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).
There is no longer a scapegoat upon which sins were placed then which was released on our behalf because Jesus became the sacrificial Lamb. The sins being carried by the scapegoat were 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))
Jesus became our High Priest and he is the only priest now required. Hebrews 7:12-22 says the tribe of Levi "the former tribe" is set aside 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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