Deuteronomy 23:17

Deuteronomy 23;17 says, There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.  Moses said their would be no whore of the women of Israel nor any sodomite, or homosexual, of the men.  Though many dietary restrictions and physical requirements changed after Christ died, moral requirements did not, and I believe these are moral requirements that never changed.  Verse eighteen adds, Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.  Moses said that they should not bring money made by a whore into the house of God, nor the price of a dog, which Matthew Henry says he believed was a reference to a sodomite, which he said meant a whore master.  I believe that since sodomy referred to homosexual acts committed in Sodom, a sodomite would be one committing these acts.  God would not accept their money, no matter their reason for offering.  We cannot willfully commit sin and then expect God to accept our offerings, even if the church does.  Verse nineteen states, Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:  God said the people of Israel should not accept usury, or interest, on anything loaned to a fellow Israelite.  We today as followers of Christ should not either when lending to a fellow believer.  Verse twenty adds, Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.  Moses then said they could charge interest to a non Israelite, but never to their fellow Israelite.  If they didn't charge their brother interest, then God would bless them.  We should treat our fellow Christians as brothers and sisters in Christ and never expect to profit from helping them.  Verse twenty-one says,  When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.  Vows were things freely promised to God, and Moses said that if we make a vow to God that we are to completely fulfill it, because God expects us to.  We should never go back on our promises to God.  Verse twenty-two adds, But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.  Moses said if they, and we today, did not make a vow that it would be no sin.  Again, vows are things freely promised to God by someone above what His laws require.  Verse twenty-three continues, That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.  Moses said that ever vow made and every freewill offering vowed to God that He would expect the person making it to fulfill it.  We should never make insincere promises to God, because He takes our promises seriously.  Verse twenty-four states, When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.  Moses said when they came into their neighbors vineyard,  they could eat their fill, but they weren't to take any of the fruit away with them.  I believe that this means that if we are in need that we should be able to look to our neighbor for help, but we are never to take advantage of them by expecting them to give us more than we need.  Verse twenty-five adds, When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.  Moses said that if they came into a neighbour’s corn that the same rule as that of the vineyard applied.  They could take enough to meet their immediate need, but no more.  Of course, this would also require the owner to freely allow them to do so.  We likewise should be willing to help our neighbors when they are in need without expecting anything in return.