Introduction
Welcome to the “Does a Christian have to keep the Old Testament law” article! You may be in a situation where you need to know whether the law of the old covenant has to be kept. I can say right from the start that Jesus came to fulfill the law and the Old Testament law does not need to be kept, but the law of Christ is in force. I will now explain that in more detail.
Jesus Did Not Come to Abolish the Law but to Fulfill It
Jesus himself taught that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He never broke any law, because He is sinless. He came to fulfill it on our behalf, so that believers could live in grace ✚Matt. 5:17. We now live in the new covenant and the old covenant has become obsolete ✚Jer. 31:31-33, ✚Luke 22:20, ✚Matt. 26:28, ✚Heb. 8:6-13, ✚2 Cor. 3:6. We are therefore under grace. A person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. ✚Rom. 3:28. If righteousness came from the works of the law, then the work of Jesus would be in vain! ✚Gal. 2:2.
The Law Is Holy, Righteous and Good
The law, however, is not a bad thing. It has many benefits. For example, it prevents the doing of evil and maintains order. If there were no law, people would do whatever they want. For example, could you imagine a country where there was no law? Would it not be chaos where all kinds of evil happens? The law is therefore holy, righteous and good. ✚Rom. 7:12
Through the Law Comes the Awareness of Sin
Does not the law show you sin? If you had not read the Bible, you would not know in a Christian sense what is wrong and what is right. It is precisely the law that shows what is wrong and what is right. For those who do not know the law of the Bible, their conscience acts as a law ✚Rom. 2:14–15. It therefore acts as a judge for those who have never read a single word of the Holy Scriptures.
The Law Was a Guardian Leading to Christ
The law acts as a guardian ✚Gal. 3:24. But if there were no law, could a person not then do whatever they want? From the law comes awareness of sin ✚Rom. 3:20. It is precisely the law that shows a person their sinfulness. If transgressions were not spoken of, where would the transgression be? The law shows what is a transgression. The law guides a person to Christ. If therefore we live in the Spirit, we are not under the law ✚Gal. 5:18. It is vitally important to live in the Spirit, so that the law does not become a problem.
We Are Not Under the Law but Under Grace
If the law were the one that condemned, then who could be saved, since no one other than Jesus can keep the law? In the old covenant there are approximately 613 commandments. Why then could no one other than Jesus keep it? Because if one breaks even one, one breaks them all ✚Jas. 2:10. You therefore cannot keep the law of the old covenant in any way. If you break even one single time, you are guilty of breaking the entire law.
We are therefore under grace ✚Rom. 6:14. That does not mean that we should sin intentionally. The law of Christ must be followed ✚Gal. 6:2, ✚Gal. 5:14. But if we now break some law, we will not be condemned, because we are under grace.
The Replacement of the Old Covenant with the New Covenant
In the time of the old covenant, animal sacrifices had to be offered ✚Lev. 17:11, ✚Lev. 4:20, ✚Heb. 9:22. They served as atonement for sins. Without the shedding of blood there is no atonement for sins. Jesus therefore acted as the final sacrifice and sacrificial lamb and sacrifices no longer need to be made. ✚Heb. 10:10-12. Some Jews still live in the time of the old covenant, because they do not believe in or know about the new covenant. The new covenant removed the old covenant, because it became obsolete, which Jesus brought. ✚Jer. 31:31, ✚Luke 22:20, ✚Heb. 8:13.
If therefore you are Jewish and still living under the old covenant, then by believing in Jesus, you can declare that the new covenant has begun and live in faith in Jesus under the new covenant. You no longer need to offer animal sacrifices, because you are then under grace and Jesus is the final sacrifice.
The Double Commandment of Love Fulfills the Entire Law
Jesus says that the double commandment of love fulfills the entire law. They must therefore not be broken ✚Matt. 22:36–40. The entire law and the prophets depend on it. You as a believer are able to keep it and it must be kept. Love is the most important and the greatest of all. ✚1 Cor. 13:13, ✚Rom. 13:10. If you as a believer have love, but otherwise the walk of faith feels challenging, then you have the most important thing and that is love. If you cannot love, then pray that you would be filled with the Holy Spirit and that God would do a work in your heart.
What Is Love?
