DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- UNIVERSAL LAWS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – UNIVERSAL LAWS

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." (Leviticus 19:1)

In an introductory statement regarding the law of God in Leviticus, it was mentioned that there are various categories of laws that God gave. Some are universal, some are ceremonial, some are relational, some are national and cultural, some are moral.

In today's Scripture passages, we find a combination of these various genre of laws. So you ask, "How can you tell if it is a universal law that applies to all people regardless of their culture, or if it is specific to the nation and culture of Israel?" One of the defining criterion is whether it is repeated in the New Testament. For example, outside of Jesus' remarks about the Sabbath, there are no injunctions for New Testament believers to be bound by the Sabbath. Or, there is no New Testament command to leave the corners of the field unharvested for the poor.

But there are many commands that traverse the centuries and are applicable today. Here are some of them.

"Every one of you shall revere his father and mother" (19:2) is repeated in Ephesians 6:2. Or, "Do not turn to idols, nor make for yourselves molded gods: I am the LORD your God" (19:4); I John 5:21 exhorts us, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

In Leviticus 19, there are laws against stealing, defrauding, lieing, profanity, gossip, taking vengeance, sexual immorality including sex outside of marriage, adultery, incest, homosexuality, beastiality, and occultism (going to mediums or calling for familiar spirits).

These prohibitions are all found in the New Testament. Stealing: Let him who steals steal no longer (Ephesians 4:8); Defrauding: no one should take advantage and defraud his brother (I Thess. 4:6); Lying: Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9); Profanity: Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth (Ephesians 4:29); Gossip or talebearing is listed as sin in Romans 1:29, II Cor. 12:20; Vengeance: Do not avenge yourself (Romans 12:19); Sexual immorality is condemned throughout the N.T; The Occult: Sorcery is condemned as sin (Galatians 5:20).

These laws are relevant today because, 1) man hasn't changed in the past 6,000 years, and 2) God has not changed. What was sin then is sin now, despite what modern culture would try to make us believe. The righteous person takes seriously God's prohibitions and seeks to live pure before a holy God.

Love, Dad