An example of how the whole law cannot be practiced today (discussion)

[SabbathBlessings]

There's a difference between breaking laws and following a higher principle than the law. When following the higher principle, the lower principle does not apply much like when the sun is bright in the sky the moon and stars are not visible.

Jesus made an example of this higher principle by stating murder begins in the heart in Matthew 5, but that does not mean it’s okay to murder or disobey the commandment.

Your example regarding the sun is bright is not a commandment of God nor is it what Isaiah 8:20 is referring to.

 

[LW97Nils]

Actually I was replying to your very own words.

"The way he obeyed the sabbath was unorthodox, in the days of Moses, he would have been stoned."

As instructed, I am "Testing the spirit" and "proving all things". I asked you where this understanding came from, what Scriptures brought you to this religious philosophy.

I asked this in honesty, because Jesus warns over and over of religious men who come in His Name to deceive. And about religious philosophies of men that are not from God. Dangers that we both are to "take heed of".

You made a statement which teaches that Moses, or the God of Abraham, wouldn't have Approved of Jesus, or worse yet, would have had HIM Stoned to death, or murdered just like the children of the devil had Him murdered.

This is a serious accusation against Moses and the God Moses took instructions from, and one Jesus never made. Actually Jesus said just the opposite.

John 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

So my reason for asking for something, anything from Scriptures which can support this religious philosophy of yours was prudent, honorable, and honest.

But like the question you asked before this, it seems you simply make statements, then move on whenever anyone challenges them.

So I have shown you my intentions, and the reasons for them. Perhaps you can also show what motivates you to make questions and statements that you do not seem willing to even discuss.

I think you are missing the subject. There indeed are laws that were only temporary. Applying everything from the Old Testament does not work. If it was so, we would have to come to the conclusion that we had to build a literal ark

 

[Soyeong]

I think you are missing the subject. There indeed are laws that were only temporary. Applying everything from the Old Testament does not work. If it was so, we would have to come to the conclusion that we had to build a literal ark

The Bible often uses the same terms to describe aspects of God's nature as it does to describe aspects of the nature of God's law, such as with it being holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), and it could not accurately be described as such if it were not God's instructions for how to act in accordance with those aspects of His nature. There are reasons why God specifically chose to give the laws that He did and each of those reasons teaches us about how to love a different aspect of God's nature, which is why there are many verses in both the OT and the NT that connect our love for God with our obedience to His commandments. The only way that one of God's laws could be temporary is if what it teaches us about God's nature is also temporary, however, God's righteousness and righteous laws are eternal (Psalms 119:142, 160), so none of them are temporary.

However, that is not say that the way to act in accordance with God's eternal nature is not situational. For example, there are situations where killing someone is righteous and situations where killing someone is murder. Every time that we are in the same situation we should take the same action, though some situations are more unique than others. God's command to Noah to build an ark teaches about how to love and aspect of God's eternal nature and God is not a respecter of persons, so every time that we are in the same situation where God is going to flood the world, then we should express our love for that apect of God's eternal nature by building and ark.

 

[LW97Nils]

The Bible often uses the same terms to describe aspects of God's nature as it does to describe aspects of the nature of God's law, such as with it being holy, righteous, and good (Romans 7:12), and it could not accurately be described as such if it were not God's instructions for how to act in accordance with those aspects of His nature. There are reasons why God specifically chose to give the laws that He did and each of those reasons teaches us about how to love a different aspect of God's nature, which is why there are many verses in both the OT and the NT that connect our love for God with our obedience to His commandments. The only way that one of God's laws could be temporary is if what it teaches us about God's nature is also temporary, however, God's righteousness and righteous laws are eternal (Psalms 119:142, 160), so none of them are temporary.

However, that is not say that the way to act in accordance with God's eternal nature is not situational. For example, there are situations where killing someone is righteous and situations where killing someone is murder. Every time that we are in the same situation we should take the same action, though some situations are more unique than others. God's command to Noah to build an ark teaches about how to love and aspect of God's eternal nature and God is not a respecter of persons, so every time that we are in the same situation where God is going to flood the world, then we should express our love for that apect of God's eternal nature by building and ark.

