Articles
We Live Under the New Law of Christ
Living in the United States, we obey the laws governing the United States. If we lived in England, we would need to obey the laws of England. If we were Jews living before and during the life of Christ, we would obey the Old Law of Moses (OT). After Christ's ascension into heaven, "There is neither Jew nor Greek" (Galatians 3:28), WE ALL live under the New Law of Jesus Christ (NT).
The NT writers call the Law of Jesus Christ the "new testament" (Hebrews 9:15); the "second" covenant (Hebrews 8:7); the "better testament" (Hebrews 7:22). The prophet of old said, "Behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (Jeremiah 31:31, emp LS). My friend, Jeremiah, being one of the prophets, is part of the OT (Luke 24:44) and Jeremiah says there will be "a new covenant" made with the house of Israel and Judah. Then that means the OT would become "old" or no longer in force. Jeremiah also says that the NT will be different from the covenant known as the OT (Jeremiah 31:32). The OT was written on stone, but the NT on the hearts of men (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:1-2). Under the OT there was no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 10:1-4); however, under the NT, "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sins I will remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34).
The NT is the OT fulfilled. Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to destroy ("to deprive of force, annul, discard", Thayer) the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil" (Matthew 5:17). The writer of Hebrews speaking of the Old and the New Law says, "He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second" (Hebrews 10:9). Jesus "took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14), having fulfilled all that was "written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms" (Luke 24:44).
Jesus Christ is NOW our King and High Priest "after the order of Melchisedec" (Hebrews 6:20). Jesus Christ being of the tribe of Judah, could not be High Priest under the OT, "which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood" (Hebrews 7:14). Jesus Christ is our High Priest, "for the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law" (Hebrews 7:12). Under the OT, "the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God...By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament" (Hebrews 7:19, 22).
One could follow the OT today and still would not be a Christian; in Christ; saved from his sins; or have hope of eternal life. Listen to Paul, "But before faith (New Law of Christ, LS) came, we were kept under the law (Old Law of Moses, LS), shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER. For we are all the children of God BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek...for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:23-28, emp LS).
My friend, the ones that are "one in Christ Jesus" are the ones that obey the New Law of Christ, the fulfillment of the Old Law of Moses.
