Question

Why were some animals unclean in the Old Testament and then in the New Testament they became clean?

Answer

Make no mistake, the clean and unclean dichotomy still exists, it is only for us who are in Christ that the dichotomy no longer exists [1Ti 4:3-5].

1. Outside of Christ, unclean animals are still unclean, but for us in Christ they are not
2. Outside of Christ, Gentiles are still unclean, but if they are in Christ they are clean

This same misunderstanding exists regarding the Law in general, as such, some people believe that the Law has been abolished but fail to realize that this is only true for us who are in Christ—the Law still operates, but for us in Christ, it has been abolished.

This is very common mistake, sadly, in fact, too common—what is true only for those in Christ being applied to all men and creating contradictions as we have here.

As Jesus pointed out in a relevant incident, the priests working in the temple on the Sabbath day are not considered to have broken the Sabbath because of the Temple, therefore, the temple gives them immunity from that Law [Mat 12:5-6]. It however did not mean that the Sabbath law had been abolished for all Israel or even for the priests for the matter, if they were outside the temple, they would still have to observe the Sabbath law.

In the same way, belonging to the Lord Jesus gives us immunity from the Law and regulations such as the Sabbath and the dichotomy of clean and unclean animals.

Why and how is this so?

Why we have Immunity in Christ

Let me break it down into two reasons:

1. Our citizenship in Christ and
2. The Lordship of Christ over the world

So, let’s take a closer look at them (PS: this is really just a summary)

Our Citizenship in Christ

In Christ, we are citizens of the New Jerusalem and of Heaven and are not of this world [Gal 4:26; Php 3:20; Joh 8:23; 17:14] and thus, we are not bound by the Laws binding on this world [Col 2:20].

One of the reasons Christ was not subject to the Law of Moses but above it was because he was God’s Son. Now, to be a son of God as Jesus was means that he is was a citizen of heaven and not of this world. Because of this, for example, Christ didn’t have to pay the temple tax [Mat 17:25-27].

Angels too are not under the Law of Moses for the Law was made for men [Mar 2:27; Deu 5:2-3] and not for angels.

It is as though a King (i.e., God) marries a common woman (i.e., men) and has children by her (i.e., the church). The children may have physical features like their mother’s but that does not in the least diminish the fact that they are princes and princesses. In the same way, though we still look like any other human being, we are not of this world, we are children of God and citizens of the ruling country and city—Heaven and the New Jerusalem.

The Lordship of Christ over all things

The state of the world is presently, since the resurrection and ascension of Christ, a state of two governments, both being legitimate, reigning at the same time and having different (and opposing) Laws. Thus, depending on which of the governments you submit or belong to, certain laws will not apply to you. So, if you belong to Christ, the dichotomy of clean and unclean does not exist for you, but if you don’t belong to Christ, it does.

Below are two examples of two governments and laws operating at the same time in Scriptures

1. David was anointed king while Saul was still the anointed king. Thus, in Israel, at that time, there were two legitimate kings.
2. In the days of Esther, two practically opposing laws were in force at the same time and they were both legitimate because they were decreed in the name of the king Xerxes. One law was by Haman and the other was by Mordecai. One said “kill the Jews”, the other said, “Jews, defend yourselves and kill all your enemies”.

The two governments in force at present are,

1. The government of the Lord Jesus Christ rooted in him being “the new man”, “the Last Adam” [1Co 15:45] and the Son of God, having the very nature of God [Joh 1:1; Php 2:6; Col 1:19; 2:13], and
2. The government of Satan and death rooted in “the old man”, “the first Adam” [Rom 5:17ff] with their nature greater than that of man but lesser than that of Christ [Gal 4:8]

The curse of corruption/decay/death and the rule of Satan and his angels (a.k.a. the principalities and powers), and the Law of Moses are the reasons for the dichotomy of clean and unclean in the world and their rule and administration is legitimate.

What we must understand is that, though they are legitimately in power, Christ, by God’s genius, gained legitimate rule, free from Adam’s transgression and the present arrangement of things, over the world. And so, there are presently two legitimate, though opposed and incompatible, governments ruling over the world.

Christ is Lord of all and has right to all things and does not have to observe their rule and authority, therefore, for Christ and all in him, except for sin, there is nothing unclean. For this reason, observing the distinction between clean and unclean, and other rules associated with their government is legally and politically a rejection of the rule of Christ [Gal 4:8-10; Col 2:8].

All men, descended from Adam are of this world and are under the rule of Satan and death, whether they know it or not. Therefore, for them, the dichotomy of clean and unclean exists.

All men under Christ’s rule, however, are free from the dichotomy because Christ’s rule, though over the same world, is independent and apart from the rule of Satan and death, and so the world under Christ is not under that dichotomy.

In the Kingdom of God, which is the age to come, there will be no dichotomy of clean and unclean because the other government, that of Satan and death, would have been destroyed [1Co 15:24-26] and Christ alone will be in power.

Limitations of our Immunity

Now, it is important that you must understand these things properly or else you may fall into an extreme of saying we are not bound by any command or regulation of scriptures.

The government of Christ cancels out the effects of the dominion of Satan, it, however, and certainly, does not cancel out the eternal dominion and rule of God. It gives us immunity from rules peculiar to this world, but not from rules that apply to all of God’s dominion.

Therefore, for example,

1. Idolatry will forever be forbidden because they are misrepresentations of God. The only image of God we are permitted to worship is His true image and likeness, Jesus Christ [Heb 1:3; Joh 5:22-23].
2. Murder is still forbidden for it is an attack on the image of God [Gen 9:6].
3. Sin is still forbidden because it is an offence to God. And the list goes on.
4. Homosexuality is forbidden because it is against the institution of God. Only if there was sex in heaven and it could be between same sexes will homosexuality be okay for those in Christ, but if sex is for mortals, then you must follow what God has instituted for mortals.
5. Women are still to be subject to their husbands and under authority in the Church. The subjection of women to their husbands (and fathers) is not the result of sin or the curse but God’s original institution. Christ’s government will uphold the will of God, wherever it rules, therefore, since God instituted woman to be under man, that is what Christ will promote.
   If there was marriage in heaven and in the heavenly marriages the women were not subject to their husbands, then we can also claim, as citizens of heaven, that we do not observe the marriage laws of this world because the marriage laws of heaven, the ruling country and city where we come from, is different. But, no, there is no marriage in heaven.
6. And the list goes on…