Unclean and clean food
I have always thought this is a good example of the law of health and the law of spiritual uncleanliness.
Part of the law was simple food hygine for the people. Now I personally wash my hands, keep meat separate from vegitables etc. but do not regard this a religious. I am careful with pork and chicken as it goes off easily and must be fully cooked.
Jesus talked about uncleanliness comes from the heart not what you eat. So to say as christians we are bound to dietry rules exalts the hygine side of the law above the spiritual, Jesus.
Jesus in the sermon on the mount is emphasising His fulfillment of the law, becoming the cornerstone of the message of Gods nature. He appears to be saying two things. The whole message is about all of life, and its inter-connectedness. We are called to acknowledge the principles but not the letter, because we are justified through the cross by love working in us.
The fulfillment has to be the cross, which did away with the temple, because the whole of the law was surrounding Israel and the temple. Once Israel becomes the spiritual Israel or people of God, and the Temple is the body of christ, everything changes. Without this shift, we would all have to become Jews, which would deny the gospel itself and its message which is love from the heart is what matters.
Now I know this phrase "love from the heart" to some sounds psycho babble, but Jesus commanded us "to love one another as I have loved you." "God is love." Love God, love your neighbour. Unless you have love planted or set free within this is impossible, and I know it, and so do you. Some on cc have admitted how impossible they found this idea, though it is there in the gospel.
That is my take on this.
I have always thought this is a good example of the law of health and the law of spiritual uncleanliness.
Part of the law was simple food hygine for the people. Now I personally wash my hands, keep meat separate from vegitables etc. but do not regard this a religious. I am careful with pork and chicken as it goes off easily and must be fully cooked.
Jesus talked about uncleanliness comes from the heart not what you eat. So to say as christians we are bound to dietry rules exalts the hygine side of the law above the spiritual, Jesus.
Jesus in the sermon on the mount is emphasising His fulfillment of the law, becoming the cornerstone of the message of Gods nature. He appears to be saying two things. The whole message is about all of life, and its inter-connectedness. We are called to acknowledge the principles but not the letter, because we are justified through the cross by love working in us.
The fulfillment has to be the cross, which did away with the temple, because the whole of the law was surrounding Israel and the temple. Once Israel becomes the spiritual Israel or people of God, and the Temple is the body of christ, everything changes. Without this shift, we would all have to become Jews, which would deny the gospel itself and its message which is love from the heart is what matters.
Now I know this phrase "love from the heart" to some sounds psycho babble, but Jesus commanded us "to love one another as I have loved you." "God is love." Love God, love your neighbour. Unless you have love planted or set free within this is impossible, and I know it, and so do you. Some on cc have admitted how impossible they found this idea, though it is there in the gospel.
That is my take on this.
