Is the Mosaic law, specifically Lev. 18:22 and 20:13, applicable to Christians?
Paul stated in Rom. 7:4-7"Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'" Rom. 7:4-7 ESV. that Christians are both released from the law, and yet the law dictates what is sinful for Christians, and is therefore still relevant for Christians. Yet, there are many sins and vices listed an Mosaic law which are not viewed as sins and vices today. Thus, it is unclear in this passage what role the Mosaic law should play in Christians' lives. However, Paul leaves us clues as to what commandments we must follow. He states in Rom. 13:8-10"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 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.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" Rom. 13:8-10 ESV. that most of the commandments fall under this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself. Again, in Gal. 5:14-16"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" ESV., Paul states that "the whole law is fulfilled in one word, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
In a practical sense, it was difficult to imagine all Greco-Roman Christians following the Mosaic law because it outlawed the consumption of pork, shellfish, and rabbit, which were all staples of the Mediterranean diet and also meats containing blood or fat.1 Moreover, the Law condemned thorough sowing and harvesting of fields, hybridization, clothing made from mixed fabrics, and beard or hair cutting, which were all integral in Greco-Roman society.2 In Num. 6:5"All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long" Num. 6:5 ESV., the Law forbid men from cutting their hair and beards. However, in 1 Cor. 11:14"Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him . . ." 1 Cor. 11:14 ESV., Paul states that it was disgrace for a man to wear his hair long, which clearly contradicts Num. 6:5"All the days of his vow of separation, no razor shall touch his head. Until the time is completed for which he separates himself to the LORD, he shall be holy. He shall let the locks of hair of his head grow long" Num. 6:5 ESV.. Thus, some of the Old Testament rules conflict with the New Testament directives and Christian Greco-Roman culture.
Whether or not Christians must follow all of the mandates of the Mosaic law has been fervently disputed, and during the Council of Jerusalem around 49 A.D., it was decided that Gentile converts to Christianity would not be bound to follow Mosaic law, with four exceptions: they had to "abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood" as stated in Acts 15:19-20.3
Initially, Paul thought that Christians must follow the Mosaic law and Jesus's law. However, as Christians started to abandon Jesus and strictly follow the Old Testament law, Paul discovered that he needed to encourage Christians to follow Jesus and His teachings and abandon the Old Testament law, except for the Old Testament laws which Jesus upholds in his teachings. Thus, Paul states in several New Testament passages that Christians are no longer under the rule of Mosaic law (see Rom. 6:14"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" Rom. 6:14 ESV., 7:4-7"Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'" Rom 7:4-7 ESV.; Gal. 3:24-26"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith" Gal. 3:24-26 ESV., 4:21"Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?" Gal. 4:21 ESV, 5:1-6"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love" Gal. 5:1-6 ESV., 5:13"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" Gal. 5:13 ESV., 5:18"But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" Gal. 5:18 ESV.; and 2 Cor. 3:12-17"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened.
For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
But when one turns to the LORD, the veil is removed. Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom" 2 Cor. 3:12-17 ESV.), and that those who follow strictly follow the Mosaic law in its entirety are severed from Christ, (see Gal. 5:1-6"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love" Gal. 5:1-6 ESV.).
The statement that Christians are no longer directed to follow the Mosaic law in its entirety makes sense because Jesus followed the Mosaic law perfectly. Since Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Old Testament covenant (see Jer. 31:31-34Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more" Jer. 31:31-34 KJV.; Heb. 8:6-10"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people . . ." Heb. 8:6-10 KJV., 9:14-15"(H)ow much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant" Heb. 9:14-15 ESV.; Luke 22:20"And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" Luke 22:20 ESV.; Luke 24:44"Then he said to them, 'These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled'" Luke 24:44 ESV.; 1 Cor. 11:25"In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me'" 1 Cor. 11:25 ESV.; and Heb. 9:18-24"Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, 'This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you . . .'
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" Heb. 9:18-24 ESV.), Christians are called to follow Jesus's teachings and not the Mosaic law. In Matt. 5:17-20"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven" Matt. 5:17-20 ESV., Jesus even stated that he came to fulfill the Mosaic law, not abolish it, which is why Jews, who view Jesus as a false messiah, still follow the Mosaic law. Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic law perfectly in a way in which Christians are unable to do so (see Gal. 3:10, 13-14"For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, 'Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them. . . .'
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree' — so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith" Gal. 3:10, 13-14 ESV.). Moreover, even though Jesus came to fulfill the Law, He instructs Christians to observe the Law's commandments in Matt. 5:17-20"'Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'" Matt. 5:17-20 ESV. in a way in which Christians will be holier than the Pharisees. Which Mosaic law commandments is Jesus talking about?
Some Christians believe that the entire Mosaic law applies to them; however, since it is impossible for them to fulfill it perfectly, God sent Jesus to fulfill the law perfectly. Even though Jesus came to fulfill the Mosaic law, Christians are still tasked to follow the moral portions of the law, and Lev. 18:22, 20:13 falls within this moral code. In Acts 15:19-20"Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood" Acts 15:19-20 ESV., Paul states that Christians must refrain from sexual immorality, and the Bible tells us in Lev. 18:22, 20:13 that it is morally wrong to be homosexual. Even the New Testament supports the position that homosexuality is immoral. In 1 Cor. 6:9"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality . . ." 1 Cor. 6:9 ESV. and 1 Tim. 1:9-10". . . understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine . . ." 1 Tim. 1:9-10 ESV., Paul lists various moral sins, and male homosexuality is included within the list.
