Smoky Mountain Reflections #172
Biblical
Christians DO NOT MURDER GAY PEOPLE!!! The various commands issued by God
throughout scripture can be broken into three classes: ceremonial, civil & moral. These distinctions are not
enumerated for us in scripture but are very helpful in applying God’s law to
our lives. We can use God’s word to untangle them just like we use it to
provide a clear understanding of the Holy Trinity. The distinctions are
important to understand, not only because they help us to properly apply God’s
will in our lives and to love God and our neighbor in accord with His will, but
because Christ himself tells us in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come
to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to
fulfill them.” Let’s look at these three ‘classes’ or categories, and
define and apply them.
The
clearest category of the three is the ceremonial
law. Old Testament religious regulations/rules fall in this class. These
are the commands which deal with the temple or tabernacle. This law directs
temple tools and accoutrements, priests and their garments, temple ceremonies,
feasts and festivals, and includes dietary and clothing restrictions for the
people. Ceremonial laws are called “hukkim” or “chuqqah” in Hebrew, which
literally means “custom of the nation”; these words are often translated as
“statutes”. These statutes/laws point to the coming Messiah, and were fulfilled/completed
in Him. For example, the shedding of Christ’s innocent blood for the atonement
of sins on Good Friday fulfills what all the temple sacrifices before him pointed
to. No need for further sacrifices. Many books are filled with clear
explanations of how “customs of the nation” were fulfilled in Christ. Even
Jewish scholars (who of course do not see Christ as a fulfillment) agree there
is a definite distinction between ceremonial and moral laws.
The
civil, or legal, category of
commands we see in the OT is not accepted by Jewish scholars, and actually has a
mixed reception within Christendom. But the majority of Christian scholars
agree that such a class or category of commands is helpful in understanding history.
Civil laws are those which applied directly and exclusively to the nation of
Israel from 1446 BC to 586 BC while remnants of that nation-state existed
in exile. These were laws regarding issues such as slavery, punishment of
multiple forms of sin (by stoning), and other issues applicable to the time. Similar
to ceremonial law, they functioned to point to the coming Christ, keeping God’s
people separate and distinct because the promised Messiah, the savior of all would
come from them. God fulfilled this in Christ through Mary and His step father
Joseph. However, the kingdom for which those civil laws were written no longer
exists. Today’s nation-state of Israel, being a modern construct of the UN,
cannot legitimately claim a real connection to the kingdom that fell in 586 BC.
Since the
civil and ceremonial laws functioned to point to, prepare for, and announce the
coming Messiah, the purpose for which God established those laws has come to
pass. It would be a denial of Christ as the Messiah to continue adhering to
those types of laws. The metaphor here is that the concert is over; one does
not put up posters and hand out flyers for a concert that has already taken
place. In accord with biblical principal, Christians have never and should never
resort to vigilante mob justice, which (apart from God’s word to the Israelites
in that particular time and place) is what stoning is. Instead, we trust God to
execute civil judgment through the authorities He puts in place, and He calls
us to be good citizens of whatever worldly kingdom we live in.
Finally,
moral laws. These are the laws of
God which scripture speaks of in Matthew 5:18 as not passing away. The
10 commandments are a clear example of these timeless moral laws. To be sure,
there are laws within the two previously mentioned categories which carry moral
content that still applies but they are then ‘moral’ laws.
Let’s look at commandments 3 through 6 for some clarification on this. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy” actually fits in all three categories but because the ceremonial and civil natures of the law were fulfilled in Christ, we are free to worship on any day if the week (1 in 7 is the moral element which requires weekly worship). For 2000 years Christians have chosen the day of Easter (a Sunday) to be their primary day of worship; some must work on Sundays but they have six other days to make use of for spiritual and physical nourishment and rest. “Honor your father and mother” speaks to all authority in our lives, though when the law of a civil government violates God’s law, Christians must follow God rather than man (Acts 5:29). “You shall not murder” does not prohibit all killing; war and capital punishment can justify the taking of life by a government. Murder is the taking of innocent life. Gunning down an abortion doctor or strangers in a gay bar fits this definition and is murder. The sixth commandment makes clear that sex belongs in marriage, which is between one man and one woman. This is an undeniable biblical principal that Christians are called to speak the truth in love about. Not to mention a biological reproductive truth.
Let’s look at commandments 3 through 6 for some clarification on this. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it Holy” actually fits in all three categories but because the ceremonial and civil natures of the law were fulfilled in Christ, we are free to worship on any day if the week (1 in 7 is the moral element which requires weekly worship). For 2000 years Christians have chosen the day of Easter (a Sunday) to be their primary day of worship; some must work on Sundays but they have six other days to make use of for spiritual and physical nourishment and rest. “Honor your father and mother” speaks to all authority in our lives, though when the law of a civil government violates God’s law, Christians must follow God rather than man (Acts 5:29). “You shall not murder” does not prohibit all killing; war and capital punishment can justify the taking of life by a government. Murder is the taking of innocent life. Gunning down an abortion doctor or strangers in a gay bar fits this definition and is murder. The sixth commandment makes clear that sex belongs in marriage, which is between one man and one woman. This is an undeniable biblical principal that Christians are called to speak the truth in love about. Not to mention a biological reproductive truth.
Speaking
the truth in love, incidentally, does not include shooting, yelling at, or
shunning anyone. It means being kind and loving toward one’s neighbor (and all
people are your neighbors). Tell them that violating God’s moral law is not good
for them, and that Jesus paid the price for all our violations by perfectly
fulfilling the moral law on our behalf. Eternity is sure for those who do not
reject this truth. Therefore, continue to live out your faith in their presence,
being kind, generous, friendly, and hospitable. That is what the “love your neighbor”
part of the moral law looks like. Jesus does not force himself on anyone and
neither should we.
In Christ,
Pastor Portier
For further reading on this topic
I recommend the following links
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