Quoted from the Westminster Shorter Catechism (men whose intellectual boots no one here is intellectually worthy of so much as looking at would be bashful to correct the Westminster Divines who originally wrote this) which can be found
here complete with footnoted scriptural references. If you want interpretations of scripture from men who had greater understanding of the scriptures, read it, all of it with the mentioned scripture.
Now for the interpretation of the above being that it uses big words and is not aimed directly at your inquiry.
- The scripture makes clear that there are some sectors of the law as given by God to the Hebrews that are exclusive to the Hebrews. These include the ceremonial and civil laws and they are modernly called. They can generally be found in both Leviticus and Deuteronomy. They're original purpose was to set apart and distinguish the Hebrews from those whom they dwelt with. Specifically by making them "ceremonially clean" that they may enter into His presence at the Tabernacle and later the Temple which were to be kept Holy (that is, different, alien, otherworldly, etc.). This is all intended to point to the Holiness of Christ who would come from them.
- Being clean already by the work of Christ and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, Christians may now enter into the presence of God freely, without fear of the complications of their sins. Further, it is no longer necessary that they distinguish themselves from others with outward exertion for by the grace of God and His direct intervention and ordinance they are already being made different.
- That being said, the original reason that the Hebrews entered into the presence of God was to provide justification for their sins by making sacrifices which pointed to the coming Christ who would make no need for such justification, being that He was that very justification that was being alluded to by sacrifice and is the sole source of justification before God for the sinful (i.e. every human being ever).
In conclusion, then, there is no more need for the Christian or anybody to maintain cleanliness before God for they are all already clean. Being that the entire purpose of Leviticus is lay out the full procedures for the admission, maintenance, and ceremony of the temple it would be wise to conclude that this is indeed ceremonial law and no longer necessary for presenting ourselves before God. Which, by the way, I imagine the unregenerate would have no intention of ever doing, being it's inevitable conclusion.
That said, I shall address the moral law (that is, that law which is given to everyone) and it's differing purposes to the unregenerate (those of human kind who have not received call and election to God by the Holy Spirit) and the regenerate (those who have by no merit of their own).
The expectation of the Law is that you will not be able to keep it, for you cannot by the very nature of your being.
Lastly, the scriptures and why they are so:
God is immutable, omnipotent, and omniscient, therefore if He spoke and intended that it be written to us and heard in the scriptures, as scripture, it would be impossible for it to be contrary. Being that the "other texts" referenced in this thread are not canon and many have never been deemed canon, I'd say they aren't meant to be read as canon, wouldn't you? Further, all the scriptures can serve to the unregenerate is condemnation so I'm not surprised that you would use it to do just that.