I think I have nothing to disagree with. My point is that the laws are more spiritual now. As for the ark, generally everyone is to build an ark, but a spiritual one (witness to people).

 

[Soyeong]

I think I have nothing to disagree with. My point is that the laws are more spiritual now. As for the ark, generally everyone is to build an ark, but a spiritual one (witness to people).

God's law has always been spiritual (Romans 7:14), so that has not changed. It is spiritual in that it has always been intended to teach us how to express deeper spiritual principles, which are aspects of God's nature/fruits of the Spirit. For example, God's righteous laws have aways been intended to teach us about a deeper spiritual principle of righteousness that leads us to take actions that are examples of that principle that are in accordance with what God's law instructs even in situations that it does not specifically address. If someone thought that they understood the spiritual principle of love, so they no longer need to obey the command to love their neighbor, then they would be missing the point, so correctly understanding the spiritual principles behind God's commands will never lead us away from taking actions that are examples of those principles.

 

[LW97Nils]

God's law has always been spiritual (Romans 7:14), so that has not changed.

I didn't say it was But the definition of "swine" has changed, refering to Matthew 7:6.

 

[Soyeong]

I didn't say it was But the definition of "swine" has changed, refering to Matthew 7:6.

Using figurative language to refer to someone does not change the definition of "swine".

 

[LW97Nils]

Using figurative language to refer to someone does not change the definition of "swine".

Of course not, but we have that vision in Acts 10. If that cannot be literal, Deuteronomy 14:8 cannot be either. I believe both are literal and I believe that Moses meant what he said when he wrote "an abomination unto you". Same also with the prohibition to shave (Leviticus 19:27). It was not supposed to be everlasting either.

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. Hebrews 7:19

 

[Bob S]

I think you are missing the subject. There indeed are laws that were only temporary. Applying everything from the Old Testament does not work. If it was so, we would have to come to the conclusion that we had to build a literal ark

Paul wrote in 2Cor3:6-11 that the ten commandments WERE transitory (temporary), but from some who are all out believers in keeping the commands of the old covenant all we get are excuses why Paul was stating a falsehood.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Paul wrote in 2Cor3:6-11 that the ten commandments WERE transitory (temporary), but from some who are all out believers in keeping the commands of the old covenant all we get are excuses why Paul was stating a falsehood.

Under the terms of the New Covenant, adherence to the 10 Commandments and the subsequent moral and ceremonial Law was not required, because the finished work of Christ on the Cross enabled us to be saved through God's grace alone through faith in Christ.

Salvation has always been through faith, but under the Old Covenant, even when they did their best to adhere to the Law, the blood sacrifices were necessary once a year to keep them in a right place with God. When Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, the blood sacrifices were done away with, along with adherence to the Law as conditions for salvation. But faith remained, and salvation was now through faith in Christ and His finished work on the Cross.

But under the New Covenant, something took place that never happened with the Old Testament saints. The Holy Spirit caused the New Covenant converts to be transformed (ie: born again) in their hearts and spirits. This gave them the desire to be sanctified - to live lives that glorified Christ. The Commandments and the moral Law was their guide to achieving this. What this means is that truly converted believers do their best to adhere to the Commandments and the moral Law so that they forsake the works of the flesh and walk after the Spirit. Paul said in Galatians 5, that they live in the Spirit (through faith in Christ), therefore they should walk in the Spirit by living a sanctified life. Only those who are already saved and converted to Christ by faith are able to walk in the Spirit. A person who has not been converted to Christ by faith, cannot walk in the Spirit. His attempts at keeping the Commandments and the moral Law amount to still walking in the flesh, and the Scripture says that those who walk in the flesh cannot please God. This is why Paul said that although as a Pharisee he was blameless according to the Law, it meant nothing to him because he was not at that time converted to Christ by faith.

But he supported the Law, not for salvation, but as a means of living a sanctified life in the Spirit. Therefore the Commandments and the moral Law does have an important place in the Christian life, but instead of following a set of outward regulations, the Law is written on the heart through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in us. Now, it is not that we have to follow the Law, but we want to follow it to give glory in our lives to Christ.

 

[Bob S]

Under the terms of the New Covenant, adherence to the 10 Commandments and the subsequent moral and ceremonial Law was not required, because the finished work of Christ on the Cross enabled us to be saved through God's grace alone through faith in Christ.

