A teenager once asked me, “How much of the Bible do I really need to take seriously?”
I responded, “All of it.”

But what she was actually asking was more nuanced: How do I make sense of the different parts of the Bible—especially the laws and strange rules (Check out Deut 25:11-12)—and know which still apply today?

The Bible is a unified story, yet it’s made up of diverse writings: history, poetry, prophecy, law, gospel, and letters. All of it is God-breathed and useful, but not all of it is applied in the same way today. That’s one of the tensions of Christian discipleship—taking Scripture seriously while rightly handling the Word of God.

The Old Testament contains 613 laws, many of which can seem obscure—regulations about mildew, dietary restrictions, tabernacle access, sacrifices, and more. Historically, Reformed theology has recognized that these laws fall into three general categories:

1. Moral Law – These laws reflect God’s unchanging character and apply to all people in all times. The Ten Commandments are the clearest summary. Reaffirmed throughout the New Testament, they form the ethical foundation for Christian living and guide how we love God and love our neighbor.
2. Ceremonial Law – These governed Israel’s worship and sacrificial system—regulations concerning offerings, ritual purity, festivals, food laws, and temple access. Fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ (see Hebrews 10:1–14), they are no longer binding. However, through wise discernment, they can still serve as tools that reveal God’s holiness and deepen our understanding of Christ’s sufficiency.
3. Civil Law – These laws ordered Israel as a distinct nation under God’s direct rule, addressing property, penalties, and public justice. While they express enduring principles of justice, they were rooted in Israel’s theocratic context and do not apply directly to the church today.

Trying to explain all this to a teenager can get complicated. But then I found an analogy when I was helping my sons study for their drivers’ permits. Think of it in terms of traffic laws:

1. Stop signs and yellow lines – These are like moral laws—non-negotiables that apply everywhere. They keep everyone safe. To break them puts you and others at risk.
2. Honking when passing – North Carolina’s driver’s manual still technically includes this rule. It’s like a ceremonial law—it made sense in a certain context, but since it is no longer practiced it may confuse or alarm people.
3. Stopping for a school bus on the opposite side of a divided highway – In New York, you must stop. In North Carolina, you don’t. This is like a civil law—it applied to a specific place and people group, but not universally.

So yes, we take all of Scripture seriously. But we interpret it wisely, through the lens of Christ’s fulfillment, and apply it with discernment. That’s not a lack of faith—it’s a mark of maturing faith.