What is the Old Law? Why was it necessary?
Before we explain the New Law and its freedoms, we need to look at the Old Law, its nature, and why it was necessary in salvation history.
Before Christ embraced humanity and became man, the world was in a horrible mess, it was divided and people did not understand that we shared a common Father, that is, the one true God. The bible tells us this much. In fact, we know that men were spiritually childlike, immature, and unable to comprehend their sinfulness, and divided as we were, there was no quick solution for unity. It was at this moment, with the coming of Christ already a part of His Divine plan, that the Lord our God took to himself a people who would be set apart and made ready to receive the Redeemer.
So we start with what God gave Moses...the Ten Commandments. From there God gave the Israelites many more Laws or so called commandments throughout the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.The Old Law is divided into two parts, the moral code and the civil and ceremonial things (ritual observances). The moral code, summed up in the Ten Commandments, is a natural law, the law of the conscience, gathered by reason, and the foundation upon which man is to realize his vocation to live in the image of God. The commandments make plain what is against the love of God, and therefore they show us our sins. The second part of the Old Law, the observances, was necessary to ensure the Israelites remained united as a people and apart from the pagans. So you can see where this is going...
God wanted his chosen people to develop an awareness of sinfulness so when the fullness of time arrived, God would introduce a New Law that would allow each of us to know, in our hearts, the love of God, who forgives our sins and raises us to eternal life. And therein lies the weaknesses of the Old Law:
1)It does not forgive sins (since only God's love can do this)
2)It can suggest that our actions, in accordance with the Law, are the only criteria for eternal life (wrong, since only grace based on faith and our cooperation with this grace can guarantee this)
3)It relies on fear of punishment, rather than love, which is God
In truth, if the Old Law did have the power to make us righteous and sinless, clean and perfect sacrifices for the Lord, then Jesus' death on the cross, the sacrifice that opens the door to God the Father, would have been unnecessary.
So we see that it is clear that the Old Law alone does not have the power to break the chains and bondage of sin, only the grace of the Holy Spirit, given to the faithful through faith in Christ, is able to remove sin. Hence a New Law...Christ...throughout all the apostles writings in the New Testament we are given a new law starting with John the Baptist preparing the way and us finishing it! So you see we live under the Law of Christ and all His grace...
"But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit." -Romans 7:6
So lets not worry anymore what is on the outside of a person and remember that Jesus has set us free from religious drowning, He alone can forgive sins, He alone set me free and that is why I have Set Free tattooed on my right arm and in my heart...so live a life in the Spirit and break thos religious chains...PEACE
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Why do so many non believers and believers think tattoos are sacrilegious?
Having many tattoos on my body, I figured it would be a good idea to share my thoughts on being a christian/pastor and having tattoos. Before you read this I would ask that you pray that the Holy Spirit gives you wisdom and understanding...
Why do so many non believers and believers think that tattoos are against the bible? And that is says to not get any tattoos?
I have personally been asked literally 30-40 times why I have tattoos and why I continue to get tattoos as a Youth Pastor or Christian...and without fail, just about everytime the same scripture that gets brought up is Leviticus 19:28 (half the time the folks who bring it up don't even know what this scripture is, but seem to know what it means!)
"You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks on your body; I am the LORD". (RSV)
Does this verse really condemn tattoos? Let's take a look.
First things first, as christians who should be reading and studying our bibles, we must understand that most of the time one scripture does not stand alone. We must be able to read and take the entire context and seek God for understanding on the subject. I also need to state that our faith is based on more than just tattoos; it is supported by good works as well. And we must pray as often as possible that issues (such as body art) are cast aside in favor of more pressing problems: christian unity, the onslaught of relativism, difficulties in evangelization, conformation to society and culture around us, lack of living a sanctified and pure life...etc
Now Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favour in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died(this was taken out of a Matthew Henry Commentary.)As no one with a Christian tattoo is trying to practice a pagan deity, it is safe to say this verse is not relevant to us. Still, many who read the Bible will not take into account historical considerations or the full context of Leviticus 19:28.
Yet, there is a very real problem with using this verse in an anti-tattoo argument. One cannot believe that Jesus is Lord and He came to save the world through grace and love and still accept this verse as applicable to us today. It sounds harsh, but it is true. Why? The answer is simple. Christ gave us a New Law, one that supersedes the Old Testament Law, which includes Leviticus 19:28.
In my next blog, I will answer questions on the Old Law and New Law...until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus, seek Him with everything you have and never let Him go... Pastor Travis
Why do so many non believers and believers think that tattoos are against the bible? And that is says to not get any tattoos?
I have personally been asked literally 30-40 times why I have tattoos and why I continue to get tattoos as a Youth Pastor or Christian...and without fail, just about everytime the same scripture that gets brought up is Leviticus 19:28 (half the time the folks who bring it up don't even know what this scripture is, but seem to know what it means!)
"You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh on account of the dead or tattoo any marks on your body; I am the LORD". (RSV)
Does this verse really condemn tattoos? Let's take a look.
First things first, as christians who should be reading and studying our bibles, we must understand that most of the time one scripture does not stand alone. We must be able to read and take the entire context and seek God for understanding on the subject. I also need to state that our faith is based on more than just tattoos; it is supported by good works as well. And we must pray as often as possible that issues (such as body art) are cast aside in favor of more pressing problems: christian unity, the onslaught of relativism, difficulties in evangelization, conformation to society and culture around us, lack of living a sanctified and pure life...etc
Now Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God's prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favour in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died(this was taken out of a Matthew Henry Commentary.)As no one with a Christian tattoo is trying to practice a pagan deity, it is safe to say this verse is not relevant to us. Still, many who read the Bible will not take into account historical considerations or the full context of Leviticus 19:28.
Yet, there is a very real problem with using this verse in an anti-tattoo argument. One cannot believe that Jesus is Lord and He came to save the world through grace and love and still accept this verse as applicable to us today. It sounds harsh, but it is true. Why? The answer is simple. Christ gave us a New Law, one that supersedes the Old Testament Law, which includes Leviticus 19:28.
In my next blog, I will answer questions on the Old Law and New Law...until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus, seek Him with everything you have and never let Him go... Pastor Travis
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