Note: The Bible speaks about "the Law of Moses" several times. That does not mean that Moses was the lawgiver. Rather it means that God gave the Law (the Old Covenant) through Moses.
The Law of Moses has caused a lot of confusion among Christians and continues to do so. Some Christians believe that nothing within the Torah is applicable to them. Others go in the opposite direction and imagine that everything is still valid. And that is why it is necessary to understand how the Law of Moses applies (or does not apply) today to those who are under the New Covenant.
WHERE IS IT FOUND?
The Law of Moses is frequently referred to as the Torah, but it is only the last four books of the Torah which actually contain the Law. So we need to know what is written in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
HOW IS IT FOUND?
When we study those books we find that God’s commandments are interspersed with the history of the Israelites in the wilderness. So all the laws are not found in one place, neither are they all categorized neatly into their different components.
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE LAW?
There are at least ten broad components to the Law of Moses. They are laws applicable to the:
1. Tabernacle (or temple) and its sacrifices and offerings
2. Levitical priesthood
3. Levites
4. Feasts (including harvests, tithes, feasts, festivals and holy days)
5. Covenants with Israel
6. Civil and military laws (including laws applicable to physical appearance, purification, Nazarites, marriage, inheritance, vows, numbering, battles, sieges, and spoils of war, kings, division of land, etc.)
7. Criminal laws or laws of justice (including usury) which frequently had the death penalty
8. Health and disease laws
9. Dietary laws, and
10. Moral and Spiritual laws (including the Ten Commandments)
THE TEN COMMANDMENT ARE ETERNAL
The Ten Commandments are based upon the absolute holiness and righteousness of God – the character of God. Since God does not change, those laws are eternal. While they were written on tablets of stone in the Old Covenant, they are written on hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit within the New Covenant. And they are summed up in the Law of Christ, which is the Law of Love. So Christians are not lawless and devoid of the commandments of God. Indeed the Law of Love is even more stringent than the Law of Moses.
WHICH LAWS ARE NULL AND VOID
According to the epistle to the Hebrews, the laws pertaining to the tabernacle or temple, the Levitical priesthood, the Levities, the offerings and sacrifices, the feasts, festivals and holy days, as well as ceremonial observances, are all null and void. Other laws pertaining to Israel as a nation cannot be applied since the temple has been destroyed. So the only laws which are meaningful are the moral and spiritual laws.
WHICH LAWS ARE STILL VALID
According to Acts 15:28,29, the Holy Spirit has applied only four laws to the Church, and they primarily forbid the consumption of blood or meats sacrificed to idols. Fornication is also forbidden: For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye [1] abstain from meats offered to idols, and [2] from blood, and [3] fromthings strangled, and [4] from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
The Law of Moses has caused a lot of confusion among Christians and continues to do so. Some Christians believe that nothing within the Torah is applicable to them. Others go in the opposite direction and imagine that everything is still valid. And that is why it is necessary to understand how the Law of Moses applies (or does not apply) today to those who are under the New Covenant.
WHERE IS IT FOUND?
The Law of Moses is frequently referred to as the Torah, but it is only the last four books of the Torah which actually contain the Law. So we need to know what is written in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
HOW IS IT FOUND?
When we study those books we find that God’s commandments are interspersed with the history of the Israelites in the wilderness. So all the laws are not found in one place, neither are they all categorized neatly into their different components.
WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE LAW?
There are at least ten broad components to the Law of Moses. They are laws applicable to the:
1. Tabernacle (or temple) and its sacrifices and offerings
2. Levitical priesthood
3. Levites
4. Feasts (including harvests, tithes, feasts, festivals and holy days)
5. Covenants with Israel
6. Civil and military laws (including laws applicable to physical appearance, purification, Nazarites, marriage, inheritance, vows, numbering, battles, sieges, and spoils of war, kings, division of land, etc.)
7. Criminal laws or laws of justice (including usury) which frequently had the death penalty
8. Health and disease laws
9. Dietary laws, and
10. Moral and Spiritual laws (including the Ten Commandments)
THE TEN COMMANDMENT ARE ETERNAL
The Ten Commandments are based upon the absolute holiness and righteousness of God – the character of God. Since God does not change, those laws are eternal. While they were written on tablets of stone in the Old Covenant, they are written on hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit within the New Covenant. And they are summed up in the Law of Christ, which is the Law of Love. So Christians are not lawless and devoid of the commandments of God. Indeed the Law of Love is even more stringent than the Law of Moses.
WHICH LAWS ARE NULL AND VOID
According to the epistle to the Hebrews, the laws pertaining to the tabernacle or temple, the Levitical priesthood, the Levities, the offerings and sacrifices, the feasts, festivals and holy days, as well as ceremonial observances, are all null and void. Other laws pertaining to Israel as a nation cannot be applied since the temple has been destroyed. So the only laws which are meaningful are the moral and spiritual laws.
WHICH LAWS ARE STILL VALID
According to Acts 15:28,29, the Holy Spirit has applied only four laws to the Church, and they primarily forbid the consumption of blood or meats sacrificed to idols. Fornication is also forbidden: For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye [1] abstain from meats offered to idols, and [2] from blood, and [3] fromthings strangled, and [4] from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
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