Some Christians believe that the entire Mosaic law does not apply to them with the exception of the Ten Commandments, since Jesus or Paul refers to each of the Ten Commandments in one or more passages. This belief is bolstered by several Pauline passages in which Paul states that the Law is no longer applicable to Christians: Rom. 6:14"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" Rom. 6:14 ESV., 7:4-7"Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.
But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'" Rom 7:4-7 ESV.; Gal. 3:24-26"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith" Gal. 3:24-26 ESV., 4:21"Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?" Gal. 4:21 ESV, 5:1-6"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love" Gal. 5:1-6 ESV., 5:13"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" Gal. 5:13 ESV.; and 2 Cor. 3:12-17"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened.
For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the LORD, the veil is removed. Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom" 2 Cor. 3:12-17 ESV..
In several passages, such as Rom. 2:17-18"But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law . . ." Rom 2:17-18 ESV., 23"You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law" Rom 2:23 ESV., and 3:31"Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law" Rom. 3:31 ESV., Paul upholds the value of the Mosaic law. Even Jesus speaks of the validity of the Law in Luke 16:17 ESV when He states, "But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void." Paul also states that if it wasn't for the Torah, Christians would not know the meaning of sin (see Rom. 7:7"What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'" Rom. 7:7 ESV.). Thus, the moral portion of the Torah, which are the sins that Paul cites and which include male homosexuality, is still valid for Christians, and Christians must follow the law.
In Matt. 5:21-48, Jesus references the Ten Commandments and He sets forth a stricter interpretation of the Ten Commandments that is cited in the Mosaic law. He also references several other Old Testament rules, but he never mentions Lev. 18:22 or Lev. 22:13. Of course, if Christians were still directed to follow the Mosaic law, then there would be no need for them to follow Jesus as their Savior. Moreover, this logic would lead to the assumption that Jesus did not fulfill the Mosaic law and prophecy perfectly, which Christians know is not true. Furthermore, Christians would have to follow all of the Mosaic law, not just rules that they agree with, in order to abide by the spirit of the Mosaic law, which was to set the Israelites apart from their pagan neighbors as a holy, godly people. Instead, Christians are directed to worship Jesus as their Savior and follow His teachings in which he references the Ten Commandments.
Since most Christians do not follow the entire Mosaic law and since Christians believe that Jesus' life and death fulfilled the prophecy of a new covenant which ended the ritualistic requirements of the old covenant between God and the Israelites as prophesized in Isa. 42:6"I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations . . ." Isa. 42:6 ESV.,4 Christians should not follow the rules of the Mosaic law unless the rules are upheld by Jesus Christ, Himself. Jesus never mentions "the sin of homosexuality" or refers to Lev. 18:22"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" Lev. 18:22 ESV. and Lev. 20:13"If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them" Lev. 20:13 ESV. during his lifetime, so we know that homosexuality, in itself, must not be a sin according to Jesus.
Many of the rules that God gave to the Israelites through Moses in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy were specifically meant for Israelites to follow. Many rules do not make sense for modern Christians to follow, such as Deut. 20:16-17"But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the LORD your God has commanded . . ." Deut. 20:16-17 ESV. in which God commands the Israelites to kill all of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites, and the monetary value the Lord told Moses to place on a person in Lev. 27:1-7"The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, If anyone makes a special vow to the LORD involving the valuation of persons, then the valuation of a male from twenty years old up to sixty years old shall be fifty shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. If the person is a female, the valuation shall be thirty shekels.
If the person is from five years old up to twenty years old, the valuation shall be for a male twenty shekels, and for a female ten shekels. If the person is from a month old up to five years old, the valuation shall be for a male five shekels of silver, and for a female the valuation shall be three shekels of silver. And if the person is sixty years old or over, then the valuation for a male shall be fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels'" Lev. 27:1-7 ESV. (note that the males are always valued more than females, usually twice as much). Other rules that do not make sense for Christians to follow include Lev. 25:44-46"As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. You may also buy from among the strangers who sojourn with you and their clans that are with you, who have been born in your land, and they may be your property.
You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. You may make slaves of them, but over your brothers the people of Israel you shall not rule, one over another ruthlessly" Lev. 25:44-46 ESV. in which God tells Moses to relay to the Israelites that they can own slaves and trade slaves and Lev. 12:2"Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean" Lev. 12:2 ESV., 4-5"Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days" Lev. 12:4-5 ESV. in which God told Moses that women who recently gave birth had to clean themselves in a specific manner based upon the gender of the newborn.
