The law

October 17, 2023

What is the law mentioned throughout scripture? Many believe and teach that Christians are not subject to the law of Moses or even the Ten Commandments. What do the scriptures reveal to us?

The moral law
The Ten Commandments, the two greatest commandments (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18), and any commandment that is derived from them make up the entire moral law. The Ten Commandments were written by God Himself (Exodus 31:18). These commandments existed long before Moses and even before the creation of the earth. The first evident commandment was the establishment of the seventh-day Sabbath after the six days of creation (Genesis 2:2-3). Another was covetousness in Eve just before the fall (Genesis 3:6). Cain murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8), and God called it a sin (Genesis 4:7). Abraham lied about his wife Sarah to Abimelech (Genesis 20:2). Abraham’s lie was also a sin (Genesis 20:9). Clearly, without the commandments there would be no understanding of sin (Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4). All the commandments are everlasting and are a reflection of the character of God. God does not change (Malachi 3:6). Therefore, neither do His commandments.

The ceremonial law
The ceremonial law primarily consisted of the sacrificial rituals and holy days (apart from the moral law) that shadowed the first advent of Christ (Colossians 2:16-17). Some holy days held by the Jews were Passover (Leviticus 23:5), the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-27), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-34).
The ceremonial law allowed God’s people under the old covenant to be justified through sanctuary services. The sacrificial works were required for remission because of transgressions against the moral law (Galatians 3:19). Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law by His atonement (Romans 10:4; Colossians 2:14). This is why new covenant believers are no longer justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Christ (Galatians 2:16). Works in the Bible are actions (James 2:21, 2:25). To believe that keeping the commandments is a work (“works of obedience”) is not written. The Ten Commandments are fundementally a list of DON'T DOs. Hence, we are told throughout scripture to keep the commandments, not work them (Matthew 19:17; John 14:15, 15:10; Revelation 14:12). Therefore, the apostle Paul is primarily speaking about sanctuary services when he uses the phrase “works of the law”. Slitting a lamb’s throat to be forgiven for your sins is a works-based means of salvation. God’s people today are not under the works of the law but under a grace period (Romans 6:14; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:7; Ephesians 2:8).
Although grace abounds and we no longer abide by the ceremonial law, it does not permit anyone to continue living in sin (Romans 6:15; Hebrews 10:26). Through Christ, you are saved from sin (Matthew 1:21), not in sin.

The health law
The dietary restrictions and bodily health ordinances make up God’s health law. These precepts existed since the beginning of the earth, starting with the vegetarian diet restriction (Genesis 1:29). After the flood, God permitted the consumption of clean animals (Genesis 9:3; Leviticus 11:2). To this day, the consumption of only clean animals is allowed. The difference between clean and unclean animals is by biological characteristics (Leviticus 11:3-4, 11:10, 11:13-23, 11:27). Neither Jesus nor Paul in the New Testament has abolished these dietary restrictions or made all clean (Matthew 5:17). Else, there would’ve been biological changes in the unclean animals, which never happened. These restrictions are not in place to be “legalistic” but to keep you healthy and extend your lifespan. Besides unclean meats, tattoos are also forbidden (Leviticus 19:28). Smoking is also destructive. You are warned that if you destroy your body, then God will destroy you (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Keeping the health law is crucial to maintaining your salvation and reveals your true desire to fulfill the will of God in your life.

God's law and the Mosaic law
It's said that there is a difference between the law of Moses and the moral law of the Ten Commandments. This is true to the extent that the Ten Commandments are everlasting and that the book of the law written by Moses is only applicable until the destruction of the earth (Matthew 5:18). This is why the Mosaic law book was placed outside the Ark of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 31:24-26). However, both the law of Moses and the Ten Commandments were given by the Lord (Ezra 7:6), making the distinction incoherent for all statutes are God’s laws.