I believe it is the Holy Spirit working through us that is the magnet that brings us to Jesus and a bonding relationship. This would not happen unless the Spirit prompts us. The Old Testament speaks little of the Holy Spirit. We know that David had the Holy Spirit dwelling within him because he prayed that it not be taken away, Psalms51:11. Joeph, Jesus' father, knew and accepted His word. In Acts2:34 the Holy Spirit FILLED those Pentecost. It seems like the power of the Holy Spirit came alive in the new covenant era. Paul certainly understood the special gift Jesus gave to man as He ascended into Heaven. The ten commandments written by God the Father to His special people were to be their guide. Instead, Paul wrote that the ten became the ministry of death and the guide for Israel is now the Holy Spirit.

If the ministry of death, the ten commandments have been replaced with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit why would some people claim that those ten are written on our hearts? They reason that because one of the commands command keeping Sabbath all mankind must observe it. I was a Sabbath observer for forty years. Never once prior to my joining the SDA church at 23 years of age had the thought pricked my mind that I should keep it. My friends introduced me to it by reminding me that it was the fourth commandment. Millions upon millions of moral people around the Earth are/were just like me. The Holy Spirit has not pricked their consciences to observe it. The thing we will find in all moral people around the World is agape love. It is the Holy Spirit that is guiding us into a love relationship with Jesus and our fellow man. Salvation is the end result of this relationship.

Salvation has always been through faith, but under the Old Covenant, even when they did their best to adhere to the Law, the blood sacrifices were necessary once a year to keep them in a right place with God. When Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, the blood sacrifices were done away with, along with adherence to the Law as conditions for salvation. But faith remained, and salvation was now through faith in Christ and His finished work on the Cross.

Amen!

But under the New Covenant, something took place that never happened with the Old Testament saints. The Holy Spirit caused the New Covenant converts to be transformed (ie: born again) in their hearts and spirits. This gave them the desire to be sanctified - to live lives that glorified Christ. The Commandments and the moral Law was their guide to achieving this.

Commandments and moral law? I don't understand. Paul writing in Gal 3 told the Jews the Law was their schoolmaster that brought them to Christ. Gentiles didn't have the Law. Paul earlier in chapter 3 told the Galatians they were brought to Christ by hearing the Word. Gal3:2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.

What this means is that truly converted believers do their best to adhere to the Commandments and the moral Law so that they forsake the works of the flesh and walk after the Spirit.

What Commandments? Again, please explain moral Law.

Paul said in Galatians 5, that they live in the Spirit (through faith in Christ), therefore they should walk in the Spirit by living a sanctified life. Only those who are already saved and converted to Christ by faith are able to walk in the Spirit. A person who has not been converted to Christ by faith, cannot walk in the Spirit. His attempts at keeping the Commandments and the moral Law amount to still walking in the flesh, and the Scripture says that those who walk in the flesh cannot please God. This is why Paul said that although as a Pharisee he was blameless according to the Law, it meant nothing to him because he was not at that time converted to Christ by faith.

But he supported the Law, not for salvation, but as a means of living a sanctified life in the Spirit. Therefore the Commandments and the moral Law does have an important place in the Christian life, but instead of following a set of outward regulations, the Law is written on the heart through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in us. Now, it is not that we have to follow the Law, but we want to follow it to give glory in our lives to Christ.

What law is written on our hearts? Is it keeping rituals given only to Israel?

 

[expos4ever]

If the ministry of death, the ten commandments have been replaced with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit why would some people claim that those ten are written on our hearts?

First, it is a fixed item of data that Paul has written that the 10 Commandments were a "ministry of death". If we are to do honor to the principle that all Scripture is inspired, we need to accommodate this claim, we need to find a way to "make it true".

Likewise for the scripture about the law being engraved on our hearts - we cannot, as much as we might like to, sweep this text under the rug. We must find an overall position that allows us to legitimately claim this text about the law being written on our hearts is true.

We know that in both cases the law denotes the law of Moses. The claim about this law being a "ministry of death" leaves us no option where we can take the thing about the law being written on our hearts literally. To do that would create a wrenching contradiction - how can God want to write something that brings death on our hearts?

