Silvertusk wrote:
He fufilled the law so we are not bound by it.
Let me clear this up... We are not bound by it meaning that we are "justified" by it, but that doesn't mean we can't be sanctified through it, meaning by walking in faith of it.
Silvertusk wrote:The law of Leviticus was given to Israel to set them apart from all the pagen nations that surrounded them. It was also stated that this is not the ideal situation but initially meeting Israel where they are and slowly improving their society. It was never meant to be permanent - Jesus changed all that. The law convicted the OT people of their sins - now we have the Holy Spirit to do that.
Not exactly... Jesus commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves, Mark 12:31. Are you implying that we shouldn't? Also there are some commandments there were meant to last forever.. Such as: The Ten commandments, The Seventh Day Sabbath, The Biblical feasts, and keeping kosher. Why are we to keep them? Not to be justified by keeping them or for salvation, but for our sanctification. They are for our spiritual benefits and walking in obedience.
Silvertusk wrote:I have no problem with people following the Torah in their Christian beliefs - but as I stated before that is not what makes Christianity pure. Worshipping Jesus is what makes it pure. Traditions are ok to help with that - but even then there is a danger of the tradition becoming a chore and no real heart worship taking place.
Ok.. You state that worshiping Jesus is what makes us pure. How is that done? By mere words or actions? Also while traditions can be a chore that can happen with ANY tradition. That doesn't mean that the tradition is bad but the heart behind it. So? Have you ever been to a Christmas party and found it to be heartless?
Silvertusk wrote:Even in Acts there was a big debate about the Jewish Christians putting a yoke on the backs of Gentile Christians with all their laws and traditions - the conclusion being that they only had to abide a few of them - mainly the ones relating to sexual morality.
That doesn't mean that we throw the others out either. Those commands can still be applied to us spiritually in our daily walk. Let me give you an example. The Levitical sacrificial system can now be replaced by CHRIST who is our sacrifice who washes our sins away..