What Must Christians Do with the OT Law?

In Part 1 of this two-part series, we considered if the Old Testament Law applies to Christians today (see here). We concluded that in Christ, we are released from the Law (Rom 7:6); we are dead to it (Rom 7:4); and we are not under the Law anymore (Gal 5:18). No portion of the OT Law is binding on Christians for the sake of righteousness; that is, we are not judged by the legal demands of the Law. We are set free from the penalty of its condemnation.

However, this does not mean we can live lawless lives. We should, rather, uphold the Law (Rom 3:31). What does this look like in a Christian’s life? Before we answer that question, we need to understand the original purpose of the Law and the context in which it was administered.

The purpose of the Law

The Law is often synonymous with the Mosaic Covenant or the Old Covenant. It was a Covenant (or treaty) which God made with the Israelites after He delivered them from their slavery in the land of Egypt. This was the context for the Law, and it served the following purposes.

The Law functioned as the means of relationship between God and the Israelites. Obedience was the instrument to experience covenant blessings and disobedience would bring curses (Deut 27-30).
The Law reveals the character of God. We find in the Law that God is holy (Lev 11:45). His standards are perfect and He expects His covenant people to live up to His perfect standards (Num 15:40).
The Law reveals sin. It is like a mirror which shows our flaws. Paul writes in Rom 7:7 that through the Law, He knew what sin was. Through the Law, we know we have also broken God’s commands.
The Law shows the need for a new covenant. It anticipates the failure of the Israelites to keep the commands and reveals the need for a heart transformation (Deut 30:1-6).
The Law served as a teacher. It was like a guardian watching over a minor until the person reached adulthood. The Law was a tutor to lead people to Christ (Gal 3:24).

See the Law through Christ

Should Christians use the Law in the same way today? The answer to this question is both No and Yes. Christians have to view the Law in light of Christ’s finished work. By proclaiming that He came to fulfill the Law (Matt 5:17-20), Jesus showed that He is the goal (telos) of the Law. In Him, every part of the Law has been brought to its completion. And, as Jesus said, every jot and tittle (Matt 5:18 KJV) was accomplished in Him.

In this sense, the Law is not the direct and immediate guide for Christians anymore. It is not the means of relationship with God; rather Christ is. We see God’s character through Jesus (John 1:18, 14:9). The Gospel takes away our sin and makes us righteous because of the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21). And Christians are already in the new covenant and only need to look to Christ, our covenant head (Heb 8:6).

Yet, the Law is God’s Word and it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16). And, in this sense, the Law continues to be a relevant guide for believers and is indirectly applicable through Christ’s law fulfillment. That is, every part of the Law has to be evaluated through Christ as the mediator to understand what it means for Christians who are part of the new covenant. This will result in what Paul identifies as the “Law of Christ” (1 Cor 9:21, Gal 6:2).

A Practical Look at the Law

Here is what it means practically for us today. We have to assess every aspect of the Law through Christ. He is the bridge through which each command travels before it comes to us. We do this by first understanding the application and theological intent of the portion of the Law in its original context, and then evaluating it in light of how Christ fulfilled the Law. Consequently, we see that these commands are annulled, intensified, transformed, or extended (maintained) for us today.

Let’s look at a few examples.

Annulled

The Law contains great details regarding different kinds of sacrifices (for example Lev 16 - Day of Atonement). These were instituted for removing the sins of the Israelites. When these are viewed through Christ, we see that they are not needed anymore. As the book of Hebrews explains, there is no need for the blood of bulls and goats to be offered anymore. Christ is the once for all sacrifice offered for redemption of sins (Heb 9:11-14). Therefore, those parts of the Law are annulled in the New Covenant because of Christ.

Similarly, the food laws (Lev 20:24-25) are also annulled through Christ (Mark 7:19).

Intensified

In Matt 5:21-22, Jesus is addressing the 6th commandment to not murder (Exod. 20:13). He explains the command to show what is required in the new covenant. The command did not just intend for God’s people to refrain from murder; rather, it demanded a heart transformation resulting in the condemnation of all kinds of hate. It is not just a lesson in anger management but a pointer to the consummation of the 6th commandment. Therefore, practically, the 6th commandment is intensified to refrain from hate.

