How Do We Apply “The Law” Of God As A New Testament Believer?
The question is often asked regarding the Law, “Which parts apply to us in the New Testament?” That has been an ongoing debate since Jesus said, “I am the Law of Moses or rather the fulfillment of the Law.”
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7
To understand what we mean by fulfilled the law, we must define the terms, law, and fulfill. To fulfill something means to bring it to completion or to achieve something sought after or desired. We often think of fulfilling an obligation such as requirements in a contract or even raising a child. When a pharmacist fills a prescription they have fulfilled the obligation given when a prescription was presented.
The Meaning of “The Law.”
The term law in the Bible means different things to different people. Generally, it refers to the Sinai Covenant given to Moses. Thus, the Law of Moses may refer to the Ten Commandments, or it can mean the Books of Moses. The first five Books of the Bible, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are known as the Torah, Law, Pentateuch, The Five or the Books of Moses.
But specifically, we are referring to the Mosaic covenant given at Siani consisting of the Ten Commandments, the 613 rules and laws in Leviticus, Numbers, and Exodus, and the Civil and Ceremonial Law. These were the components given to Moses by Yahweh to Israel that told them how to live before God and each other.
The Three Parts of The Law
1- The Civil Law- This is the part that dealt with penalties when someone broke a law and what would be done when someone had a disease like leprosy. Presenting oneself to the priest after being outside the camp for a specified period of time or being stoned to death for murder or even adultery are some things covered under the Civil law.
The Civil law was completed or fulfilled in Jesus. He took away the punishment for our sins, and He is our healer and High priest. The Sabbath and breaking the Sabbath were also handled here. Once again Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath. The Sabbath as the seventh day was given to Jews at Sinai. But Jesus said every day was a Sabbath and it was about resting in Him.
Mark 2:27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The idea of the Sabbath was for resting in what God had accomplished in creation. It pointed to when we would rest in Christ. The children of Israel rebelled and God would not allow them to enter the place of rest represented by the Promised Land.
Regarding the Sabbath. Matthew 12:8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
2- Ceremonial Law- This part of the law is the one we most often think of outside of the Ten Commandments. It contains all of the offerings, feasts, sacrifices, and the priesthood. It outlines the tabernacle or temple furniture and clothes for the priests. It also prescribes how the priests were ordained and set apart, their duties, and those of the Levites living among the tribes.
The Lord prescribed how sin would be atoned for. Everything in the Ceremonial Law pointed to and was completely fulfilled by Jesus and was abolished or no longer necessary.
For then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once and for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Hebrews 9:26
Hebrews 10:10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.
There is no more need for sacrifice since Jesus laid down his life once for all people, Jews, and Gentiles. Therefore we are also not under obligation to celebrate the feasts but we can. Jesus has fulfilled Passover, Firstfruits, Unleavened Bread, and Pentecost. Everything in the ceremonial law pointed to Jesus was made complete in him.
Circumcision- Circumcision is a sign of the covenant given to Abraham and his seed forever. It is not for the Gentiles, although we can be circumcised for health purposes.
Genesis 17:10-12 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.
Acts 15:5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
Acts 15:19-20 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
The council in Jerusalem, led by James (Jacob) decided that circumcision was not mandatory for gentiles to be followers of Christ. He refers to the law of Moses being preached. Circumcision was not part of the Law of Moses. The only food they said for gentiles to avoid was that strangled or offered to idols. There is no mention of the kosher laws.
Kosher Laws
The kosher dietary laws were given specifically to Israel to separate them from the nations. The Gentiles often offered unclean animals to their gods and God forbade such sacrifice and therefore they were not allowed to eat them. Ceratin animals like pigs, catfish, and shrimp were among those considered unedible for Jews.
Matthew 15:11 The food you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean."
Jesus was telling them that the food you eat does not defile you or make you unholy but your Words.
Before the Mosaic law, there was the Noahide law.
Genesis 9:3-4 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
Again the kosher laws were given to Israel and were not meant for the nations and Jesus told us that food doesn't make us unclean.
Moral Law
This is the ten commandments given to Moses. You shall have no other God, respect God’s name, no idols, and Sabbath rest. This is how we love God.
Matthew 22:36-40 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Jesus took the Mosaic Law to a higher level. Matthew 5:21 You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MURDER,’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be answerable to the court.’ Verse 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be answerable to the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be answerable to the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
Matthew 5:28-29 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Jesus raised the bar on the law. He said your thoughts can cause you to sin. Looking at someone with anger or lust was the same as sinning, but Jesus made a way of escape through the cross.
How Did He fulfill?
Jesus used many stories called parables to teach us about the Kingdom of God. So, when Jesus said He came to fulfill the law and prophets and that He didn’t come to abolish it, everything was completed in Him. In other words, there is no more stoning to death as a penalty for breaking laws, the Sabbath was made for man to rest in Him, there's is no more sacrifice, etc.
Jesus became our High Priest and entered into the Holy place once and for all times.
The prophets were called to be keepers of the covenant and call the people back to God. When they rebelled and sinned by turning to idolatry God would punish them. The prophets spoke about the heart and spirit of the law. They pointed to Jesus and His completed work that give access to the Father.
The Father loved Israel and His heart was to teach them about sin and holiness and to be separated from the nations. The same is true for believers. We are to be salt and light. Since the Mosaic law was fulfilled in Christ, we are still under the moral law but we are not saved by keeping the law but by Grace.
