The Mosaic Law

[CherieR]

Please explain Mosaic Law and what that consists of. Is this Mosaic Law from the first five books of the Bible? Is it only law from after the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt by God? How is this law applicable to Christian's today and in what ways does it not apply? Please explain your position on this . Cite Scripture and/or resources that you get your viewpoint from.

 

[Deuteronomy]

Hello @CherieR, yes, the Mosaic Law is the written Law that was given to Moses by God (and that he then passed onto us), beginning with the Decalogue on top of Mt. Sinai. The Mosiac Law is contained within the Torah (the first five books of the OT). Christians divide the Mosaic Law into ceremonial and moral laws, but the Jews never did that, just FYI.

As far as how the Mosaic Law is used today, I believe that the Reformers did a great job of explaining that, in the case of both believers and the unsaved (Calvin called it the "Threefold use of the Law"). Here is a summary of what they said.

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The Threefold Use of the Law​

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Every Christian wrestles with the question, how does the Old Testament law relate to my life? Is the Old Testament law irrelevant to Christians or is there some sense in which we are still bound by portions of it? As the heresy of antinomianism becomes ever more pervasive in our culture, the need to answer these questions grows increasingly urgent.​

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The Reformation was founded on grace and not upon law. Yet the law of God was not repudiated by the Reformers. John Calvin, for example, wrote what has become known as the “Threefold Use of the Law” in order to show the importance of the law for the Christian life.1​

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The first purpose of the law is to be a mirror. On the one hand, the law of God reflects and mirrors the perfect righteousness of God. The law tells us much about who God is. Perhaps more important, the law illumines human sinfulness. Augustine wrote, “The law orders, that we, after attempting to do what is ordered, and so feeling our weakness under the law, may learn to implore the help of grace.”2 The law highlights our weakness so that we might seek the strength found in Christ. Here the law acts as a severe schoolmaster who drives us to Christ .. Galatians 3:24.​

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A second purpose for the law is the restraint of evil. The law, in and of itself, cannot change human hearts. It can, however, serve to protect the righteous from the unjust. Calvin says this purpose is “by means of its fearful denunciations and the consequent dread of punishment, to curb those who, unless forced, have no regard for rectitude and justice.”3 The law allows for a limited measure of justice on this earth, until the last judgment is realized.​

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The third purpose of the law is to reveal what is pleasing to God. As born-again children of God, the law enlightens us as to what is pleasing to our Father, whom we seek to serve. The Christian delights in the law as God Himself delights in it. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). This is the highest function of the law, to serve as an instrument for the people of God to give Him honor and glory.​

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By studying or meditating on the law of God, we attend the school of righteousness. We learn what pleases God and what offends Him. The moral law that God reveals in Scripture is always binding upon us. Our redemption is from the curse of God’s law, not from our duty to obey it. We are justified, not because of our obedience to the law, but in order that we may become obedient to God’s law. To love Christ is to keep His commandments. To love God is to obey His law.​

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Summary​

1. The church today has been invaded by antinomianism, which weakens, rejects, or distorts the law of God.​

2. The law of God is a mirror of God’s holiness and our unrighteousness. It serves to reveal to us our need of a savior.​

3. The law of God is a restraint against sin.​

4. The law of God reveals what is pleasing and what is offensive to God.​

5. The Christian is to love the law of God and to obey the moral law of God.​

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Biblical passages for reflection:​

Psalm 19:7-11​

Psalm 119:9-16​

Romans 7:7-25​

Romans 8:3-4​

1 Corinthians 7:19​

Galatians 3:24​

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~Excerpt from Essential Truths Of The Christian Faith by R. C. Sproul © (Tyndale 1992)​

God bless you!!

~Deut
p.s. - see too .. Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3, 119:9, 11, 105; cf John 17:17; Romans 12:2; 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
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[oyster67]

How is this law applicable to Christian's today and in what ways does it not apply? Please explain your position on this . Cite Scripture and/or resources that you get your viewpoint from.

When Jesus came, He took all these OT laws and replaced them with just two...

