Laying a Foundation
How should New Testament saints view the law of Moses? The answer to this question can be and often is a source of great division.
Some perceive Paul’s teaching about the law’s insufficiency (Romans 8:3; Galatians 2:16) and the fact that we are not under the law (Romans 6:14-15; Romans 7:4, 6; Galatians 2:19; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 5:18) to mean that God’s desire is for the New Testament believer to view the law negatively. However, Paul also taught that the law is NOT sin (Romans 7:7), and that it IS holy (Romans 7:12), spiritual (Romans 7:14), and good (1 Timothy 1:8). Interestingly, Jesus said that His mission was to come to FULFIL the law (Matthew 5:17) and Paul taught that we could and should do the same (Romans 8:4; Romans 13:8, 10; Galatians 5:14).
As it pertains to the law’s impact in our lives, two truths must be considered. First, Paul’s references to us fulfilling the law speak of our moral obligation before God (Romans 8:4) or to our dealings with others (Romans 13:8, 10; Galatians 5:14). Secondly, Paul clearly stated that “the law is good, if a man use it lawfully” (1 Timothy 1:8). All in all, there is a right and a wrong way to use the law, but when one uses it rightly, it impacts his moral life before God and his dealings with others.
The One Law in Three Parts
The Bible is full of examples of God’s three in one being extended to His words and works. The law is one such example. While there is only ONE law of Moses given by God’s mouth, this law is dividable in three parts: the moral law, the ceremonial law, and the civil law. The moral law can be defined as those parts of the law of Moses which speak to moral principles that guide a man in his walk with others and before God. The civil law speaks to parts of the law describing man’s civic duties to his fellow man. The ceremonial law speaks to parts of the law, such as the tabernacle, the priesthood, the feasts, and the offerings, that gave the ceremonial duties God asked of the Jew but eventually fulfilled in the life, death, and subsequent resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The governing system found in America, based on Isaiah 33:22, has three branches making up one ruling structure. Each branch has a unique role or purpose in the overall function. The same is true of the divisions of Moses’ law. One difference existing between Moses’ law and modern governance is that religion and state were under one umbrella, but now we recognize a separation of the two (see 1 Timothy 2:1-4). This transition from the Old Testament Jewish establishment to the New Testament Gentile system is crucial to understanding how we could and should rightly apply Moses’ law in the present age.
The Civil Law
The civil law involved statutes given to Israel to establish right and wrong in their dealings with others. For example, Deuteronomy 22:8 warned, “When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.” Exodus 22:1 ruled that “If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” Ultimately, these laws can be presented in the one law of “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Romans 13:9) and, in the present age, they fall under the jurisdiction of human government (Romans 13:1-10). Using the law lawfully would suggest that civil laws have not been done away with but that there implementation is covered in the laws of the land.
The Ceremonial Law
As previously stated, the ceremonial law incorporated rules governing the offerings, feasts, priesthood, sabbaths, and the houses of God. These laws guided the Jews in their religious pursuit of God.
Only those adhering to Replacement Theology (a doctrine that teaches that the church has presently and prospectively replaced Israel in God’s plan) think these laws were intended to continue into the present age. Those who use the law lawfully understand that the person and work of Christ was foreshadowed by these laws and that they were ultimately fulfilled in Him.
Not to oversimplify it, but Christ’s fulfillment of the ceremonial law is essentially the focus of Paul’s letter to the Hebrews. Christ is a better founder than Moses (Hebrews 3:1-19) and a better mediator than Aaron (Hebrews 5:1-14; Hebrews 6:1-20; Hebrews 7:1-28). Christ’s work provided a better covenant (Hebrews 8:1-13), better sacrifice (Hebrews 9:1-28), and better sanctification (Hebrews 10:1-39).
The Moral Law
The moral law encompasses laws exposing right and wrong. These laws are not to be understood as being confined within one age or people group. Rather, they show the mind of God from beginning to end. As such, these statutes do not necessarily require repeating in the New Testament writings to warrant their continuance. For example, the New Testament does not repeat the moral teaching of Leviticus 18:23 which states, “Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion,” but it remains morally reprehensible.
Those who desire to use the law lawfully are very careful not to relegate the application of the entirety of the law to Old Testament saints because of this category. After all, this is likely an application of 2 Timothy 2:15 which states, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Rightly dividing means that we understand the right and proper application of all scripture, including that which is found in the Old Testament law. This thinking is emboldened by Paul, and ultimately God, who admonished, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Some Concluding Thoughts
The law of Moses IS holy (Romans 7:12), spiritual (Romans 7:14), and good (1 Timothy 1:8), and its influence should be seen in the lives of Church-age saints (Romans 8:4; Romans 13:8, 10; Galatians 5:14). However, this requires a lawful USE of the law (1 Timothy 1:8).
We are not under the law and we should not seek to put those who have believed on Christ under its yoke. Along these lines, Peter warned, “why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10). Paul echoed Peter’s assessment and confirmed the law’s limitations (Romans 6:14-15; Romans 7:4, 6; Galatians 2:19; Galatians 3:13; Galatians 5:18).
At the same time, we should rightly divide the law and see that God’s view on moral subjects has not wavered in the least. This is the message of Malachi 3:6—“For I am the LORD, I change not.” If God deemed something morally vile before or during the giving of the Old Testament law, He remains disgusted by its practice among any saints who live thereafter. May God help us to lawfully use His law in our own lives. Our rewards may depend on it.