Transformed

In the OT Law, only Levites could be priests. Israelites from other tribes could not become priests and serve in the temple or sanctuary (Exod. 28:1, Num 18:21). However, in 1 Pet 2:5, all Christians are addressed as priests. We see in the new covenant, priesthood is not limited to Levites only, or to Jews only, but it is applied to all Christians, including Gentile Christians because of their union with Christ. There is clearly a change or transformation to this section of the Law.

The Law hinted at the bigger picture through its specific application. And in Christ, the full realization of the Law can be seen. It is no longer applied in the same way, but it is transformed to its full application.

Similarly, the Sabbath is not merely a weekly day of rest; rather it is the eternal rest which can only come through a relationship with Christ. It marks the end of all of our works (to be justified) and helps us enjoy true peace with God (Heb 4:9-11, Rom 5:1)

Extended / Maintained

Lev 19:9-10 and 23:22 instructs not to reap the corners or edges of the field during the harvest. Rather these are to be left for the poor and the needy. These commands instruct the Israelites to be concerned for the needs of the poor. When we look at these through Christ, we see that these are extended to Christians. These commands are concerned with love for neighbor, which is an essential part of the new covenant (Luke 14:12-14, 12:33, Gal 2:10, James 2:5). Therefore, these commands are clearly extended to our context.

We can say the same thing about marriage and gender distinctions; they are extended to the new covenant.

Conclusion

In this two-part series, we have seen that the OT Law is not applicable to Christians for the sake of righteousness. The OT Law was part of the old covenant but Christians are now in the new covenant. Christ has fulfilled the Law and in Him, the Law has come to an end (Rom 10:4). However, Christians are not called to live lawless lives; rather they are called to uphold the Law.

We do this by assessing every aspect of the Law through Christ’s fulfillment. Consequently, we find that some commands are annulled, some are intensified, some are transformed and others extended. The Law of Christ manifested through love has superseded the Law of Moses.

Does the Old Testament Law Apply to Christians?

The OT Law has puzzled many Christians. Some commands are kept while others are omitted. For example, consider Lev 19:11 – “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.” Christians still consider this as a binding command. However, Christians hardly follow Lev 19:27 – “You shall not round off the side-growth of your heads nor harm the edges of your beard.” We all trim our sideburns and men trim their beards. Also, we do not put to death those who disrespect their parents (Lev 20:9) or those who sleep with another man’s wife (Lev 20:10). So, why this discrepancy and how do we justify this?

There have been various responses to the OT Law from Christians. Some view following the OT Law as legalistic. Others have said that the OT Law only applied to Israelites and is not applicable to Christians. Still others have conveniently edited out portions of the OT, either consciously (look up Marcion) or subconsciously.

What is more puzzling is that the New Testament appeals to many portions of the OT Law as expected behavior for Christians. The appeal to the Ten Commandments is rather obvious (Matt 5:21, 27; James 2:11, Eph 6:1-2). However, the NT also appeals to other commands in the OT. For example, Jesus appealed to divorce laws in Matt 5:31, laws concerning oaths in Matt 5:33 and laws concerning personal injury in Matt 5:38, 43. Moreover, Paul appealed to animal husbandry laws in 1 Cor 9:9 as authoritative to instruct Christians to support ministry workers.

So, how should we, as Christians, view the OT Law?

A Classical Protestant Approach

One of the creeds that resulted from the Reformation is the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) in 1647 AD. This Confession is typically used by Presbyterians today as their official statement of faith. Chapter 19 of the Confession deals with the Law of God. In this chapter, the OT Law is divided into three categories: the moral laws, the ceremonial laws, and the judicial (civil) laws.

The moral laws are typically those associated with the Ten Commandments and those that are purely ethical in nature including prohibitions against murder, theft, adultery, etc. Ceremonial laws are concerned with temple worship including sacrifices, holy days (Day of Atonement, etc.), and other rituals. The judicial or civil laws are given for the political, judicial, and social governing of the Israelite society and the nation as a whole (for eg: cities of refuge in Num 35:9-29).

