JD Abshire Supporter

The Lord stated in Matthew 5:17 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
Matthew 5:18 "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled."

If we look at Hebrews 10:9 it says: "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second." Considering the context, the writer is not talking about the law being taken away but the sacrifice. The argument is that animal sacrifice could never take away sin. If it could there would have been no need of repeating those sacrifices and ordinances every year.

Hebrews 10:12 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;"

In his incarnation, Christ fulfilled the law and then in ONE supreme sacrifice forever, sat down at the right hand of God. There was no chair in either the tabernacle or the temple. Why? Because the high priest's job was never finished. By contrast, when our Lord offered himself he sat down on the right hand of the Father signifying his complete, finished plan of redemption. As he said on the cross: "It is finished". 

So was the law removed? No, it still stands. Has man ever been able to keep the law? No, no one but the Lord Jesus Christ.
What was the purpose of the law? 

Galatians 2:16 "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."

Galatians 3:24 states: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith."

Is God's law still if force? Of course it is! Is every human being responsible and culpable for keeping it? Sure. Does keeping the law make someone righteous and justify them before God because they have been a good little boy or girl? No, no one can attain to God's righteous demands. This is why God came in the form of human flesh so he could die and satisfy God's righteous demands and pay the penalty for those who believe.

Let me ask, what security or faith does an individual have in what Christ did if salvation is dependent performance? If an individual thinks they can keep it based on moral performance then one must also believe they are now somehow righteous. 

The only righteousness anyone has is imputed righteousness. Believers are declared righteous positionally. We still retain the sin nature evidenced by our thoughts, words and deeds. A believer who is only one year into their salvation experience is just as righteous as one who has been saved 30 years. Why? Because it is Christ's righteousness that was imputed, laid to their account. Both remain sinners by nature for life which will only cease upon death or when the Lord returns. I do not understand how an individual can state they are saved by grace and declared righteous. Afterwards, grace and imputation supposedly transition into a works system whereby they become righteous by their good deeds.

Obviously I have a much different view of God's righteousness v/s man's depravity than some of you but for the sake of your never dying soul and eternity make sure you get it right according to God's Word. 

Paul states in Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

v.21 "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

April 17 2014 • 15 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Ariel HaNaviy Supporter Messianic Jew and Torah Teacher with Messianic Congregation 'The Harvest'

Q: If I obey the Old Testament Law (Torah) today, am I pleasing God or the devil?
A: The entire Bible flows in the direction of being pleasing to God if you obey his Words. The fullest expression of obedience is the “obedience of faith” by which I mean, surrender to his Son Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ). We cannot fully do everything the Torah (Law) asks of us because of missing elements (priests, Temple, sacrifices, theocracy, live in the Land, etc.). Also, some parts were given to priests, some to men, some to women, etc., so not all parts are expected to be performed by every single person. Make sense?

Q: It is granted that in the Old Testament, the devil tried to lure people to disobey God's Law. Is it true, then, that in the New Testament, the devil now tries to lure people to obey God's OT Law?
A: I would say the Adversary (devil) tries to get people both to obey and to disobey Torah. He tries to get people—both believers and non—to disobey, probably because he knows it displeases God. And he tries to get people—both believers and non—to obey it for wrong reasons (such as legalism, judgmental spirit, religious pride, etc.), probably because he knows it displeases God as well.

But make no mistake: since the Torah points the way to Messiah (Rom. 10:4; Gal. 3:19) obedience to Torah is something God most assuredly desires of all of his children in Messiah. Consider this logic: Jesus kept the Law, did he not? Delighting after the Law of God in his inner being is something Paul did (read Rom. 7:22), and he served the Law of God with his mind (read Rom. 7:25). Shouldn't we be imitating Paul as he imitated Christ? (read 1 Cor. 11:1) To be sure, if a person is living according to his flesh, according to his old desires, he CANNOT please God: “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom. 8:7) Living in the flesh most CERTAINLY pleases the Adversary. But not God.

Christianity originated in Judaism. One wonders, then, why there are so many disparaging words to say about Law-keeping in Traditional Christianity. In Judaism, safeguarding and keeping the Torah is central to performing the will of God. Indeed, as properly understood from God’s point of view, the whole of Torah was given to bring its followers to the "goal" of acquiring the kind of faith in God that leads to placing one’s trusting faithfulness in the One and only Son of God, Yeshua HaMashiach. To this end, the Torah has prophesied about him since as early as Genesis 3:15, and continues to speak of him until its conclusion in Revelation 22:20. In this capacity, the Torah acts like its etymological counterpart "yarah" (an archery term) in that it "teaches" its adherents how to properly identify with God by helping them to "reach the mark.” To be sure, one of the most common Hebrew verbs used to identify "sin" (chatah) literally means, "to miss the mark.”

