Biblical Answer

Understanding the Relationship Between Christians and the Old Testament Law

Christians are not technically under the stricture of the Old Testament law. However, the New Testament restates many of the moral norms of the Old Testament law as applicable today. This is evident in the way that Jesus and the New Testament writers reinterpreted the Old Testament law in light of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. While the New Testament writers do not explicitly state that all Old Testament laws are still binding, they do emphasize the ongoing relevance of the moral norms of the law for the church.

Determining Which Laws Are Still Binding

The question of which Old Testament laws are still binding today is a complex one, and there is no straightforward answer. However, we can look to the New Testament for guidance. In some cases, the New Testament explicitly declares certain Old Testament laws as no longer binding, such as food restrictions (Mark 7:19). In other cases, the New Testament restates the moral norms of the Old Testament law in a new way, such as Jesus' teaching on the importance of loving one's neighbor (Mark 12:31). When interpreting the Old Testament law, we must consider the historical and cultural context in which it was given, as well as the way that Jesus and the New Testament writers reinterpreted it in light of their experience of God's presence and activity in Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Christians are not technically under the stricture of the Old Testament law, the moral norms of the law remain in force for the church. The New Testament writers reinterpreted the Old Testament law in light of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and emphasized the ongoing relevance of the moral norms of the law for the church. When determining which Old Testament laws are still binding today, we must consider the historical and cultural context in which they were given, as well as the way that Jesus and the New Testament writers reinterpreted them. By doing so, we can come to a deeper understanding of the relationship between Christians and the Old Testament law.