I'm gonna start out with this first post, and then follow it up with a completely unrelated post, since I've been so quiet the past week or two (in case you didn't hear, I'm getting married soon, so I've been a little busy. Anyways, let's go:
So, the first thing I want to talk about is how I've had a changed view on tattoos. Now, in case you didn't know, this was my original position on tattoos: God made your body the way he wanted it, so why do you think you need to change it with ink? That and there's how many verses on tattoos, ink, and piercings? Seems like God has made his mind up and his voice pretty clear on the matter. But after reading this post (click it to go there), I have changed my mind. But that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about the idea of the new law that we follow.
When Jesus said that he was the new law, he didn't mean the old law was irrelevant and didn't apply anymore. God had wanted his people to be set apart and free from the burden of sin. He knew the old law couldn't do the second part, and the people kinda sucked at the first part. The law was good at keeping people apart from other religions of the day. As long as the people followed it. And reading the history of Israel for more than five minutes, we find that not to be the case. In fact, they failed, alot. So when Jesus said he was the fulfillment of the law, he was replacing it in terms of function: you don't need to follow the old law to separate yourselves anymore, because being a Christian, having that name, does that already. And since the old law couldn't bestow grace and forgiveness on a person, Jesus came to do that as well.
That doesn't mean, however, that Jesus said the old law was nullified. Rather, as Jason said, the old law had merely been revamped. Like, law 2.0. Jesus said that the old law was fulfilled, meaning that he was the way to separate ourselves from the world, (no more food and hair dictation) but that the moral part of the law (love, hate, murder, all that jazz) was still in effect.
The reason I bring all of this up is that people try all the time to use old testament law to discourage certain activities, such as playing musical instruments in church, the rule of murder and rape, and, yes, even tattoos. But they are not distinguishing between the law that was revamped to establish us as different, and the law that guides us morally (cough, cough, the ten commandments) and choose to be selective. (Again, it you haven't read the posted article, do so). I think if people rethink these things, alot if "theology" arguments become "I don't like it so its wrong" arguments. Check it, and you'll see God doesn't concern himself with holes in your ear or ink in your skin (which will whither and fade, anyways) nearly as much as he will the hole in your heart, and what you're filling IT with.
