@Rainrider i did not have much time on my hands during the week, but on sabbath i have freedom.
so let me give scripture supporting these points - i simply presumed earlier you either knew them already or would go search them out.
then perhaps you won't consider the truth to be 'hateful' when the evidence is made more clear, yes?
- laws for clean and unclean food have changed over time.
- Genesis 1:29 — Adam is given plants for food
- Genesis 9:3 — Noah is given all flesh for food without restriction
- Leviticus 11 — Israel is given distinction between clean and unclean meat
- Mark 7:19, Acts 10, Romans 14 — all food is clean for a Christian with a clear conscience
- laws requiring circumcision have changed
- Genesis 17 — circumcision is commanded physically long before the Law of Moses. in fact Moses is nearly killed by God for it, if not for the intervention of Zipporah.
- Leviticus 12 —physical circumcision is reiterated in the Law of Moses
- John 7:23 — circumcision precedes sabbath. very important!
- Romans 2 — circumcision is "nothing"
- Galatians 5 —physical circumcision is not only no longer required but can be sinful if carried out in order to keep the Law of Moses as justification
- laws concerning where animal sacrifices may be made have changed
- prior to Exodus 20, there were no restrictions on how an altar could be built. Exodus 20 specifies details of construction of altars, immediately after the decalogue, giving it great import within the Law. but no restrictions on location of any altar is given.
- Leviticus 17:3-6 — after the tabernacle is built, any sacrifice at any place other than the tabernacle is considered murder under the Law.
- (same reference) after the temple is built, similarly all sacrifices must be made at the temple
- John 4 —acceptable worship is unilaterally declared spiritual having no restrictions on location
- Hebrews 10:26-27 — there are no more acceptable blood sacrifices, period, after Christ. this is a RADICAL change in Law.
- the law of priesthood has changed
- Genesis 4 — Cain and Abel bring offerings with no intermediary priest whatsoever. this is a pattern repeated numerous times until Exodus 20
- Genesis 14 — out of nowhere appears Melchizadek called "priest of the Most High God"
- Exodus/Leviticus/Deuteronomy — tge tribe of Levi is declared the only acceptable priesthood
- Hebrews 7 —the priesthood of Levi, which is an explicit matter of the Law given in the Torah, is dissolved and supplanted by the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ. SPECIFICALLY stated is that it means the Law must be changed for the priesthood to change.
Being as I am a bit slow, due to being dyslexic, Let take this one topic at a time. We can start with clean and unclean if you don't mind.
Genesis 1:29 Though it is true that Adam and Eve were given plaints to eat, we must keep in mind that in garden there was only one commandment ever given. Not to eat from the tree of knowledge. It was after their sin, that we were given the Laws that were intended to bring us back into the relationship with HaShem that man kind enjoyed in the garden.
How ever clean and unclean were know before this time. Gen. 7:8, Gen. 8:20.
Genesis 9:3 Though it may seem that way by simply reading the passage, and I do see your point as well how one may come to that conclusion. However we must keep in mind that HaShem made the distinction between the 2 before He said Noah may eat flesh. many things that we see in the Word may seem to be one thing when really it isn't, as we will see as time goes on. How ever let me give you an example.
When Moses came down, and said here is what we have to do. How many of them were given with no instruction as to how? Many were. How did they go about sacrifice, carve into stone with out the use of metal chisels, and so on? I know that not many follow the idea that the Oral teachings are not accurate. I remember in like the 3rd or 4th grade, the teacher whispered something in a students ear. That was passed around the class. when it reached the end the last student said it out load. It was nothing like was first said. Things do get a bit distorted like that. Any way, we will get to that in time as well.
Leviticus 11 It is true that we are given a detailed list of clean and unclean here, Noah had to understand this to load the ark. Now we follow the teachings of some, HaShem brought the animals, so they would say Noah didn't know. I will give you that one, if you like. Yet do we think Noah put on a blind fold, and didn't know what was going on at all? Or that he cared for them all and never seen how many of what were there? Noah know, and I would say he understood clean and unclean.
Mark 7:19 If we back up and read the full chapter we find this is not about food. Yeshua first replied to and corrected the Pharisees, about their traditions. Yeshua did nothing to change the Laws, rather correct the understanding in a manner that fit the situation.
As an example of this. If we were to teach someone how to change a tire, I teach them to always tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern, and you teach them to do so by just going around them. Is one wrong and the other right? So long as the tire doesn't fall off both can be right. So tradition isn't all bad, so long as it does conform to the laws that apply to the job at hand. In this case keeping the tire on the car is the law we must strive to achieve.
Acts 10 Let me first lay the ground work on this one.
Cornelius as we all know was a gentile, a roman centurion. At this time, it was not legal for a Hebrew to shack hands with a gentile, much less go into ones house. If found doing so, they would face death by stoning. Cornelius was a believer, and was told to send for Peter.
Now HaShem knowing Peter wouldn't go because of this UNBIBLICAL law, had to set Peter at easy with going, so bring on the vision. Now 15 seems to where every wishes to look, never mind they are overlooking so much in the lead up to this.
As we know a sinner would be unclean spiritually. Well so long as they shower, if not then they are just not fit to be around no matter what. LOL
In 17 we read that peter wasn't sure what to make of this vision. There comes a knock at the door. in 23 Peter tells them, come on in, (even though that act could get him killed). later we find Peter telling Cornelius the following. 28, You know by Law I shouldn't be here, However HaShem has shown me that is wrong.
How did HaShem show Peter it was wrong to call any man unclean? Through the vision. Peter many have not understood at first, as most would have trouble with that. Yet when the gentiles showed up, Peter understood, and welcomed them in. Then through his explanation we find the vision wasn't about food at all, it was about mankind.
Romans 14 Here we have the same teaching to some degree. 2 Paul is saying much thing same as Peter, that HaShem has expected everyone, not just the ones we like. Trust me, if you invited me for dinner, I would eat, even you had pork. Now I may not eat pork, but there would sides to go with it, I would gladly eat. Does this make me wrong? Not at all. Would it be wrong for me to say how wrong you are? Yes it would for many reason.
10 We will face our judgment, we simply can't get around that. Unlike sneaking into the theater as we did when we were kids. Well I only did it once. Really thought I had done something, until I found out I got in free anyway. LOL
14 Here is where things go sideways for a lot of people. Paul tells us no food by it's self isn't wrong. So you will never hear me tell someone not to eat anything. However, if we understand something we find the Law hasn't changed at all. You see in the mind of any Hebrew person, even today, if you say food, they only think of clean meat. As it is HaShem never turns us away, and is happy we came to Him. He takes us as we are, and then through His word, teaches us the things we need to know.
I already hear you my friend. The Laws that are written in our hearts and minds may not be clearly understood in all their details by us. Yet everyone knows right from wrong, and that is what the Law is intended to do in our lives. Oddly it still does this work.
Just as Paul made clear we should not condemn others for their faith in verse 20, even though he is speaking of food. We must look past the word, and seek the meaning. You see, symbolism is used through out the Word, and we may miss the meaning of it, after all we are only human, and we do follow our hearts. Nothing wrong with that, yet knowing this, we should be humble in all we do. Never forgetting that I John can be wrong, and may need a nudge to get me back on track. So if you see me slipping away, slap me up side the head. However if what you see is a man doing his best to live a life in accordance with the Word, we should seek to see if His heart is the right place or not. If not, then by all means point it out to them.
I am going to stop here and await your reply. I won't forget to get back to the other topics, As I said this is the best way for me.