The Bible is divided into both the Old Testament and the New Testament. That's pretty clear and most Christians wouldn't have any disagreement with that truth. However, there is a pretty big debate on how the Old and the New relate with one another and how they are different. Central to that discussion is the Law of God, or the Moral Law. Are the Ten Commandments in particular still effective for the New Testament? Do we have to obey the Decalogue in order to be saved? My short answer to these questions is Yes to the first and No to the second. Let's take a look at Scripture.
John 1:17 is a good place to begin. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." The Law in the OT is often referred to as the Mosaic law but here we see John describes the law as coming through Moses. This is a good distinction to be sure, for it is God's law that was given on Mt. Sinai, not Moses' law. The Decalogue is the Moral Law of God, it reveals his moral character, so that the people of God can live like the people of God. This Moral Law of God is still in effect just as God is still in existence. He has not changed nor has his moral law changed. The Moral Law can also be seen as the will of God for the people of God.
But the OT law was not just the Moral Law, it also included the civil and ceremonial law of God for the nation of Israel. As the people of God grew from being the family of Israel into the nation of Israel, they were introduced to the civil laws of their nation that set them apart from all other nations. They were a chosen people and nation that had covenants and customs different from all others. They also had ceremonial laws as the people of God that were necessary to make sacrifices for their sin. But their sacrificial system came to an end when the Messiah gave himself as a final sacrifice for sins. And their civil laws were not effective on Gentiles when the gospel was sent out to make disciples of all nations.
In the second half of v. 17 we see that Jesus is described as the "grace and truth" of God. This is the description of Jesus whereby in his grace he became the atonement for the sins of God's people. And he was the truth of God in that he was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ, the only begotten Son of God that would atone for sins. Christ is both the grace or forgiveness of God and he is also the truth or light of God in all matters of salvation.
The important clarification of John 1:17 is that both the law of God and the grace of God are in effect today. The grace and truth of God does not supersede or replace the law of God, they are built upon it, as Jesus came "not to abolish the law but to fulfill it". Also Jesus teaches in the NT that the Law of God, the Moral Law, can be correctly understood as something that must be fulfilled from the heart. The Law of God however cannot be fulfilled from external observances while the heart still longs for all the things God forbids. The Sermon on the Mount expounds upon the Law but it is not a new law. It is a new understanding of the extent of the Moral Law.
Jesus also taught the same Shema prayer that was found in Deut 6, "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." And, "to love your neighbor as yourself." He also taught, "a new commandment I give to you," particularly, "to love your neighbor as yourself" and even "to love your enemies." This again is expounding upon the exact same moral Law that was given in the OT.
If the OT and the NT are divided such as to say the Law of God was in the OT and the grace of God is in the NT, we do serious damage to the Scriptures. However, if we see the OT as the promise of the coming of the Messiah and the NT as the fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah, as the giving of the Law and the fulfillment of the Law, as the grace foretold and the grace fulfilled, we do well. Jesus said his sacrifice was the New Covenant in his blood, and so we know the NT describes a new covenant of grace. There is a new covenant, but there is no new Law of God. There is only a new understanding of the exact same Moral Law.
The Moral Law of God is also the righteousness of God that is imputed to our hearts through grace, for this righteousness cannot be earned through works, it can only be given to us as a gift from God. And we now understand that we break the Law of God if we sin in our hearts and not just externally in word and deed. This is what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
The Law of God also points us to God to see his holiness and our sinfulness. We can never keep the Law because of our sinful nature. Thus it points us to the need for a Savior, who is Jesus, full of grace and truth.
So, Yes, the Law is still in effect today, but, No, we cannot in and of ourselves keep the Law of God. Through the grace and truth of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit we can walk in God's will and uphold the Moral Law. But we can never keep it perfectly. In this way the moral Law also points us in the path of sanctification as we grow to become more like Christ.
John 1:17 is a good place to begin. "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." The Law in the OT is often referred to as the Mosaic law but here we see John describes the law as coming through Moses. This is a good distinction to be sure, for it is God's law that was given on Mt. Sinai, not Moses' law. The Decalogue is the Moral Law of God, it reveals his moral character, so that the people of God can live like the people of God. This Moral Law of God is still in effect just as God is still in existence. He has not changed nor has his moral law changed. The Moral Law can also be seen as the will of God for the people of God.
But the OT law was not just the Moral Law, it also included the civil and ceremonial law of God for the nation of Israel. As the people of God grew from being the family of Israel into the nation of Israel, they were introduced to the civil laws of their nation that set them apart from all other nations. They were a chosen people and nation that had covenants and customs different from all others. They also had ceremonial laws as the people of God that were necessary to make sacrifices for their sin. But their sacrificial system came to an end when the Messiah gave himself as a final sacrifice for sins. And their civil laws were not effective on Gentiles when the gospel was sent out to make disciples of all nations.
In the second half of v. 17 we see that Jesus is described as the "grace and truth" of God. This is the description of Jesus whereby in his grace he became the atonement for the sins of God's people. And he was the truth of God in that he was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ, the only begotten Son of God that would atone for sins. Christ is both the grace or forgiveness of God and he is also the truth or light of God in all matters of salvation.
The important clarification of John 1:17 is that both the law of God and the grace of God are in effect today. The grace and truth of God does not supersede or replace the law of God, they are built upon it, as Jesus came "not to abolish the law but to fulfill it". Also Jesus teaches in the NT that the Law of God, the Moral Law, can be correctly understood as something that must be fulfilled from the heart. The Law of God however cannot be fulfilled from external observances while the heart still longs for all the things God forbids. The Sermon on the Mount expounds upon the Law but it is not a new law. It is a new understanding of the extent of the Moral Law.
Jesus also taught the same Shema prayer that was found in Deut 6, "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." And, "to love your neighbor as yourself." He also taught, "a new commandment I give to you," particularly, "to love your neighbor as yourself" and even "to love your enemies." This again is expounding upon the exact same moral Law that was given in the OT.
If the OT and the NT are divided such as to say the Law of God was in the OT and the grace of God is in the NT, we do serious damage to the Scriptures. However, if we see the OT as the promise of the coming of the Messiah and the NT as the fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah, as the giving of the Law and the fulfillment of the Law, as the grace foretold and the grace fulfilled, we do well. Jesus said his sacrifice was the New Covenant in his blood, and so we know the NT describes a new covenant of grace. There is a new covenant, but there is no new Law of God. There is only a new understanding of the exact same Moral Law.
The Moral Law of God is also the righteousness of God that is imputed to our hearts through grace, for this righteousness cannot be earned through works, it can only be given to us as a gift from God. And we now understand that we break the Law of God if we sin in our hearts and not just externally in word and deed. This is what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
The Law of God also points us to God to see his holiness and our sinfulness. We can never keep the Law because of our sinful nature. Thus it points us to the need for a Savior, who is Jesus, full of grace and truth.
So, Yes, the Law is still in effect today, but, No, we cannot in and of ourselves keep the Law of God. Through the grace and truth of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit we can walk in God's will and uphold the Moral Law. But we can never keep it perfectly. In this way the moral Law also points us in the path of sanctification as we grow to become more like Christ.
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