For some, this is a confusing topic and they are uncertain where the truth lies regarding our relationship to the Mosaic Law. Others are "evil men and seducers" who are intentionally "deceiving, and being deceived" such as those in the 'Hebrew Roots' cult. This is not a mere peripheral question, but a very important one. If we are still under the law, then why did Christ die? He fulfilled the law and is now the mediator of a new and better covenant.
Let's look at a few verses that answer this question in extremely plain language.
2 Corinthians 3 is a great chapter that covers this topic. Let's go over just a portion of it. Verses 6-8 state, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?"
The old covenant was partially written and engraven in stones (the 10 commandments), and it is called glorious, but also the ministration of death because the law condemns. IT ALSO WAS DONE AWAY WITH (v. 7). This passage alone should sufficiently answer the question of whether or not Christians are under the law (including the 10 commandments). Now in the same chapter look at verse 11 for further confirmation of this fact: "For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious."
Let's look at some more verses. Romans 8:2 reads, "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." The Mosaic Law is here called the law of sin and death, similar to what is quoted above in 2 Corinthians 3 that the letter (law) killeth, and is the ministration of death. Life in Christ is contrasted in strongest terms from the law. You can have one or the other, never both, but James 2:10 says, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Moving on, we could quote the entire book of Galatians since it was written to specifically refute the Judaizers, the enemies of the gospel (Rom. 11:28), that want to bring Christians back under the yoke of bondage of the law. But we'll stick to just a few passages.
Similar to James 2:10 quoted above, Galatians 3:10 reads, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." So if you want to be under the law you are under a curse, since nobody can keep the whole law perfectly (only Jesus ever did).
Galatians 3:23-25 reads, "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." I don't think this could be stated with any greater clarity. We Are Not Under The Law. We were under the law for a designated portion of time for the purpose of pointing towards Jesus Christ. Now that Christ has come, we are not under the law. This fully settles the matter, but let's keep going just for even further elucidation.
Galatians 5:2-6 reads, "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." If you are going to be circumcised in an attempt to keep the law, then Christ does nothing for you. If you want to keep the law then you are rejecting salvation through Jesus Christ and there is "none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Galatians 5:18 reads, "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." It's one or the other and they are mutually exclusive. You are either led by the Holy Spirit as a saved believer, or you willingly put yourself under the burden of the law.
I sincerely encourage you all to read the whole book of Galatians. It is only 6 chapters and pretty easy to understand.
Let's keep going!
Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." When the Bible says we are not under the law, shouldn't we just accept that we are not under the law?!
Colossians 2:14-17, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ."
So the whole law, including food laws and the Sabbath and all other special days were a shadow of things to come, and the whole law was nailed to the cross. So when people try and follow the old covenant, they are following a shadow instead of Christ who has come. Here's an article about keeping the Sabbath day: https://www.titusmin.com/post/what-about-the-sabbath
Romans 14:5-6, "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." Here's another passage that nullifies the Sabbath, a day which was given FOR man, and not a day that man was made for (Mark 2:27). We have the freedom in Christ to eat whatever food we want and to celebrate a day as special to the Lord or every day as special to the Lord.
Romans 14:17, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." The kingdom of God is not in keeping Old Testament dietary rules, and these rules do not apply to believers today.
Romans 4:13-14 reads, "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect." You are not heirs to the Kingdom and have rejected salvation in Christ if you put yourself under the law. It is either faith or works. Never both, and as previously stated, nobody could keep the whole law. The law was never even intended to bring about righteousness. For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain (Galatians 2:21).
Acts 15:8-10 reads, "And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" Acts 15 is a great chapter to read. The passage quoted here shows that our hearts are purified by faith (not the law), and the Pharisees were trying to burden believers with the yoke of the law which none of them could bear.
Acts 10:12-15 reads, "Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." In these verses, God is telling Peter in a vision that all animals are acceptable to eat. There are no more dietary restrictions. This passage (read the whole chapter) is also showing that the gentiles are not welcomed into the family of God.
The entire book of Hebrews also makes it clear that the old covenant is gone. We'll just look at a few places where this is specifically mentioned.
Hebrews 7:18-19, "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." On this verse Chrysostom writes, "What is a disannulling? A casting out. A disannulling is a disannulling of things which are of force. So that he implied, that it [once] was of force, but henceforward was of no account, since it accomplished nothing. Was the Law then of no use? It was indeed of use; and of great use: but to make men perfect it was of no use. For in this respect he says, The Law made nothing perfect. All were figures, all shadows; circumcision, sacrifice, sabbath. There fore they could not reach through the soul, wherefore they pass away and gradually withdraw. But the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw near unto God." The Mosaic Law has been disannulled.
Hebrews 7:22, "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." Jesus Christ brought about the NEW covenant which is BETTER and which REPLACED the old one.
Hebrews 7:27, "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Do you, who LARP as an Old Testament Israelite, make daily sacrifices? Any sacrifices? No? You just pick and choose which rules you pretend to follow? Christ was the final sacrifice in His fulfilling of the law.
Please read the entire chapter of Hebrews 8. We are under a “better covenant”, and the chapter is concluded well in verse 13: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.” By "old" we are to understand as "obsolete" as many Bible versions translate that here.
For Hebrews 9 please read this post here: https://www.titusmin.com/post/hebrew-roots-cult-hebrews-ch-9
Heb 10:1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect."
And on and on. There is so much more that could be written on this, but this small portion I have here is more than adequate to cover this issue several times over. I hope there is no longer any question in your mind about the place of the Law in the Old Testament.
Check out this excellent sermon below to gain an even fuller understanding.
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