Which commandments in Leviticus are no longer in force?
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A very good question. Jesus said:
Matthew 5:18
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.
BUT, Paul said:
Galatians 3
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
So then the only interpretation that makes sense to me is that the man that lives by faith will live by the law implicitly; but the man who explicitly tries to live by the law but fails will be cursed. So then we must try to live by the main principle:
Matthew 22
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
and by living by the main principle, we will be more alike to the Old Testament law without being beholden to it directly
Matthew 5:18
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.
BUT, Paul said:
Galatians 3
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
So then the only interpretation that makes sense to me is that the man that lives by faith will live by the law implicitly; but the man who explicitly tries to live by the law but fails will be cursed. So then we must try to live by the main principle:
Matthew 22
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
and by living by the main principle, we will be more alike to the Old Testament law without being beholden to it directly
Davy
Well-Known Member
Oh good grief, you want to teach Torah class to us Christians?
EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE OLD COVENANT THERE is DEAD, and God's faithful Church is no longer under that 'old covenant'.
And obviously not everything written in Leviticus is OF the old covenant! So go learn that difference before you trying to hold Torah class on a Christian forum like this one.
Robert Gwin
Well-Known Member
The ones that was carried over to the New Testament Pat. I know that is very vague, but there a lot of laws in Leviticus. At the very least, since God never changes, we gain insight into His desires through His laws that are no longer in force. One of them is tithing, Christians are admonished to give from the heart, and to give what we vow to give, unlike the law which required 10%
Is there any particular law you might have in mind sir?
Thank you.
My brother, I too am a Christian asking a question about the Old Testament.
Yes.
Leviticus 20:13 — The New International Version (NIV)
13 “ ‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
All of them! they were replaced by the commands of the new testament. There are some that are identical, but the OT law is not in force, but the NT law even if identical.
Jim B
Well-Known Member
All of them are in effect if a person hasn't been born again. None of them are in effect if a person has been born again. Everyone is under one covenant or the other, but no person can be under both.
Romans 7:4 says it most clearly: "So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God."
Aunty Jane
Well-Known Member
This is the key....understanding that every law God gave his people was based on “love for God and neighbor”.....to understand and apply the principles behind the law, we can do what the Pharisees failed to do. The Law itself was not the important thing.....it was the spirit of the law and the reasons why God gave them, that was important. The law was only important because of the principles upon which it was based....mindless adherence to the words was meaningless.
You get that when so many others do not....
Jim B
Well-Known Member
Robert Gwin
Well-Known Member
Thanks Pat for posting that sir. Yes sir, with the exception of putting them to death, homosexuality is not allowed from God, but if you have committed that sin, it is a forgivable sin if you repent. Take particular note of verse 11 Pat: (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) . . .do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, 10 thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. 11 And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean; you have been sanctified; you have been declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.
Yes sir if you struggle with it, please ask Jehovah for help, and know that if you repent and seek Him, you can most definitely be forgiven and declared righteous.
Thank you but, no, I do NOT "struggle" with homosexuality. I am heterosexual and am married to a sweet woman.
Leviticus tells us to kill homosexuals. Some say that's "old" law and no longer in force. So are all of the commandments in Leviticus also no longer in force?
Ronald Nolette
Well-Known Member
The old covenant was for israel alone and those foreigners who chose to live with them. It was never for Gentile peoples.
As Paul said in Ephesians we gentiles were apart from the covenants, without hope and with out god in this world.
In romans Paul said to Israel belong the covenants.
Galatians 3:10-12 (WEB):
Romans 3:10-12 (WEB):
John 13:34-35 (WEB):
John 14:15,21 (ISV):
John 15:10-17 (WEB):
Further confirmation:
Romans 13:9-10 (WEB):
1 John 4:19-21 (WEB):
1 John 5:1-5 (Darby):
1 John 3:23 (WEB):
(10) For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
(11) Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.”
(12) The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”
I think that what Paul is saying is that nobody can possibly keep all of the law, because we are all born with a sinful nature inherited from Adam. Therefore nobody can be justified by the law - it is a curse to us. If anybody kept all of the law then they would not have sinned and they would not die - they would live forever as long as they continue to keep the law, for death is the punishment for sin. As Paul said, it is evident that nobody has succeeded in doing that! The only way that we can gain eternal life is though faith in Jesus and God.
Romans 3:10-12 (WEB):
(10) As it is written, “There is no one righteous; no, not one.
(11) There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks after God.
(12) They have all turned away. They have together become unprofitable. There is no one who does good, no, not so much as one.”
Yes, Jesus is saying that if you obey those two commands, then you will also be obeying all the other laws, because they are all based on love for God and for our neighbours. Jesus also said:
John 13:34-35 (WEB):
(34) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
(35) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 14:15,21 (ISV):
(15) "If you love me, keep my commandments.
(21) The person who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I, too, will love him and reveal myself to him."
John 15:10-17 (WEB):
(10) If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.
(11) I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.
(12) “This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.
(13) Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
(14) You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.
(15) No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.
(16) You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
(17) “I command these things to you, that you may love one another.
Further confirmation:
Romans 13:9-10 (WEB):
(9) For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
(10) Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.
