Are Christians expected to obey the Old Testament law?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Christians are not required to obey all Old Testament laws, as Jesus fulfilled the law through His life, death, and resurrection (Matthew 5:17–18). However, the law still provides believers with knowledge of sin and God’s holiness. While the moral law still applies, as it reveals God's righteous standard (Romans 7:12), the civil and ceremonial laws are no longer required (Galatians 3:23-25). Jesus summarized the law in two commands: love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39). The law was designed to show humanity's need for a Savior, exposing sin and pointing to Christ (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24). Believers are now led by the Spirit, not bound by the law, living a grace-based life (Galatians 5:18).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament Law refers to the guidelines and statutes given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:1-3). The Law can be sorted into three main categories. The moral law, such as rules against adultery and theft (Exodus 20:14, Exodus 20:15), defines the behavior and actions God requires. The civil law, like restrictions against weaving two materials into one fabric (Leviticus 19:19) or breeding mules (Deuteronomy 22:9), was designed to set apart God's chosen people from the environment around them. The ceremonial law, including all the regulations on sacrifices (Leviticus 1-7), explained what the Israelites needed to do to maintain their spiritual relationship with God.
• Leviticus 11:44-45 highlights God’s call to His people to be holy as He is holy. The law revealed God's holiness and set the standard for His people to reflect His character. Holiness was not just about ritual purity but about living in a way that reflected God's nature in a broken world.
• The Shema in Deuteronomy 6 tells us that the first and greatest commandment is to love God with every part of one’s being. This commandment is foundational to the Old Testament law.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus clarifies in Matthew 5:17–18 that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Every aspect of the law pointed to Him, and He lived it perfectly, fulfilling its demands. Jesus is the culmination of what the law foreshadowed, and through His fulfillment, He accomplished what the law could not—salvation for all who believe.
• Jesus also clarified that the law is summed up in the command to love God and to love others (Matthew 22:37–40; Mark 12:29–31). Other passages confirm this (Romans 13:8–10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8).
• In Romans 7:12, Paul affirms that the law itself is not bad or sinful but that it is holy and good because it reflects God’s perfect character. The problem lies not in the law but in humanity’s sinful nature, which fails to uphold the law. The law highlighted righteousness and the high moral standard required by God.
• Paul also emphasized in Romans 3:20 that the law does not justify anyone before God; rather, it exposes human sinfulness. The law points out what is wrong and shows the gap between God’s standard of holiness and human behavior. Through the law, we come to know sin, but it does not provide the means to overcome it.
• Paul describes the law as a "guardian" or "tutor," guiding people to Christ by revealing their inability to attain righteousness on their own (Galatians 3:24). The law’s purpose was to lead people to recognize their need for a Savior, which ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus.
• Galatians 5:18 says that, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
• Here Paul explains that being led by the Spirit frees Christians from the law’s demands. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live in accordance with God's will, not because of legalistic adherence to rules but through God’s transformation. The believer lives a grace-based life, as opposed to one based on the old covenant of law, but that does not mean that the law or the righteousness it reveals is obsolete.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Some believe all Old Testament laws apply today, arguing the church must establish a one-world kingdom before Jesus returns, but this view wrongly suggests the church has replaced Israel in prophecy. While most Christians agree that the civil and ceremonial laws are no longer required—fulfilled by Jesus' death and resurrection—they differ on the moral law. Some insist on observing the Ten Commandments for salvation, while others believe only the Sabbath is no longer required, as Jesus is our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9-11). The law, however, was given as a cohesive whole. With Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we are no longer under the law (Galatians 3:23-25). Instead, we live by the law of Christ, summed up in Matthew 22:37-39: love God and love your neighbor.

The Old Testament Law is still helpful for living the Christian life. The "moral" laws given to the Israelites describe practical ways to love God and others. It is as if the Israelites were given the rules for soccer and Jesus changed the game to a team marathon. Both sports require similar basics (moral laws), including good health and the ability to run. And both require devotion to the Coach and the team. But the rules (civil laws) are different—soccer having ten times as many—and the scoring (ceremonial laws) is changed. Instead of continually trying to rack up enough points to win, we runners simply run for the joy of it, knowing that Jesus already won and His victory is credited to our team (Romans 5:18-21).

UNDERSTAND

• Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament law, so Christians are not bound by it.
• The law that we follow is loving God and loving others, which sums up the Old Testament law.
• Christians are led by the Spirit and live by grace.

REFLECT

• How do you experience following the moral law and living by grace through the Holy Spirit?
• In what areas of your life do you struggle with legalism, and how can focusing on love for God and others help you overcome it?
• How does understanding that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament law influence the way you approach your relationship with God?

ENGAGE

• How can we help others understand what aspects of the law still apply for Christians?
• How does living by the law of Christ (loving God and others) shape the way we interact with the world around us?
• What are some practical examples of how the Old Testament law points to Christ and His fulfillment of it in the New Testament?