In the book of Galatians Chapter four, the Apostle Paul made a very startling claim that shook up the ancient world. Paul referred to Jerusalem as a “Bond Woman” signifying her state of bondage (slavery) to the LAW OF MOSES which cannot save or transform the human heart. 🖤
Galatians 4: 21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the Law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.
24 This is speaking allegorically, for these women are two covenants: one coming from Mount Sinai giving birth to children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is enslaved with her children.
26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Two Covenants….Two Outcomes, One leads to Slavery, the other (New Covenant) leads to FREEDOM.
If you think about it, Paul’s claim is radical, even shocking! He is basically saying that everyone who attempts to BECOME RIGHTEOUS (in right standing with God) by keeping the LAW OF MOSES (MOSAIC COVENANT) (Gal 4:21-26) actually makes themselves a SLAVE. 😲 It is not hard to imagine why the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem wanted Paul dead. We should remember that before his conversion, Paul was a Jew and a Pharisee deeply committed to the law and an ardent persecutor of the Church. (Philippians 3:4-6).
How can it be that Paul, a Jew and a former Pharisee, who was once fervently devoted to THE LAW, is now asserting that the Mosaic Covenant (Sinai) results in bondage? How is this RADICAL change in thinking – possible??
Paul received DIRECT REVELATION from GOD
After his conversion on the Road to Damascus, Paul spent 14 years in Tarsus (his hometown) where he received direct revelation from THE RISEN CHRIST, which encompassed a more complete understanding of the PURPOSE of the LAW and its limitations along with the POWER of the GOSPEL1. Paul was being prepared to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the GENTILES where he would be forced to confront the Judaizers. The Judaizers were a group of people, both Jew and Gentile, who believed the observance of THE LAW was necessary for salvation, including circumcision and Sabbath keeping. They taught faith in Jesus plus works.
The Judaizers FAILED TO understand the purpose of the Law or the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice. They did NOT recognize that a works-based salvation is incompatible with God’s plan of redemption through Christ, which eliminates all human effort from the equation.
Galatians 1:11: But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Limitations of THE LAW OF MOSES
The Law that was given through Moses is GOOD and HOLY because it reveals God’s standard of Righteousness; HOWEVER, it cannot impart righteousness NOR can it change the human heart. 🖤
Romans 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
The Law cannot impart righteousness (being in right standing with God)
According to the Law of moses, righteousness was contingent on a person’s ability to keep God’s entire Law. It was a package deal. A person could not create their own standard for righteousness because God alone defines what is necessary for salvation. The Law was like a linked chain⛓️💥; to break any one of the statutes was to break the entire Law (Galatians 5:2-4), incurring condemnation on oneself. In the Bible, condemnation means declaring one guilty and subject to punishment, as in an eternity separated from God (hell). 😱
Attempting to achieve Righteousness by keeping the law of Moses is…..
- IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE because NO HUMAN BEING can keep God’s law to God’s standard of perfection. Every human being on the face of the earth has broken God’s commandments.
- KEEPS us in BONDAGE to the sin nature by stirring up our fleshly appetites. THE LAW has NO POWER to change the human heart. 🖤
- Will lead either to despair and shame OR to SELF–RIGHTEOUSNESS which is ALSO SIN
- Ultimate Result is CONDEMNATION. 💀
The Law cannot overcome the power of the sin nature
THE LAW is SPIRITUAL and reveals God’s standard of righteousness; HOWEVER, it is a curse to those WHO PLACE THEMSELVES UNDER IT because we are carnal (fleshly), sold under sin. The phrase “Sold under sin” is found in Scripture (Romans 7:14). It refers to ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE being in a state of spiritual bondage to sin, where sin exerts control over human actions. This is the natural state of all mankind, JEW or GENTILE. ALL mankind has INHERITED the sin nature from our “first parents”, Adam and Eve.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin💀, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
Like an incurable disease, the sin nature that was transmitted through Adam and Eve affects all humanity, leading to an innate propensity to sin. Even the purest of infants, born without any moral taint, possesses this inherent flaw.
“Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).
Weakened by the flesh, the law is unable to break the power of the sin nature.
- Revelation: The Law names and defines sin so that people become aware of their transgressions (SINS).
