OK.......let's go with 'unbelievers'. Why is God going to consume 'unbelievers' that eat swine, the mouse and the abomination? If they are 'unbelievers' why is God holding them accountable for what they eat?
And to address Heb.7...can you tell me just which law was changed?
Heb.7
[12] For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
So just which of the over 600 laws was there a NEED to change?
Thou shall not kill?
Thou shall not commit adultry?
Thou shall not covet?
Thou shall not steel?
Or how about this one that is NOT part of the (10) and yet we are STILL to keep it......
Thou shall not have respect of persons?
Again I ask....just which law HAD to be changed?
And by the way, just because we cannot keep God's laws perfectly, NOWHERE will you find EVER find in God's word where we are told we should not try to keep them.
When Paul read the law and found it was wrong to covet do you not think he told others that it was wrong and told them NO to covet also?
Rom.7
[7] What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
Now do you think Paul only read the ONE law out of the books of Moses?
Do you think when he read, 'Do not steal.', he stopped!
Do you think when he read, 'Do not lie., he stopped!
Do you think when he read ALL of the other laws, did he not comply?
Was it any of these laws that needed to be changed?
Just which law was it that was changed?
Ecc.12:13....you seem a bit angry. I am sorry for this, but in truth I know 2 things:
1. soft words are never heard by stubborn people, and
2. Religious people do not bring up such topics to discuss and learn - only to point out others perceived sins and their own righteousness.
This leaves me, indeed all of us trying to correct you no where to go, we can argue for what is plainly written in scripture again and again, but unless the Holy Spirit steps in, you will not hear it. You must understand, I honestly do not sit here posting with snide glee trying to one up you. I really care that you are missing the most beautiful part of the Gospel. The "Good News"...Jesus has freed us from everything that came before! It's wonderful....people could not uphold the law, so our God saved us from it!! Does that mean we have license to sin? Of course not! Indeed you are right in that Christians should not lie, cheat, steal, murder etc. But the freedom in Christ comes from the fact that should we slip and sin (which we will...fallen humans and all!), we will not suffer the wrath and condemnation of God!
And this is the point, is it not?? You state that people who break the dietary law will be killed...this is WRONG, we are forgiven in Christ! Do you doubt the strength of Jesus' sacrifice?
You state above:
"And by the way, just because we cannot keep God's laws perfectly, NOWHERE will you find EVER find in God's word where we are told we should not try to keep them." I don't think anyone here is arguing that we are to sin indiscriminately, and the ten commandments show us what sin is, and a lot of the other things you talk about (not having respect for people) is covered under Jesus command to love others, do unto others etc. But above you admit we cannot follow the laws perfectly and yet you still try and claim that God will burn those who fail to follow them! Sorry, that doesn't make sense!
And I must restate....why on earth are you so concerned with only 1 law???? If you truly believe that the keeping of the old laws are necessary for salvation, then you must keep all of them...perfectly. It matters not if you don't eat pork, at some time in your life you will covet, fall into some form of idolatry (for eg. do you enjoy sports just a bit much??) or maybe just forget to tithe one sunday....whoops, in the OT its Saturday, isn't it.
My point is, we MUST rely on Jesus, he is the only perfect one and is the ONLY way to God the Father.
Another point I must make is this....all these laws were for the Jewish nation. Are you a Jew? I'm not. Jesus died to save everyone who loves him and to free the Jews from laws impossible to follow, but those laws never did apply to the Gentiles. When the Gospel broke down the separation between Israel and the Gentiles, all foods were declared clean. As others have already shown, these verses support that. Mark 7:14-22, Acts 9-16(verse 15 is the key here "And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common"), and this one, which you NEED to hear...hear with your heart:
1 Timothy 4:1-5 - Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
Gal 3:10-14 "For you who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.' Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for 'The righteous shall live by faith.' But the law is not of faith, rather 'The one who does them shall live by them.' Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree' - so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith."
Gal 3:23-26 "Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."
All these passages are clear...more than clear. You need to choose, the law or Jesus? You cannot have both, only one will give salvation and forgiveness.
I know this post will probably anger you, you will probably try and tear it and me down, but I remain safe in Jesus. I pray you will hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you through His word.
Rach