As Christians, are we expected to keep the Old Testament rules? Are the Old Testament laws binding on us today?
Some people believe the answer is yes. Their churches meet on Saturdays, they don’t eat pork. Of course, they don’t stone their sons for being rebellious (Leviticus 20:9), but that’s another story.
Then some say we can simply ignore the Old Testament law. It’s become meaningless, out of touch with today’s world. For example, the Old Testament says that homosexual activity is an abomination (Leviticus 18:22). I once heard a political candidate respond to that verse by saying, “Yeah, but people who think that way still eat lobster” (Leviticus 11:9-10). In other words, the Old Testament teaching on homosexual behavior is no more binding today than its rules against eating lobster.
Is that true?
Do we obey the law, or just part of the law, or none of the law?
Let’s check in with the people of Israel. God has freed them from slavery in Egypt. They’ve seen the miracle of the parting of the Red Sea. Now they’re gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai.
Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (Exodus 19:3-6, NIV)
God is going to make something special out of these people, and they’re going to make an impact on the entire world. But to be all that God calls them to be, they need to learn to obey God. They need to pursue holiness. God is holy, and he demands that his people be holy:
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44a)
The word “holy” originally meant to be “set apart,” and God wants his people to be set apart from everyone else. Holiness is purity. It means to be blameless, to live by the teachings of the Bible and not by the ways of the world. That’s a high standard, but it’s what God calls us to.
That’s the standard he gave the people of Israel at Mt. Sinai. Before the people can be holy, though, they have to be taught right and wrong.
So God gave the people of Israel his law. He first gives them the Ten Commandments, then he gives them all kinds of other rules to live by.
The question we have is, do we have to follow these rules today?
To answer that question, we need to recognize different categories of rules in the Old Testament.
Some of the rules in the Old Testament are laws given for the governance of Israel, like property rights, the number of witnesses required to convict someone of a crime, and what to do when someone harms another person. These rules were part of the legal system in the Israelite nation. As such, even though we can see God’s heart in them, these civil laws are no longer binding.
Other rules concern the ceremonial system of sacrifices and laws that determine whether a person is ceremonially clean or unclean. These include rules on what kinds of animals can be used for food and which cannot, the requirement of circumcision for males, and the various animal sacrifices and festivals on the Israelite calendar. All sacrificial and ceremonial laws came to an end when Jesus died on the cross and rose again (see Romans 10:4, Galatians 3:23–25.)
This is why we don’t have altars at the front of our churches where we bring bulls and lambs to be sacrificed. Some people get uncomfortable when folks raise their hands in worship. Can you imagine how they’d react to animal sacrifices? The entire sacrificial system was a type of Jesus Christ, the Lamb who gave himself as the ultimate sacrifice for us, dying to pay the penalty for our sins. That sacrifice has now been made, so those laws are obsolete.
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near…But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God… (Hebrews 10:1, 12)
Then there are what might be called moral laws. These laws reflect both God’s person and how he expects people, all of whom are made in his image, to act. The Ten Commandments are a perfect example of moral laws. Don’t worship idols, don’t steal, don’t kill, don’t covet what isn’t yours. There are many more moral rules throughout the books of Genesis through Deuteronomy, including this one:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
There’s a difference between civil and ceremonial laws and moral laws. This distinction is why Leviticus 18:22 is binding (moral law), but Leviticus 11:9-10 is not binding (ceremonial law). Moral laws are always binding on all people. It’s these moral laws that can guide us into holiness.
Remember how God told the Israelites to live in a way that the world would notice (Genesis 12:1-3)? He calls us to do the same.
Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12)
As believers, we are called to holiness. As we pursue that, as we allow God to work in our lives to lead us into holiness, the people around us will notice, and some will be drawn to our Lord.
Meanwhile, back in the desert at the foot of Mt. Sinai, God has given the people the Ten Commandments, and now he calls Moses to come up the mountain to hear more instructions. We’ll pick up there next time. Before then, I think I’ll eat some lobster.