Because the Messiah has already come, the Torah is now a document meant to be lived out in the life of a faithful follower of Yeshua, through the power of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), to the glory of God the Father. It should not be presumed that it could be obeyed mechanically, automatically, legalistically, without having faith, without having trust in God, without having love for God or man, and without being empowered by the Ruach HaKodesh. To state it succinctly, Torah observance is a matter of the heart, always has been, and always will be.

September 02 2015 • 11 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Daniel Veler Supporter

Your question: If I obey the Old Testament Law (Torah) today, am I pleasing God or the devil?

Whether we keep the law or not is debated today, just as it always has been. But the debate was about whether the law should be included as part of obtaining righteousness. Or should one keep it after one is saved by grace?

This is what Jesus said about those who keep and teach the law, as opposed to those who neither teach them nor observe them.

Matthew 5:19: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, 'Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.' Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

If Jesus had said this, why do people argue about whether to keep the Law that has been given?

The law was never intended to lead a person to righteousness; only God’s grace can achieve that. The law provided us with the knowledge and understanding of sin. This is where the confusion arises. The law cannot be maintained without first receiving grace. It is grace that resides within our hearts that enables us to do so. 

Listen to how the apostle explains it.

Galatians 2:21: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

Then the apostle goes on to say:

Romans 13:8: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

What does God provide us with that we may keep the law? 

Romans 5:5: “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

If a person has received Christ, God has placed His love within our hearts, enabling us to uphold the law. 

Those who argue the law is not binding after one is saved have not understood how God has provided us with his love that we may walk in the Law. Not that the law saves, but the love of God in you enables you to keep it.

Hope this gives you the understanding that walking in the love of God fulfills the law. In doing so, you glorify the Lord and not the devil.

October 02 2026 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

If I obey the Old Testament Law (Torah) today, am I pleasing God or the Devil?

Jesus stated in Matt. 5:17, "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil."

What does the expression "to fulfil" mean? To illustrate: A builder fulfils a contract to complete a building, not by ripping up the contract, but by finishing the structure. However, once the work has been completed to the client's satisfaction, the contract is fulfilled, and the builder is no longer under obligation to it. 

Jesus did not break or rip up the Law; rather, he fulfilled it perfectly. Once fulfilled, that Law "contract" was no longer binding on God's people.

Obeying the Old Testament Law (Torah) today does not mean you are serving the Devil.

The New Testament teaches that righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the Mosaic Law.

The Law itself is good, but it cannot save.

Paul states clearly:

"The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." (Romans 7:12)

Obeying the Law is not pleasing the Devil. The Law reflects God's character. The problem is not the Law; it is our inability to keep it perfectly.

Fulfilment means the Law's purpose reaches completion in Him. Because of this, believers are no longer under the Law as a covenant system.

Paul writes:

"You are not under law but under grace." (Romans 6:14)

And again: "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:4)

Using the Law as a path to righteousness ignores Christ's finished work.

Returning to the Law as a system of righteousness is spiritually dangerous.

Paul warns the Galatians that going back to the Law as a requirement for acceptance with God is not neutral—it is a spiritual trap.

"You who seek to be justified by the law have fallen from grace." (Galatians 5:4)

He even says:

"If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." (Galatians 2:21)

This does not mean the Law is demonic. It means using the Law to replace Christ's work leads a person away from the gospel.

The Law's purpose now is instruction, not covenant obligation.

Paul explains that the Law was a "schoolmaster to bring us to Christ" (Galatians 3:24)

Its role was temporary: to prepare people for the Messiah. Once Christ came, believers relate to God through Him, not through Torah observance.

Obeying Old Testament commands today is not sinful—unless you trust them for righteousness.

If someone follows aspects of the Law as cultural practice, personal discipline, or moral wisdom, Scripture does not condemn it.

But if someone believes Torah obedience makes them more accepted by God, Paul says they are "entangled again in a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1)

The issue is motivation, not the commandments themselves.

Summary

Obeying Old Testament law does not please the Devil. The Law is good.

But using the Law as a path to righteousness, identity, or covenant standing rejects Christ's finished work and leads away from the gospel.

A Christian pleases God by living in the new covenant through Christ, walking in the Spirit, and drawing wisdom from the Law without returning to it as a system of salvation.

October 05 2026 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report