According to the WCF, the moral laws are binding on all humans – both Christians and non-Christians. However, the ceremonial and civil laws are not binding on anyone currently. This is due to the fact that the moral laws reflect the character of God and His standards for holiness. The ceremonial laws were given for the purification of sins; however, they are now obsolete because the eternal Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, was sacrificed once and for all time (Heb 9:12, 10:10) and there is no other sacrifice that is needed. Finally, the judicial or civil laws were only applicable for the governing of the Israelites. It is not relevant now since Israel is not a (theocratic) state as it was when the Law was given.

This interpretation seems to handle the OT Law appropriately, and has an attractive appeal to it since it gives a clear distinction between what parts of the Law are applicable and those that are not. Moreover, it also provides what seems like a valid explanation to know how a Christian is to understand and follow the OT Law. However, there are significant drawbacks with this methodology.

The OT itself does not separate the Law into these categories and the NT does not add these categories to interpret the Law. The Law is considered as a whole and also referred to as a whole (see Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2, Ps 119, Gal 3:10).
It is not always easy to differentiate between these categories. The Law is so intricately woven together that dividing them is not always a simple task.Incorrect categorizations could make a person ignore parts of the Law that could be applicable.
Not everyone categorizes the Law in the same way. This gives the interpreter full rein to do with a text as the person pleases and make up their own categories.

Although the approach in the WCF seems appealing, it is not a viable option.

And we are again left trying to figure out if the Law is applicable to Christians.

The Answer is Always Jesus!

We have to remember that, as Christians, we are now living in the New Covenant and not in the Old Covenant. Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, followed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost inaugurated the new covenant (Luke 22:20, Acts 2:16, 33). And, the author of Hebrews writes that because of the new covenant, the old covenant is obsolete (Heb 8:13). That is, the old covenant has ceased because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. And this was God’s purpose – that the Law would be valid until the seed (Jesus) comes (Gal 3:19).

Jesus fulfilled the Law

However, the end of the Law does not imply that God’s standards were abruptly suspended. No! Rather, the whole Law found its fulfillment in Christ! Jesus is the true Adam (Rom 5:14,19), He is the true seed of Abraham (Gal 3:16), He is the true Israel (Matt 2:15, 4:1-11), the true tabernacle (John 1:14), the true temple (John 2:21), and He is the true Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7). Jesus was the teacher and the mediator of the new covenant just as Moses was the mediator of the old covenant (John 1:17). In this sense, Jesus is the greater prophet that Moses prophesied (Deut. 18:15). Jesus is the fulfillment of the requirements of the Law (Matt 5:17).

Righteousness Apart From the Law

The Law was never intended to be the means of righteousness. Paul explains in Rom 3:20 that no one will be justified by the works of the Law. In fact, Moses knew that the Israelites would not keep the Law (Deut 31:27-29). And if one breaks even one part of the Law, one is guilty of all of it (James 2:10, also see Gal 3:10). Therefore, the Law only showed what sin was… but could never take it away (Rom 7:7).

And what the law could not do for us, because of our weakness of the flesh, God did. He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in Christ’s body, God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us (Rom 8:3-4).

Therefore, those of us who have put our faith in Christ alone, are released from the Law (Rom 7:6); we are dead to it (Rom 7:4); and we are not under the Law anymore (Gal 5:18).

PRAISE THE LORD!

No portion of the OT Law is legally binding on a Christian for the sake of righteousness; that is, we are not judged by the legal demands of the Law. We are set free from the penalty of its condemnation.

This is great news for every Christian! And for the non-Christian, this is a great call to turn to Jesus today!

What about the Law, then?

The fact that we are not under the Law does not mean we live a lawless life! When faced with a similar question, Paul said, in Rom 3:31, that we, in fact, uphold the Law! Moreover, doesn’t the NT say that all of OT was written for our instruction (2 Tim 3:16-17; Rom 15:4)?

We will consider how then the OT Law applies to Christians in Part 2 (see here).

Further Reading:

Jason S. DeRouchie, How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament
Duane A. Garrett, The Problem of the Old Testament
Thomas R. Schreiner, New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ
Stephen J. Wellum and Brent E. Parker, Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course between Dispensational and Covenantal Theologies