How can we solve this puzzle? Well, the metaphor of "law being written on the heart" gives us a legitimate degree of freedom - it is clearly a metaphor. In fact, in Romans to, Paul uses this very phrase:

For when Gentiles who do not have [q]the Law [r]instinctively perform the requirements of the Law, these, though not having [s]the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,

Paul hands us the answer. He shows that whatever the law that is written on the heart is, it cannot be some sort of verbatim incorporation or internalization of the actual law of Moses. Why not? Obviously because the vast swath of humanity has never even heard of the law of Moses. So when, as Paul says, these Gentiles "do the law" by following their consciences, they cannot possibly be thinking in terms of food laws, Sabbath observance, etc. The only plausible way to understand that the law of Moses has been written on the heart of a Gentile is to presume that the general principles, rather than the letter of the law itself, has been made known to them by God and their consciences recognizes this.

To recap, logic forces us to understand that the law written on the heart must be a thing quite different from the written law of Moses. Why? Obviously because we know, from Paul in Corinthians, that the written law is a ministry of death.

 

[Soyeong]

Of course not, but we have that vision in Acts 10. If that cannot be literal, Deuteronomy 14:8 cannot be either. I believe both are literal and I believe that Moses meant what he said when he wrote "an abomination unto you". Same also with the prohibition to shave (Leviticus 19:27). It was not supposed to be everlasting either.

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. Hebrews 7:19

There is nothing about visions being symbolic that means that Deuteronomy 14 can't be literal. All of God's righteous laws are eternal (Psalms 119:160), which includes Leviticus 19:27. God's law was never given as a means of becoming perfect, but it is perfect (Psalms 19:7) because it teaches us what it means to be perfect. The book of Exodus ends with the glory of God descending upon the tent of meeting and the problem of no one being able to draw near, while Leviticus begins with God calling out instructions for how to draw near to Him, which is what the root word for "korban" means, so Leviticus is essentially a book of instructions for how to draw near to God and the way to draw near to God is not disregarding those instructions.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I believe it is the Holy Spirit working through us that is the magnet that brings us to Jesus and a bonding relationship. This would not happen unless the Spirit prompts us. The Old Testament speaks little of the Holy Spirit. We know that David had the Holy Spirit dwelling within him because he prayed that it not be taken away, Psalms51:11. Joeph, Jesus' father, knew and accepted His word. In Acts2:34 the Holy Spirit FILLED those Pentecost. It seems like the power of the Holy Spirit came alive in the new covenant era. Paul certainly understood the special gift Jesus gave to man as He ascended into Heaven. The ten commandments written by God the Father to His special people were to be their guide. Instead, Paul wrote that the ten became the ministry of death and the guide for Israel is now the Holy Spirit.

If the ministry of death, the ten commandments have been replaced with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit why would some people claim that those ten are written on our hearts? They reason that because one of the commands command keeping Sabbath all mankind must observe it. I was a Sabbath observer for forty years. Never once prior to my joining the SDA church at 23 years of age had the thought pricked my mind that I should keep it. My friends introduced me to it by reminding me that it was the fourth commandment. Millions upon millions of moral people around the Earth are/were just like me. The Holy Spirit has not pricked their consciences to observe it. The thing we will find in all moral people around the World is agape love. It is the Holy Spirit that is guiding us into a love relationship with Jesus and our fellow man. Salvation is the end result of this relationship.

Firstly, the Sabbath rule became obsolete when Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into the presence of the Father. The book of Hebrews is quite clear. Jesus has become our Sabbath rest. The Jewish Sabbath was a shadow to point to Jesus being our Sabbath rest. We no longer have to observe the Sabbath, because we now rest in Christ by faith and His finished work on the Cross.

Commandments and moral law? I don't understand. Paul writing in Gal 3 told the Jews the Law was their schoolmaster that brought them to Christ. Gentiles didn't have the Law. Paul earlier in chapter 3 told the Galatians they were brought to Christ by hearing the Word. Gal3:2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.

The Jewish Law, which involved the moral and ceremonial Law certainly was their schoolmaster that brought them to Christ. Keeping that Law along with the blood sacrifices was essential to their salvation. But once we come to faith in Christ, we no longer need the Law or the blood sacrifices to ensure our salvation.

