Leviticus 5

Even if no one reads this, I'm going to use it anyway.

Sins, guilt, and atonements.

3 " 'Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything that would make him unclean—even though he is unaware of it, when he learns of it he will be guilty.

4 " 'Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil—in any matter one might carelessly swear about—even though he is unaware of it, in any case when he learns of it he will be guilty.

I think we too often excuse things by the blood of Jesus. We say, "it's ok because Jesus still loves you" too often. It's true that Jesus loves you no matter what good or bad thing you do. Nothing could earn or cause you to lose Jesus' love. But I do think we are still called to be a holy people and we always have been called. I think it's clear that there is guilt, when we sin and sometimes that guilt is the worst punishment.

In the old testament, Jews were given the laws that they must obey, and if they did any number of things to break the laws (even if they didn't realize they were breaking the law), they had to give a sacrifice of some animal, dependent upon the sin, and be atoned by a priest. This passage tells a number of ways people may screw up, and it always results in guilt. The atonement is not a way to just clean your conscience, but a way to confess to a community of believers where you went wrong so they can hold you to higher standards. The sacrifice is not a way to buy God's grace but a symbol of how serious these sins are and a humbling act that reminds us that it's all God's anyway.

There were high standards for cleanliness - do not touch anything unclean. And this is something I'm still trying to figure out how it's applicable to present day. I'm searching here, but in some ways, I think it's a health issue and by these laws, God was protecting his people from disease. From what we know now about bacteria and things "unclean" we wouldn't want to touch these things anyway without an immediate hand washing and sanitizing session. But I also think that when God gave his people laws about every detail of their lives from what they wore to what they ate to how to sleep with their spouses to how to deal with their money, he was constantly giving them reminders to think of Him always in all things. There's something beautiful about recognizing God in what you choose to eat and wear; He gave it to you.