Disciplemike,
Sometimes I agree with what you say (in other posts), and sometimes I cannot agree..... *rubs temples*
Regarding the OP, there are rules for us who are under grace. It is called the Bible (Tanakh + NT).
However, in the new covenant there is a spiritual application of the Law or Torah. The Ceremonial and Ritual Law apply spiritually now. Do not eat, do not touch what is unclean, speaks to the spiritual things which we now should not partake in which are against the will of God. This is why Paul told the church in Colossians 2:
Colossians 2:11-23 NKJV
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins[c] of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not[d] seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
20 Therefore,[e] if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Paul was saying specifically here to those who were in Christ Jesus and understand that the Law was the shadow of which the substance is in Christ.... Let no one judge you in food or in drink, regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths..... because they were no longer required to do so. He was speaking about not being required to do these things anymore by the ritual and ceremony of the Law, but to stand in the substance which is in Christ. I've seen many people use this scripture to try to justify remaining in the Law, but it explains the exact opposite. Paul, a pharisee of pharisees was shown this by the Lord.
Let's not look at this as if it was saying the Law is completely abolished, as we know that Christ said specifically that He didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. In the New Covenant for those who are in Christ Jesus, whether Gentile or Messianic Jews, we have to understand that the Law is now applied Spiritually. Granted the Moral Law is still applicable as it was spiritual to begin with, but the law of requirements IS the Old Covenant. The Law is called the Law of sin and death or the Law of blessing and cursing. It refers to the same thing and for ALL who are in Christ Jesus, it would be good to understand that the law applies spiritually.
Let us also stand and know that the grafting into the vine means we are grafted into Christ through the promise of Abraham which pre-dated the Torah. We should also understand that replacement theology is a heresy. The Church does not replace Israel and God is not done with Israel yet. This is why we have a Great Tribulation coming up, also known as the Time of Jacob's (Israel's) Trouble. As we see in Romans, if Israel does not continue in unbelief, they will be re-grafted back in, and there is even greater glory when the natural branches are re-grafted back in than when the wild branches are grafted in. This is why we continue to pray for Israel! The warning also applies to the Church that if we do not continue in belief, we shall be cut off as well.
