Determining which biblical laws apply today.

[Seeking]

Many Christians claim that many laws/commands in the bible no longer apply today or do not apply to Christians. Can anyone quote scripture to defend that position. What guidelines (if any) does the bible give to determine what rules should or should not be followed.
Examples include-
Dietary laws, dress and appearance, sacrificial law, etc

Some people divide by Old and New Testament. Some people divide by laws of ritual and morality.

I have always questioned why people divide the laws the way they do and whether or not scripture states that some laws no longer apply. Please quote scripture to explain where the lines are. This is something I struggle to understand. Do we adjust to fit the modern era and dispense with much of the Old Testament, do we keep all the law, or only the law for the Gentiles? What does the scripture say? TIA

[Aquila]

The Law is composed of the moral law of God (the Ten Commandments), and the law of Moses (civil and ceremonial laws given specifically to Israel). The Bible, while using terms interchangibly, actually draws distinction between the two.

For example... the law of Moses was placed in the side of the ark:

DEUT. 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

The law of God was placed down in side the ark:

EXO. 40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:

Also, the law of Moses with its ordinances were abolished, being nailed to the cross:

EPH. 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

However, the law of God abides forever...

LUKE 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

So, all the civil and ceremonial laws of Israel are indeed abolished. However, the moral law of God (the Ten Commandments) remain.

However, the Ten Commandments remain for a purpose... to condemn sin and sinners, causing all men to realize their need for a Savior:

Romans 77:77
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

While the moral law of God remains to condemn sinners and the wicked, Jesus fulfilled the law on behalf of those who will put their faith in Him. Now these born again believers are under grace. Under grace, one is bound by what is known as the Law of Christ or the Law of Love...

Jesus boiled the entire law down to two essential commandments,

Matthew 22:35-40 (ESV)
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

So the very foundation or essence of the entire OT is embodied in these two commandments:

1.) Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
2.) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Living by these two laws in all things, as the Spirit leads, fulfills the entire law. Paul put it this way:

Romans 13:8-10 (ESV)
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” AND ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love fulfills the law. Paul reiterated this in his letter to the Galatians,

Galatians 5:14 (ESV)
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love is interesting. It fulfills the whole law. Yet, the Law cannot fulfill love.

What do I mean? I'll show you...

Consider the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are what I call a "basement righteousness". They provide enough righteousness to keep one from being kicked out of church, arrested, or shot by an angry husband. And... that's about it. Let's look at them with regards to how they are not fulfilled without love...

1.) I can dedicate all my religious devotion to the God of the Bible and no other, but not really have a relationship with Him or truly "love" Him.

2.) I can choose not to make any idol and bow down to it, but not really have a relationship with God or truly love Him.

3.) I can speak reverently of the God of the Bible, but not have a relationship with Him or truly "love" Him.

4.) I can set aside one day a week for religious devotion to God, but not have a relationship with Him or truly love Him.

5.) I can honor my parents and all the benefits they have provided me, but not truly "love" them, or have a relationship with God.

6.) I can choose not to murder my neighbor, or slander him, but not truly "love him. I can choose not to murder, and not even have a relationship with God.

7.) I can choose not to commit adultery, but that doesn't mean that I truly "love" my wife. I can choose not to sleep with my neighbor's wife, but it doesn't mean that I truly "love" my neighbor.

8.) I can choose not to steal my neighbor's lawn mower, it doesn't mean that I love him.

9.) I can choose not to lie to or about my neighbor, it doesn't mean that I love him or God.

10.) I can choose not to be jealous of my neighbor's fortune and blessing, but it doesn't mean that I love him or even love God.

Please note, I can fulfill the Ten Commandments... but not have any true love for either God or neighbor. So living by the law cannot justify me or make me truly righteous. While the Ten Commandments are ethical, they do not command us to love. Nor do the Ten Commandments say anything about visiting the widow and the orphan (the essence of true religious practice), caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, etc.

As you can see, the Commandments are the basic and lowest level of ethical righteousness. And honestly, any ethical religious person can fulfill the letter of these commandments in their sleep.

However, if I whole heartedly focus on loving God and my neighbor... I'll not only fulfill the very essence of the Ten Commandments through my love for others... I'll go infinitely beyond the commandments themselves.

I hope this has helped.

God bless.

Chris

[Seeking]

Originally Posted by Aquila

The Law is composed of the moral law of God (the Ten Commandments), and the law of Moses (civil and ceremonial laws given specifically to Israel). The Bible, while using terms interchangibly, actually draws distinction between the two.

Obviously the 10 commandments would be moral law. The first 5 books of the bible are the "Torah" (presumably penned by Moses). Would the entirety of the first 5 books (except for the 10 commandments) be considered the Law of Moses and applicable only to the Jews vs Moral law and applicable to Christians as well? TIA

[Seeking]

For example- Leviticus 19:27-28-
Includes not cutting your beard, not cutting skin for the dead and not getting tattoos. Is that moral law of God or the Law of Moses?

[thephnxman]

Originally Posted by Seeking

Many Christians claim that many laws/commands in the bible no longer apply today or do not apply to Christians. Can anyone quote scripture to defend that position. What guidelines (if any) does the bible give to determine what rules should or should not be followed.
Examples include-
Dietary laws, dress and appearance, sacrificial law, etc

Some people divide by Old and New Testament. Some people divide by laws of ritual and morality.