According to Paul in Galatians, one receives the Holy Spirit when he receives Christ as Saviour. He was not aware of a subsequent infilling of the Holy Spirit after conversion to Christ. His view was that conversion to Christ was, and still is, receiving the Holy Spirit. Therefore receiving the Holy Spirit/conversion to Christ was achieved through faith in Christ and not through following the Law.

What Commandments? Again, please explain moral Law.

For us, the Ten Commandments are our guide to the standards we must maintain in order to be sanctified. Only those who are already converted to Christ can develop sanctification. The ceremonial law was made up of the rituals that the Jews had to perform. It was made more complicated by the Talmud which introduced many more ritualistic regulations than were set out in Deuteronomy.

The moral law is the universal, eternal law that God sets as His standard for Himself, and that if we are to be Christlike, we need to use it as a guide to monitor our conduct so that we continue to walk in the Spirit. The Ten Commandments and the regulations set out in Deuteronomy show us how we love God and our neighbour. They are practical guidelines to show whether we are developing sanctification or not.

What law is written on our hearts? Is it keeping rituals given only to Israel?

The rituals given to Israel were for the Jews only. They became redundant when Jesus died on the Cross. This was demonstrated when the curtain of the Temple was ripped from top to bottom. It is significant that it was ripped from top to bottom, because only God could have done it that way. If it had been ripped by man, the attempt would have been made from bottom to top.

When we carefully read the regulations given in Deuteronomy, we see that these are practical regulations that the Jews were to follow if they were to remain morally right with God. They had to follow these regulations outwardly, but this was because they had to, rather than they wanted to in their hearts. This is why Jesus made an issue of someone hating someone was equal to killing them. The prohibition to murder was the outward act, but for the Jew, there was no prohibition to hating someone. It was the same with sexual misconduct. They were to restrain from the outward act, but there was no restriction on inner lust. This is why Jesus said that their righteousness had to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees (whose standard was blamelessness according to the outward observance to the regulations). In order to cease hatred and lust, there needed to be a change of heart, and this was only achieved by the work of the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ.

Therefore it is the moral law that is written on our hearts. That is what conversion to Christ is all about. It is a total transformation worked in us by the Holy Spirit. When that transformation takes place the believer is truly born again of the Spirit. This is more than just getting religion and attending church.

If you have ever been convicted by the Holy Spirit when you have strayed off the straight and narrow, you know it because the Holy Spirit reminds you of that part of the moral law that you have transgressed. But instead of making a resolution to keep that part of the moral law in future, we come to God's throne of grace and confess our infraction to God, through which we receive forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness. We are never going to be fully sanctified in this life; but when we are resurrected to glory, we will be changed and be fully sanctified and free from sin. But in the meantime, we continue to put effort into forsaking the works of the flesh, but this is not to preserve our salvation, but to glorify Christ in the way we relate to God and the people around us.

 

[Soyeong]

Under the terms of the New Covenant, adherence to the 10 Commandments and the subsequent moral and ceremonial Law was not required, because the finished work of Christ on the Cross enabled us to be saved through God's grace alone through faith in Christ.

In Jeremiah 31, the New Covenant involves God putting the Mosaic Law in our minds and writing it on our hearts, so that is part of the terms of the New Covenant.

The Bible never lists which laws are moral or ceremonial and never even refers to them as being categories of law. If you asked a group of people to write a lists of which laws that they think are moral or ceremonial, then you end up with a wide variety of lists that have not been derived from the Bible, and those people should not interpret the authors of the Bible as referring to a list of laws that they just created.

In Titus 2:14, Jesus gave himself to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people of his own possession who are zealous for doing good works, so becoming zealous for doing good works in obedience to God's law is the way to believe in the finished work of Christ on the Cross (Acts 21:20), while returning to the lawlessness that he gave himself to redeem us from would be the way to reject his finished work.

In Psalms 119:29-30, David wanted to put false ways far from him, for God to be gracious to him by teaching him to obey His law, and he chose the way of faithfulness, so this has always been the one and only way of salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ alone.

