Simply stated, the “homosexuality and shellfish” argument falls apart when read as the Scriptures are meant to be read—with a redemptive-historical approach in view.

When President Barack Obama endorsed gay marriage last month, an “evolution” of his previous position, the focus of many Americans was again turned to our real national pastime, human sexuality. (No, it is not baseball anymore!) More aggressive than in recent months, it seems that many columnists, pundits, and amateur liberal theologians have been discussing—and even mocking—the Bible’s perspective on this controversial matter.

For instance, a recent video hosted on the Gospel Coalition website shows a nationally acclaimed “motivational speaker” mocking biblical Christianity to a gathering of high-school journalism students under the guise of an anti-bullying platform. The speaker curses and belittles Christian beliefs as scores of students walk out of the meeting hall.

One of the more common assaults against the conservative “one man, one woman” definition of marriage is to make the biblical position affirmed in Scriptures to appear outlandish, strange, and untenable to modern minds. The strategy to make the traditional view of marriage seem obsolete runs as follows (with some slight variations):

Yes, the Bible technically forbids the practice of homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22, but it also forbids eating shellfish (Leviticus 11:9-11), and commends the stoning of blasphemers (Leviticus 24:16). Since the latter two are ridiculous, so is the former.

This argument might appear credible, if it weren’t such a terrible exegesis of the book of Leviticus.

It is ironic that those arguing such a progressive position would choose these three elements of Levitical law as examples of their “ridiculous by association,” argument. As you will see, these given examples perfectly illustrate the three distinct strands of laws given by God in the Old Testament.

A redemptive-historical approach to biblical interpretation demands that we interpret passages of the Bible with their historical context—regarding God’s saving acts of redemption—in full view. During the giving of the Mosaic Law at the covenant of Sinai, God imposed three braided strands of laws upon Israel:

(1) First, God imposed moral laws that are binding and timeless. These relate to holiness, ethical purity, and the natural law written on the hearts of men. Absolute in their application, violations of moral law are always sinful.

(2) Second, God imposed ceremonial laws given to distinguish national Israel (the people of the covenant) from their unsanctified neighbors. These dietary and cultural restrictions, along with tabernacle/temple sacrificial regulations, were intended to make clear the distinction between God’s people and the surrounding pagan nations.

(3) Third, God mandated civil laws imposed upon Israel as a nation-state, much the same as we have federal laws in the U.S. today.

These laws pertained to the application and enforcement of the Sinaitic code, under the jurisdiction of Israel as a national government.  As long as national Israel existed by standing in the Sinai covenant with God, all three types of laws (moral, ceremonial, and civil) governed the hearts and lives of the people.

Nevertheless, the Mosaic/Sinai covenant was a conditional covenant, contingent on national Israel’s fidelity with Jehovah God as Lord (Deut 28). Two major historical events radically changed the standing of Israel forever. First, the nation of Israel abdicated its role as the divine representative to the pagan nations by her overt and incessant covenant infidelity. This persistent covenant infidelity ultimately resulted in the Northern Kingdom being destroyed by the Assyrian in 722 BC and the Southern Kingdom being sent into exile in Babylon, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. This is the dire message of Isaiah, Jeremiah and most of the OT the prophets. Israel, as a nation-state, ordained by God as a chosen people, ceased to exist. The civil law was neither possible nor necessary to enforce (see Westminster Confession of Faith 19.4).

The other major event is, of course, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the pinnacle event of redemption history. By dying a sacrificial death for the sin of his people, Christ fulfilled the ceremonial laws in a way that national Israel never could. His perfect obedience and complete fidelity to God fulfilled and abrogated the ceremonial law. Because of his atoning death, sacrifice and tabernacle/temple offerings are no longer required. We no longer need to offer bulls, goats, or sheep. This is the whole point of the book of Hebrews (see WCF 19.3). Moreover, Christ fulfilled and abrogated all civil and ceremonial laws initiating a new Kingdom that transcends national Israel in every way.

At this point, interpreting Leviticus on the other side of the cross and empty tomb is clearer. Laws prohibiting shellfish (ceremonial law) and mandating the stoning blasphemers (civil law) are outmoded and ancient because they are. Christ has come. Christ has died. Christ has been raised. We now live on the near side of the cross.

The moral law (summarized by the Ten Commandments), however, is the timeless law of God revealed in the Sinai covenant for which mankind is still responsible. These are the inviolable moral laws written indelibly on the consciences of all mankind (Romans 2:15), and the standards by which human kind will be judged. Murder, lying, idolatry, and theft will always be sinful no matter where or when they are committed. As homosexuality is a violation of the creation order in general (Genesis 2:18-24), and the seventh commandment in particular (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18), the fact that this practice transgresses God’s standards of purity is beyond dispute. This is why the New Testament agrees with and reinforces the Old Testament’s prohibitions of this practice (Romans 1:26-27; Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10).

Simply stated, the “homosexuality and shellfish” argument falls apart when read as the Scriptures are meant to be read—with a redemptive-historical approach in view.

Matthew Everhard is Senior Pastor of Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Brooksville Florida.