Deuteronomy 14-15
We know from Mark 7:18-19, where Jesus declares all foods clean, that we are no longer subject to the Kosher dietary laws, so it can be tempting to simply skim over these regulations as irrelevant to us. But that would be a mistake. We need to look for God’s purpose in giving these laws in the first place.
First of all, a good case can be made for the idea that the dietary laws promote better general physical health. The “clean” animals are, well, actually cleaner and healthier than the “unclean” animals. (Hey, undercooked chicken can be hazardous, so do you really want to take a chance on vulture?) So the dietary laws can be seen as yet another way that God protects His people, even when they may not understand the underlying science.
More than that, though, the dietary laws serve to distinguish Israel from everyone else. These laws mark the Chosen People as separate and distinct from all their neighbors, while also serving as a test for the faithfulness and obedience of individuals within the community as well as of the community as a whole.
So if the dietary laws do not apply to us, then what marks followers of Christ? How might we be distinguished from those around us? How might we demonstrate the reality of our faith?
Love.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35