Posted on 08/10/2003 6:35:51 PM PDT by CMClay
Dr. Laura Schlessinger, one of the nation's most popular radio talk-show hosts and the most successful on-air counselor, is no longer practicing the rituals of Judaism – a religion she converted to a decade ago in her 40s.
''Almost 10 years ago, I talked on the air about becoming a convert to Judaism,'' she told her listeners last week. ''I was open on the air at that time about that evolution. Well, I would say within the last year I have had a de-evolution.''
Where is she now spiritually?
''Nowhere exactly,'' she chuckled. ''Suspended animation. I still see myself as a Jew. But the spiritual journey in that direction – as hard-core as I was at it – just didn't fulfill something in me that I needed.''
Schlessinger grew up in New York, the child of a Jewish father and a Catholic mother. She was a life-long atheist, who, in her 40s, began exploring and practicing Judaism.
''By and large, the faxes from Christians have been very loving, very supportive,'' she said. From my own religion, I have either gotten nothing, which is 99 percent of it, or two of the nastiest letters I have gotten in a long time. I guess that's my point, I don't get much back. Not much warmth coming back.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
I'm quite sure that Abraham felt the same way when told to sacrifice his son, Issac....
Read Leviticus. My example of Snickers bars was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but the point is that God did establish certain dietary laws that Israel was commanded to obey. If God commands something of you, are you going to ignore Him just because what He asked of you doesn't seem reasonable or necessary?
Precisely. People make a huge error when they categorically dismiss the dietary laws because they are not salvific.
Any Jew will tell you that that the dietary laws were meant for them alone, and that they were not morally binding on anyone else. Gentiles were never bound by the Mosaic laws, but instead by the Noahide laws.
We have the same idea in most of Christianity. The Latin Rite and the Eastern Rites have different rules of fasting for Lent, Fridays, etc. Neither Rite thinks that their fasting laws are "salvific" of themselves--but to cavalierly break them would be an action of gross impiety, and very disobedient toward God.
I think of the dietary laws of Judaism as rules of a proto-Rite, given in this case directly by God. When Christ abrogated them in Acts, I see it as his a) confirming that these rules are not to be regarded as part of the fixed moral law binding on all men, and b) handing over the regulation of such laws from direct revelation (i.e. Moses) to the Church (exemplified in Peter its head).
Most Christians do believe that Jesus changed those laws. But Jesus himself said:
For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not a jot or tittle will pass from the law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)
How do you understand this?
As a Jew, I don't believe that the covenant of Sinai has been superceded. From my perspective, then, all of those commandments are still in effect.
Now you mentioned "Love God...and Love your neighbor as Yourself." These are not innovations. Rather, these commandments are found right there in the Torah.
and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18)
Most Christians do believe that Jesus changed those laws. But Jesus himself said:For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not a jot or tittle will pass from the law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)
Most Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled (met our obligation with respect to) those laws.
Jesus also said ...Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.As a Jew, I don't believe that the covenant of Sinai has been superceded.
The Sinai covenant hasn't been superceded ... it's been fulfilled.
As a Jew, I don't believe that the covenant of Sinai has been superceded. From my perspective, then, all of those commandments are still in effect.
What about the ones regarding the sewing together of various fabrics or of the acceptance of usury ?
Where in the Hebrew scriptures does it indicate that someone else can fulfil the Law on your behalf?
Do you believe that Jesus fulfilled all of the Law of the Torah? What about commandments that specifically pertained to women? Or married men?
Yes, still in effect.
I should point out that orthodox Jews follow the commandments of the Written Torah as interpreted by the Oral Torah (later recorded in the Talmud) and ongoing interpretation of the Law up to the present day.
Verse 18 says that not a jot or tittle of the Law will pass until heaven and earth have passed away.
... or until all is accomplished (fulfilled).
Christians will point to Jesus' cry of "It is finished!" on the cross as an indication that all has been accomplished in regard to our salvation.
Where in the Hebrew scriptures does it indicate that someone else can fulfil the Law on your behalf?
... as an atoning sacrifice ...Leviticus 16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:
30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
So heaven and earth have passed away?
... as an atoning sacrifice ...
Precisely what form of sacrifice was Jesus?
So heaven and earth have passed away?
Heaven and earth (in a non-physical sense) are eternal.
" ... until all is accomplished" is another limit on the passage you cite.
Precisely what form of sacrifice was Jesus?
The sacrificial atoning Lamb of God.
All of the commanded sacrifices are fore-shadows of Him. Therefore, He wasn't any one type of the sacrifices commanded by God. All of the sacrifice depict some aspect of His sacrifice.
So, ...
... He is the Passover Lamb
... the sacrifice of atonement
... the peace offering
... etc.John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
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John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
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Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Since he, as you believe, fulfilled the Law, did his death fulfil the Law pertaining to the types of sacrifices you list here?
Since he, as you believe, fulfilled the Law, did his death fulfil the Law pertaining to the types of sacrifices you list here?
Yes ... as the Law was made for man ... not for God, ... Who made the sacrifice.
Christ fulfilled the Law as it pertained to us men (i.e. in regard to the atonement of our sins).
So, in other words, the specifics of the sacrificial laws are irrelevent.
If God is making the sacrifice ?
Yes!
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