How does Leviticus 20:14 connect with New Testament teachings on sexual morality? “If a man marries a woman and her mother, it is depravity. Both he and they must be burned with fire, so that there will be no depravity among you.” Foundation Laid in Leviticus • Depravity defined: marrying a woman and her mother violates God-given sexual boundaries. • Ultimate penalty under Israel’s civil law underscored how God views sexual sin as destructive to covenant community holiness (cf. Leviticus 18:24–30). • Purpose clause: “so that there will be no depravity among you” signals God’s heart to safeguard His people from corruption. Continuity of Moral Principle in the New Covenant • While the civil penalty no longer applies to the church, the underlying moral standard remains intact. • Sexual purity is rooted in God’s unchanging character (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17). Jesus Reaffirms God’s Design • Matthew 19:4–6—He points back to Genesis, affirming lifelong, exclusive union between one man and one woman. • Matthew 5:27–30—He intensifies the standard, addressing lust of the heart, not merely external acts. • Mark 7:21–23—Lists “sexual immorality” (porneia) as defiling, showing continuity with Levitical concern for holiness. Paul’s Apostolic Echoes • 1 Corinthians 5:1–5—Church discipline for a man in a relationship “such as even pagans do not tolerate,” mirroring Leviticus by removing depravity from the body. • 1 Corinthians 6:18–20—“Flee sexual immorality… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” • Galatians 5:19–21—Sexual immorality listed among “works of the flesh” that bar inheriting God’s kingdom. • 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8—“This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” Key Connection Points • Same God, same holiness: Old and New Testaments present one moral standard. • Marriage boundaries: Leviticus forbids convoluted unions; Jesus and Paul uphold marriage as exclusive and pure. • Community purity: Israel removed offenders by civil execution; the church uses discipline (1 Corinthians 5) to maintain holiness. • Seriousness of sin: Both covenants show sexual sin brings judgment (Hebrews 13:4; Revelation 21:8). • Call to transformation: 1 Corinthians 6:11—“And that is what some of you were. But you were washed…”—grace offers change without diluting the standard. Living the Connection Today • Guard marriage vows and sexual boundaries with the same seriousness Scripture assigns. • Remember that God’s call to holiness is for our protection and witness. • Practice loving church discipline when necessary, aiming for repentance and restoration. • Cling to the gospel’s power: Christ forgives, cleanses, and empowers new obedience. |
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