Biblical Answer

The Christian's Relationship to the Old Testament Law

Christians are not technically under the stricture of the Old Testament law. While the New Testament restates many of the moral norms of the law, it does not bind Christians to follow all of the civil laws given to the Old Testament people of God. In fact, Paul never conceived of a situation in which the church would follow the Old Testament law in its entirety. This is evident in the way the New Testament writers reinterpreted and reemphasized the moral norms of the law, making them applicable to the new community of disciples.

The Hermeneutical Principles for Determining Old Testament Laws

To determine which Old Testament laws are still applicable today, Christians must use hermeneutical principles that take into account the historical and cultural context of the law. The New Testament writers provide guidance on how to interpret the Old Testament law, pointing out which laws are no longer binding and which moral norms remain in force. For example, the New Testament explicitly declares certain laws, such as food restrictions, as no longer binding. In contrast, the moral norms of the law, such as the commandments to love God and neighbor, remain in force for the church.

The Fulfillment of the Law in Christ

The fulfillment of the law in Christ does not mean that the Old Testament law is no longer relevant. Rather, it means that the law has been clarified and reinterpreted in light of Christ's life, death, and resurrection. The New Testament writers emphasize the moral norms of the law, making them applicable to the new community of disciples. This does not mean that Christians are no longer guided by the Old Testament, but rather that they are guided by the Old Testament in a new and deeper way, through the lens of Christ's fulfillment of the law. In conclusion, Christians are not under the Old Testament law in the same way that the Old Testament people of God were, but they are still guided by the moral norms of the law, clarified and reinterpreted in light of Christ's fulfillment.