“Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another. Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord. Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:11-18)

There was a great deal of debate in the early church regarding the Law of Moses. Many thought that one had to be fully Jewish before becoming a Christian, meaning following the complete Law. The Apostle Paul, however, argued that the Law (or at least a significant part of it) was completed by Jesus on the cross as the perfect sacrifice. Peter himself witnessed the Holy Spirit come upon gentiles after / while eating unclean foods. All of this led to great troubles for the early church and some, even today, may still struggle with what to do with the law. I will not pretend to be any credible authority on the topic, but I will ask this one question; look at the verses from Leviticus above and decide which one of these laws should not be adhered to. Jesus Himself said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” – (Matthew 5:17) The main point for today is this, give Leviticus a read. You might find it full of nuggets.