Question
Answer!
Are You Obeying the Old Law or the Law of Christ?
By Nab Oct 17, 2022
Question:
Was the old law abolished or fulfilled in Jesus? Why Christians do not keep the old law?
Answer:
When people bring up the subject of the Law, many don't see that the old law had two parts (ordinances and moral principles). They argue over the ordinances but (not over the moral principles).
Jesus fulfilled (completed) both parts of the law. The physical ordinances (the shadow) were done away with as they were completed in Christ. There was no point in keeping any of them unless a person refused to believe in Jesus as the Messiah of God.
As to the moral principles of God's law, Christ revealed (for the first time) the deeper meaning of what God intended them to be in the first place, but not understood or followed.
This is why Christ said, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 5:20) Jesus called His teachings new commandments, not that he was inventing new ones, but he was urging people to have God's righteousness which surpassed and exceeded what was taught by the scribes and the Pharisees who did not understand the heart of the law.
It was time for Christ to write them on softer hearts, not ones of stones!
Two Different Greek Words
"For He is [Jesus] is our peace...who hath broken down the middle wall of partition. Having abolished [Gk, katarego] in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments [expressed] in ordinances." (Eph 2:15)
Paul used the Greek word katarego translated as abolishing. It means: make idle, inactive, make of no effect, to make completely inoperative. Note that it doesn't mean the destruction of the law as if it were useless or bad. It simply means the law was completely fulfilled in Christ.
Let me paraphrase the above verse for you:
"Through Christ's sacrifice, He fulfilled and made all ordinances of the old law completely inoperative and unnecessary."
On the other hand, Jesus used a different word (not so obvious in English) when he said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish [Gk, Kataluó] the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matt 5:17)
This can be tricky since the two words used in Eph 2:15 and Matt 5:17 are translated as ‘abolish’ in English but they differ in Greek!
Jesus used the Greek word 'Kataluó'.
Paul used the Greek word katarego.
The word Jesus used is Kataluó, which means to overthrow, destroy, and tear down. In other words, Jesus did not come to destroy the old law. This was what the Judaizers claimed about the early Christians. They wanted the Christians to keep some of the abolished ordinances such as circumcision, sabbath, and feasts (see Acts 15).
We are Under the Law of Christ
Everything in the old law was completely fulfilled in Christ. We now have a new spiritual law, called the "Law of Christ" (Gal 6:2) to be written on the hearts of believers who are led by the Spirit. Sadly, many Christians still defend keeping some ordinances of the old law.
Jesus' commandments found in the New Testament are the new "Law of Christ" for all believers (Jews and Gentiles). Christ's commandments are superior to the old in that it gives life. But the old law condemned us to death because of its perfection. (for there was nothing wrong with the old law given by God). The law of Christ, the law of the spirit, gives life through the total forgiveness of sin and the regeneration by the Holy Spirit which was unavailable in past times.
"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Rom 7:6)
The ordinances of the old law have become SPIRITUAL realities. This was summarized by Paul in Col 2:16-17,
"Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat [food], or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, Which are a SHADOW of things to come; but the body [substance, reality] is of Christ."
How the Old Became New!
Our spiritual Passover is Christ. (1 Cor 5:7)
Our spiritual sabbath and rest are in Christ. (Matt 12:8)
Our sacrifice is Christ Himself. (Heb 10:12)
Our spiritual High Priest is Christ. (Heb 4:14)
Our circumcision is of the heart. (Rom 2:29)
Jesus condemned the traditions of the rabbis which made God’s word of no effect in Matt 15:6. Those who prefer traditions, rituals, and ordinances over God's weightier matters of love, mercy, justice, and righteousness are gravely mistaken
Israel was the only nation bound by a covenant with God. All the other nations were not. One wonders why some Christians (who are all Gentiles) want to keep the sabbath or abstain from some food as if they were under the old covenant law!
Warning to Keepers of the Old Law
According to scripture, if one tries to keep one ordinance of the old law, (e.g. the sabbath or prohibiting eating certain foods), he's bound to keep the whole law or will stand condemned by God. Why? Because one would be refusing God's salvation which freed us from the condemnation of the old law.
“For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, [even on rule] that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” (Galatians 5:3-4).
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils . . . commanding to abstain from meats [certain foods], which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." (1 Tim 4:3)
This is a serious business and ought to be considered by those who insist on keeping or imposing some aspects of the old law. Being in Christ is everything a believer needs, to be perfect and complete before God.
"But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." (Rom 7:6)