Explorations in Obsolescence

In keeping with the mood that 'that part of Law which is applicable is the part which is does not fall under the rule of obsolescence' then I want to examine clothing.

A major critic of mine has recently countered me by asking if I did the dietary laws. In fact, I abstain from unclean meats. That isn't the same as keep[ing dietary law, one law also states to eat only unleavened bread during Passover, which I will have to start next year. So I'm trying. He follows up by asking what about clothing weaved from two different materials. I do not do that. But I have not done it because I rarely ever go shopping and I have a lot of clothes that I've warn for many years and don't mean to stop. So as I start replacing things gradually as materials get old and fall apart, I will very seriously consider buying only those sorts of clothing. He, because he is warped and demented, thinks he has won the argument and shown that I am clearly a buffoon. But he hasn't won at all and this will explain why.

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The Law's Purpose

These laws actually had very clear purposes. The land of Israel as we know today is quite small. The land of Israel in those days was larger but how much larger I'm not informed of those numbers but we'll suppose according to the maps seen regularly at the back of bibles it wasn't substantially larger in those days than it is now. Israel in that time was a quite fertile land, really a jewel of the Mid-East. Why, it seems perfectly logical that when you're sitting on a continent made up almost strictly of desert and arid climate, that you would want to implement proper agricultural practice so as to maintain the richness and fertility of the terrain you live on. Quite clever, Jehovah! And quite stupid for the humans who come along and think this is something to laugh at and mock.

Was this law designed to benefit the people of that region and in that time? Absolutely. Does it present a moral weight to us today? I don't think so. Because this overlooks exactly what is the type of soil of North America (that is, if you live in North America) and what are the techniques that are going to best consider what type of soil, what type of crops will be sustained, and what techniques are going to yield a bountiful crop. Maybe agricultural practice of Judea from 3000 years ago isn't best suited to the climate and geography of North America.

Nevertheless, if it helps my witness, and it puts my money where my mouth is, I will wear the proper clothing. Because I cannot make myself vulnerable on such a minimal point so that my most petty, belligerent, dim-witted adversaries can mock my ministry and say, "Hehe, he wears a cotton-polyester fabric!" I will simply choose to wear cotton and it feels much nicer to the touch so stick that in your pipe and smoke it. And if you're not a smoker you can just stick it.

The Verdict

To me, this is apparently something that falls under the rule of obsolescence but that I'd say if you were a farmer in Israel I think the law has continuing regional applicability unless the Jews have discovered some agricultural technique which supersedes the command in the Bible. And that's one aspect of obsolescence. For instance with hygiene and sanitary regulations it makes most sense that those laws are made obsolete by advances in terms of water treatment, sewer facilities, anti-septics and anti-bacterials, and all the many advances of Western culture which are more effective at eliminating the spread of disease than Levitical law. Those laws had definite value in that day and age but in a lot of ways, if not all ways, has been set aside in favor of modern medicine and science. So the law, if it applies at all, only applies to people in the state of Israel and nowhere outside of Israel. The law had a specific applicability and value in that era for that people and for us today does not serve the same value, but I will not say serves no value because I am not an agriculturist and would have no way to know that. I know if you're living on the only piece of tenable land in a radius of literally hundreds of miles and in some directions thousands of miles, and the LORD has said I will make you a great nation but you need to do this, this, and this, in terms of your crops, I would listen to Him, lest my land go to rot like every other pile of sand in that area. Will God burn me if I do something else with my fields? I don't think so. But if I go to plow land in Israel, I have a different take there.

Addendum: "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." The Law teaches a conservation of land, if not for the purpose of contemporaries who will benefit, but so as to be protected for future generations. That would be sad for one generation to leave a desolated earth to its children.

Perfect Liberty

In the Christian religion, most fall within one of two camps: the legalists and the libertarians. The libertarians teach that no salvation comes from the Law, while the legalists teach that salvation comes from the Law. I reject both as being absurd.