Salvation has always been through faith, but under the Old Covenant, even when they did their best to adhere to the Law, the blood sacrifices were necessary once a year to keep them in a right place with God. When Jesus offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, the blood sacrifices were done away with, along with adherence to the Law as conditions for salvation. But faith remained, and salvation was now through faith in Christ and His finished work on the Cross.

You can't separate our salvation from what our salvation is from. Our salvation is from sin (Matthew 1:21) ad sin is the transgression of God's law (1 John 3:4), so living in obedience to God's law is intrinsically part of the concept of Jesus saving us from not living in obedience to it, and these can't be separated.

But under the New Covenant, something took place that never happened with the Old Testament saints. The Holy Spirit caused the New Covenant converts to be transformed (ie: born again) in their hearts and spirits. This gave them the desire to be sanctified - to live lives that glorified Christ. The Commandments and the moral Law was their guide to achieving this. What this means is that truly converted believers do their best to adhere to the Commandments and the moral Law so that they forsake the works of the flesh and walk after the Spirit. Paul said in Galatians 5, that they live in the Spirit (through faith in Christ), therefore they should walk in the Spirit by living a sanctified life. Only those who are already saved and converted to Christ by faith are able to walk in the Spirit. A person who has not been converted to Christ by faith, cannot walk in the Spirit. His attempts at keeping the Commandments and the moral Law amount to still walking in the flesh, and the Scripture says that those who walk in the flesh cannot please God.

The Son is the exact image of God's nature, which he expressed through living in sinless obedience to God's law, so it is contradictory for someone to want to be made to be like Christ without wanting to follow his example of expressing his nature in obedience to God's law.

The existence of the moral law would imply that laws that are not in that category are moral to disobey, however, there is not a single example in the Bible of disobedience to any of God's laws being considered to be moral. In order for someone to determine that God gave a law that was not moral, they would need to have greater moral knowledge than God. Rather, morality is in regard to what we ought to do and we ought to obey God, so all of God's laws are inherently moral laws.

In Ezekiel 36:26-27, the Spirit has the role of leading us to obey the chukim, but people often want to walk in the Spirit instead of obeying them.

This is why Paul said that although as a Pharisee he was blameless according to the Law, it meant nothing to him because he was not at that time converted to Christ by faith.

In Matthew 7:23, Christ said that he would tell those who are workers of lawlessness to depart from him because he never knew them, so knowing Christ is the goal of the law. Paul had been obeying the law without focusing on knowing Christ, so he had been missing the whole goal of obeying it, which why he counted it all as dung.

But he supported the Law, not for salvation, but as a means of living a sanctified life in the Spirit. Therefore the Commandments and the moral Law does have an important place in the Christian life, but instead of following a set of outward regulations, the Law is written on the heart through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in us. Now, it is not that we have to follow the Law, but we want to follow it to give glory in our lives to Christ.

We do not earn our salvation as the result of our obedience to God's law because it was never given as a means of doing that, though obeying it is still for salvation because our salvation is from not obeying it. In Titus 2:11-14, we are not saved as the result of having done those works and doing those works is not the result of having been saved, but rather God graciously teaching us to do those works is itself the content of His gift of salvation. In Exodus 20:6, God wanted His people to love Him and obey His commandments, so obedience to God has always been a matter of the heart and God has always disdained it when His people honored Him with their lips while their heart was far from Him (Isaiah 29:13). God is sovereign, so the bottom line is that we do have to follow it regardless of whether or not we want to, though we should also want to follow it. David said repeatedly throughout the Psalms that he loved God's law and delighted in obeying it, so that is the correct attitude to have towards it.

 

[LW97Nils]

There is nothing about visions being symbolic that means that Deuteronomy 14 can't be literal.

If that is so, then congrats, Acts 10 is just as literal Or does God symbolize sinful acts?

All of God's righteous laws are eternal (Psalms 119:160), which includes Leviticus 19:27.

Yes, but I disagree that men who shaved their beards - which I do not - are less holy then men who do not.

Are you familiar with something called discernment? How can I say Leviticus 19:27 is not for us, but Leviticus 19:28 is? Simple. Discernment. Tattoos are a result of a blood ritual. Shaving is not, for it is not a destruction of God's temple (1 Corinthians 3:17). The prohibition on shaving was made to set God's nation apart.
Likewise, no verse in the Mosaic law says "thou shalt not take drugs". Not even in the New Testament it directly prohibitions drugs. We however still know drugs are a sin because they are the opposite of sobriety.