Matthew
22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

[Blik]

Hello @CherieR, yes, the Mosaic Law is the written Law that was given to Moses by God (and that he then passed onto us), beginning with the Decalogue on top of Mt. Sinai. The Mosiac Law is contained within the Torah (the first five books of the OT). Christians divide the Mosaic Law into ceremonial and moral laws, but the Jews never did that, just FYI..

This is a wonderful explanation of the law.

God gave the law on Mt Sinai, and God gives only truth but that truth was given in stone, not in spirit. Stone is lasting and correct, but it does nbot contain love. They were given rituals of the flesh to explain it to them, like cutting flesh to lead them to true circumcision. Even the blessings of obedience were fleshly, like abundant crops.

When Christ came, love was added as the base of all law. It was the true law as it had always been.

 

[Deuteronomy]

When Christ came, love was added as the base of all law. It was the true law as it had always been.

That's true Blik

Deuteronomy 6
5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Leviticus 19
18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.​

God bless you!!

~Deut

Deuteronomy 11
18 You shall impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
19 You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.
20 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates,
21 so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth.
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[BroTan]

Please explain Mosaic Law and what that consists of. Is this Mosaic Law from the first five books of the Bible? Is it only law from after the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt by God? How is this law applicable to Christian's today and in what ways does it not apply? Please explain your position on this . Cite Scripture and/or resources that you get your viewpoint from.

In the days of Jesus, the religious leaders were constantly questioning Jesus in order to test Him and on this occasion a lawyer asked Jesus what is the great commandment?

Matthew (22:35) Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, (36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus reply was the 1st great commandment was to love God and the 2nd was to love ones neighbor. These were given as a commandment for man to love.

Matthew (22:37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

(38) This is the first and great commandment.

(39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

One should note that by following the 1st and 2nd great commandment they will be adhering to the 10 commandments issued by Moses. If they love the Lord they won’t have any other Gods before him, or make any graven images or take his name in vain, they will remember his Sabbath and if they love their neighbor they will honor their Father and Mother and they won’t kill or commit adultery or steal or bear false witness nor will they covet. This is why Jesus goes on to state that on these two commandments hang the law and the prophets. Because by fulfilling these two commandments one fulfills the law.

(40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Jesus stated that these 2 commandments where the 2 great commandments however the following verses will show that these commandments were not new and that the Jews and Jesus was speaking to were aware of them. These were the same ones issued to Israel by Moses.

Deuteronomy (6:5) And thy shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Leviticus (19:18) Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

Now that it has been established that man was commanded to love one needs to examine the scriptures to get an understanding of the love required in these great commandments.

In the following verses Moses is telling the Israelites that God chose them strictly out of His love for them.Deuteronomy (7:7) The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

(8) But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

(9) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Note in verse (9) Moses states a condition that God requires in order for Him to keep covenant and have mercy. And that is an individual must love God and keep His commandments. The scriptures will show that there is only one way to love God and that is by keeping His commandments.

Note that Jesus states in the following verse that in order to love Him one has to keep His commandments.

John (14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jesus further defines the love He requires when He states in the following verse that those who have His commandments and keep them are those that love Him. One does not have to guess at Jesus definition of love He made it clear.

John (14:21) He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Jesus also reinforced what was said in Deuteronomy verse (9) by adding that those that love Him will be loved by the Father. How does one love Jesus? by keeping His commandments and Moses said God will keep covenant and have mercy with those who keep His commandments. So therefore by following Jesus one shall receive love from Him as well as mercy from the Father.

Note in these scriptures it did not say those who profess their love for Jesus or those that claim that Jesus knows what in their heart. Jesus made a clear and direct statement if one has His commandments and keeps them they are the ones who love Him. The statement that Jesus made as well as the condition Moses gave in Deuteronomy verse (9) were based on behalf of an individuals actions not their feeling or emotions or conditions. To exhibit love towards Jesus one must engage in a specific action and that action is being obedience to the word of God. And one will see that they are to be obedient regardless of their feeling or the surrounding circumstances. Numbers 15:16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Please explain Mosaic Law and what that consists of. Is this Mosaic Law from the first five books of the Bible? Is it only law from after the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt by God? How is this law applicable to Christian's today and in what ways does it not apply? Please explain your position on this . Cite Scripture and/or resources that you get your viewpoint from.

