Deuteronomy 23 LAWS FOR INDIVIDUALS God takes seriously the attitudes and actions of His people. We are not a bunch of people who can do what we want in our own personal lives and still be accepted as a part of the fellowship of God's people. What affects one person affects everyone to one degree or another. In the same way a small splinter of wood in one's toe can have an effect on the whole body by bringing it to a stop until the splinter is removed, so the actions of a member of an individual can stop the work of an assembly and adversely affect its testimony. The private parts of an Israeli would never be seen, but there would be other evidence that his reproductive ability is gone for some reason. Sodomy and all that is associated with that lifestyle was not acceptable nor allowable in Israel. Neither was that which is known as an "alternate lifestyle" today, accepted as normal or in any way condoned. The common-law relationship of a man and woman would negatively affect their children. They were not considered to be a citizen of the nation of Israel and consequently neither would their children. Inheritances could not be passed on to them from those who were legally a part of the designated tribes and who owned property. The privileges and responsibilities of community life in Israel were forbidden to them. In a similar way, those who had been enemies from certain nations that had sought to stop them from claiming what was promised them by God centuries before, could not become a part of the nation of Israel. God was not going to allow what could have been a "fifth column," from undermining the security of the nation.
Some of those restrictions may seem too severe to our tolerant society today. We have come to the place where we want everyone to feel good about themselves no matter how badly they might behave or how wrong the lifestyle they practice may be. The gay/lesbian lifestyle is being accepted today as individual rights, and many insist that is normal to some because they say it is normal. People can say what they want, but that does not change the fundamental laws of humanity and personhood that God has made. Men were not created to take the place of women nor women the place of men. The emotional traits of a person do not change the physical characteristics with which we were born, nor the uses of our bodies.
Families without the commitment of marriage of a man to a woman were never intended by God. He made them "male and female" because He designed human bodies that way to propagate 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 fill the need for fellowship and the fulfilling of a meaningful life. In order for this to be maintained, there were the bonds of marriage given by God 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 anything of their forbearers. Many don't know anything about those from whom they got their personal characteristics. By God's grace, when a person is saved, they become "a new creation" and life begins new at that time. But the lifestyle of sexual promiscuity and the "alternate lifestyle" is not to be a part of the life of God's people nor is it right for us to condone this.
When those who have been enemies of the Gospel and have opposed the work of the Gospel decide they "want to change religions" and be a part of a scripturally gathered assembly, that desire is not the basis of our fellowship. Even if a letter is carried telling of being a member in good standing of some church, that is not a reason for accepting a person into the fellowship of saints. There needs to be the assurance that a person has been truly born again by the Spirit of God, and evidence of "newness of life" should be seen. Willingness to be identified as an individual with the Lord Jesus Christ by believer's baptism is very different than a denominational christening of babies or even adults. Baptism of an individual separates them individually to the Lord Jesus Christ. Care taken in this regard along with time to assess the reality of a person's request for assembly fellowship is needed to avoid Satan's subtle attempt to compromise truth. The attitude that anyone who says they are a Christian, is a Christian, can undermined the life of an assembly. The watering down of the Gospel message and a tolerance for people in spite of doctrinal differences has the effect of removing an assembly from being a "lampstand" to just another church from which to choose.
Every individual was to not only be morally clean, but physical cleanness was expected of the children of Israel. It was necessary to teach the children early in life so they would know how to maintain sanitary conditions in their homes, the camp of Israel in the wilderness, and the cities in which they would dwell. Uncleanness from body emissions of whatever nature, was to be dealt with in the way God proscribed. Paddles were to be carried so they could cover what they left. Latrines are necessary even in an army camp to preserve health and cleanliness. Israelites were to cover with dirt whatever came from them. Washing with water was also necessary to remove odors that were associated with bodily functions and actions. Individuals were responsible for themselves, from their personal hygiene to moral conduct. Unfortunately, there are people who try to blame society for the conditions of squalor in which they live. They do not clean up behind themselves and think that others should do that for them. Others will blame their parents or peers for their own unacceptable behavior. Every individual is responsible to be the kind of person God intended them to be. The laws governing individuals are simple, plain and make common sense.
There were some who had been slaves to others probably through no fault of their own. They had been enslaved by conquerors or money seeking slave-traders. God does not condone slavery even though He allows it to exist because of willful human sin. Mankind has brought this about because of sin. When a slave escaped and came to Israel, life started over for them. They were not to be considered a lesser person but were to be accepted for who they were as a person. The past life of a believer should not be held against them by God's people. Those who have been in the bondage of sin, will still have a hard enough time recovering from the consequences of their sinful past without God's people adding to their challenges by considering them a lesser person.
There were differences of trust among those who were the people of God and those who were not. An Israelite was considered to be a person of integrity who, when he borrowed money, would pay it back at the earliest possible time. The lender was not to charge interest but was to trust the borrower to meet his obligations in a timely fashion. Not everyone who asks money from us has a good intention behind it. When it is one of God's people, the trust we show in that person is a strengthening act to one who is a genuine believer. To be trusted in this way, challenges a person to live up to the expectations others have of them. To lend money without interest is one of the greatest expressions of trust we have in a person's word and character.
God's view of a human body is much different from that of those who only see their physical body as a tool with which to make money. The Christian's body has had a high price paid already for it by the Lord Jesus Christ. In ancient Israel when they were about to enter the promised land, religions in the tribes around them used paid prostitutes to keep people coming to the place where they worshipped idols. A variety of sexual pleasures almost guaranteed that lustful men and women would come to where their lust could be satiated. Israelites were not to allow such things to happen in their nation. God's intention is that sexual fulfillment be found within the boundaries of marriage between one man and one woman. A right attitude about who we are and who our spouse is, builds a right relationship between two people that extends to all parts of our lives.
Premarital sex was never in God's plan for the happiness and welfare of mankind. The bond of marriage and marital fidelity maintains not only marriages and families intact, but strengthens society. Our society today is disintegrating because of the lack of commitment of husbands to wives and vice versa; of parents to children and vice versa. A huge percentage of children today are being born who have no real family. Confusion reigns in many homes where the children of one woman have different fathers. As individuals, people need to see how serious a social problem self-centered living is. Children raised without a father, often become dysfunctional adults because they never learned the laws for individuals to live by, nor were they taught them by the model of responsible parents. Christians need to commit themselves to fulfilling the vows they make: to the institution of marriage, to the person they married, and to the children God has given them as a heritage from Him to us. When these principles for living are followed by individuals, our lives will be lived as God intended.
When a person in Israel passed by a fruit tree or along a field of grain as they traveled, they were allowed by the laws for individuals, to pick an apple or fig or some other fruit off of another person's tree to eat as they went along their way. They were not harvesting the fruit and claiming the profit from the fruit for themselves. However, if they had a container and put the fruit of another person's tree into the container, that was forbidden. That would be the same as stealing that which belonged to another as a means of their livelihood. There are laws today in some schools that forbid plagiarism. Different places define plagiarism in different ways. The principle that governs the action is that if I use an idea another person has to produce something for my profit, I am a plagiarist. Others will say words used in similar contexts is plagiarism. Others will say it is using phrases word for word that is plagiarism. Whatever it is, if my purpose is to take what another person has done and claim it for myself for financial or personal gain, I am stealing. The intent behind an act or an action is known by God and I must be committed to personal integrity in regard to the laws that govern my life.