Circumcision of the flesh also is not for today, nor did it exist prior to Genesis 17, yet it was commanded for a while. Uncleanness is still existant, but it's definition has changed according to 1 Corinthians 5. While Mark 7 indeed is about unwashed food, it still shows "unclean" food cannot defile us. Why would Paul have needed to adress pork in Acts 15:28-29 if there is still a prohibition? Very simply. Christ had already taught them the two greatest commandments, as well as the Ten Commandments. It comes obvious that they were questioning what else they would have to keep. Some perhaps tried to reform what was not to be reformed. The prohibition on blood has stood since Genesis 9, and still does. The prohibition on pork only existed under the Levitical priesthood. Therefore, Paul was mostly going on food. As for fornication, we know adultery is a part on fornication, but fornication ("inappropriate contenteia") is not limited to adultery. The fornication that causes divorce in Matthew 19:9 is NOT adultery. So the gentiles, who did not only eat pork (especially boars), but even its blood and committed fornication, were wondering what they had to obey now. Hence why Paul taught it, adding "no greater burden than these".

Do we agree the laws are written into a Christian's heart?

 

[LW97Nils]

In Jeremiah 31, the New Covenant involves God putting the Mosaic Law in our minds and writing it on our hearts, so that is part of the terms of the New Covenant.

The word "Mosaic" is not in there It is not like there had been no law prior to Moses.

 

[LW97Nils]

Were the 10 Commandments Around Before Moses?

Did God reveal His laws from the beginning, or were the 10 Commandments unknown until Sinai? Were God’s 10 Commandments in effect before Moses?

lifehopeandtruth.com

Therefore, I firmly believe, the seperation between the 10 commandments and the Mosaic law must be made

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Were the 10 Commandments Around Before Moses?

Did God reveal His laws from the beginning, or were the 10 Commandments unknown until Sinai? Were God’s 10 Commandments in effect before Moses?

lifehopeandtruth.com

Therefore, I firmly believe, the seperation between the 10 commandments and the Mosaic law must be made

God's moral law existed long before the Mosaic Law. There are many elements of Mosaic Law that contain moral law. Jesus summarised God's moral law by saying that loving God with all one's heart, and loving your neighbour as yourself. He says that they cover the whole law.

Having been saved by grace through faith in Christ does not make us lawless. We are set free from the law of sin and death, but are now subject to the law of life in Christ Jesus. The law of life in Christ is expressed in us through the fruit of the Spirit. Paul says against these there is no law, because when a person is showing the fruit of the Spirit in his life, he is effectively complying with God's moral law. Therefore he is not aware of having to follow a set code of conduct, but he is to the best of his ability, trusting in the Holy Spirit working in him, being loving, joyful, peace-making, kind, gentle, faithful, good, patient, and self-controlled in everything he does. So it is not: "Am I following the code of conduct by observing the regulations of the law", but "Am I being loving toward God and man, joyful, peace-making, kind, gentle, faithful, good, patient, and self controlled in all that I am doing?"

 

[LW97Nils]

God's moral law existed long before the Mosaic Law. There are many elements of Mosaic Law that contain moral law. Jesus summarised God's moral law by saying that loving God with all one's heart, and loving your neighbour as yourself. He says that they cover the whole law.

Having been saved by grace through faith in Christ does not make us lawless. We are set free from the law of sin and death, but are now subject to the law of life in Christ Jesus. The law of life in Christ is expressed in us through the fruit of the Spirit. Paul says against these there is no law, because when a person is showing the fruit of the Spirit in his life, he is effectively complying with God's moral law. Therefore he is not aware of having to follow a set code of conduct, but he is to the best of his ability, trusting in the Holy Spirit working in him, being loving, joyful, peace-making, kind, gentle, faithful, good, patient, and self-controlled in everything he does. So it is not: "Am I following the code of conduct by observing the regulations of the law", but "Am I being loving toward God and man, joyful, peace-making, kind, gentle, faithful, good, patient, and self controlled in all that I am doing?"

I find nothing to disagree with there. That said, I only support this article from this website. Not everything, I have found they are SDA's.