The law

October 17, 2023

What is the law mentioned throughout the Bible? Many believe and teach that Christians are not subject to the law of Moses or even the everlasting Ten Commandments. What does the Bible testify of those beliefs? This writing will take the time to explain the law fully and reveal its past and future fulfillment.

The moral law
The Ten Commandments, the two greatest commandments (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18), and any commandment that stems from them make up the entire moral law. The Ten Commandments were written by God and are everlasting (Exodus 31:18; Psalm 119:160). 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 sin (Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4). All Ten Commandments are everlasting and reveal 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 temporarily imposed because of transgressions against the moral law (Galatians 3:19). Jesus fulfilled the entire ceremonial law through 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 described as tangible acts (James 2:21, 2:25). To believe that keeping the commandments is a form of work (“works of obedience”) is speculation. We are told throughout the Bible to keep the commandments, not work them (Matthew 19:17; John 14:15, 15:10; Revelation 14:12). Therefore, Paul is primarily speaking on the ceremonial law when he uses the phrase “works of the law.” Slitting a lamb’s throat to be forgiven for your sins is a works-based salvation. God’s people today are not under the works of the law but under grace (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 is not a license 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 laws 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 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
Some believe 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 a contradiction since all laws are God’s laws.
Not all of the ordinances written in the book of the law have been fulfilled. Only the ceremonial law was fulfilled at the atonement of Christ (Hebrews 10:1-4). The health law will be fulfilled after the second coming of Christ since everyone in Christ will be granted glorified bodies for heaven and the new earth (1 Corinthians 15:53), and the wicked will be dead during the Millennium reign (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Revelation 20:5). The ceremonial law will be abolished after the destruction of the earth because sin will be destroyed (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:4), eliminating the need for the heavenly sanctuary and intercession (Hebrews 8:1-2). The Levitical dietary law will be abolished after the condemnation of the wicked because all who are saved will become vegetarian, just as before the flood.