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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | why did the law change about unclean mea | Deut 12:15 | newcomer | 64881 | ||
why is it that God says they can eat unclean or clean whatever they lust over? Is the law about unclean meat not a law anymore? Also does it apply only to the gazelle and hart or does it apply to all unclean meat? | ||||||
2 | why did the law change about unclean mea | Deut 12:15 | Russel Gauthier | 64892 | ||
The greater question here is not whether this specific law still applies, but whether or not the Mosaic Law is applicable to the Christian. The Law did not change, but it may not be applicable to us as it may have never been. Yahweh(the LORD) was in sacred covenant with Israel and this covenant did not apply to the Gentiles. If you read Ex 19:5-8 and many other passages in the Pentateuch they make it clear that the Covenant spoken of there and its laws were for God's chosen people Israel. So the laws that applied to the Jews under their covenant, since they were never applicable to us should not be applied to us. There were some Gentiles that became part of the covenant community(e.g. Ruth), but these were the exceptions more than the rule. There were and are proselytes(i.e. Gentiles who commit and are baptized and follow the Law) in Jewish tradition. But even at that all of these were people that made a covenant with God to be under the Law. Also if we are to decide to follow part of the Law, in an attempt to be "lawful" we must follow the fulness of the Law. We cannot pick and choose what parts we want to keep and the parts we don't want to keep. Furthermore following the Law does not bring about justification for, "by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight;"(Romans 3:20). But out of faith in Jesus Christ we are justified, Romans 3:21-22. The Early Church dealt with the issue of clean/unclean and the applicability of the Old Covenant laws/regulations. In Acts 15 the issue was looked at head-on by the Church. Some people came preaching in Antioch where Barnabas and Paul were saying that the Gentile converts had to be circumcised to be saved(verse 1). Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to meet with the Church leaders to discuss the issue. Some stood up and said, "It is necessary to circumcise them[i.e. the Gentiles] and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses."(verse 5). After much debate Peter stood up and answered(this is part of it): "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are."(verse 10-11). So Peter made it very clear here that the LAW DID AND DOES NOT APPLY TO THE GENTILES. This does not mean that there is no "moral standard" for the Christian, it just means that this moral standard is not the Law. So where do we go for moral standards...because holiness is imperative in the New Testament?--the the New Testament itself, which has many sections dealing with morals/law for the New Testament believer--many of which are taken directly from the OT(not implying that the whole OT law is applicable though), though salvation does not come through following them. The issue of clean and unclean food is very abruptly dealt with in The New Covenant. Jesus in Matthew 15:11 states, "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.". Paul states, "All things indeed are clean" (Romans 14:20) and, "I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself;"(Romans 14:14). Lastly in Acts 11, Peter has a vision showing that God has made the food clean and that we should call what God has made clean unclean. This passage may be referring to the Gentiles though, as F.F.Bruce points out. But by any means there is no basis for us to continue to follow the clean/unclean food laws of the OT. I hope that this was helpful. |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Deut 12:15 | Author | ||
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newcomer | ||
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gregman | ||
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prayon | ||
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Russel Gauthier |