Does the Law of Moses still apply today?
Nehemiah 8:1
ESV - 1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.
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Asked May 08 2017
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Ethan Connelly
Supporter
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
Still apply?
This thought process, this attitude has lasted for far too long! I religiously try to dissuade it. My dad used to tell me that I was wasting my time. Maybe he was right. It persists!
There is no part of the Word of God that has "passed away." No part is expendable. And there's NO REASON to suppose that parts of the Bible "don't apply" for the Church.
Here it is: The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).
I reluctantly use Matthew 5:18; it's too complicated; it speaks of the forever nature of God's law, and that one jot or tittle wouldn't pass from it UNTIL it was accomplished. (that little word 'until' complicates it. The term 'law' also downsizes the scope of the perception of the Word.
Luke 24:25) Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
1 Peter 1:23) You have been born again... of imperishable seed through the living and abiding Word of God.
Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens (Psalm 119:88).
What could cause anyone to disregard all the many precautions in Scripture, the many safeguards put in place for us to refrain from, relaxing one of the least of the commandments, and teaching others to do so? (Matt 5:19)
Here it is: Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees...
An easy way to try and raise the level of our righteousness is to relax the requirements for it. Jesus foresaw that in people. We are like that! Then and now!
Danny Hickman
God began His interaction with the people He created by living with them in the place where He put them; they blew that up when they disobeyed Him.
Their disobedience eventually led to a flood that destroyed all life on earth, except what was aboard Noah's ark.
He called Abraham and created from him a nation of people; they were enslaved. God freed them by Moses whom He called into His service. The law was given through him, along with a system of priests through whom the people would give account to God.
Then God gave them judges. (they didn't replace the priests). They were to lead the people in battle against the abiding foreign nations (enemies).
(The relationship continued to evolve).
God called prophets through which He would speak and be a presence among them. They asked for a king instead. God acquiesced to their request. Some were better than others, but it was mostly sloppy and distasteful.
Now there was the law, the priests, the prophets, and the king existing between God and the people.
God decided to send His Son through which He would relate to the people, essentially combining all of these old offices into a "New Wineskin" (Matthew 9:17).
The office is SAVIOR! He is,
Keeper of the law (Rom 10:4), High Priest (Heb 4:14), King of Kings, Lord of Lords (1 Tim 6:15).
There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father...over all (Eph 4:5, 6). Jesus! He reigns!
Nothing is discarded, it's all inseparable. We do good to remember all of it.