When trying to read as if the passage applies to oneself, it must be remembered that although the entire Bible was written for our learning (1 Corinthians 10), it was not all written TO me.
Pay attention to the distinctions and divisions that the Holy Spirit deliberately set forth (1 Corinthians 10:32).
If I am reading the book of Leviticus, for example, I might appropriate a spiritual lesson from any verse in the book. But FIRST OF ALL, I must recognize that there are hundreds of literal instructions there that were not written TO me as a New Testament Christian to carry out and practice literally.
There are instructions there for the Nation of Israel that made them separate from the other nations of the world; to preserve that nation intact until such time as the Seed of the Woman, Christ, would come into the world THROUGH that nation.
More specifically, the dietary laws given to Israel (Leviticus ch. 11) for their health and preservation might also be a good idea today, nutritionally. There are many who attempt to abide by these limitations for health reasons. Fine.
I know of a pastor who built a children's home and tried to practice Old Testament dietary law in the home for the purpose of keeping the children healthier while they were under his stewardship. It worked quite well.
But the minute I try to apply the laws of Leviticus chapter 11 to my congregation legalistically, I encounter the Apostle Paul, a Jew himself, writing to a pastor of Gentiles, “ . . . a doctrine of devils . . . commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For EVERY creature of God is good, and NOTHING to be refused, IF it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5)
Israelites were under law to REFUSE pork, and shrimp, and rabbit, etc., LITERALLY. When I read Leviticus, I must be careful just how I make an application to myself.
We have yet to meet any ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ applying Matthew chapter 10, or Luke chapters 9 and 10 to themselves in any sense that accept the words just as they say.
Yes, avid reader of the Bible deduces a hermeneutic. Yes, church members seem to absorb their church's particularly hermeneutic, often without question, as the fish accepts the water.
But the Scriptures should not be interpreted according to what the words are PRESUMED to say, but by what they actually do say. And if this is followed, then it will put definite boundaries on applying any give passage to one’s self.
The question must be asked about any Biblical injunction, “Specifically to WHOM did the Holy Spirit write the passage, and what are the characteristics of those people that are different from our characteristics? What is it about the specific calling or commission of those people that is different from our calling and commission?
The differences don't have to be guessed at; the same Scriptures delineate the differences. These differences and divisions must be observed.
Since the Scriptures tell us to “rightly DIVIDE the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), then we must expect that those RIGHT DIVISIONS are also laid out in the same Bible.
There are DIVISIONS in the Bible.
What does God require from the Gentile world? Or better, how is the Church of God supposed to deal with the Gentile world?
What does God require from the Nation of Israel, AS A NATION? And is God specifically dealing with ISRAEL AS A NATION TODAY? (Read Romans chapter 11)
What does God require from the Church of God as the Body of Christ?
Divisions. They exist.
We read the WHOLE Bible. It was written for our learning. Every verse has a specific doctrinal import, or a specific instruction to be carried out. Somebody had to, or has to, carry out the instruction. But is that someone ME? Each verse may have dozens of spiritual applications to our Christian walk.
The Scriptures cannot be broken, and whatever spiritual application I might see must not break the Scriptures; it must be consistent with the Scriptures. It must be consistent with the division of the Scriptures that God wrote TO ME as a New Testament member of the Body of Christ.
Leviticus also made a distinction of laws which were intended for all nations as did Acts 15.
Leviticus is an excellent example of technical writing. Repetitive, precise, and complete in its modules. Write down every step every time, so that the reader can complete the action without having to flip elsewhere in the book -- or wind/unwind a scroll while in the middle of sacrificing a beast!
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