Why are forbidden foods and practices mentioned in Leviticus now allowed. Other practices such as sacrifices and scapegoats are no longer necessary. Communion and baptism have been added.
Some suggest that homosexuality and lesbianism are among the practices now allowed, though lesbianism is not specifically mentioned in Leviticus.
Most of the "laws" mentioned in Leviticus were preparations for ceremonial cleansing. There were, also, instructions for worship. Commandments of behavior, or moral laws, under which category homosexuality and other sexual immorality falls were considered sinful. Because the Israelites were "unclean" before God, who cannot look upon sin, they were required to cleanse themselves before approaching God's "house." God knew about germs and bacteria long before man, so even though the ceremonial cleansing was symbolic, the outward body was made clean.
Still, both body and soul were only temporarily cleansed. This is why Christ came (Heb.9:9-14). He became the priest (Heb.2:17) and the atoning sacrifice (Heb.7:23-28). The rules of worship taught the Israelites the concepts of purity, obedience, and self-discipline and were analogies or symbols (prophetic acts) of things to come. For instance, pork, considered ceremonially unclean in the Old Testament, is symbolic of Gentiles, also considered unclean. Both are "made clean" by Christ in the New Testament. (Acts 10:9-28).
At Christ's death, prophesies were fulfilled, and a new covenant was established (The New Testament). The physical acts of worship were replaced with spiritual acts of worship. Jesus declared all foods clean in Mark 7:19. The commandments of behavior, or moral laws, including homosexuality, beastiality, incest, etc., continued to be condemned in the New Testament (Rom. 1:24-27, I Cor. 6:9-10). As a matter of fact, the Old Testament is where we learn what constitutes sin. It is our master, or teacher. The laws were followed because the people were required to follow them, like it or not. Jesus still wants us to follow the laws but because we want to please Him, not because we have to. It's much like the way things are with our parents. Growing up we do things they require because we have to. We stomp and stew and find ways to disobey those rules, but when we mature, we see the reasoning behind them and we want to follow those rules and we want our children to follow those rules too.
There is no longer a scapegoat upon which sins were placed back in Old Testament times. When Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb, the scapegoat was eliminated. The sins being carried by the scapegoat had been only temporarily forgiven. Jesus forgives sins permanently.
As to the commandment of sacrificing on an altar, we no longer practice that commandment because Jesus became our sacrificial Lamb. He also became our High Priest. (Hebrews 3:1, 4:14-15, Heb. 5:1-10, Heb. 10:16-18))
He became our High Priest and is the only priest now required. Hebrews 7:12-22 says of the tribe of Levi "the former tribe" is set aside as priests because it was weak and useless. "12 For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. 13 He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. 15 And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is declared: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. 20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.' 22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant." Priests in the Old Testament were all descended from Levi, but Jesus was descended from Judah, so the law was changed at that point no longer requiring a priest to be descended from Levi and, in fact, no other priests but Jesus are required.
The baptisms performed by John the Baptist were for the repentance of sin only. Period. The end. But when Jesus had ascended into heaven, he left behind the Holy Spirit which each of us are given as his gift when we are baptized for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38)
--Becky Wall
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