Page 84 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

just so much as Leviticus insists on the presence of sin, so too the scriptures celebrate the death of
Christ as paying for that sin. We can have his Spirit living in us despite our continued spiritual pollution.

Within the instructions on clean and unclean, there are glimpses of God’s ultimate cleansing. In Leviticus
12:1 the text uses unusual language to describe pregnancy “to bear a seed.” This rare phrase goes back
to Genesis 3:15 and the promise of a special “seed” who would defeat Satan. “There can be no doubt
that the author has focused our attention on the central role of childbirth in fulfilling God’s plan of
91
blessing since the beginning chapters of Genesis.” The law taught sin. The law also anticipated God’s
great grace.

In Old Testament times, the people were frustrated in their attempts to follow the law. They failed
repeatedly. Since the coming of Christ, we have a helper in
the Holy Spirit (He too is uncommon.) who lives within us to …through the law we become
teach us and strengthen us. We grow in holiness not by conscious of our sin. Romans 3:20
following rules but by following the Spirit. The law is useful to
show us our sins, but the law is useless to make us better. The Spirit speaks to us from the inside and
slowly helps us change. We are created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24).
The fruit of the Spirit demonstrated in our everyday decisions fulfills the law (Gal. 5:23b).

One practical illustration might help understand the difference. God gave Israel many sexual laws. The
variations are many. The New Testament approaches human sexuality from a different direction. Notice
Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians (4:3-8). First comes a very general principle about personal
ethics. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified,” or made holy
The fruit of the Spirit is…self- (v. 3). We are to live “special” lives. Next is holiness in a specific
control. Galatians 5:23 topic: “that you should avoid sexual immorality.” As he continues,
he does not give a list of prohibited relationships. Instead he
applies one of the fruit of the Spirit to this area of life. “Learn to
control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable (v. 4).” Here is the Spirit’s work of self-
control. The more normal or common approach is “passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know
God (v. 5).” As he continues Paul emphasizes the uniqueness of this approach. He uses words like
“impure” and “holy life” (v. 7). Rejection involves rejecting God, even the Holy Spirit who lives inside us,
more than rejecting human opinions.

God’s law does not change. We might not understand some of the specific expressions of his law in OT
times simply because they were written to address a specific cultural situation. “Do not wear clothing
woven of two kinds of material (Lev. 19:19).” The principles still stand. Our approach must be different
due to the coming of the Holy Spirit. He wants to change us from within through the development of
certain characteristics. Nevertheless, those changes will result in a more thorough following of God’s
law.

91 John Sailhammer, The Pentateuch As Narrative (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 335.

83