continuance of OT laws

David Campbell (bivalve@email.unc.edu)
Sat, 24 Aug 1996 09:45:16 -0500

> The way I try to look at it is to distinguish between the ceremonial
>laws (which caused one to become unclean) and the moral laws (which
>usually carried a death penalty).
>
> The ceremonial laws are no longer necessary since we're under a new
>covenant with Jesus (e.g. Mark 7:14-16; Hebrews 10:8-18). The moral laws,
>however, still apply (e.g. Matthew 5:27-28; Mark 7:20).
>
Of course, there's also civil laws. They directly applied to the
government of the nation of Israel, so they no longer remain in force, but
the underlying moral principles remain in force. For example, the laws
about leaving gleanings in your field (Lev. 19:9-10) do not directly apply
to our culture (i.e., I am not morally bound to leave fossils at a locality
so less fortunate grad students can come along and describe them), but the
basic principle of putting charity before our own greed remains in effect.