A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky. (Acts 10:13-16)

Therefore, it is my judgment that we do not cause trouble for those from the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols, from acts of sexual immorality, from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has those who preach him in every city, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath. (Acts 15:19-21)

All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build people up. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

In the Old Testament, God gave the Israelites the Law, and their life and death depended on their obedience to it. The Old Covenant was founded upon this Law. But now a new era has come—the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ. This raises an important question: what, then, is the role of the Law?

This issue was a matter of great debate and confusion among both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Misunderstanding the relationship between the Law and the Gospel has led to many erroneous teachings, including the development of Covenant Theology and the doctrine of the Active Obedience of Christ.

Christ did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.

Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

Many theologians interpret the word “fulfill” as Christ’s perfect keeping of the Law. Yet Christ is not subject to or measured by the Law, even though He became man to free us from its bondage. Indeed, He was blameless under the Law and thus the perfect sacrifice. But the perfection of that sacrifice required more than a sinless human—it required that He also be God. For the ultimate purpose of His sacrifice was not merely atonement, but regeneration—the creation of a new being.

The Law was given to reveal the coming Savior. Therefore, when Christ came and completed all the work necessary to make us children of God, the Law assumed a new purpose. We now study it to understand God and His redemptive plan. Yet many resist the truth that we are freed from the Law. They wish to keep it so that their works might be recognized, seeking to earn salvation by their own efforts.

Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)

When the Holy Spirit grants us wisdom, a Christian conscience is formed within us. We begin to hate what God hates and strive to avoid what displeases Him. Yet, because of our sinful nature and frail bodies, we still fall into temptation. However, God continually delivers us. Even our encounters with temptation can deepen our understanding—though sin itself has no virtue, our failures teach us why God despises certain things and how we must depend on His grace.

Eating food sacrificed to idols, in itself, is not a sin. But it becomes sin depending on the condition of our conscience. God looks at the heart. If we knowingly do something that causes another believer to stumble, we displease God.

Churches must therefore instruct their members, for though we have freedom in Christ, we must exercise that freedom with wisdom. Sadly, many churches still cling to the shadows of the Old Testament era, bound by numerous written and unwritten rules. Members watch one another’s actions, measuring faith by outward conformity rather than inward conviction. Such an environment breeds hypocrisy.

In the new reformation, these old forms must pass away. The renewed church must center on how God has fulfilled His kingdom through Jesus Christ and made us His children. Ministers must return to the true labor of the gospel. They should not waste time on vain theological speculations or meaningless debates, nor act as mere social counsellors moving from house to house. Their sacred duty is to proclaim the Word of God without compromise.

Paul’s priority was to establish churches firmly upon the Rock—Christ Himself. All things in the body must work together harmoniously. Each believer has a task appointed by God, yet we are united under one banner: the kingdom of God.

Now food will not bring us close to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (vv. 8-9)

The city shall be eighteen thousand cubits all around; and the name of the city from that day shall be, ‘The LORD is there.’ (Ezekiel 48:35)