Which laws of the Bible are still laws that we should go by?

Sincerely,
Legally Binding

Dear Legally Binding,

The laws and commandments of the Old Testament are no longer binding.  When Jesus died on the cross, He blotted out the ordinances of the Old Testament that condemned us (Col 2:14).  The New Testament has surpassed and replaced the Old Contract written on tablets of stone (2 Cor 3:3-8).  The Old Testament was designed to lead mankind to Christ, but now that Christ has come, we are no longer under the Old Covenant (Gal 3:24-25).

That does not mean that the Old Testament has no relevance.  The Old Testament is the history of God’s interaction with mankind over the centuries.  The laws and lives of those people are given to us as an example and a written lesson of how to live (1 Cor 10:11).  The prophets’ lives are examples of perseverance and suffering (Jas 5:10).  Israel is given to us as an example of disobedience (1 Cor 10:6-10).  Hebrews chapter eleven is an entire chapter devoted to the faithfulness of people who lived during the Old Testament times.  The Old Testament has immense depths of wisdom to be plumbed.

The Old Testament also provides the background to Jesus’ life.  Jesus was born a Jew, and He lived under the Jewish Old Testament law.  When we understand that law, we have a deeper understanding of Christ’s life.  The Old Testament also contains hundreds of prophecies about Jesus’ life.  Isa 53:1-7 is just one example of an Old Testament verse that gives details about Jesus’ life and sacrifice.

Genesis 30:16 – what are mandrakes, and what are they used for?

Sincerely,
Horticulturist

Dear Horticulturist,

There are many types of mandrakes, but the ones mentioned in Gen 30:16 are most likely Mandragora Officinarum.  Mandrakes are considered a delicacy and (so we have heard) have a taste similar to an apple.  They were primarily used for eating but have some medicinal uses as well (including use as a mild anesthetic).

When I was at church, we were talking about how God was our rock; what does that mean?

Sincerely,
Rock On

Dear Rock On,

There are several verses that refer to God as our Rock (Deu 32:31, 1 Sam 2:2, 2 Sam 22:32, Ps 18:31, Ps 95:1, and 1 Cor 10:14… just to name a few).  Calling God our “rock” is a metaphor.  Just like a rock, God is stable, indestructible, immovable, and a firm foundation.  Throughout all the Scriptures, we see that God is unchanging (Heb 13:8) and trustworthy (Ps 20:7).  He is the firm foundation that we can build our lives upon (Matt 7:24-27).

Are any foods prohibited from consumption by the New Testament?  I once visited a church where the members were debating whether eating rare beef was prohibited because of the presence of blood.  Is this splitting hairs?  Is it merely cultural that we do not eat certain animals such as horses, or is there Biblical basis in this?  I believe I'm recalling Old Testament Law which specified eating only animals with "cloven hooves"?

Sincerely,
Nom Nom Nom

Dear Nom Nom Nom,

The Old Testament laws concerning what could and could not be eaten can be found in Lev. 11, but there is only one type of food that christians cannot eat – blood (Acts 15:29).  When an animal is killed, some cultures will strangle the animal so as to keep the blood in the meat, as opposed to draining the blood out.  It is probably a misunderstanding on what it means to eat the meat with the blood that caused the discussion that you mentioned over rare beef.  Things like blood sausage, blood soup, blood stew, etc. are popular dishes in some countries, but eating them is wrong.  All meat is clean for New Testament christians (Mk 7:19), but blood is not.

Why did God state “I relent making man”… and then the Flood?

Sincerely,
Waterlogged

Dear Waterlogged,

Mankind broke God’s heart in the days preceding the Flood (Gen 6:6).  Every thought and intention of that generation was on violence and evil (Gen 6:11).  Everyone had become corrupt (except Noah), and God decided to destroy them and start over with Noah (Gen 6:12-13).  God repented (‘repent’ means ‘change your mind’) from blessing mankind because He saw that their wickedness was so great (Gen 6:7).  God promises us He will never destroy the world with water again (Gen 9:13-16).  The next time God destroys the world, it will be burned up in fire at the second coming of Christ (2 Pet 3:10).