Do Christians live under the Law of Moses?

By Aaron Dodson


Many in the religious world claim that we live under and are to follow the Law of Moses. What does the Bible say? Study this topic with us!
By Aaron J. Dodson

Many in the religious world claim that we must follow the Law of Moses. Let us examine the Scriptures to answer the question posed above.

What saith the Scripture?

Read Hebrews Chapters 8:7-13

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."
13 In that He says, "A new covenant, " He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Hebrew writer says that He (Christ) has made the first (covenant) obsolete. Thus the Law of Moses (the first covenant to God's people) has passed away.


Also Hebrews 9:15-17 reads:

15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives.

He (Christ) is the Mediator of the new covenant (new testament, new covenant) because of his death on the cross. For there to be a testament there must be the death of the testator (verse 16) The new covenant of Christ thus began after his death ( verse 17)

Christ nailed it to His Cross

Also Read Colossians 2:13-17

13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Chapter 2:14 says "having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us". And He (Christ; context shows) has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. The only "handwriting of requirements (nkjv) or ordinances (kjv) given was the Old Law known as the Law of Moses. The word "ordinances" comes from the Greek word Dogmatizo, which carries the meaning of doctrine, decree, or ordinance (see Luke 2:1; Ephesians 2:15). That which was nailed to the cross was the handwritten doctrine or decree of Moses.(The Law of Moses).

Consider Ephesians 2:13-17.

13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

Paul discusses the unity of the Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ since Christ has "broken down the middle wall of partition". Paul an inspired Apostle says that Christ had "abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances" Eph 2:15. What was once a middle wall of petition between Jew and Gentile, the Law of Moses, had been removed and now Jews and Gentiles are reconciled unto God in one body by the cross.

Consistency Please


It is interesting to note that those claiming the Old Testament as their rule for religious practice today do not follow all that is found therein. They want to pick and choose what they want from the Law of Moses.

Consider assembling in
Jerusalem for the three annual feasts that God required under the Law of Moses.
What about keeping the Sabbath Holy and doing no work on it?
What about the priests? Who today is of the tribe of Levi and can perform the temple worship (in
Jerusalem) as commanded in the Law of Moses?

You see those seeking to follow some of the Old Testament and some of the New Testament can not do so and be acceptable to God.

 

 

 

In Conclusion:


Christ fulfilled the Law of Moses (Matt. 5:17; Lk. 24:27).

The Apostle Paul said that the Old Testament is for our learning (Rom.15:4, 1 Cor. 10:1-6) making it extremely valuable to us as Christians today!
However we in the 21st Century do not live under or according to the Law of Moses but by the Superior Law of Christ.(James

Note: All scripture is taken from the New King James Version