Discharges and washings ceremonial?

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RamistThomist

Puritanboard Clerk
Are the laws in Leviticus 15 (and passim) which require washings (and unclean until sundown) ceremonial or moral?
 
Ceremonial:
1. They are so tied up in things that have passed away, such as the Aaronic priesthood, that it is no longer possible to keep them.
2. The New Testament is replete with references to them, but it draws moral lessons from them in terms of moral/spiritual rather than tangible uncleanness. See, for example, admonitions to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, or Jude's warning to touch not even the garment spotted by the flesh.
3. Baptism certainly draws from the symbolism of OT purifications (Hebrews even calls them "divers baptisms," using the Greek term) but is clearly distinct in purpose and administration.
 
I asked this partly because I know in traditional Eastern Orthodox circles women, for example, cannot enter the church building for 40 days after childbirth. And there are some stricter practices encourage menstruating women to abstain from communion (similar cases in sexual intercourse, etc). I would link to the sites, but second commandment issues.
 
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Debtors to the whole law, then, Gal.5:3. In for a penny, in for a pound, according to the Apostle.

Those laws were unquestionably ceremonial in nature.
 
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