Changes

===Cultural factors===  

===Cultural factors===  

Cultural factors are to be considered in examining laws, the influence of which may be observed to have has affected the institution of Levitical laws in all its categorizes, as well as laws given elsewhere.  Israel was surrounded by idolatry, and for both practical and illustrative purposes their negative examples were often invoked as an example of how not to be, and of the punishment that such iniquities incurred.  

Much controversy has relatively recent become manifest as regards cultural factors in interpreting Lev. 18, as concerns their scope and transcendence. Cultural factors are to be considered in examining laws, the influence of which may be observed to have has affected the institution of Levitical laws in all its categorizes, as well as laws given elsewhere.  Israel was surrounded by idolatry, and for both practical and illustrative purposes their negative examples were often invoked as an example of how not to be, and of the punishment that such iniquities incurred.  

While collectively all laws established a higher standard that made Israel distinctive, and certain laws directly target specific pagan practices, the often repeated admonition to the people of God not to be like pagans is usually in the immediate context of moral laws, or violations thereof, even in the New Testament (Lv. 18:24,27,28; 20:22,23; Dt. 6:14-18; 8:19,20; 11:28; 12:31; 18:9-12; 1Ki. 14:24; 2Ki. 16:3, 2Ki. 16:3; 17:8-12; 21:2; 1Chrn. 5.25; 2Chrn. 36:14; Jer. 7:6,9; Ezek. 16:50; 23:49; Eph. 4:17-19; 1Pet. 4:3,4). The predominate laws in this moral category are against formal idolatry and sexual immorality, and include certain practices referred to in the second category of derivative culturally applied laws, such as against killing children as an offering to their false gods, or against temple prostitution.

While collectively all Old Testament laws established a higher standard that made Israel distinctive, and certain laws directly target specific pagan practices, the often repeated admonition to the people of God not to be like pagans is usually in the immediate context of moral laws, or violations thereof, even in the New Testament (Lv. 18:24,27,28; 20:22,23; Dt. 6:14-18; 8:19,20; 11:28; 12:31; 18:9-12; 1Ki. 14:24; 2Ki. 16:3, 2Ki. 16:3; 17:8-12; 21:2; 1Chrn. 5.25; 2Chrn. 36:14; Jer. 7:6,9; Ezek. 16:50; 23:49; Eph. 4:17-19; 1Pet. 4:3,4). The predominate laws in this moral category are against formal idolatry and sexual immorality, and include certain practices referred to in the second category of derivative culturally applied laws, such as against killing children as an offering to their false gods, or against temple prostitution.

====Culturally applied laws====

===Culturally applied laws===

A second category is termed judicial or civil laws, or  “culturally applied laws,”<ref>Does Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 Flat-Out Condemn Homosexuality?. J. P Holding http://www.tektonics.org/lp/lev18.html</ref> which are also part of moral separation. These contain moral civil laws and judicial  penalties, but require the context of a certain type of culture for their literal application, and their penalties may be specifically mandated only for the theocracy of Israel. Yet these are usually easily modified in accordance with their intent to be applicable today. A society may not have flat roofs where people regularly sleep and thus need fences, but they may have apartment building which require fire escapes. Or it may not need laws penalizing being gored by an ox, but it may need such for being struck by a snowmobile. In addition to such just laws by contemporary authorities, (Rm. :13-17; 1Pt. 2:13,16). obedience to these Biblical laws is required for today, in accordance with the principal behind them. i.e., you may not need to help your brother lift up his  donkey, but you should help him change his tire (Dt. 3:4,5)  

A second category is termed judicial or civil laws, or  “culturally applied laws,”<ref>Does Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 Flat-Out Condemn Homosexuality?. J. P Holding http://www.tektonics.org/lp/lev18.html</ref> which are also part of moral separation. These contain moral civil laws and judicial  penalties, but require the context of a certain type of culture for their literal application, and their penalties may be specifically mandated only for the theocracy of Israel. However, these are usually easily modified in accordance with their intent to be applicable today. A society may not have flat roofs where people regularly sleep and thus need fences, but they may have apartment building which require fire escapes. Or it may not need laws penalizing being gored by an ox, but it may need such for being struck by a snowmobile. In addition to such just laws by contemporary authorities, (Rm. :13-17; 1Pt. 2:13,16) obedience in accordance with the principal behind them is enjoined today (i.e., you may not need to help your brother lift up his  donkey, (Dt. 3:4,5) but you should help him change his tire)  

[[Category:Old Testament]]

[[Category:Old Testament]]