The Old Law In Modern Times?


There is adage that states, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”.  The reason for this retrospective of pithiness comes from a question I was recently asked about Christian observances of Old Testament laws and regulations.  This issue has been a challenge for the church since its inception in the First Century and continues receive attention today.  While there are several regulations that pop-up, the two most common are “Sabbath Day” worship and dietary prohibitions.  In essence, why do we worship on the first day of the week (rather than on Saturday) and why do we eat foods such as pork, catfish and shellfish?  We don’t have the space for an depth study, but here is a brief synopsis for why we do what we do:
Sunday Worship:  I believe that the concept of sabbath days worship is a bit of a misnomer.  The idea behind the sabbath was not a day of worship, rather it was a day of rest.  Exodus 20:8-9 states,
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord  your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
Even if Old Testament worship was designed for the last day of the week (the seventh day), the early Christians seem to have worshiped on the first day of the week (the day Jesus was raised from the dead).  Acts 20:7 and I Corinthians 16:2 indicate that the New Testament church gathered on the first day of the week.  This is why we choose to do so today.
Dietary Regulations:  Another thing that made the Israelites different from the Gentiles was the limitations placed on food.  Leviticus 11 provides a detailed description of foods that were off-limits to Old Testament believers, but these restrictions appear to be eased in the early church.  Jesus mentioned a new perspective when He taught, “It is not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” (Matthew 15:11).  When Peter experienced the vision of a bounty of foods he was encouraged to eat because, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” (Acts 10:15).   Paul deals with Christians being bound to archaic regulations in Colossians 2:16-23 and I Timothy 4:1-5. 
The Bible is full of connections between the Old and New Testaments.  Many of the principles of godliness are the same, but there are distinctions in the two different covenants God has made with His people.  Let’s be wise in what we advocate and what we believe.

Popular posts from this blog

Having A Dream

On August 28, 1963, in Washington D. C., Dr. Martin Luther King addressed the crowd that gathered for the March On Washington For Jobs And Freedom in what became one of the most famous and impassioned speeches during the Civil Rights Era.  The treatise, often referred to as the “I Have A Dream” Speech, addressed King’s assessment of the way African-Americans had been treated and the mission he was on to promote civil equality.  Through the years many people have quoted Dr. King’s remarks and, this weekend, as our nation prepares to honor his memory, I would like share a few of my favorite excerpts:  “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.  I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” … “I have a dre...
Read more

The Uncertainty Of Life

1958 was a challenging year in Cuba.  Revolutionary forces were active throughout the island nation while the ruling dictator, Fulgencio Batista, struggled to maintain control.  In spite of the underlying political tensions Havana continued to be the entertainment capital of the Caribbean.  Hotels, casinos and opulent shows were readily available just a few miles off of the southern coast of Florida.  New Year’s Eve 1958 probably began like many others – a night of celebration, entertainment and debauchery – but before the sun rose on the “Pearl of the Caribbean” the history of the Western Hemisphere was changed forever.  In the early morning hours of January 1, 1959 Batista fled Cuba and opened the door for Fidel Castro to come to power.  I am fascinated by the history of Cuba, especially the first three quarters of the 20 th Century; yet, this event is more than a historical fact, it also offers a spiritual warning:  Life Is Fluid.  It is ...
Read more

The Gospel Truth

During a recent Communion Service Scripture reading I was struck by a portion of John 19.  I am sure that I have read it scores of times, but this time it really got me to thinking.  When John recorded the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion he wrote, “ And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.” (John 19:35).   In the midst of making some incredible claims about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus John pauses to say, “believe me”!   As I got to thinking about the importance of this statement it reminded me that we all have to be honest with the gospel – not just John (whose words would transcend time) – but every one of us.   Even though we have the written Word available to us today, we must treat it with honesty and we must be transparently truthful when discussing it.   So, how do we make this happen? 1.   We must know what the Bible say...
Read more