The apostles give us many commands which Christians are to abide by, which negates libertarianism.

Also, the Word teaches us that we are saved by faith in Christ, which negates legalism.

Yeshua said, If you love me then you will obey my commandments.

He also says, "...that whosoever should believe on him should not perish..."

What needs to be seen here is love = believe. If you believe Yeshua, that is, if you love Him, then you will obey Him. Likewise, if you obey Him it is because you love Him. But if you do not obey Him it is because you do not love Him.

Paul calls the Law chains. It is no chain but freedom! Perfect liberty can only be realized in a system of law. Political philosophers have always known this, and God before them knew it all along. The Law is for us and not against us.

Let's look at a few points.

Murder

We do not regret the fact we are not free to kill. We don't levy complaints against God because we are not free in this matter. But it is because society and religion, e.g. law, prevail that we are given our freedom from being killed. We are at liberty in our lives, frankly, because of law.

Sexual relationships

The atheists and skeptics are gravely disappointed that they cannot continue in sexual immorality under a Christian system. The big Party Pooper in the sky they say wants to crash their party and to keep them from having fun.

But we see in theory and in practice that relationships can only prosper at their highest level when we respect our bodies and the bodies' of our respective others. We have longer, happier marriages, greater levels of fulfillment, lower risks of unwanted pregnancies, STDs, poverty, and a lack of education by doing it the way God intended. It is because God loves us so much that He wants us to be fulfilled in our lives, not because He wants to punish us or keep us from having a good time.

Unclean Meats

The Christians in the church mock today and say they are entitled to eating these meats. But God said we were not entitled to yet we do it anyway.

My mother is one who has had allergic reactions to seafood. These foods can be harmful, the toxins and worms they may carry.

God does not punish us in telling us to abstain from pork and other meats! It is because He loves us and wants the best for us.

Imagine for a second that perhaps God, the greatest Geneticist of the universe, foresaw in the genetic code of the Hebrews who He have this command to that some who ate these things would get sick and die. Then they would go to God mourning and wailing saying, "Why did you let us eat this, when you knew of the great harm it would cause?" And think back and see why this is exactly what the Jewish people would have done.

But God loved His people so much that He does not say to us, "I hold the lightning in my palm, and whosoever eats of this meat shall die." But instead He says, "I love you with such a great and abiding love and see that you can only live your best life by eating healthy and so that is why I ask you to avoid these things which will only pollute and harm you!"

A friend of mine says we are at liberty. I suppose we are. But God has saw fit to declare to us how best to live our lives and I think He might be privy to some information we are not. Surely we are not damned from smoking cigarettes or eating a hot dog. But will we live the best life Christ wants us to live by doing those things? No.

In every act of God, we see His mercy

When the youths were killed in 2 Kings 2 for mocking the prophet, I do not see judgment. I see the loving mercy of God. God in His wisdom saw that if these kids continue on in their sin, they will lead the people of Israel astray and they will go to their own damnation. Because of the great wickedness they committed at the young age they did, God saw fit to bring their lives to an end and spare them future damnation, but to bring their souls pure life with Him. That is a hard lesson, but it pays well.

The mercifulness of the Father was tried when His people cried for quail. But from the generosity of His heart He offered them quail and at the same time saw fit to judge them for rejecting His good gift. In it was the heart of a father, reprimanding his son, not out of hatred for his son, but because of the great love he has and wanting his son to be the best man he can be in his life.

Time after time after time we see the goodness and graciousness of our God and the Christians impugn His motives saying, "He was too harsh on those Israelites," and "What do you have against pork, they look so tasty."

God does not hate us and seek to destroy us.  Deny us liberty and offer us only chains. It is because He knows as all the political philosophers will tell you, perfect liberty is only realized through Law and you can only live your best life possible with self-control and abstaining from unhealthy habits.

It is because He loves us that He has offered a plan for our health and for our prosperity.