Saturday 17 March 2012

The Rule of Law

While the Bible contains numerous exhortations to love the LORD, nobody in the Bible ventures (in the first person) to profess that they love Him. At least not in the original Hebrew (ahab) or Greek (agape), although Peter comes close in John 20:15-17 when he says that he loves (philia, not agape) Jesus.

On the other hand, Psalm 119 alone contains countless references to the psalmist loving the Torah, the Law.

Principle: The proof of our love for the LORD is not the profession of love but covenantal commitment to His Law.

Food Laws

Premise: "You are the children of the LORD your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave the front of your heads for the dead, for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession." - Deuteronomy 14:1-2 (NIV)

Therefore: "Do not eat any detestable thing." - Deuteronomy 14:3 (NIV)

Clean animals tend to be associated with sacrifice (cf. Deuteronomy 14:4-5).

On the other hand, unclean animals such as scavengers tend to be associated with death but not by sacrifice (cf. Deuteronomy 14:12-18).

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