- Provocation: The sin nature reacts against prohibition as if the law “arouses” sinful passions. “Fallen human nature gravitates toward the forbidden.”
- Amplification: Knowledge of sin increases guilt and internal conflict, making sin more potent.
- Condemnation: The law exposes human inability to keep it perfectly, driving people toward either self-righteousness or surrender to grace
Romans 7:: 8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death💀. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.💀
Romans 7:13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
The Law has limitations. The Mosaic Covenant CANNOT save or make one righteous; it CANNOT change the human heart or break the power of sin. 🖤 The prohibitions of The Law exacerbate our sin nature, leading us to desire sin more. Presenting rules only invites rebellion. 🖤 While we might keep some of God’s laws with human willpower, it leads to self-righteousness, which is NOT God’s standard. He demands 100% perfection, attainable by NO ORDINARY MAN.
Only ONE MAN in ALL HUMAN HISTORY has kept God’s laws to HIS STANDARD of PERFECTION! JESUS CHRIST is that man! He did the IMPOSSIBLE because HE is more than just a man – HE IS GOD!!! As the SON OF GOD, Jesus came down from HEAVEN wrapped in HUMAN FLESH to COMPLETELY FULFILL THE LAW OF MOSES.
We know that Jesus FULFILLED the law of Moses because DEATH could not hold Him. Death is the ultimate consequence of sin (law-breaking), and death could not hold Jesus. JESUS IS ALIVE! He Resurrected after three days and three nights as witnessed by numerous people. He ascended to the Father forty days later and is seated in Heaven as King and Judge. JESUS is coming again.
The Purpose of THE LAW OF MOSES (MOSAIC COVENANT)
From the Beginning, God instilled a conscience within all mankind; however, the human conscience was never enough to reign in the sin nature. 3. “We see it everywhere: people sear their conscience or choose to ignore it entirely.”
God gave the Law to mankind to teach us god’s standard of righteousness while simultaneously revealing human sinfulness. The ultimate purpose of THE LAW OF MOSES is to point us toward our NEED for A SAVIOR. ✝️
The Purpose of THE LAW OF MOSES….
- To REVEAL to us God’s INCREDIBLY HIGH standard for righteousness and holy living
- To show us our human sinfulness
- To point us to our NEED for a SAVIOR, a MESSIAH!
Universal Accountability2
The story of Israel is truly the story of ALL MANKIND. ALL of Israel has sinned UNDER THE LAW and is guilty of LAW BREAKING. ALL Gentiles (non-Jews) have also sinned apart from the law, making them guilty of LAW BREAKING (Romans 2:12). No one has ever reached God’s standard of righteousness through human effort. Meeting God’s standard is essential for SALVATION and relationship with Him. ALL people everywhere have sinned. Those unaware of the Law of Moses or Jesus are still accountable for their sin, as GOD defines sin, not us. Simply believing oneself to be “basically good” is insufficient for eternal life, as a perfectly “Just” God does not ignore sin.
Romans 2:12: For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
Romans 3:9: What then? Are we (tfj: Jews) better than they (tfj:Gentiles/aka non-Jews)? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks (tfj: gentiles/aka non-jews) that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The wages of sin is death (eternal death) 💀, and ALL PEOPLE (JEW AND GENTILE) have SINNED and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). “Jew, Gentile, or believer of any system—none can find salvation through religion. Only the living God, whose perfect righteousness is required for eternal life, can save.” You can choose to live “your own truth”, but it won’t matter on JUDGEMENT DAY. The only TRUTH that will matter then is GOD’S TRUTH. Jesus Christ IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one gets to the Father or into Heaven except THROUGH HIM. (John 14:6)
Even those who have never heard of the law of Moses or the Messiah Jesus Christ are under Universal Accountability. “In Romans 2, God evaluates every person by the knowledge they already possess, and Paul explains that God has provided enough truth to ensure that no one has an excuse.” The key point is that the verdict will be the same for all: all have sinned, regardless of the standards they lived under, therefore ALL are under CONDEMNATION (guilty and punishable by eternal death).
