We live in a world where the Bible and religious liberty are under siege. Many people point to the Old Testament, in particular, and say it’s outdated and irrelevant. Others want to discredit the Bible all together as something devised by men. They call those of us who hold to it everything from ignorant to mean-spirited.
Is the Bible and the Old Testament, in particular, still relevant? Does it have something to say to New Testament believers? If so, why are some Old Testament laws still valid and others are not?
Today’s Readings:
Deuteronomy 21 & 22
Psalm 38.9-22
Proverbs 12.26-28
Luke 5.1-16
The Old Testament, Gender & the Gospel
Deuteronomy 21 & 22:
3 Kinds of Law in the Old Testament
What attention to all the details of life we find here in the Old Testament law—everything from the jurisdiction in a murder case (Deut. 21.1-9) to “Good Samaritan” laws (Deut. 22.1-4) to rape and adultery (Deut. 22.22-30).
But why would God care about different kinds of seeds being sown together (Deut 22.9) or whether different materials were blended into one fabric (Deut. 22.11)? Bible passages like these raise the question, “How can we say some Old Testament laws are still valid and others are not?”
Sowing seeds and blending fabrics may not seem like hot topics, but the question raised by these passages carries over into more relevant topics like homosexuality and transgender issues. Let’s look at a couple of verses:
Deuteronomy 22.5 says:
5 “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination to the Lord your God.
Another Old Testament book, Leviticus, has this to say:
19 ‘Also you shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness as long as she is in her customary impurity. 20 Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor’s wife, to defile yourself with her. 21 And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. 22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
Why do 20-22 still apply and not verse 19?
Scholars sometimes divide the law into three parts as a means of explaining and understanding. They are the moral law, ceremonial law, and judicial/civil law.
Moral Law
The moral laws, often translated as ordinances, relate to the character of God. They include the Ten Commandments and laws concerning sexual conduct and love for our neighbor. With the exception of the laws concerning the Sabbath, these laws were reinforced and reiterated in the New Testament (Matt. 22.34-40; Rom. 1.18-32; 1 Cor. 6.9-10; Gal. 5.19-21; 1 Thess. 4.3-8). Some would say that Jesus, even, raised the bar on many of these laws (Matt. 5.21-48).
Ceremonial Law
The ceremonial laws, often translated as statutes, contained regulations that pertained specifically to the nation of Israel as a people set apart from other nations. Many of those regulations pointed to Christ and were fulfilled in Him. Others were meant to protect the Nation of Israel from being diluted or absorbed into the culture around them. While it includes some things that predate it, it did not begin as a whole until the time of Moses.
Much of it was fulfilled in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and other parts were no longer necessary to protect the messianic line. Parts of it were specifically mentioned and done away with in the New Testament. For example, He was the final sacrifice (Jn. 1.36; Rev. 5.6) and all foods and animals were declared clean, eliminating dietary and other ceremonial restrictions (Acts 10.9-16).
Civil Law
The third category is civil law. God gave regulations for everything from murder and manslaughter to giving false testimony and damage to property.
God ordained civil governments. And, while we are not under the specific civil laws given to the nation of Israel, we are commanded to obey and respect the authority of our government and its laws today (Rom. 13.1-7). But all authority is subject to God’s authority (Acts 5.29). Christians, just like wives and children, are not bound to obey when they are commanded to sin or when civil laws contradict God’s laws.
If you would like to read more on this subject, particularly as it relates to homosexuality and other moral sins, you might find this article interesting, Does God hate shrimp?
How Do Jesus, the New Covenant, and the Gospel Intersect All This?
Jesus ushered in a New Covenant. Christians are not bound by the Old Testament Law since Jesus fulfilled the law (Eph. 2.15-16). We are to obey the Law of Christ (Matt. 22.27-39; Gal. 6.2), summed up as love God and love others. And our obedience should come from our love for Him (Jn. 14.15) and desire to please Him (2 Cor. 5.9).
Even so, all Scripture, including the Old Testament, was written for our benefit (Rom. 15.4, 2 Tim. 3.16). It provides us with many examples of how to love God and others, gives us needed insight into the character of God, and gives us hope that God is always at work and will use flawed people like us.