Love is often understood in the world in a different way than what Christianity teaches. Love is enduring and it is something that does not exist without love. When there is love, it is such a powerful state that it endures all things ✚1 Cor. 13:4–7. If therefore you love, then God loves you, if you are a believer. Love never does anything evil. Love, so to speak, ignites and it is difficult to extinguish. In the Bible there is a teaching where it is said that love grows cold. That is a bad thing and it is caused by the lack of the Holy Spirit, lack of faith and lawlessness. Specifically the lack of the law of Christ ✚Matt. 24:12. Therefore do not let love go out, if you have it!
Food Regulations Were Abolished – All Food Is Clean
Jesus declared all foods clean. ✚Mark. 7:19. Many Gentile believers still argue about whether you can eat pork, for example. Even though it is an “unclean animal” according to the old covenant, it can nonetheless be eaten for one reason and one reason only, because Jesus declared all foods clean. If you are unable to eat “unclean” food because of your faith, you may of course refrain from eating it, but you may also eat pork, for example, with a clear conscience.
Do Not Let Anyone Judge You in Food or Drink
If you do not eat “unclean” food according to the old covenant, you cannot however condemn those who eat pork, for example. The only thing that must not be eaten or drunk is meat from which blood has not been drained ✚Acts 15:20. This commandment therefore also applies to Gentile believers. Blood must not be eaten or drunk. The only blood you may drink is the blood of Christ in communion as wine ✚John 6:53–56. If therefore you feel pressure about what you eat, you can present the Bible passages about what Jesus said. In that way you will come to freedom and no one can condemn you anymore.
Does the Sabbath Have to Be Kept?
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath. If Jesus commands something particular to be done on the Sabbath, then be obedient. However, the Sabbath does not need to be kept in the new covenant ✚Col. 2:16-17. There are believers who argue zealously for the Sabbath and consider those who do not keep the Sabbath to be sinful. According to the Bible passage above, however, the Sabbath does not need to be kept if one does not want to. Some choose a day and some consider all days the same. Although this passage does not speak directly about the Sabbath, it can also be used in that context ✚Rom. 14:5–6.
The Law of the Spirit Frees from the Law of Sin and Death
If you walk in the Spirit, as you should walk, it frees you from the law of sin and death ✚Rom. 8:2. You can therefore be at peace, if you walk in the Spirit. Walking in the Spirit is not an option, but it is a condition of life ✚Rom. 8:13. If you are unable to walk in the Spirit then pray and send prayer requests. If you have just come to faith, you may still be walking in the flesh. At some point you should however reach a state where you walk in the Spirit. In that way you will get away from the law of sin and death. Walking in the Spirit happens through faith and the grace of God.
Summary
The law of the old covenant does not need to be followed, because the believer is under grace, not under the law. Jesus came to fulfill the law and did so perfectly as a sinless person. No one is able to keep the law, for whoever breaks one point breaks them all. The law is not evil, but holy, righteous and good. The law acts as a guardian. The law of Christ is in force and it is the law of love. The Sabbath does not need to be observed unless the Lord specifically commands something.
Thank you for reading to the end!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Christian have to follow the Old Testament law? No. The believer is under grace, not under the law. Jesus came to fulfill the law on our behalf, so the law of the old covenant does not need to be followed (✚Rom. 6:14).
Is the law then useless or a bad thing? No. The law is holy, righteous and good (✚Rom. 7:12). It shows a person sin and guides them to Christ. Without the law there would be no awareness of sin and no knowledge of what is wrong.
What laws does a Christian have to follow? The law of Christ is in force. It is based on the double commandment of love: love God and your neighbor. This fulfills the entire law (✚Matt. 22:36–40, ✚Gal. 6:2).
Can a Christian eat “unclean” food, such as pork? Yes. Jesus declared all foods clean (✚Mark 7:19). The only exception is blood – it must not be eaten or drunk (✚Acts 15:20).
Does the Sabbath have to be observed? No, the Sabbath does not have to be observed in the new covenant (✚Col. 2:16–17). Each believer can decide for themselves how they relate to special days (✚Rom. 14:5–6).
Why can no one keep the law of the old covenant perfectly? Because if one breaks one commandment, one breaks them all (✚Jas. 2:10). The old covenant has approximately 613 commandments, and only Jesus – completely sinless – was able to fulfill the law perfectly.
Does a Jewish person still need to offer animal sacrifices? No. Jesus acted as the final sacrifice, so animal sacrifices are no longer needed (✚Heb. 10:10–12). By believing in Jesus one can live under the new covenant.
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