I almost didn't write this post, because I don't really know how to answer my own question here, even though I know that this really matters. But I'll share some thoughts...
For years, I've been taught that Christians were required to follow some of the Old Testament laws, such as the Ten Commandments, but not others, such as the Clean and Unclean distinctions.
But as I've been reading through Exodus, and especially Leviticus, I've been realizing more and more that some of what Christians teach today almost seems arbitrary. Case in point: Leviticus 20... This chapter deals mostly with sexual sin - who a man can and cannot marry - and what punishments are appropriate for violating the code. Many of these laws are still in place today - some even with the force of secular law - the rest simply seen as wrong by Christians. But some are not followed by secular society or the church - even though they seem to be presented in this chapter as equal. So how do we know which are still applicable today, and which aren't?
Obviously, some of the Old Testament commandments are repeated in the New Testament - if not by Jesus, then by Peter and Paul - and some are specifically spoken against - such as in Peter's revelation about eating unclean foods. But the New Testament never gives as much detail as the Torah, leaving a little leeway for discussion in many areas. We also have the guidance of the Holy Spirit - and the teachings of the church Fathers - but I guess I'd like to have recieved a little more explicit instruction in the Bible itself...
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A somewhat similar question, apparently, was asked by both Jews and Gentiles in the early years of Christianity. The Apostle Paul seems to have spent a good deal of effort combating this very thought. In fact, he uses more than one book in the NT to address the Christian's relationship to the law. There can be no doubt as to that relationship: "for ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Romans 6:14); "ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ" (Romans 7:4); "But now we are delivered from the law..." (Romans 7:6); "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Romans 10:4). And in 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul writes, "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." In Galatians 2:16 Paul writes, "that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." And in Galatians 3:11 it is written, "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." In Galatians 3:24, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." And back to Romans 13:10, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." And Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, "I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
Rob - I completely agree that we are no longer under the law - in the sense that following a set of laws (or at least attempting to) cannot save us. However, you cannot deny that there are certain laws that are still applicable today: Do not murder, Do not steal, etc. These (and many more) are echoed by Jesus, Paul, and many others in the New Testament. Obviously, following these commands do not save us. However, they are commended to us.
So is that the answer? Whatever laws are echoed in the New Testament? Or are there other criteria?
Jesus said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). My understanding of what Paul meant when he wrote, "for, The just shall live by faith," is that we are to be led by the Holy Spirit in the fulfillment of these two great commandments. In living by faith we live to the Spirit of the law and are no longer held in bondage to the letter of the law. We are free to live without fear, doubt, or worry. In trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us down the path of righteousness in fulfillment of these two great commandments we are fulfilling all the law. Paul said it much better in Romans 3:31, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
If we try to live in the law, "but, The man that doeth them shall live in them" (Galatians 3:11) we must try to fulfill all of the law, which we cannot. If we live by faith then we lay aside the law and trust the Holy Spirit to always lead us in obedience to God's will.
Rob - in principle I agree with you here - but when you start talking about allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us - without acknowleding that the Bible also guides us (which I know you believe) - it can lead to some pretty bad choices.
For instance - what if someone claimed that the Holy Spirit gave them permission to murder someone - maybe an evil person or something (as Bonheoffer did towards Hitler)? What if they justified it by saying that since Jesus and Peter negated the OT food laws - that surely the Holy Spirit can negate other OT laws as well (don't remember how Bonheoffer justified himself on this)? Unless we say that the Bible is our guide in moral choices - I believe many people will go astray.
So my question still stands: How do we determine which laws are still applicable? Surely the Holy Spirit will lead us - but for me at least - words on a page are usually a lot easier to understand than the promptings of the Spirit...
My responses have been based on the assumption that we are discussing born-again Christians. As such, no such person could allow themselves to believe, nor believe that any other Christian would be lead by the Holy Spirit in disobedience to the will of God. Satan will most certainly use the Bible, the name of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit if it serves his purpose of deception. We have both the knowledge of the Truth and the Holy Spirit to keep us from being deceived.
Your very question illustrates, I believe, the difficulty of try to live in the law. But, by way of a technical answer to you question, I will say this: Jesus said, "...I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" (Matthew 5:17-18). Therefore, it would be my understanding, for those who choose to put themselves in the law, the answer to your question is: every single one of God's laws are still applicable.
But, let me try another approach. Beginning with Matthew 5:21 Jesus begins to make a very important distinction about the law. Whereas in the "old time" the breaking of the law required a physical act, He now tells us it can be broken with just an emotion or intent. We can sin by looking with lust, being filled with hate or anger, etc.. This makes the law much more complex because it combines the letter of the law with the spirit of the law. Even with the written word in front of us, how are we to know for certain what the spirit of the law demands? And when, or how, are we to know if we have violated the spirit of any law?
It is impossible. But through His grace God has removed us from living in such impossible circumstances: "for ye are not under the law, but under grace," and "for, The just shall live by faith." Before we were indwelled with the Holy Spirit we had only the law to define sin (in a physical sense), and to convict us of our sinfulness. Now being indwelled with the Holy Spirit we can live our lives without fear, doubt, or worry about the law because we have a "helper" who can discern even the very spirit of the law and keep us from violations.
I will here repeat what I said previously becasue I believe it defines a Christian's relationship to the law: "In trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us down the path of righteousness in fulfillment of these two great commandments we are fulfilling all the law." Those two commandments being, of course, to love God and our neighbor.
Ben, allow me to clarify something. I'm not saying, nor have I ever intended to say that, as Christians, we shouldn't use scripture to "refresh," as well as to expand our knowledge of the Truth. However, as you well know, as Christians, while our actions are important, it’s what's in our heart that defines our true depth of faith (which helps to determine our actions). For example, the Bible says we are to give to the poor but, it doesn't say exactly how much we are to give. Thus, those amounts must be determined by what we feel in our heart, in whatever situations we may encounter. In the act of giving we comply with God's commandment to give but, with no exacting amount determined by scripture, we must be and are led by our faith as to how much we actually give.
The Bible will always be the foundation upon which our relationship with God has been built but, in order to grow as Christians we must, I believe, expand our faith by living out our lives in the Spirit of what those written words can only begin to convey to us. This, I believe, is what Paul meant when he said we are to live by faith. We are to love the Lord, we are to love our neighbor, and we are to trust in the Lord to lead us down the path of righteousness; filling our heart with the passion to always do as the Lord would want us to do -- live free by the Spirit of righteousness rather than be bound by written words in a Book. Aided by the Holy Spirit we are given the capacity to live beyond the Word and aspire for the very essence of Holiness. We have within us the very Spirit of God and we have but to follow that Spirit to live as God wants us to live: with trust and love. Without fear, doubt, or worry. In absolute peace of mind.
Anyone who knows me well - knows that I am a recovering legalist. I've relized that my questions here definitely come from that vein.
I will say that I agree with you in principle, Rob - that as redeemed children of God - we have the Holy Spirit to guide us. But if that's the case - where does the Bible fit in? Obvisouly - the Holy Spirit won't lead us to do something contrary to the Bible - but how do we know what is contrary to the Bible? I guess I'm trying to figure out which takes precedence - and how. Or maybe I'm trying to figure out how to interpret the Bible - and how to know for sure the Holy Spirit is talking. Sometimes it seems like a circuitous argument - one that cannot be independently verified...
Maybe this is just something that I'll always struggle with - knowing that the grace of Christ covers me every step of the way.
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