Mixed Fabric, Bacon, and Prostitutes

One big argument people like to toss at Christians is how we don't follow all of the laws of the Bible, but only promote/adhere to some. Usually it's something like,

"You say it's bad to visit prostitutes, but you wear mixed fabrics and eat bacon. So, you don't even follow all of the laws in your Bible."

Allow me to share some insight, and break down this simple, and really groundless accusation. For professional scoffers, this won't help much as they've likely hardened themselves against anything Biblical anyway. But, for those curious as to why the accusation of us not following an Old Testament ceremonial law, but still following a moral law is a shallow at best, let me say just a bit.

Biblically speaking, the Old Covenant (Testament) is just as important to Christians as the New Testament. It reveals Christ in its pages, even before he officially comes on the scene. It also shows that if left to our own devices and laws, we can never be fully "good" by the standard of the law. The one who comes along and lives a sin free life on behalf of us, so that we may have forgiveness for our inability to uphold God's law, is Christ (God in flesh, fully God and fully man - Philippians 2:5-11).

Therefore, when we place our trust in the finished work of Christ, and believe his sacrifice has paid for our sin, we are forgiven, made new in Him, and given a clean slate, which remains clean as Christ's forgiveness is for sins past, present, and future.

Now, with all of that being said, a Christian should still strive to obey God's commands. We may fail at times, and Christ's forgiveness picks us up and admonishes us to go forth and sin no more, but we are not to completely ignore God's moral standard.

Old Testament Israel was a nation set apart by God, and given specific instructions because of that, so that God could dwell with them. A Holy and Just God (yes he's loving too as revealed more in the New Testament), cannot be in the presence of sin. So, to provide a means for His chosen people to still fellowship with Him, Israel was given 3 types of law to obey. The Ten Commandments are mentioned frequently, but in reality there were hundreds of laws in these categories given to Israel in Moses' time.

Since they would be a nation apart from other nations, they needed Civil Laws. That is, they needed laws that would let them function as a society. What to do if someone stole an ox, or how much someone owed for damaged property. Those types of things.

In addition they were given Ceremonial Law. The primary purpose of these laws was to allow them to draw close to God, and to have their sins forgiven, primarily seen by animal sacrifices. Ceremonial laws also included some the favorites for non-Christians to pick at, like not wearing mixed fabrics, or dietary restrictions.

Finally, God gave His standard of morality, and specifically addressed moral living for someone of God- The Moral Law

When Christ comes on the scene, He consistently acknowledges the moral statutes of God, and even elaborates on them, letting us know that standard does not change, and is absolute. Matthew 5 and Jesus's Sermon on the Mount contain most of His statements regarding moral laws and their continued applicability. Here are a couple of the more well known ones:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

(Matthew 5:21-24).

Christ is the fulfillment of everything the ceremonial laws stood for, which means the ceremonial laws for being clean and unclean were fulfilled, and no longer applicable after Christ. So, if I want to wear a cotton polyester mixed shirt while eating bacon, Christ is cool with it (and let's be honest, Jesus approving of bacon makes you like Him just a bit more doesn't it?)

"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." (Colossians 2:16-17)

"And he said to them, 'Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19 since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?' Thus he declared all foods clean" (Mark 7:18-19).

Also, because the Gospel was to go out to the Jews first, and to the ends of the earth (non-Jews as well), the Civil laws for living in a Theocratic society like what Israel had originally needed, also went out the window. (Though there was some practical wisdom still found in some of these laws, Christians are not bound to them in the same way as Old Testament Israel).

Much of the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament also goes to great lengths to show that Christ is the fulfillment of the past ceremonial and civil laws, and that Christians are no longer bound by them.

But, Christ (and the Apostles later in their epistles) tells us we are bound by moral law. We still cannot go out to a prostitute, or engage in other sexually immoral behavior. We still cannot gossip, spread lies, steal, or murder. These are God's unchanging moral standard to which all are held accountable.

So, the scoffer should learn to clarify the types of laws they are accusing us of breaking. And, the Christian should continue to abide by God's commands, and strive not to give ammo to non-Christians by engaging in questionable moral activity, even if one's motives are seemingly pure.

John Piper has a nice article that elaborates a bit more, so check out:

How Christ Fulfilled and Ended the Old Testament Regime

Here are a couple of scriptures he points out to help clarify the issue (These are John Piper's bullet points copied over for easier reading, not my own words):

• Christ fulfilled all that animal blood sacrifices were pointing towards: Hebrews 9:12

• The Priesthood that stood between worshiper and God has ceased: Hebrews 7:23-24

• The physical temple has ceased to be the geographic center of worship. Now, Christ himself is the center of worship. John 4:21,23; Matthew 18:20

• The food laws that set Israel apart from the nations have been fulfilled and ended in Christ. Mark 7:18–19

• The people of God are no longer a unified political body or an ethnic group or a nation-state, but are exiles and sojourners among all ethnic groups and all states. Romans 13:1; John 18:36