Results 1 - 2 of 2
|
|
|||||
Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Does the Mosaic Law apply to gentiles? | Leviticus | DocTrinsograce | 156067 | ||
Dear MJH, You often ask this question when people cite any passage from the Mosaic law. At first I thought you were an Antinomian. But after a review of your posts I am not so certain that you necessarily are a member of that camp. However, one thing is certain: Your desire for appropriate dispensational context seems to have led you away from the principles behind which a passage of Scripture has been given. This is a good example. A young lady has asked about the appropriateness of receiving a tattoo. Another forum member cites Leviticus 19:28. You respond asking if the Mosaic law is applicable Christians, more specifically Gentile Christians. (An extra distinction that is, perhaps, telling, but I will not delve into at this time.) A far better question to ask would be, "Why did God include this command in the Law in the first place?" By asking that kind of question, you accomplish two things: (1) You attempt to discern something of the attributes of God, which do not change; (2) You find something out about the nature of men, which is also pretty consistent. God is speaking in Leviticus 19:28 when He says, "Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD." You are correct that we must understand the context in which a statement is made. The context here, as you have pointed out, is the so-called Mosaic Law. However, we have ample evidence by the Apostles of applying principles from the Law. (cf 1 Cor 9:9; 1 Tim 5:18) Furthermore, every command of God teaches us something of His nature. Indeed, since Christ was perfect in every respect of the Law, it informs us in other ways as well. Clearly the first principle we can identify in this command is to avoid the practices of pagan and heathen cultures. The Amorites, Carthaginians, and Scythians all practiced some form of body cutting in order to appease their gods when someone died. The printed marks on the body -- Talmudic sources state these are tattoos -- were placed there as markings of the gods that the people served. Have you ever been in a tattoo parlor? I suggest you drop by one and observe what is currently being offered to young people. Look to see if there is any discernable spiritual context there -- I think you'll find it obvious and disturbing. God, on the other hand, is clearly stating that His followers are not in need of being branded or tattooed with His name in order to identify with Him. He is Sovereign Jehovah! In addition, as Albert Barnes puts it, "Any voluntary disfigurement of the person was in itself an outrage upon God’s workmanship." Now, with the root principles in hand, we don't have to be concerned with whether or not the command was a part of the covenant with the nation of Israel. Instead, we find the passage perfectly pertinent to the question posed by this young lady! I commend you in your effort to insure the appropriate application of the Law so that we cannot be accused of being Judiazers, or erroneously think that our salvation rests in compliance to the Law. However, God's Word is eternal. We must glean all that we can from each word, phrase, sentence, or passage. Those principles that we discern still can -- and ought! -- to bind our consciences today. We live by *every* Word of God. In Him, Doc |
||||||
2 | Does the Mosaic Law apply to gentiles? | Leviticus | MJH | 156680 | ||
Doc, Thanks for the chastisement of sorts. You are right that my comment did little...okay, did no help in answering the question. Your note does raise some interesting issues, however. "Antinomianism" I am sorry to say, I had to look that one up, and no no no no I am not that in the least. If anything, I tend to side on the opposite. I have been asking these questions of myself (and others that will discuss them) for about 4 years now. What of the Mosaic Law applies today....to Israel and/or to Gentiles. (I do think there is a distinction.) Where I am today (and may not be tomorrow) is that I believe that none of the Mosaic Law is abandoned, but parts are altered after the Resurrection. Example: I believe that Mark 7 does NOT say that Jesus declared all animals clean, nor does Peter's Acts vision mean to say that there are no longer "unclean" foods. The Levitical sacrificial system has been altered, but I am unable to clearly state how and why at this time. See the book of Hebrews. Galatians is speaking of “works of the Law†not the Law itself. To me, this is a way of saying “legalistic acts of the Law†(see David Stern). Also, the whole argument was “What do the Gentiles have to do?†and never “What do the Jews have to do?†(See Acts 21-22.) I do not buy the argument that, "If the New Testament restates the Old Testament command, then it is still in effect, but otherwise it is not." (My brother’s favorite comment) That to me is a copout. Some in my study group think all of the Mosaic Law applies to Gentiles today, including circumcision, tassels, etc… (I remind them that until they wear tassels, they don’t believe it, because to believe it is to do it.) Now we are actually going over the 613 laws listed by the Jewish scholar in, I believe, the 1200’s one at a time and asking, does this apply to us now? Am I dispensational? I never thought I was. I was raised in the Christian Reformed Church, but have not been in it since 1995. I do not have any significant negative issues with the church that helped raise me in the faith. They did a wonderful job. They were Covenant Theology and Replacement Theology of which I no longer am. I also do not baptize my children as babies. Now I attend a church that recently has hit the church news wires with various pro’s and con’s concerning the Pastor, so I will remain anonymous in that, suffice it to say I am in a non-denominational church. I long to spend time with those who really know the Text and have lived it for decades. If they are willing to be authentic with relating their journey, I would soak it up. (I am 34 now.) I hesitate to relate this information because I have found that once you do so, people tend to peg you into a certain group of thought and assume you are coming from a certain point of view. It hinders honest communication. A recent Pastor I served with knew my background and no matter how hard I tried, he always argued with me from the assumption that I was in lock step with the reformed church. You said, “You respond asking if the Mosaic law is applicable Christians, more specifically Gentile Christians. (An extra distinction that is, perhaps, telling, but I will not delve into at this time.)†Please delve into this….. MJH (PS - I hope this is helpful in knowing where I come from and why I ask certain questions.) |
||||||