LAWS FOR INDIVIDUALS. Deuteronomy 23 God takes seriously the attitudes and actions of His people. We are not a group of individuals who can do whatever we want in our personal lives and still be accepted as part of God's fellowship. What affects one person impacts everyone to some extent. Similarly, a small splinter in a person's toe can affect the entire body by causing it to stop until the splinter is removed. Likewise, the actions of a member or individual can hinder the work of a congregation and negatively influence its testimony.
The private parts of an Israeli would never be shown, but there would be other signs indicating that his reproductive ability has been lost for some reason. Sodomy and all activities associated with that lifestyle were not acceptable or permitted in Israel. Likewise, what is known today as an "alternate lifestyle" was neither accepted nor considered normal. A common-law relationship between a man and a woman would negatively impact their children. They were not regarded as citizens of Israel, and consequently, neither would their children.
Inheritances could not be passed down to them from those who were legally part of the designated tribes and owned property. The privileges and responsibilities of community life in Israel were denied to them. Likewise, those who had been enemies from certain nations that had tried to prevent them from claiming what God had promised them centuries earlier could not become members of Israel. God would not permit a "fifth column" to weaken the security of the nation.
Some of those restrictions might seem too harsh to our tolerant society today. We have reached a point where we want everyone to feel good about themselves, regardless of how poorly they might behave or how wrong their chosen lifestyle may be. The gay and lesbian lifestyles are now accepted as individual rights, and many argue that it is normal for some because they say it is. People can express their views, but that does not alter the fundamental laws of humanity and personhood that God created. Men were not made to replace women, nor were women made to replace men. A person's emotional traits do not change the physical features with which we were born, nor the purposes of our bodies.
God never intended families without the commitment of marriage between a man and a woman. He created them as "male and female" because He designed human bodies that way to reproduce the human race. It was God Himself who brought Eve to Adam to be united emotionally, physically, and spiritually. The unique differences between the sexes fulfill the need for fellowship and the sense of a meaningful life. To maintain this, God gave the bonds of marriage to keep the purity of body, soul, and spirit intact between a husband and his wife. Children born outside of marriage have no claim on their ancestors' possessions. Many don't know anything about the people from whom they inherited their personal characteristics. By God's grace, when a person is saved, they become "a new creation," and life begins anew at that moment. However, the lifestyle of sexual promiscuity and the "alternative lifestyle" is not part of the life of God's people, nor is it right for us to condone it.
When those who have been enemies of the Gospel and have opposed its work decide they "want to change religions" and join a scripturally gathered assembly, that desire is not the basis of our fellowship. Even if a letter is presented stating they are a member in good standing of some church, that alone is not a valid reason to accept a person into the fellowship of saints. There must be assurance that the individual has truly been born again by the Spirit of God, and evidence of "newness of life" should be apparent. Willingness to be identified with the Lord Jesus Christ through “believer's baptism” is very different from a denominational christening of infants or even adults. Baptism of an individual separates them personally, unto the Lord Jesus Christ.
The care taken in this regard and the time to assess the reality of a person's request for assembly fellowship is necessary to prevent Satan's subtle attempt to compromise truth. The attitude that anyone who claims to be a Christian is automatically a Christian can weaken the life of an assembly. Watering down the Gospel message and tolerating people despite doctrinal differences can cause an assembly to lose its position as a "lampstand" and turn into just another church to choose from.
Every individual was expected not only to be morally pure but also to maintain physical cleanliness. It was important to teach children early in life how to keep sanitary conditions in their homes, the wilderness camp of Israel, and the cities where they lived. Uncleanliness resulting from bodily emissions of any kind was to be addressed according to God's instructions. Paddles were to be used to cover what was left behind. Latrines are essential even in an army camp to ensure health and cleanliness. Israelites were to cover any waste with dirt. Washing with water was necessary to eliminate odors associated with bodily functions. Each person was responsible for their personal hygiene and moral conduct.
Unfortunately, some people try to blame society for the poor conditions in which they live. They neglect to clean up after themselves and think others should do it for them. Others blame their parents or peers for their own unacceptable behavior. Every individual is responsible for being the person God intended them to be. The laws guiding individuals are simple, plain, and common sense.
Some people had been slaves to others, probably through no fault of their own. Conquerors or slave traders seeking wealth enslaved them. God does not approve of slavery but allows it to exist because of human sinfulness. Humanity has caused this because of sin. When a slave escaped and reached Israel, their life was to start anew. They were not to be seen as lesser, but accepted as individuals. A believer's past life should not be held against them by God's people. Those who have been in bondage to sin already face enough struggles in recovering from their past, and God's people should not add to their hardships by viewing them as inferior.
There were differences in trust between those who were the people of God and those who were not. An Israelite was considered a person of integrity who, when he borrowed money, would pay it back as soon as possible. The lender was not to charge interest but was to trust the borrower to fulfill his obligations promptly. Not everyone who asks us for money has good intentions. When it is one of God's people, the trust we place in that person strengthens a genuine believer. Being trusted in this way challenges individuals to live up to others' expectations. Lending money without interest is one of the greatest ways to show trust in a person's word and character.
God's view of the human body is very different from that of those who see it merely as a tool to make money. The Christian's body has already been bought at a high price by the Lord Jesus Christ. In ancient Israel, as they prepared to enter the promised land, neighboring tribes' religions used paid prostitutes to attract worshipers to their idols. A variety of sexual pleasures almost guaranteed that lustful men and women would be drawn to satisfy their desires. Israelites were instructed not to allow such practices within their nation. God's plan is that sexual fulfillment occurs only within marriage between one man and one woman. Having the right attitude about who we are and who our spouse is helps build a strong relationship that influences every part of our lives.
Premarital sex was never part of God's plan for the happiness and well-being of mankind. The bond of marriage and marital fidelity not only keep marriages and families intact but also strengthen society. Today, our society is falling apart because of the lack of commitment between husbands and wives and between parents and children. A large number of children are born into families that lack genuine stability. Confusion prevails in many homes where children of one woman have different fathers.
As individuals, people need to recognize how serious the social problem of self-centered living is. Children raised without a father often become dysfunctional adults because they never learned the principles for living as individuals, nor were they taught them by responsible parental models. Christians must commit themselves to fulfill the vows they make: to the institution of marriage, to the person they married, and to the children God has entrusted to them as a heritage from Him. A voluntary vow is not necessary for developing godliness, but when a vow is made, it must be kept. When individuals follow these principles of living, they will live as God intended.
When a person in Israel passed by a fruit tree or walked through a field of grain, the laws allowed individuals to pick an apple, fig, or other fruit from someone else's tree to eat as they continued their journey. They were not harvesting the fruit to claim the profit for themselves. However, if they used a container and put the fruit from another person's tree into it, that was forbidden; it would be the same as stealing something that belonged to another person and was used for their livelihood.
There are laws in some schools today that prohibit plagiarism. Different places define plagiarism in various ways. The guiding principle is that if I use someone else's idea, I must produce something for my benefit, and if I don't, I am a plagiarist. Some say that using words in similar contexts constitutes plagiarism. Others believe that copying phrases word for word is plagiarism. Whatever the case may be, if my goal is to take someone else's work and claim it as my own for financial or personal gain, I am stealing. God understands the intent behind every act, and I must stay committed to personal integrity in accordance with the laws that govern my life.