When discussing whether Christians should follow the Old Testament Law, one of the most debated points is what Jesus’ death and resurrection really mean for our relationship to the Law. After all, didn’t Jesus say He came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it? Yet, when you read the New Testament, you encounter statements like those from Paul, who tells us we are no longer “under the law.” So, how do we reconcile this? What does it really mean for how we live today?
One of the first things we need to understand is that not all laws in the Old Testament are the same. There’s a big difference between the ceremonial, civic, and moral laws. Treating all these laws as though they are one and the same is a mistake because they were given for different reasons, and the way they apply has changed with the coming of Christ. Jesus made it clear that the Law wasn’t going to disappear. In Matthew 5:17-18, He says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
This statement often puzzles people. If nothing is to pass away from the Law, why do we no longer follow some of the Old Testament’s rules, such as the prohibition against eating pork or the requirement for animal sacrifices? The answer is that while the Law remains, its different components have been fulfilled or completed by Christ in various ways. The ceremonial laws, for example, were entirely focused on foreshadowing Christ’s work. These were the laws that included instructions for sacrifices, feasts, and rituals. They served the purpose of pointing forward to Jesus, who would be the ultimate sacrifice.
A perfect example of this is found in the Old Testament’s sacrificial system, where meticulous rules for offering sacrifices to atone for sins were laid out, particularly on the Day of Atonement as described in Leviticus 16. However, those sacrifices were never sufficient to fully cleanse sin. They were temporary solutions until the arrival of Christ. The writer of Hebrews makes this clear in Hebrews 10:1-4, stating that the law was “only a shadow of the good things to come” and that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Christ’s death on the cross was the final, once-for-all sacrifice that fulfilled the need for those ceremonial rituals. His perfect sacrifice means that we no longer need to offer animals to cover our sins, as Jesus has taken that role upon Himself.
Another ceremonial element from the Old Testament is tithing, which was not merely a fixed 10% offering but involved detailed contributions from crops, livestock, and other goods to support the Levites and the temple. Malachi 3:10, which commands bringing the whole tithe into the storehouse, is often quoted, yet this was both a ceremonial and civic duty in ancient Israel. The nation was a theocracy, so its religious and civic life were intertwined. Today, Christians are not bound by the ceremonial requirement to tithe in the same way, as the New Testament makes clear. Paul speaks of generous, cheerful giving, rather than a legalistic percentage (2 Corinthians 9:7). Jesus calls us to live lives of generosity, which goes beyond simply calculating a percentage to give. The spirit behind tithing remains, but the ceremonial requirement has been fulfilled in Christ.
The civic laws of the Old Testament were tied to Israel as a nation. These laws were specific to how the people of Israel were to conduct their society, their economy, and their system of justice. They governed things like property disputes, crime, and community life. For example, Deuteronomy 19:15-21 lays out the justice system, explaining how false witnesses should be dealt with and outlining penalties that matched the crime, such as the famous “eye for an eye” standard. These were laws designed for the governance of Israel as a physical nation and don’t apply in the same way today. Jesus addressed this idea directly in His Sermon on the Mount when He urged His followers not to seek retaliation, but instead to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-39). Civic laws like these were meant to maintain order in Israel but were also pointing towards deeper moral principles that Jesus came to elevate.
What about the moral law? Unlike the ceremonial and civic laws, which were fulfilled in Christ or tied to the governance of Israel, the moral law is universal and eternal. It reflects God’s unchanging nature. These laws are not tied to a specific culture or time; they are grounded in God’s righteousness and holiness. When God gave the Ten Commandments, for example, He was setting forth moral standards that are binding for all time. These moral laws tell us how to live in relation to God and to one another, and they don’t change because they are based on who God is.
Consider the command against stealing. In Exodus 20:15, we’re told, “You shall not steal.” This is a moral law. It’s wrong to steal in any society, and that moral truth doesn’t change. Jesus reaffirmed this when He spoke to the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:18, telling him to follow the commandments, including the prohibition against stealing. The law against theft wasn’t just about keeping order in ancient Israel; it’s an expression of God’s justice and our obligation to respect the property and well-being of others.
Similarly, the commandment against adultery, found in Exodus 20:14, reflects God’s design for marriage and faithfulness. This is not just a civic law to keep families intact in ancient Israel; it’s a moral law that transcends culture. Jesus didn’t just reaffirm this law—He raised the standard even higher by teaching that lustful thoughts are as sinful as the act of adultery itself (Matthew 5:27-28). This shows us that the moral law goes beyond mere actions; it addresses the condition of the heart, which is why these laws remain relevant today.
Lying is another example of the moral law. In Exodus 20:16, the commandment warns against bearing false witness. This command is just as binding today as it was when Moses received it on Mount Sinai. Lying distorts the truth and damages relationships, and God, who is truth, cannot tolerate falsehood. Jesus called Himself “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6), showing that truth is at the core of God’s character. The moral command against lying isn’t tied to any particular culture or time; it’s rooted in the eternal nature of God, and so it still applies today.
Some may argue that because Jesus “did away with the Law,” none of it is relevant anymore. But that’s a misunderstanding of what Jesus accomplished. When Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law, He was not saying that it was irrelevant or unimportant. Rather, He completed the ceremonial and civic aspects of the Law and showed us the full meaning of the moral law. In Matthew 5:19, He warned against relaxing any of the commandments, saying that whoever does and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. This doesn’t mean we are still bound to keep the ceremonial or civic laws that were fulfilled in Christ, but it does mean the moral law remains essential for how we live our lives.
The fulfillment of the Law in Christ doesn’t make it less significant; it makes it more so. Jesus has freed us from the burden of having to follow every ceremonial rule, and we no longer live in a theocracy where civic laws govern our daily lives. However, the moral law, which reflects God’s eternal standards, continues to guide us. Thanks to Christ, we now live under the new covenant, where our relationship with God is based on grace through faith, not on ritual (Ephesians 2:8-9). But that grace doesn’t eliminate the importance of moral obedience. Instead, it empowers us to live lives that reflect the character of God, just as the moral law has always pointed us to do.
When people ask why Christians don’t follow all the Old Testament laws anymore, the answer is clear: Jesus fulfilled them. The ceremonial and civic laws served a purpose that has been completed in Christ. The moral law, however, remains because it reflects the very nature of God. In Christ, we are free from the ritual obligations of the Law, but we are also called to live lives of moral integrity and righteousness, empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s will for us today.