❓ The OT says dont’t wear polyester clothing or eat shellfish. If I do those things, how can I still believe that marriage is between a man and a woman?
There are 3️⃣ types of laws in the OT:
1️⃣ Moral: God’s instructions about right and wrong.
2️⃣ Ceremonial: Rules for how and when to perform sacrifices, what the priest has to wear, etc.
3️⃣ Civic: These make Israel distinct — such as don’t wear blended fabric, etc.
How Jesus fulfilled the law… ✝️
➡️ Israel no longer needs to be distinct because Jesus fulfilled God’s promises.
➡️ The purpose of the ceremonial laws was to atone for sin. Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice, so we don’t need the goats and bulls to atone for our sins anymore.
➡️ The moral law no longer condemns you anymore.
❓ If Jesus fulfilled all types of laws, does that mean a distinct Christian identity doesn’t matter?
There is a Christian identity, but it’s not defined by culture. (Christianity looks different in different cultures, i.e., Evangelical Christian culture vs. African Christian culture.)
The identity of Christianity is in Jesus and his forgiveness. 💖
❓ If Jesus fulfilled the law, do I even need to worry about it anymore?
We are Christians, but we are also still sinners. Our sinful self still needs the law to restrain our sin. ✋
The moral law teaches Christians what God expects of us. 📜 The law isn’t there just to stop sin, but to give structure to us as we try to navigate life. 🛤
❓ Do we just ignore the weird parts of the OT?
It can be useful to know why God commanded such laws.💡
The law paints a picture of Jesus. For example, with the law against blending fabrics — what if it’s a bad thing to mix your religion with all of the religions of the world? 👕✖️🌀
With the weird parts of the Old Testament, we shouldn’t ignore them, but look for Jesus. 👀
Contributor Rev. Harrison Goodman is the Higher Things Content Executive.
Contributor Chris Brademeyer is Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oakes, ND.
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