Atheist or Agnostic, Keith Richard Mears, stated: “So, the laws, as proscribed by the magic book, the same magic book that is the literal or inspired word of a god, doesn’t apply to christians because this god wasn’t talking to them when it dictated the rules?”

Christian response…

The Law (Moral-Ceremonial-Dietary), as given the Hebrew Tribes under the Covenant of Law (Old Testament), applied in that particular dispensation where the Jews were set-apart by God and were to be Holy seeing that God would bring forth Messiah Yeshua through the Tribe of Judah via the Jewish Nation of Israel (Leviticus 20:26). As God’s chosen, the Jewish people received the dispensation of Law as they were to be Holy and representative of God’s morality-goodness-faithfulness as these Jewish Tribes lived within and traversed lands inundated by pagan tribes worshiping pagan gods.

1. The Moral Law…

Much of the “Moral Law,” as articulated within the Levitical Law, is redundant in that the Moral Law is written upon the heart of mankind at conception (Romans 2:15). The Moral Law was given or reiterated in the Levitical Law and accompanied by specific punishments for infractions so that the Jewish People would know exactly what was expected of them as God’s chosen people (Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16).

The Moral Law also indicated the impossibility of earning righteousness through works/obedience because it is not possible for sinful man to keep The Law in perfection for all have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory/His perfect standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). The Moral Law, as articulated within the Ten-Commandments and portions of the Levitical Law, remain in effect to this day (Matthew 5:17).

2. The Ceremonial Law and Dietary Laws…

The Levitical Law also contained ceremonial and dietary laws, all of which were fulfilled perfectly by Messiah; in fact, Messiah is the ONLY One who could and did keep the Moral-Ceremonial-Dietary Laws perfectly; therefore, Messiah-Jesus is the ONLY One possessing perfect righteousness thereby making Him the perfect sacrifice for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).

It is the “Covenant of Law” (Old Testament) that was forward-looking to the “Covenant of Grace” (New Testament) as instituted by Messiah-Yeshua through His sacrificial blood. It is the ceremonial law, the blood sacrifices, that pointed to the coming Messiah who would be sacrificed for the sins of mankind. The blood of animals, bulls and goats, could not take away sin but only the blood of Messiah Yeshua was acceptable as payment for sin (Hebrews 10:4). The dietary laws were primarily given for health concerns and also to separate the Jewish people from pagan dietary traditions practiced at that time; dietary practices that our Creator deemed appalling.

3. Messiah Yeshua fulfilled The Law for us…

Messiah-Yeshua fulfilled all of The Law (Moral-Ceremonial-Dietary) perfectly and by doing so, Messiah fulfilled the Law for those who trust in Him as Lord and Savior. It is by grace (unmerited favor) through (faith-belief) in Jesus Christ-Yeshua alone as Lord and Savior that mankind finds righteousness (a right standing) with God the Father (John 14:6).

When one trusts in Jesus Christ as their Lord for the mediation of sin, that person so believing and confessing (Romans 10:9-10) receives the imputation of Messiah’s perfect righteousness (the perfect fulfillment of The Law) over their life and their sin/iniquity is forgiven forever thereby making said person acceptable to enter the Kingdom of God subsequent to death of the body; it is essential that Messiah’s perfect righteousness be imputed over one’s life if they desire to enter the Kingdom of God because NOTHING impure will ever enter God’s Kingdom (Revelation 21:27).

Conclusion…

So then, the Levitical Law does not apply to the Christian who is under Grace not Law (Romans 6:14) because salvation is not manifest by keeping The Law but only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord (Romans 9:30-33).