The Jewish people BELIEVED that being JEWISH and UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES would save them. Many still believe this TODAY. Paul was desperately trying to explain that, while THE LAW IS BEAUTIFUL, IT IS NOT an instrument of SALVATION BECAUSE NO ONE can keep it perfectly. Our sin nature makes FULFILLING THE LAW OF MOSES – IMPOSSIBLE, and therefore CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE UNDER THE LAW IS CERTAIN. 💀
THE LAW: Blessings and Curses:
“When God presented the Law to Israel in Deuteronomy 10:13, He commanded them to keep His statutes for their good, revealing that the Mosaic Covenant was meant to bless His people.” We see this in laws like “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13) and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Royal Law)” (Leviticus 19:18). Societies following these laws are safer and more prosperous.
Deuteronomy 31:12–13 reveals God’s purpose for the Law—to instruct future generations in His character and ways. The Mosaic Law set the Israelites apart, as God said, “Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 20:8). To sanctify means to set apart for a holy purpose.
God designed Israel to be blessed and set apart from the nations through faithful obedience to His Law. However, Israel’s FAILURE to OBEY turned blessings into a CURSE because THE LAW stipulated blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
Deuteronomy 11:26: “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: 27 the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; 28 and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.
Old and New Covenants do NOT mix
Legalism perverts the gospel
Paul urged the early believers to reject any teaching that required circumcision or keeping the Mosaic Law in order to obtain salvation or right standing before God.” Paul called this a “different Gospel”, a PERVERTED GOSPEL.
Galatians 1:6: I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 5: Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. ⛓️💥4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
The Galatian Christians were misled into believing they could cling to Christ while maintaining a law‑based relationship with God. Paul asserts that this is not possible – grace and law are incompatible.
“Whoever wants to have a half-Christ loses the whole.” (Calvin)
Jesus Himself taught us that Old and New Covenants do not mix. In the metaphor taught in Matthew Chapter 9, the old garment/Old Wineskin is a metaphor for the Old Covenant (Mosaic Covenant), and the new garment/New Wineskin is a metaphor for the NEW COVENANT.
Matthew 9: 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Circumcision represents adherence to the law. In Galatians 5, Paul warns that anyone who seeks circumcision as a first step toward earning salvation through the Law becomes obligated to keep the entire Law. Thus, they cannot invoke Christ’s grace; they have chosen a different way to seek justification.” 😱
Galatians 5:4: You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by the Law; you have fallen from grace.
Every person who attempts justification (righteousness/in right standing with God) through keeping the law of moses makes themselves a debtor to keep the whole law. ⛓️💥
Galatians 3:10: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
NO FLESH will be justified by keeping the law.
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Galatians 3:13: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
The term “Justified” refers to the action whereby God proclaims a sinner to be righteous (in right standing with God). There is ONLY ONE WAY through which any human being can EVER be JUSTIFIED. ✝️
- Admit that you are a SINNER in need of a SAVIOR
- Put YOUR FAITH in the SHED BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST for the TOTAL FORGIVENESS of ALL SIN. ✝️
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17: For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written: “But the righteous one will live by faith.”
There is NO ALTERNATIVE. The Mosaic Law required perfect fulfillment, and only Jesus Christ possessed the righteousness to satisfy it. This is because only God Himself could fulfill the Law. Whoever rejects His gracious gift of salvation through faith remains under condemnation, for all humanity has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Thus, those who turn from both the Law and Christ remain condemned, since God has testified to the existence of sin and has defined what it is in His Word. There is UNIVERSAL ACCOUNTABILITY 3
Romans 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 😲
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead (TFJ; God’s DIVINE ESSENCE), so that they are without excuse
Choose Christ, CHOOSE LIFE💖✝️💖
The GOOD NEWS is that No one has to be condemned! 🙌🏻For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER would BELIEVE IN HIM would not perish, but HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!! (John 3:16). When you RECEIVE Jesus Christ as your Savior✝️, the One who paid YOUR DEBT, you are no longer a SLAVE but are now a SON or a DAUGHTER. 💖
John 1:12: But as many as received Him (tfj: Jesus Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Romans 3:24: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Does FREEDOM mean that a Christian has a “license to sin?”
The Apostle Paul was asked this same question: “What shall we say? Shall we go on sinning (tfj: living a lifestyle of sin) so that grace may increase?
THE ANSWER: By no means! (Romans 6:2) How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?”