Yes, it is the Law in the first five books of the Bible, not the Rabbinical traditions that were added later. Jesus strongly condemned these traditions.

We're no longer under the Law so that we must obey it; we're under the Spirit:

"But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious."—2 Corinthians 3:7-11

We can learn from the Law, it helps us understand the law of Christ better; but we're not obligated to obey it. In fact, the more we try to obey it the more we sin (See Romans 7:13-25).

 

[Everlasting-Grace]

Mosaic law "as apposed to the law or torah, which is the first 5 books) was the law given to Moses on mount sinai, It included the ten commandments, and all that followed.

as for how it applies to us today. Paul answers this question.

Gal 3:
19 What purpose then does the law serve?

1. Added because of sin, until the seed (Christ) should come

..... It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one.


.....21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

2. Confines (greek syneklesian - to shut up on all sides, to enclose) that all have sinned, in order that the promise of faith might be given to those who believe,, ie, it condemns everyone (moses said cursed is the one who does not obey every word, perfection was required)

.....22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

3. Keeps us under guard, for the faith that would afterward be revealed.. It should prove out guilt so we do not become self righteous,,

.....23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

4. A tutor, or schoolmaster, who ledas us by the hand, to christ. in order that we have the ability to be justified by Faith

.....24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

5. Once we have come to faith. we no longer require the law. It has fulfilled its purpose in our lives.

25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

 

[pottersclay]

When Jesus came, He took all these OT laws and replaced them with just two...

Matthew
22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I dont see him replaceing them but taking the 2 that would fulfill all.

 

[oyster67]

I dont see him replaceing them but taking the 2 that would fulfill all.

The command to love God summarized the first few commandments and the command to love man summarized the latter half of the ten commandments. God did not "take two", but summarized "all the law and the prophets".

Matthew
22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
22:39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

[Blik]

Yes, it is the Law in the first five books of the Bible, not the Rabbinical traditions that were added later. Jesus strongly condemned these traditions..

Jesus told us he did not condemn or change anything of the Father and the Father had given these traditions to Moses. What Christ condemned was using the fleshly commands like cutting skin and choosing foods to eat as the obedience to God.

 

[Blik]

God gave us the letter of the law through Moses, Christ gave us the spirit of the law.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Please explain Mosaic Law and what that consists of. Is this Mosaic Law from the first five books of the Bible?

The Mosaic Law (the Law of Moses) is found in just the four last books of the Torah (or Pentateuch) -- Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. It was primarily for Israel and was effective until the crucifixion of Christ (for about 1,500 years). When the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom by God, that signified the end of the Old Covenant, which is a part of the Law of Moses. However, the Ten Commandments have remained in place through the Law of Christ. So the New Covenant under Christ supersedes the Old Covenant. See the entire book of Hebrews.

The Bible makes it perfectly clear that no one can be justified by the works or deeds of the Law of Moses. Justification is by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work of redemption.

 

[Isaskar]

As Christians we can learn from the tanakh (5 books of Moses) and the prophets, psalms, all of scripture, as per 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

This "Scripture" being referred to is obviously the old testament, as the NT scriptures had not been compiled (nor written) yet as of Paul writing this letter to Timothy.

However we must be careful to not mix the covenants, you can get into quite a mess by trying to mix the new covenant with the covenant made at Sinai, and if you do mix the two, you have fallen from grace.

I am of the opinion it is great to obey any and all commandments, including the dietary laws, maybe even circumcision, but what you must not do, according to the New Testament is make these MANDATORY on the gentile Christians who are to walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:1-4
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

Remember that Paul also circumcised Timothy himself, so we aren't to take this verse and say, anyone who has gotten circumcised after becoming a Christian is lost, the issue is, there were certain pharisees who taught it was necessary to be circumcised in order to be saved, this was what Paul was fighting against. If you get circumcised with the idea that you will be justified in the eyes of God by it, you have fallen from grace. Proof of my claim that the issue was salvation, not just circumcision done for health, or cultural reasons:

Acts 15:1 Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

As to the dietary laws, even secular science shows that they were brilliant, pork is a very nasty meat full of parasites, garbage feeders like shrimp etc. .also spoil very easily. So, is it a bad thing to obey the dietary laws? Certainly not. Is it a bad thing to say a Christian is sinning by eating pork? Its more than bad, I'd say its a SIN! Jesus said:

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?
For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)

Jesus declared all foods clean, however this does not mean that a Christian can just eat whatever he chooses, all meats are clean just like in the days of Noah, but certain foods are still to be avoided by Christians in the new covenant, proof:

Acts 15:20
Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.

