Extending the Rainbow Dove
"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." Leviticus 18:22 RSV
This sentence has created more controversy and discord than any other verse in the Bible. God's promise to our planet is righteousness, peace and joy through his Word; and yet, we find his word used to create hatred, strife and pain.
I chose Christ as my Lord and Savior thirty years ago. However, for the next twenty years, I divorced twice and had a child out of wedlock. I was still a Christian, I loved God, he loved me, and I spent nearly every day speaking with him and studying his word, but still, the consequences of my actions is that I am a single mother.
The book of Leviticus is filled with the particulars of Mosiac Law. Let's look at some of the less controversial laws in Leviticus. " And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you" Leviticus 11:6 RSV Here God is charging Moses that the people of Israel shoudl not eat pork. Why? Because if the flesh of pork is not cooked properly, it can transmit parasites to the people. So, we see that the ordered abstinence from pork was not a test from God on our obdience, but rather ordered for our own protection.
When God ordered that we rest on the Sabbath, this law was not for his pleasure. He knew that without the law we would work our employees seven days a week, and that without a day of rest, we would become stressed and possibly ill.
So let's look again at Leviticus 18:22. Have you noticed that there is an omission to this verse. Although this verse address a man lying with man, there is no reference to a woman lying with a woman. Why? Remember, these laws are to protect us from disease, stress and pain. The disease quotient is greatly increased when a man lies with another man. The possiblity for disease is not as great when a woman lies with another woman.
Although disobeying God's laws will result in consequences, these consequences are not judgements. Jesus ate with prostitutes, tax collectors and other sinners. He did not judge them, but merely witnessed to them about God's love and forgiveness.
God's only requisite for our inclusion into his family, is we believe that Jesus is the son of God and he died for our sins. Everything else is just a matter of consequence.
This sentence has created more controversy and discord than any other verse in the Bible. God's promise to our planet is righteousness, peace and joy through his Word; and yet, we find his word used to create hatred, strife and pain.
I chose Christ as my Lord and Savior thirty years ago. However, for the next twenty years, I divorced twice and had a child out of wedlock. I was still a Christian, I loved God, he loved me, and I spent nearly every day speaking with him and studying his word, but still, the consequences of my actions is that I am a single mother.
The book of Leviticus is filled with the particulars of Mosiac Law. Let's look at some of the less controversial laws in Leviticus. " And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you" Leviticus 11:6 RSV Here God is charging Moses that the people of Israel shoudl not eat pork. Why? Because if the flesh of pork is not cooked properly, it can transmit parasites to the people. So, we see that the ordered abstinence from pork was not a test from God on our obdience, but rather ordered for our own protection.
When God ordered that we rest on the Sabbath, this law was not for his pleasure. He knew that without the law we would work our employees seven days a week, and that without a day of rest, we would become stressed and possibly ill.
So let's look again at Leviticus 18:22. Have you noticed that there is an omission to this verse. Although this verse address a man lying with man, there is no reference to a woman lying with a woman. Why? Remember, these laws are to protect us from disease, stress and pain. The disease quotient is greatly increased when a man lies with another man. The possiblity for disease is not as great when a woman lies with another woman.
Although disobeying God's laws will result in consequences, these consequences are not judgements. Jesus ate with prostitutes, tax collectors and other sinners. He did not judge them, but merely witnessed to them about God's love and forgiveness.
God's only requisite for our inclusion into his family, is we believe that Jesus is the son of God and he died for our sins. Everything else is just a matter of consequence.
posted by Hepzibah The Watchman | 1:25 AM
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