Critics of the Apostle Paul argued that preaching about boundless grace could inadvertently provide a license to sin. Scripture speaks plainly about continuing in sin, declaring that grace never grants permission to sin but calls believers into a transformed life. 🦋 By the Spirit’s power, believers confess, repent, and pursue holiness as they walk in faith.
What “LAW(s)” are Christians under?
All those who have REPENTED of sin and RECEIVED God’s FREE GIFT OF GRACE 🕊️through the shed blood of Jesus Christ ✝️are no longer INDEBTED to keep THE LAW OF MOSES because JESUS CHRIST FULFILLED all of the requirements of THE LAW for them. Their debt has been paid in full—glory to Jesus. But now what? Grace never excuses sin; it compels believers to live differently.
The Bible tells us that Christians are NOT to live LAWLESS LIVES. Remember, LAWLESSNESS is SIN AND SIN LEADS TO DEATH💀.
The Perfect Law of Liberty – FREEDOM from SIN! 🕊️💖🕊️
The phrase “Perfect Law of Liberty (freedom)” in the Epistle of James describes a divine standard that frees believers from sin’s power while calling them to live a transformed life of grace🕊️. It is “perfect” as it fulfills God’s moral will completely. The word “Law” here is not a rigid set of rules for salvation, but a standard of righteousness rooted in Christ. “Liberty” means freedom from sin’s bondage and the fear of condemnation through faith in Christ.
James 1:25: But one who has looked intently at the perfect law, the law of freedom, and has continued in it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an active doer, this person will be blessed in what he does.
James 2:12: So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom.
The Perfect Law of Liberty elevates moral living from rule-keeping to willing obedience of a transformed heart. 💖
Christians are called to let the Spirit govern their moral choices, leading them to show mercy and serve others faithfully (Galatians 5:13-14).
Obedience flows from genuine faith, yet believers rest in Christ’s finished work, knowing He has freed them from sin’s ultimate penalty. This assurance fosters gratitude and inspires a desire to honor God through good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Grace does not allow for either antinomianism or legalism
1. NOT Antinomianism (the belief that salvation by grace alone means believers are free from all moral or ethical obligations)
Some may assume that freedom in Christ means the law of Moses no longer matters. However, the “Perfect Law of Liberty” remains a righteous standard, guiding believers in holiness. This teaching aligns with James, who insists faith without works is dead (James 2:17).
2. NOT Legalism (the attempt to achieve righteousness or salvation through strict adherence to laws, rules, or religious rituals, rather than through faith in God and His grace)
At the other extreme, living under the Law of Liberty does not revert to quenching faith with stringent rule-keeping for salvation. Rather, it emphasizes the internal transformation by the Holy Spirit that empowers genuine obedience. 🕊️💖
The Perfect Law of liberty then is the abiding word of God that liberates us from setting our mind on the flesh, which leads to a natural consequence of death (James 1:15; Romans 6:23).
The Royal Law or the Law of Christ?
The Royal Law – Love your neighbor as yourself
In the Mosaic Covenant, Jesus declared the Greatest Commandment was “Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:29-31). Jesus said, “There is no commandment greater than these”. (Mark 12:28-34). James 2:8 defines this as the ROYAL LAW. 👑
The “royal law” is called royal because it is God’s supreme moral command, given by the King. 👑It is the defining mark of those who live under His kingdom rule. It is both the highest moral standard and the practical expression of God’s love in human relationships.
James 2:8: If you really fulfill the royal law 👑according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
10 For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do murder, you have become a violator of the Law.
12 So speak, and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of freedom. 13 For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
The Royal Law is the greatest commandment of the Mosaic Covenant. James emphasized that loving others as you love yourself is essential – IF you genuinely do so. He also highlighted that those who commit the sin of partiality—favoritism based on wealth, status, race, or other external factors—are reproved by the law as transgressors. Importantly, “convict” means to reprove for restoration, not to condemn, as there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
What is James’s conclusion? Don’t stop at the Royal Law, which is imperfect and focused on outward appearances—this is why it is easily broken. Instead, rely on the Perfect Law of Liberty, which is written on the heart. 💖 Contained within it is a NEW COMMANDMENT from Jesus: love others as Christ loved you—AGAPE LOVE, a SACRIFICIAL type of love. This HIGHER LOVE is possible through the Holy Spirit, who dwells within each believer, writing God’s law of love on the heart.💖
The Law of Christ – Love as Christ loved 💖
John 13:34: I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Did Jesus ABOLISH the LAW of Moses?
