Thursday, March 22, 2007

Love Leviticus? (4) - Love Distinctive

Holiness through culture separation is no longer relevant. Christians have been born again and given a new heart by the Holy Spirit. This makes it possible for us to actually be different. The thing that marks Christians off from other people is their love for one another.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).
Love is a much better distinctive, but it was not possible before the coming of Jesus. The Holy Spirit had not been poured on all people, so Israel had to rely on external differences to mark themselves off from other nations.

2 comments:

Steve Scott said...

Ron, you've lost me here with love not being possible before Christ. Each table is summed up as love. Those who had faith loved. They loved God and neighbor.

Ron McK said...

Sorry Steve. All I am saying is that they had not been born again and the Holy Spirit had not been poured out upon them, so they did not how the ability to love that we had. The commandments were an impossible ask for them. God, in mercy, gave them external distinctives that were more achievable.