I have always questioned why people divide the laws the way they do and whether or not scripture states that some laws no longer apply. Please quote scripture to explain where the lines are. This is something I struggle to understand. Do we adjust to fit the modern era and dispense with much of the Old Testament, do we keep all the law, or only the law for the Gentiles? What does the scripture say? TIA

Do not seek to interpret the New Testament in the light or understanding of the Old Testament; rather, seek to interpret the
Old Testament in the light and understanding of the New Testament.

[Seeking]

I don't want to omit anything from the bible that I should follow. At the same time, I have met some people who make Christianity "Jewish" in an attempt "keep all the law". I have never felt I needed to go down that path I truly want to understand how to "rightly divide". The example I gave above is one that confuses me. (Leviticus 19:27-28).

[Seeking]

http://www.jewfaq.org/m/613.htm

So the first 10 are the Law of God and the next 603 are Mosiac law?

Found the answer. It is Mosiac law not God's law. Interesting to note Deuteronomy 22:5 was also Mosiac law #365 and #366.

[Michael The Disciple]

Very important thread.

[KeptByTheWord]

This is a question that can be difficult to answer, but for the sake of simplicity, here is my simple answer.

The spirit or mind of Christ within us is the new law that replaces the old. It's that simple!

Since Jesus died and rose again, He ushered in a New Covenant with us that did away with the multitude of laws that nailed Him to the cross. Instead, as believers in the work on Calvary, we are instructed to be led by the spirit of Christ, and having the indwelling mind of Christ within us has become the new law that has replaced the old law.

[mizpeh]

Originally Posted by Aquila

The Law is composed of the moral law of God (the Ten Commandments), and the law of Moses (civil and ceremonial laws given specifically to Israel). The Bible, while using terms interchangibly, actually draws distinction between the two.

For example... the law of Moses was placed in the side of the ark:

DEUT. 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

The law of God was placed down in side the ark:

EXO. 40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:

Also, the law of Moses with its ordinances were abolished, being nailed to the cross:

EPH. 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace.

However, the law of God abides forever...

LUKE 16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

So, all the civil and ceremonial laws of Israel are indeed abolished. However, the moral law of God (the Ten Commandments) remain.

However, the Ten Commandments remain for a purpose... to condemn sin and sinners, causing all men to realize their need for a Savior:

Romans 77:77
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

While the moral law of God remains to condemn sinners and the wicked, Jesus fulfilled the law on behalf of those who will put their faith in Him. Now these born again believers are under grace. Under grace, one is bound by what is known as the Law of Christ or the Law of Love...

Jesus boiled the entire law down to two essential commandments,

Matthew 22:35-40 (ESV)
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

So the very foundation or essence of the entire OT is embodied in these two commandments:

1.) Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
2.) Love your neighbor as yourself.

Living by these two laws in all things, as the Spirit leads, fulfills the entire law. Paul put it this way:

Romans 13:8-10 (ESV)
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” AND ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love fulfills the law. Paul reiterated this in his letter to the Galatians,

Galatians 5:14 (ESV)
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love is interesting. It fulfills the whole law. Yet, the Law cannot fulfill love.

What do I mean? I'll show you...

Consider the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are what I call a "basement righteousness". They provide enough righteousness to keep one from being kicked out of church, arrested, or shot by an angry husband. And... that's about it. Let's look at them with regards to how they are not fulfilled without love...

1.) I can dedicate all my religious devotion to the God of the Bible and no other, but not really have a relationship with Him or truly "love" Him.

2.) I can choose not to make any idol and bow down to it, but not really have a relationship with God or truly love Him.

3.) I can speak reverently of the God of the Bible, but not have a relationship with Him or truly "love" Him.

4.) I can set aside one day a week for religious devotion to God, but not have a relationship with Him or truly love Him.

5.) I can honor my parents and all the benefits they have provided me, but not truly "love" them, or have a relationship with God.

6.) I can choose not to murder my neighbor, or slander him, but not truly "love him. I can choose not to murder, and not even have a relationship with God.

7.) I can choose not to commit adultery, but that doesn't mean that I truly "love" my wife. I can choose not to sleep with my neighbor's wife, but it doesn't mean that I truly "love" my neighbor.

8.) I can choose not to steal my neighbor's lawn mower, it doesn't mean that I love him.

9.) I can choose not to lie to or about my neighbor, it doesn't mean that I love him or God.

10.) I can choose not to be jealous of my neighbor's fortune and blessing, but it doesn't mean that I love him or even love God.

Please note, I can fulfill the Ten Commandments... but not have any true love for either God or neighbor. So living by the law cannot justify me or make me truly righteous. While the Ten Commandments are ethical, they do not command us to love. Nor do the Ten Commandments say anything about visiting the widow and the orphan (the essence of true religious practice), caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, etc.

As you can see, the Commandments are the basic and lowest level of ethical righteousness. And honestly, any ethical religious person can fulfill the letter of these commandments in their sleep.

However, if I whole heartedly focus on loving God and my neighbor... I'll not only fulfill the very essence of the Ten Commandments through my love for others... I'll go infinitely beyond the commandments themselves.

I hope this has helped.

God bless.

Chris

1Cor 13:1-3 is similar to your argument with the 10 commandments.