So even after the new covenant is in effect, you should not eat blood, or food sacrificed unto idols. The latter is also repeated by Jesus in the book of Revelation as he rebukes a church for doing this.
Me personally I come from a place where "Blood sausage" is a regular treat, and I have eaten it, now I no longer eat it. It is tasty, but we must go by what the New Covenant teaches us, not our own opinions.


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Sorry for a long rambling post, but one thing I would like to add about the all foods being clean and blood still being avoided, we are basically back to how things were BEFORE the law of Moses was given. This was the same rules Noah had from GOd, that we are under today:

Genesis 9:3-4 Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood

I tried to explain this to someone who believes we need to keep the food laws but ironically i was told i am "going all over the bible" to prove my point by quoting Genesis 9........ Meanwhile they quoted Leviticus to me.. Go figure!

TL;DR All laws are GOOD to obey, but its a SIN to demand obedience to circumcision, food laws, holydays, new moons, etc from other Christians in the new covenant.

 

[2ndTimothyGroup]

There is tremendous value in reading the entire Bible in a timeline, chronological order, as by doing so, we are given the opportunity to see how the Law unfolds itself in its different forms. I discovered that there are four stages or states of the Law:

1) Pre-Law of Moses
2) The Law of Moses itself
3) Laws written upon the hearts of all people
4) The Laws of the Spirit of Life

Questions to ask:

1) What was life like before the Law was given?

2) When laws were written upon the hearts of all people, does this equate to some kind of Spiritual advantage for the Christian (or not?)

3) What are the Laws of the Spirit of Life, and what is the difference between these Laws and the Mosaic Law?

 

[pottersclay]

I think what is missing here is the meaning of God saying he will write them on our hearts.

It is obvious that the law of GOD is not fully understood by jew and gentile alike. (Can we agree here).
What we do know is that it does not replace Jesus. In other words it does not make one righteous.
It does not give life. It does not give rebirth. It does not save. These things are found in Christ Jesus and him alone.
What we also know is that it pleases GOD. So much in fact that he says they will be written upon our heart😨😨😨😨
This is a expression that God is using but also a promise.
There is going to come a time when we will heartily serve the Lord. In fact we will look forward to it and prepare for it.
Our greatest thing ever is to serve him above anything and everything.
In fact what we see as commandments now will be our joy then.
Its possible that this is a picture of the millennium. Or when the new Jerusalem comes.
Its also possible the the millenniun prepares us for the new Jerusalem to come. I really cant say but it going to be wonderful.
I beleive Jesus will teach us all there is to know on how to serve GOD through his commandments.
And we will be surrounded by people with the same likemindness.

To have something written on your heart means it is inscribed as your deepest thought and desire.
The Lord did say I will give you a new heart, the one we have is deceitful and wicked.

 

[FredVB]

God saves believers, those with real faith which is with repentance, to deliver them from sin. But what is sin? What is against our own conscience certainly is, but that can't be used against any others to tell them they sin. The commandments show us what sins are, the things to avoid. Believers are delivered, so they won't be under judgment for failures, because of their sins. But they are with their repentance to turn from sins that will become known, and sins are not to continue. We are to love God and to love others, God is also their Creator, while with this love we would not go contrary to the commandments, which are from God, as we turn from sins made known to us.

Do I rest on the seventh day? I have started doing that several years ago. Do I do it perfectly? No, and I don't say for anyone else how they should rest for it either. I can believe with full faith that I am delivered, and rest better with that, and just learn to rest better. Even animals are supposed to be permitted to rest then, they might not do so perfectly, so we are not to be condemned for how we rest then. But resting then should not be denied to anyone, that would be sin to turn from.