Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Old Testament & Law of Moses: Out-dated or Ever-Authoritative


“Be Holy because I, the Lord your God am Holy.”
-Leviticus 19:2b-

This morning I was reading in Leviticus chapters 19-22 (very interesting reading).  As I was reading through one of the lists of Do’s & Don’ts, I was struck with a thought about how this applies to us today, post-crucifixion and post-resurrection. 

One of the arguments that takes place in the church of today is the Old Testament Law doesn’t apply to us so there is no need to really pay much attention to it.  “Oh sure,” some might say, “by all means read it, because there is stuff there that carries a good value for living a Godly life, but we are under the New Covenant of Christ so the Old Covenant doesn't really mean anything to us.”  The problem with that argument is that in Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus speaks specifically about the importance of upholding the Law until the end of time.  That tells me Jesus, knowing that he came to create the “New Covenant”, still felt  the OT Law (the Old Covenant) was just as important now as it was back when it was written. 

I would really like you to indulge me and participate in an experiment: pull out your Bible and read Leviticus 19 (the whole chapter).  By my count, there are 36 laws or decrees that God gives Moses to give to the people to follow.  Now that you’ve read the chapter, go back and count how many of those laws/decrees you think should still be followed today as a post-crucifixion/resurrection Christian who is not bound to the “Law of Moses”……For me there are 7 maybe 8 of those 36 laws that I would say don’t apply or are unnecessary for me to keep today.  I won’t say which ones here, but feel free to ask me next time you see me, that might strike up some interesting conversation.  What’s your number?

Here’s my point with all this; NO, we are not bound to the Old Testament Law, because Jesus’ death and resurrection frees us from that.  HOWEVER, we ARE still bound to the God of the Old Testament and therefore we are still bound to the desires of that God.  The coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 brought with it the actual Spirit of God to dwell with us (how that physically/spiritually works is beyond me, but it works) and the Holy Spirit gives us the knowledge and wisdom to decide what is a law or decree of God that still applies to us today.  It is my belief that we are to continue following and upholding a large portion of the 600 and some-odd laws of the Old Testament because they are good ,moral, ethical, Godly, CHRIST-like laws.  A large number of the 36 laws you just read fit that description.

Simply put, as Christians we must ascribe allegiance to the God of the Old Testament because he is the very same God who is the God of the New Testament; God the Father who sent Jesus to die to saves us from our sins.  Therefore, if we bow to that ONE God, who is the God of the Old and the New, why would we not follow a great many of the laws he instructed the Jews to follow in the Old Testament?  Why would we not strive to follow the laws and decrees that God spoke to Moses and his people?  Since he is the same God, it only makes sense that we would, right? 

Think it over, read Leviticus 19 again; then try to tell God that you will not strive to live out those laws that makes sense for us to follow today and see how the Holy Spirit moves in you.  I’m willing to bet he will bring sense of correction upon you causing you to think twice about that intention.