The Old School Jesus
I’ve heard a lot of people justify things based on the fact that Jesus never actively condemned them. This is a lot like saying it’s legal to push someone into a pit of rattlesnakes because the current Supreme Court never specifically said it wasn’t.
Here’s something for you to consider: Jesus was an old testament jew. He was born in Old Testament Israel. He lived out the Old Testament law to the letter. He died under Old Testament law. There is nothing He did or said that contradicted or condemned the Old Testament law.
What He Didn’t Do
Yes, Jesus did not go through the entire book of Leviticus and point out which laws we should follow and which we shouldn’t have to worry about. He did however say things like:
‘For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:18-19
‘But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.’ Luke 16:17
and
‘”Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.’ Matthew 5:17
What He Did Do
There is an amazing story of redemption in the Book of John. Check it out:
‘but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” ]]
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ‘John 8:1-12
What This Means For Me
Jesus was going to allow the Pharisees to stone this woman, but only if they had followed the law perfectly from birth. With some quick introspection, they all realized that they didn’t qualify to be this woman’s judge.
When people come to me to try to justify whatever lifestyle they are involved in I have to shrug and explain to them that I’m not their judge. I’m not the one they need to plead their case to. And they need to realize that the One who is the judge isn’t going to accept their version of the truth or their attempts at finding loopholes in the law.
That is, short of reliance on the redemptive power of Christ’s work on the cross. Only He can save us from our selfish and damning decisions.