This is a complex question that requires looking carefully at what the Bible teaches about the Old Testament law and its application for Christians today. At a high level, the answer is that Christians are not bound to obey the Old Testament laws about rituals, sacrifices, food restrictions, and other aspects of the Mosaic Law. However, the moral and ethical principles in the Old Testament remain instructive for Christian living. Let’s explore this in more detail.
The Purpose of the Old Testament Law
First, it is important to understand the purpose of the Mosaic Law recorded in the Old Testament books like Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. God gave the Law to the Israelites after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt. The Law provided instructions to the Israelites about how to live as God’s chosen people and maintain a right relationship with Him. The Law contained:
- Moral laws like the Ten Commandments which reflected God’s standards for ethical living.
- Ceremonial laws about sacrifices, festivals, dietary restrictions, cleanliness laws and more. These laws set Israel apart from other nations.
- Civil laws regulating social behavior and administration of justice in the Israelite community.
The ceremonial laws helped point forward to Jesus Christ, the ultimate sacrifice for sins. The civil laws provided guidelines for Israel’s governance as a nation, which ended when they went into exile. The moral laws continue to provide universal ethical standards for God’s people.
Jesus Fulfilled the Law
A major turning point came when Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection fulfilled the Mosaic Law. Jesus said that He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). The author of Hebrews explains that the sacrifices and other aspects of the Mosaic Law were a shadow of the good things to come in Christ, who is the ultimate reality (Hebrews 10:1).
Through his perfect life, Jesus met the righteous requirements of the Law. By dying on the cross for sins once for all, Jesus fulfilled the Law’s sacrificial system. As the anticipated Messiah, Jesus brought the Law to completion and initiated the new covenant in His blood.
Christians Are Not Under the Mosaic Law
In light of Christ’s fulfillment, the New Testament writers clarify that Christians are no longer under obligation to keep various parts of the Mosaic Law. For example:
- The early church council in Acts 15 decided Gentile Christians did not need to be circumcised or obey other ceremonial aspects of the Law like dietary restrictions.
- Paul’s letters teach that Christians are released from the Law’s demands since Christ has fulfilled it on their behalf (Romans 6:14; Romans 7:1-6; Galatians 3:23-25).
- The sacrificial system and priesthood were superseded by the ultimate sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 7:11-10:18).
- Food laws, feast days, and Sabbath restrictions pointed forward to Christ and are no longer binding (Colossians 2:16-17).
The New Testament indicates that Christians should no longer feel obligated to obey various ritual, ceremonial, civil and cultural parts of the Mosaic Law that applied specifically to Israel under the Old Covenant. Through faith in Christ, believers have died to the Law and been joined to Jesus (Romans 7:4-6).
Principles and Morality of the Law Continue
However, this does not mean the Old Testament Law has no relevance for Christians. While no longer under the Law’s regulations and penalties, Christians still look to the Old Testament moral law and wisdom to guide conduct. Several principles indicate that the moral dimension of God’s law continues:
- The moral standards in Old Testament laws like the Ten Commandments reflect God’s holy nature, which does not change (Matthew 5:17-19; Romans 7:12).
- Christ summed up the entire Law and Prophets with love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:34-40). This reinforces the continued relevance of the Law’s moral principles.
- While Christians have freedom from the Law’s curse, they uphold the righteous requirements of the law by the Spirit’s power (Romans 8:1-4).
- The Old Testament contains ethical norms and wise principles that guide Christian conduct (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Therefore, while the ceremonial law has been set aside, the moral law remains useful for instructing and reproving Christians today (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It does not have binding authority but reveals principles pleasing to God. Christians seek to love others, act justly, reflect God’s standards, and avoid idolatry and sexual immorality in continuity with the Old Testament’s moral law.
Examples of How Christians Relate to Old Testament Laws
To summarize thus far, Christians are not obligated to keep various facets of the Mosaic Law that had a temporary function under the Old Covenant. But the Old Testament’s moral guidelines and ethical principles continue to be relevant. How does this work out practically? Here are some examples:
10 Commandments
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) represent the moral law of God that reflects His righteousness and sets a standard for ethical conduct. While Christians do not keep the Ten Commandments as a way of attaining righteousness, they follow them by the Spirit’s enablement as instructions pleasing to God. For example, refraining from idolatry, honoring God’s name, honoring parents, not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, and not lying all align with Christ’s call to love others.
Dietary Laws
The Mosaic Law had detailed regulations about clean and unclean foods (Leviticus 11). But the New Testament teaches that no food is unclean in itself (Mark 7:19) and Christians have freedom to eat various foods previously forbidden (Acts 10; 1 Corinthians 8:8). While Christianity did not prohibit eating pork or seafood as under the old covenant, some principles for a healthy diet may still prove wise.
Sacrifices
Animal sacrifices were central in the Israelite temple system. They foreshadowed Christ’s ultimate sacrifice but are no longer necessary after Christ offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 7-10). Christians do not offer animal sacrifices, realizing the final efficacy of Christ’s redemption. However, believers still offer spiritual sacrifices of praise, good works, and generosity in light of Christ’s sacrifice (Hebrews 13:15-16; Romans 12:1; Philippians 4:18).
Circumcision
Circumcision was given as an identifying sign of God’s covenant with Israel under the Law of Moses. But the apostles affirmed that circumcision was not required for salvation or acceptance in the Christian community (Acts 15). Circumcision found a new meaning in baptism, which represents being joined to Christ and part of God’s people by faith, without physical requirements.
Sabbath
The Old Testament commanded strict observance of the seventh-day Sabbath in recognition of God’s rest after creation and Israel’s exodus. As the fulfillment of true rest in God’s salvation, Christians worship and rest on Sunday, the day of Christ’s resurrection, but are not under Sabbath restrictions (Colossians 2:16-17; Romans 14:5-8). Principles of rest and renewal carry forward more than strict Sabbath rules.
Civil Laws
Israel’s civil laws regulated leadership, crimes, property rights, war, slavery, inheritance, marriage, and other aspects of Israelite society. These laws fulfilled a temporary role in Israel’s theocracy before they had a king. While not binding today, these laws illustrate principles of justice that influenced civil laws among later Judeo-Christian societies. They provide helpful cultural background without requiring strict obedience.
Purity Laws
Detailed Old Testament purity laws governed issues like cleanliness, abstaining from sexual relations during menstruation, isolation of lepers and contaminated people, avoiding dead bodies, and ritual washing. These identified Israel as God’s holy people but pointed forward to moral and spiritual purity in Christ. While not obligated to keep these laws, Christians pursue holiness and care for the vulnerable while focusing on moral rather than ritual purity.
Love Fulfills the Law
When asked about the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus replied to love God and neighbor (Matthew 22:34-40). The apostle Paul wrote that love fulfills the entire Law (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:14). Rather than seeking to obey Old Testament regulations, Christians live under the law of Christ and fulfill God’s desires by loving others (Galatians 6:2; James 2:8). This principle supersedes codes and transforms how Christians approach ethics.
Conclusion
The question of whether Christians must obey the Old Testament law has complexities examined here. Christians are not under obligation to keep ceremonial and civil laws in the Mosaic code that served Israel under the Old Covenant. However, the moral dimensions of Old Testament law continue to shape Christian ethics through the lens of Christ’s love. Principles embodied in God’s law guide Christians towards loving God and neighbors without binding observance of Old Testament codes. Through Christ, Christians have died to the Law as a way of justification and now walk in newness of life and the Spirit, while upholding the righteousness and wisdom of God’s law.
