“Christians, why do you eat the flesh of swine, when it is forbidden in the bible?”
“My brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter “ (Romans 7:4-6).
As Christians, we are dead to the law through Christ. This is talking about the laws of Moses which is referred to for purposes of this question, “…and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you” (Leviticus 11:7, 8). We know this is talking about the laws of Moses for two reasons. First is says, “the Law”. Law with a capitol ‘L’ is God’s law or in the Old Testament, also the laws of Moses which comes from God. The second reason is Romans 13 which gives a very specific look at the command to submit to your governing authorities. So we know because of these two things that we are not dead to the “laws of the land”, but rather to the laws of Moses. A thorough study of the New Testament will also prove that the vast majority of the laws are also the commandments of Christ. So why is there a discrepancy between the laws before Christ and after? Why do some apply and others don’t?
The above passage from Romans 7 says that, “sinful passions are at work in…our body to bear fruit for death.” The laws were designed to prevent the Israelites away from sin. When Christ died on the cross, we were, “released from the Law” because it was no longer necessary. As it says, “we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.” We have the Holy Spirit to guide us and no longer need the strength that comes from the deliberate action of maintaining strict regulations. That is why it says we are free through Christ (Galatians 5:1).
Do Christians Have to Keep the Law’s of Moses?