1 John 4:19-21 (WEB):
(19) We love him, because he first loved us.
(20) If a man says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
(21) This commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should also love his brother.
1 John 5:1-5 (Darby):
(1) Every one that believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God; and every one that loves him that has begotten loves also him that is begotten of him.
(2) Hereby know we that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.
(4) For all that has been begotten of God gets the victory over the world; and this is the victory which has gotten the victory over the world, our faith.
(5) Who is he that gets the victory over the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 3:23 (WEB):
(23) This is his [God's] commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.
This is similar to Leviticus 18:22 (ISV) - important enough that it is repeated?:
(22) You are not to have sexual relations with a male as you would with a woman. It's detestable."
Jesus said, Matthew 5:17-20 (WEB):
(17) “Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.
(18) For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
(19) Whoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and teach others to do so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever shall do and teach them shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.
(20) For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Therefore we should be trying to obey all of God's Old Testament laws. If God says that something is "an abomination" (as most translations translate it) then we should obviously try very hard to avoid doing such a thing. However, if we fail and do sin:
1 John 2:1 (KJV):
(1) My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Paul also comments, Romans 7:12-25 (WEB):
(12) Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good.
(13) Did then that which is good become death to me? May it never be! But sin, that it might be shown to be sin, was producing death in me through that which is good; that through the commandment sin might become exceedingly sinful.
(14) For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.
(15) For I don’t know what I am doing. For I don’t practice what I desire to do; but what I hate, that I do.
(16) But if what I don’t desire, that I do, I consent to the law that it is good.
(17) So now it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
(18) For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. For desire is present with me, but I don’t find it doing that which is good.
(19) For the good which I desire, I don’t do; but the evil which I don’t desire, that I practice.
(20) But if what I don’t desire, that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwells in me.
(TLV): (21) So I find the principle—that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.(22) For I delight in God’s law after the inward man,
(23) but I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members.
(24) What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me out of the body of this death?
(25) I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! So then with the mind, I myself serve God’s law, but with the flesh, the sin’s law.
Ephesians 5:1-7 (WEB):
(1) Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children.
(2) Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
(3) But sexual immorality, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be mentioned among you, as becomes saints;
(4) nor filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not appropriate; but rather giving of thanks.
(5) Know this for sure, that no sexually immoral person, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God.
(6) Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.
(7) Therefore don’t be partakers with them.
We should follow Jesus' example, love our neighbours and be forgiving:
John 8:4-11
(4) they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act.
(5) Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?”
(6) They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of. But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger.
(7) But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.”
(8) Again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.
(9) They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle.
(10) Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”
(11) She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”
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The way I look at Biblical Israel - and I believe in reincarnation, so feel free to disagree - is that it was a special kingdom, created for souls that chose to be born into it, in order to live as holy a life as possible and ascend to Heaven; so it had very strict laws regarding morality. Some of these laws had death penalties both to enforce a pure culture, and also to allow those whose minds had become infested with sin to start over in new lives and try again with a fresh slate. Because Israel was favored by God they were held to a standard that ordinary people outside the kingdom would not be expected to live by - or to enforce, because outsiders had not accepted the divine contract to be born into this holy kingdom, they are not yet spiritually ready for these struggles and being harsh on them, they would not understand, and it would only push them away from God and cause them to see His laws as tyrannical rather than as a path for a perfect life, which is what they are intended to be.
Yes, I believe that and completely agree. I just wasn't previously clear on WHY some of commandments in Leviticus that deal with morality are no longer applicable while others are.
AW Bowman
Member
The answer to the original question is rather straight forward, i.e. The answer is "no", unless you meet the following two requirements: (1) Are a male member of the tribe of Levi, and (2) are serving in the Temple. There are a number of additional instructions applicable to everyone, as pointed out in several other posts. The bottom line is "if an instruction pertains to you, follow it out of love for the creator, if an instruction does not apply to you, then ignore it. After all, not even Jesus Christ obeyed every explicit instruction in the Old Testament. Why? Because many did not apply to Him, e.g. the priesthood instructions found in the book Leviticus.
It is interesting to note that there are 1040 direct quotes/references from the Old Testament found in the New Testament, as complied by the Trinity College, Dublin. All of the so-called Laws are Instructions in Righteousness, that is, what God requires of mankind in order to satisfactorily obey/fulfill the Ten Commandments.
The most telling N.T. scriptures concerning the Commandments and faith in Christ are found in the book of Revelation: Rev.12:17, 14:12. and 22:14.
May your studies be fruitful.
It is interesting to note that there are 1040 direct quotes/references from the Old Testament found in the New Testament, as complied by the Trinity College, Dublin. All of the so-called Laws are Instructions in Righteousness, that is, what God requires of mankind in order to satisfactorily obey/fulfill the Ten Commandments.
The most telling N.T. scriptures concerning the Commandments and faith in Christ are found in the book of Revelation: Rev.12:17, 14:12. and 22:14.
May your studies be fruitful.
I don't necessarily believe in reincarnation but I suppose anything is possible. Nobody can tell you for sure that God doesn't reincarnate some souls.
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