Remember for OT Israel, to be Israel/Hebrew/Jewish meant:
1. Bloodline (physical ancestor of Abraham)
2. Religion
3. Nation (statehood citizenship)
We can't think in terms of separation of church and state and impose those categories on them. When I say civil, I mean the entire scope of Mosaic Law of requirements. These requirements branched from cleanliness codes, penal legislation, sacrificial obligations, dietary laws, etc.
When the New Testament authors came to accept the work of the Messiah and began to interpret it as the end of that, they continued to teach the moral dimensions of the law. Now while you may want to categorize this or that as more neatly fitting in this or that category, as Christians we accept the Apostolic witness as the legitimate categorizing of these things.
So then homosexuality remained sinful, but the penalty for it prescribed in the Mosaic Law was no longer valid. Even further, it was never valid, even during the OT period, for nations outside of Israel.
So even for Jewish people who dismiss the New Testament interpretation of Mosaic Law as being fulfilled in Jesus, they do not ascribe those laws to be universal, though they will acknowledge the moral dimension is.
That may be confusing, but I am simply trying to convey the doctrine in a way that is not too embedded in long analysis of scripture, for your benefit.
Lastly, as to the "neither male nor female" piece, is the same as "neither Jew nor Greek" "neither slave nor free" etc. Those physical realities continued and the bible never dismisses this. All throughout the New Testament we hear talk of Jews and Gentiles and men and women and slaves and free, etc. So it would be contradictory to look at that text as implying these dimensions no longer exist. Our anatomy shows they do.
Rather, in context, it is talking about being filled with the Spirit, considered heirs of the promise to Abraham, and living abundantly in the grace of God.
Whereas before this was something that Israel had a unique covenant relationship with God, and if anyone wanted to join that, they had to become Jewish, (circumcised, keep the Mosaic Law, etc), now with the advent of Jesus, anyone from any background could place faith in Him and share in His Kingship.
- fanofnothing 2012-05-09 12:39:22 (150 views)
- bongo 2012-05-11 16:20:01 (68 views)
