Oceans of ink have been spilled in the quest to make sense of the perplexing differences between the various biblical covenants. Understanding sacred history as a construct comprised of concentric circles dispels the confusion and exposes the internal logic of the Bible.
Some Christians advocate a wholesale disengagement from all non-Christian religion and culture along with the absolute condemnation of all pagan literature. But these are marks of spiritual childhood. In contrast, the saint who is grounded in the Scriptures is equipped to discern traces of God in every sphere, even the occult, because despite the Fall, the Creation itself is inherently good. Renouncing all the works of the devil does not require us to denounce all the works of unregenerate men.
With caution, truth can be gleaned even from heretics. It is plundering their goods and possessing their vineyards. The Spirit of God, through the Gospel of Christ, is able to redeem what is of value in every culture. This is why the Law of Moses, which established a hermetic social order bounded by the circumcision, eventually became obsolete.
Serving the same purpose as the single prohibition in Eden, the “do not touch, do not taste, do not handle” of the Mosaic stoicheia were guidelines for spiritual infants, those who could be easily led astray (Colossians 2:20-23).
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11-14)
With the coming of the Gospel of Christ, not only did all pagan taboos lose their power under the sound of the Word, the Law itself became obsolete. Likewise, once a new Christian is discipled, he becomes wise enough to touch the unclean thing and make it clean. Things that the evil one has rendered leprous can be cured by the salt and fire of the Spirit and made fit for God’s use.
However, as with all adult endeavors, some risk remains. We must rely on the Word of God and the Spirit of God for discernment in the work of redeeming the world. Even King Solomon allowed himself to be led astray in spite of his unprecedented gift of wisdom from God.
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