You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you are going to dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. (v.2)

… be careful that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from your presence, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ You shall not behave this way toward the Lord your God, because every abominable act which the Lord hates, they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire for their gods. (vv. 30-31)

When we read the law, it is easy to interpret them literally. We think that we will get a blessing if we keep the law. The Israelites thought the same. But no one keeps the law. People have been doing whatever they think fit since the beginning.

You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. (vv. 8-9)

The purpose of the law was not for us to keep it perfectly and gain righteousness. The essence of the law is love, which only God can do.

The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Those who thought they knew God and His law were rejected by Christ because they thought they could keep the law. We read in Matthew 23:13-36 that God curses them eternally. Christ did not fulfill the law by keeping it literally. He is love. And that love was shown on the cross. He gave His own life to buy us.

Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh. (v. 23)

When interpreted literally, it is not difficult to keep this law written above. For those who have no understanding of God, it is impossible to understand this verse:

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. (John 6:53)

The Apostles understood this relationship between love and the law just as Christ had taught them. This is not something one can learn by reading many theology books. Most theologians interpret the law as the written code. They interpret it from a moral perspective.

Christianity is engulfed by false Christians who believe that they need to sacrifice regularly to atone for their sins. They use different forms and methods. But they are the same. The largest group of false believers is probably the Roman Catholic church. I am not saying that all Roman Catholics are false Christians. I believe most of them go to church without knowing what they are taught. Likewise, people who are in the Protestant churches do not know what they are taught.

Christ has already forgiven our sins and changed our status from slaves to children of God about 2000 years ago. We do not need any sacrifices for our sins. Instead, we offer up a sacrifice of praise to God for what He has planned and fulfilled and will fulfill. There is no other assurance than our faith in God. We read the Bible and believe that God is true. And He will fulfill all His promises.

Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. (Hebrews 13:15)