Matthew 5:17 “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. . 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!
19 Therefore, whoever nullifies one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus did not abolish THE LAW, He fulfilled it. (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus affirmed the Law’s authority and fulfilled its purpose, completing its moral, ceremonial, and prophetic dimensions without nullifying it.
Moral fulfillment: Jesus upheld the ethical commands of the Law, emphasizing internal righteousness rather than mere external compliance (Matthew 5:21–48)
Ceremonial fulfillment: The sacrificial system and priestly rituals foreshadowed Christ’s once-for-all atonement, which He accomplished through His death and resurrection (Hebrews 10:1–10)
Typological fulfillment: Old Testament figures, events, and institutions, such as the Passover lamb and the temple, prefigured Christ’s person and work, which He completed.
Jesus affirmed that not even the smallest letter or stroke of the Law would disappear until all is accomplished (Matthew 5:18). This underscores that the Law’s moral principles and prophetic promises remain valid, while ceremonial regulations find their consummation in Christ.
Implications for Believers
The Law, when used in accordance with its God-given purpose, remains a valuable instrument in the believer’s life. While the ceremonial and civil aspects of the Mosaic Law are not binding on Christians, the moral principles underlying the Law remain relevant. Jesus summarized these teachings in the Great Commandment: to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind and to love one’s neighbor as oneself💖 (Matthew 22:37-40). Thus, using the Law lawfully means applying its teachings to guide conduct consistently with love and holiness in God’s kingdom.
1 Timothy 1:8: But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully,
While not binding in the same way, the Law still instructs on God’s character and righteous living. It reveals sin, calls for holiness, and points to Christ’s righteousness (Rom. 3:20; 7:12). Believers are to “delight in the Old Testament” by seeing how it testifies to Jesus.
Three ways Christians should relate to the Law
Biblical teaching suggests three principles:
- Repudiate — The Mosaic covenant was a “ministry of condemnation” (2 Corinthians 3:9) designed to reveal God’s Holiness, expose sin and point to our need for a Savior (Jesus Christ). The book of Hebrews states the Mosaic Covenant is obsolete and is passing away. (Hebrews 8)
- Replace — Christ has broken the condemning and controlling power of the law, such that Paul can say of believers, “You are not under law but under grace”. As Christians, our “release from the law” (Rom. 7:6), in part, means that the Mosaic law is no longer the judge of God’s people’s conduct. There is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS. (Romans 8:1)
- Reappropriate — The moral law’s core principles (love of God and neighbor) are now lived out by believers through the Spirit🕊️, not by legalistic obedience⛓️💥. While Moses’s law doesn’t legally bind Christians, it remains indirectly authoritative, profitable, and instructive for believers through Christ’s mediation.
To illustrate the law of Moses’ lasting significance, consider Jesus as the lens through which the Law must be interpreted
When viewing the Old Testament through the lens of Christ, everything operates as Christian Scripture written “for our instruction” (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). We access and apply the law of Moses only through Christ and in view of the apostles’ teaching, which together ground and sustain the church (Acts 2:42; Eph. 2:20; cf. Matt. 7:24–27; 17:5; 28:20; John 16:12–14; 17:8, 2 Thes. 2:15; Heb. 1:1–2).
Christians are called to love as Christ loved. 💖
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation🦋; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Footnotes:
- The Gospel is the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. Jesus IS the Son of God who died on a Cross to take away our sins and rose three days later in victory. All who receive THIS TRUTH in FAITH will be GRANTED EVERLASTING LIFE
- We believe that our very merciful and gracious God applies Christ’s payment for sin to young children and others incapable of faith (mentally ill, handicapped, etc), but the Bible does not specifically say that He does this. God’s extending grace to those who are physically or mentally incapable of believing would seem consistent with His character. It is our position that God does apply Christ’s payment for sin to babies and those who are mentally handicapped, since they are incapable of understanding their sinful state and their need for the Savior. Again, we cannot be dogmatic. Of this we are certain: God is loving, holy, merciful, just, and gracious. Whatever God does is always right and good, and He loves children ↩︎