But, perhaps, the most important point of the law was to show us we could never live up to God’s holy standard and our need for a Savior (Rom. 7.7-25).
The gospel is the Good News that while we all deserve to die for our sins (Rom. 3.23) and under the law could have been put to death, Jesus Christ died in our place (Jn. 3.16; Rom. 6.23; Eph. 2.8-9). But His substitutionary death for us individually is not automatic. Only those who come to saving faith by recognizing that they are utterly sinful and that their only hope is “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2.2) are saved.
For those who believe the Gospel, salvation is a free gift, but like any gift, it must be received before we can benefit from it (Rom. 3.23, Eph. 2.8-9). And we receive it by faith as our eyes are opened to the fact that we are sinners in need of a Savior, by confessing our sins and surrendering our lives to Him and His Lordship (Gal. 2.20; Rom. 10.9-13; Eph. 2.8-9).
Free to Live as We Choose?
So if Jesus paid the price for all of our sins, does that mean we’re free to live any way we choose? The simple answer is “no.” Romans 6.1-2:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
While we won’t live perfectly sinless lives, if we truly belong to Him and have made Him Lord of our lives, the fruit will be a desire to live in ways that are pleasing to Him (2 Cor. 5.9). When we sin there will be conviction and unless we repent, God’s discipline (Heb. 12.5-8).
We should not be deceived into thinking we can live an ongoing sinful lifestyle and be at peace with God.
No Conviction of Sin
In fact, if there is no conviction of sin, it could be evidence that we are not truly saved (Matt. 7.21-23).
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6).
Notice this is not an Old Testament passage, but from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church. Notice, too, that it says, “… such were some of you,” past tense. When we belong to Him, God changes us from the inside out. He gives us new righteous desires and the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit to live righteously.
That’s not to say we won’t be tempted to sin and at times fail miserably. But if we belong to Him, we will experience His conviction and turn back to Him in confession and repentance.
Loving Those Who Disagree
The Law of Christ, loving God and loving others, includes those who disagree with us on LGBTQ+ and other gender issues. But that doesn’t mean agreeing with them or approving unbiblical lifestyles and activities. In fact, doing so would be anything but loving. Even so, we are to be gracious and kind in our responses. We must speak the truth but with God’s help, we must do our best to speak the truth in love.
Today’s Other Readings:
Psalm 38.9-22:
Turn to the Lord
Here in this passage the Psalmist is discouraged and overwhelmed. He feels abandoned even by friends and loved ones. But he understands that his help comes from the Lord. He ends this Psalm with the declaration, “O Lord, my salvation!”
When we feel overwhelmed with nowhere to turn, we have a faithful God. Let’s purpose to make Him the first One to whom we turn in times of trouble.
Proverbs 12.26-28:
Making Good Use of Our Resources
The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man’s precious possession (v. 27).
A lazy man or woman fails to make the most of the resources he or she has. Instead, he squanders them away.
Are you being a good steward of the resources God has given you? Are you using your time wisely? What about your talents, your spiritual gifts, and your finances?
Luke 5.1-16:
Our Sin and His Holiness
In verses 1-11, we see Peter still involved in his fishing business. After Jesus used his boat to minister to the crowds, He blessed Peter with a huge catch of fish under circumstances that would not have happened naturally. Peter caught a glimpse of who Jesus really was and when he did he fell to his knees and responded, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!'”
Likewise, when we see Jesus as He really is, it should expose our hearts and cause us to see ourselves as we really are—sinners in need of a Savior and then in constant need of His help and forgiveness.
Join the Discussion:
How do you understand the law and the various aspects of it?
What is the biblical basis for your stand on LGBTQ+ issues and other topics?
If you’ve been blessed by this post and you know someone else who would benefit, I hope you will forward the link to them. And if you read along regularly, consider inviting someone to join you.
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about being a fool for God, the downward spiral that sin can take us on, becoming bored with God, fear, facing storms, and when friends betray us.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them.
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Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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