Many Old Testament rules, customs, and practices exist that are not followed by Christians; however, they are too numerous to mention on this website. One must wonder why Christians who try to prove that homosexuality is a sin cite Lev. 18:22"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" Lev. 18:22 ESV. and Lev. 20:13"If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them" Lev. 20:13 ESV. to bolster their argument if the book of Leviticus is comprised of many antiquated rules and regulations that most Christians, even conservative Christians, no longer follow and which God gave to Moses specifically to guide the Israelites. Obviously, these passages show that Mosaic law must be considered in relation to the historical time and cultural in which they were written.
The portions of the Mosaic law that are relevant for Christians to follow are cited by Paul in various passages, including 1 Cor. 6:9-10 ESV, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" and 1 Tim. 1:9-10 ESV, "(T)hat the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine."
Notice that in the two above passages Paul lists male homosexuality as a vice. Thus, these passages prove that Lev. 18:22"You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" Lev. 18:22 ESV. and Lev. 20:13"If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them" Lev. 20:13 ESV. are relevant to modern Christians. Moreover, Jesus Christ stated in Matt. 5:17-20"'Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'" Matt. 5:17-20 ESV. that He did not come to abolish the Mosaic law, but instead He came to fulfill it, and Christians are called to fulfill the commandments and be more righteous than the Pharisees.
1Boswell, 1980, p. 102 Return
2Boswell, 1980, p. 102 Return
3Boswell, 1980, p. 103 Return
4Most Christians believe that it is impossible for people to follow the Mosaic law perfectly. So, as a result of their failures, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who was a Jew and who followed the Mosaic law perfectly, to save Christians from their sins. Basically, in the Old Testament, if someone sinned, that person could atone for his or her sin with a sacrifice to God (see Lev. 5:1-19). Through blood-letting, God forgave the person's sin. Jesus Christ was perfect, but He died on the cross for our sins. Thus, through his sacrifice and blood-letting, He saved us from our sins as long as we have faith in Him and follow His teachings (see Heb. 9:18-24"Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, 'This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you . . .'
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" Heb. 9:18-24 ESV.). Return
A short historical and biblical discussion of Paul's teachings and Mosaic law: Scholars have accused Paul of being inconsistent about whether or not Christians need to follow the Mosaic law. In certain portions of his letters, Paul upholds the Law (Rom. 2:17-18"But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law . . ." Rom. 2:17-18 ESV., 23"You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law" Rom 2:23 ESV., and 3:31"Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law" Rom. 3:31 ESV.). In fact, even Jesus upholds the righteousness of the Law in Luke 16:17. However, in other portions such as Rom. 6:14"For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" Rom. 6:14 ESV., 7:4-7"Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.
For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'" Rom 7:4-7 ESV.; Gal. 3:24-26"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith" Gal. 3:24-26 ESV., 4:21"Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?" Gal. 4:21 ESV., 5:1-6"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love" Gal. 5:1-6 ESV., 5:13"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" Gal. 5:13 ESV.; and 2 Cor. 3:12-17"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened.
For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
But when one turns to the LORD, the veil is removed. Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom" 2 Cor. 3:12-17 ESV., Paul states that Law is no longer binding on Christians because Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of the new covenant (see Jer. 31:31-33"Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people" Jer. 31:31-33 ESV.; 1 Cor. 9:21"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law" 1 Cor. 9:21 1 Cor. 9:21 ESV.; and Rom. 10:4"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" Rom. 10:4 ESV.). These passages have confused Christians for centuries. Perhaps a little bit of history will help explain Paul's inconsistencies.
As most Christians know, Paul was a Jew who upheld the Mosaic law to the fullest extent, but at the same time, taught new Christians about Jesus and how their faith in Him leads to their salvation in heaven (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 114). In Antioch, however, Christians had become more apt to follow Mosaic law and its precepts than to follow the law of Christ (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 114). In fact, in Antioch, the Mosaic law had become a rival to the law of Christ, and newly converted Christians were rejecting Jesus Christ as their Savior (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 114).
Paul feared that "(t)he real priority, the following of Christ, would be replaced by the practical priorities of obedience" to Mosaic law (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 115). Paul realized that most people preferred to be told to follow specific rules and regulations than to follow the example of Jesus Christ and guess whether they will qualify for salvation (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 115). Thus, Paul "decided that the Law in any shape or form should have no place in any of his communities" and that "Jews who wished to follow Christ would have to give up the observances in which their Jewish identity was rooted" (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 115).
Yet, Paul exalted the Mosaic law as the Word of God, and he referred to it more than ninety times in his letters (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 116). Instead, what Paul condemned was a "radically distorted understanding of the Law, not the Law as such or in itself" (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 116 & Tit. 1:10-14"For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.
One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, 'Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.' This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth" Tit. 1:10-14 ESV.). Paul basically feared that the Mosaic law would take the place of Christians' faith in Jesus Christ and His salvific authority, and, thus, Paul concluded that the Law "had no place in the life of a Christian" (Murphy-O'Connor, 2004, p. 116). Paul wanted newly converted Christians to follow the "law of Christ" instead of the Old Testament law (Gal. 2:21"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose" Gal. 2:21 ESV., Gal. 6:2"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" Gal. 6:2 ESV., & 1 Cor. 9:20-21"To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law" 1 Cor. 9:20-21 ESV.).
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