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Archive for the ‘Explanations’ Category

Why Dietary Laws in Old Testament but Not The New?

Posted in Character, Christ, Commandments, Conversion, Explanations, Prejudice, Righteousness, tagged , on August 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The Old Testament had strict dietary laws generally based on inherent animal characterises — fish with fins and scales, “clean”, fins without scales, “unclean”. Animals chewing the “cud” and parting the hoof were ok to eat but those having one without the other, no good!

It all seems so arbitrary and many have tried to explain it by saying there are, perhaps, special heath benefits. But the Bible indicates why — and it had nothing to do with health.

“And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nations which I cast out before you … I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from other people … Ye shall therefore put a difference between clean beasts and unclean” — Leviticus 20:23-25

The “therefore” of this verse specifically links dietary law to the kinds of people God was replacing.

Old Testament dietary law was an object lesson teaching there were “clean” and “unclean” people based on their inherent actions.

In the New Testament God, again, links dietary laws with people groups, but with a twist — something happened with the advent of Christ!

Follow a telling story from the biblical book of Acts:

The apostle, Peter, has a vision of unclean animals on a sheet and is commanded to eat. He refuses, as any good Jew would, because they were “unclean”. Then the vision’s voice says,

“What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” — Acts 10:15

Just then three (3) gentiles show up at the door wanting to hear about Jesus, and a light goes on in Peter’s head!

I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him” — Acts 10:34-35

Before Christ, people rarely changed — they were forever as they were born. Not so in Christ! Jesus is in the life changing business! The symbolical dietary law has been superseded by Christ who changes the human heart making the unclean forgiven and holy! As the Apostle Paul wrote to those who come to Christ from the world,

“[S]uch were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” — 1st Corinthians 6:11

— fritz@langgang.com

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Like the Old Hardware Store

Posted in Content, Explanations, Philip Yancey, Quotes, tagged on August 13, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Let [the way you live] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee – Hebrews 13:5

Some people are so focused on what they lack they can’t enjoy what they have. But there will always be something more we feel we can’t do without.

Let those feelings go! Philip Yancey tells of the visitor to a local monastery:

“I hope your stay is a blessed one,” said the monk who showed the visitor to his cell. “If you need anything, let us know and we’ll teach you how to live without it.” – Prayer, pg 55

God gives the gift of being content; he is a lot like the hardware store where my wife worked when we were first married. Their sign read,

“If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.”

— fritz@langgang.com

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Jesus Still Visits

Posted in Christ, Explanations, Recognizing Christ, tagged on July 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Jesus appeared again to the disciples … but they didn’t recognize him … He said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.” They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish … [John] said to Peter, “It’s the Master!” Jesus said, “Breakfast is ready.” Not one of the disciples dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Master. – John 21:6-12 (Message Bible)

A strange little story here in the Gospel.

Jesus has resurrected and the disciples just go back to their normal lives of fishing, but with no success. On the shore a man shows up no one recognizes but when he tells them where to catch fish they knew this was no ordinary man — it was Jesus.

Though they could not recognize Christ by sight they did by his acts — and it is similar today. Jesus continues to show up! We go through our routines when suddenly we recognize God’s grace and provision.

You can tell it’s Jesus, it brings peace to a storm, supply to great need, true wholeness to great loss.

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for showing up in unexpected ways in my life. You always meet my needs when I obey you! Amen.

— fritz@langgang.com

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