The three main verses for this discussion are:
“by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances” Ephesians 2:15
“When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.” Hebrews 8:13
“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24
These verses declare the Mosaic law to be, "abolished", "obsolete", and temporary "to lead us to Christ", which has been accomplished, i.e. past tense, meaning also "obsolete". All biblical words and concepts. If you read the context of these verses the meaning is exactly what these verses conclude. To set the context straight! The books of the Old Testament contain the Mosaic Law, also referred to as the Old Testament and Old Covenant. But not all of the Books of the Old Testament are under the “Mosaic Law” not unitl Mount Sinai. Same with the New Testament. The NT books deal with a period of time that is still under the “Mosaic Law” until the Death of Christ which starts the “New Covenant’, think legal agreement like, “Last will and Testament”. The NT mentions this, “In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.” So yes these verses are basically talking about the last will and testament of God, that comes into effect at the moment of the death of Chirst!
A question often asked is, are we under the obligation of the OT law? The Old Testament, is not just the books of the OT, but in this context of discussion are the body of Laws given to Israel known as the Old Testament. Testament here is exactly that in the legal sense, i.e. a covenant, which was given by God to Israel. In the New Testament (Covenant) it is clear in several places in the books of the New Testament, that there would be a “New Testament” (Covenant) that would replace the OT (Covenant). In Hebrews 9 the entire Chapter speaks of this, verse 15 mentions the basic essence of the issue: “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
You notice in this verse there is reference to the “new covenant”, i.e. “Christ is the mediator of the new covenant”, then the “first covenant” which you can see in the chapter’s context, as the Mosaic Law given as the Old Covenant.
Then in Chapter 10:1, he goes on to say, “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves.”
This goes hand in hand with a previous verse in Chap. 8:13, which says, “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
The “realities themselves” referred to in Chap. 10:1 is a reference to Christ, Christianity is all about Christ and his work, Chap. 8:6 says it this way, “ But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.”
So Christ is the key! The laws in the Old Covenant were really a foreshadowing of a “better” covenant and in Galatians it is said the “Mosaic Law” (OT), was given as a pedagogue (teacher) to lead us to Christ.
In Galatians 3:24, it puts it this way, “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.” This was because the OT Law, showed we are condemned under it, as in Gal. 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW”
So, the old covenant (Mosaic Law) is no longer in force. Since it shows that we have sinned and cannot keep the law, it drives us to Christ, who paid the penalty of the OT law (death) in our place, as is expressed in the verse, “now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
So, the issue you brought up, really deals with what is the purpose of the law and what law are we obligated to follow?
So another verse will answer that, Hebrews 9:14 sums it up, “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Christ has provided the way to, not serve the Law (Mosaic), but rather serve the living God, with the law written on and in our hearts, i.e. our new desire will be to live for God. It is the same basic concept of anarchy (without the law). The essence of Anarchy Philosophy, is not lawless CHAOS, but rather, “it advocates self-governed societies based on voluntary institutions and seeks for the individual to act according to an internal code of proper conduct.”
Sorry to mix Philosophy and Theology, but I always think of Anarchy, the true philosophy of it, when I get on this subject. Sorry, but I am a true Philosophy, Aristotelian Logic and History geek also, which is where I have dealt with the Anarchists.
So, the idea is that faith in Christ will lead to an internal change of heart, in such a way that the law of God (not the Mosaic Law) will become ones internal desire and motivation in all things. Hebrews again speaks to the issue, when it says, “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”
Hebrews 7-10 can really put it in perspective and I have tried to stay close to that text. Romans 7-8 also talks about it and most of the book of Galatians.
Hope that helps, believe me this only scratches the surface of the issue, but I hope this does communicate the basics of what the Bible says about the subject.
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