Christian Law Vs Old Testament Law

The New Testament and the gospels never claim to supersede Old Testament canon, in fact, Jesus’ testimony in the gospels further affirm the authority and magisterial character of the Old Testament canon (Merrill, 2006, p. 650). Thus, in Matthew 5:17, Jesus stood in defense of both the Old Testament Law and the Prophets against the attacks of the scribes and Pharisees who considered Jesus’ statement to be heretical. Much to the dismay of the Pharisees, Jesus’ teaching, rather than abrogating the law, asserted the law’s perpetuity (Henry, 1991). Unfortunately, mankind was and still is unable to fulfill the law perfectly in the flesh. Something better was needed. Therefore, God sent Jesus who satisfied the law perfectly, and rather than competing

Furthermore, the law was also given until Christ should come to fulfill the law and to convince mankind of the necessity of a savior (Henry, 1991). Finally, the law was designed to teach and point people to the Messiah (Henry, 1991). In the dispensation of the church, the sacrificial laws were used by Paul as a metaphor for teaching Christian life principles and practices in the epistles (Elwell, 1996). In the New Testament, the sacrifices became a broken spirit, and a broken, contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). Thus, and as Paul wrote, Christians are to present their bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God (Romans 12:1), which, in turn, serves to be the Christian’s spiritual service of worship (Elwell, 1996). Finally, other New Testament applications of sacrificial law focus on service and other worship believers can offer to God, as an example, Paul wrote that the fruit of his ministry (Romans 15:16) was an acceptable sacrifice to God (Elwell,

Jesus, who fulfilled the law perfectly, also affirmed the law’s perpetuity during the confrontation with the scribes and Pharisees. Unfortunately, the scribes and Pharisees were only partial to the law and laid the emphasis of the sacrifices on the external rituals of the law, instead of internal Godliness. The actions of the scribes and Pharisees demonstrated why the Old Testament sacrifices were ineffective. Obedience to the law of God or works is an outpouring of one’s faith and love for God Himself (Piper, 2015). Therefore, love is the expression of genuine saving faith which rests alone of God’s grace, righteousness, and trust in God’s commands (Piper, 2015). Faith in God is what saved the Old Testament saints, not sacrifice (Piper, 2015). The law was given by God because of sin and transgressions (Henry, 1991). In addition, the law was also given until Christ should come to fulfill the law, and to convince mankind of the necessity of a savior (Henry, 1991). In the New Testament dispensation of the church, the law and sacrifices are used metaphorically for teaching Christian life principles and practices (Elwell, 1996). Under the New Covenant, the Old Testament system of priests became inadequate. Thus, a new priest was needed in the order of Melchizedek to fulfill the terms of the New Covenant and to serve as a mediator. In addition, a new, perfect sacrifice