterisk.

CHRISTIAN STANDARDS & HOW THEY WERE APPLIED -- Beginning in 313 A.D., Christian teachings and practices began to dramatically change, but prior to 313 A.D. the Christian attitudes and practices listed above were standards advocated by most Christians within their own Christian communities. Christians did not attempt to force those attitudes or practices on non-Christians. Christians did feel free to include them as part of the gospel, the Good News, they preached to non-Christians -- not as a judgmental rebuke but as joyful witness to the freedom of their own life in Christ. As Christians today, if we try to force our moral standards on the entire population of our nations or on the world, we are abandoning primitive Christianity, and we are participating in the reenactment of the Constantine's cooption and corruption of Christianity that began in 313 A.D. (See http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/313ad.htm.) On the other hand, we, like our earliest Christian brothers and sisters, are free to include our moral values as part of the gospel, the Good News, we live and preach to others -- not as a judgmental rebuke but as a joyful witness to the freedom of our own life in Christ.