by David Sheath
The relationship of the Mosaic law to the Christian is a difficult issue that has caused great disagreement amongst Christians. Obviously, the evangelical person will ask: "What does the Bible say?" But this is the heart of the problem. The Bible itself appears to contain radically diverse statements about the law, which can seem irreconcilable with each other. On the one hand, the Bible can talk about Christ "abolishing the law" (Eph 2:15) and about us having "died to the law' (Gal 2:19); yet on the other hand, Jesus chastises anyone who would relax "one of the least of these commandments" (Matt 5:19) and Paul reminds us that the law is "holy and righteous and good" (Rom 7:12).
So, what is the ongoing place of the Mosaic law in the life of the Christian? Has it been rendered obsolete? Or does it continue to play a positive role?
Christ and the law
The place to begin is with Christ. What is the relationship between Christ and the law?
When Jesus Christ came he fulfilled the law: firstly, by being perfectly obedient to the commandments in his own life (Rom 5:19, 1 Pet 2:22), and secondly, by his sacrificial death on the cross in our place, satisfying the law's requirements for us and freeing us from bondage to the law (Rom 8:4, 7:4-7).
As the New Testament writers reflect on Christ's fulfilment of the law, they spell out the place of the law in God's saving purposes. The purpose of the Mosaic law was never to bring about salvation. Rather, the law acted as a guardian until Christ came (Gal 3:24-25). The law certainly offered the possibility of salvation to the one who obeyed it perfectly (Lev 18:5); the problem was that no-one kept the law (Rom 3:9-20), and so rather than bringing salvation, the law resulted in condemnation (Rom 7:9-13).
The law was specifically given to Israel; however the failure of Israel to keep the law is a testimony to the whole world that they are in a desperate situation before God"”guilty and condemned before him (Rom 3:9-20). In this way the law serves to clarify the problem of humanity before God"”that no one is able to be right with God on the basis of what they have done. It is only through Christ fulfilling the law in his life, death and resurrection that anyone can stand justified before God.
The upshot of Christ fulfilling the law is that Christians are no longer under the law (Rom 6:14-15). The law no longer stands condemning those who have faith in Jesus. And the law is in no way binding or authoritative for the Christian as it was for the Israelite before Christ.
The positive use of the law
All of this raises the question: Does the Mosaic law play a positive ongoing role in the Christian life?
For King David the law was a source of joy and wonder: It was "perfect, reviving the soul", and made "wise the simple" (Ps 19:7). The wise person is one whose "delight is in the law of the LORD" (Ps 1:2). Should Christians meditate on the law as David did? Or is it now a thing of the past? In answer I want to say, "Yes ... but ... but " ". Let me explain.
"Yes ..."
Christians ought to meditate on the law. It is good and it reveals the mind of God (1 Tim 1:8). Indeed it was actually written for us. Paul says that all scripture is "profitable" (2 Tim 3:16). So in what way is the Mosaic law profitable?
For Israel, the Mosaic law expressed a life of worship in response to God and his salvation (Exod 19:4-6). Jesus summarizes the whole Mosaic law as loving God and loving your neighbour (Matt 22:37), which is probably at the heart of what Paul refers to as the "law of Christ" (1 Cor 9:21). And whilst not under the Mosaic law, the Christian is under Christ's law. For Jesus, what is at the heart of the Mosaic law is also at the heart of the Christian's life of good works, that is, love of God and neighbour.
This is not surprising since the law itself was never the problem. The problem for Israel was sin. The law set forth the right and appropriate response of the Israelite towards God. However, since it spelt out the proper life of worship, it stood as a testimony to the problem of sin for the Israelite since no Israelite was ever capable of doing the requirements of the law. Hence even Moses longed for the day when God's law would be obeyed from the heart (Deut 30:6).
Rather than using the law to give expression to their life of love of God and neighbour, the Israelites used the law to limit their obligation. In so doing they abstracted the law out from relationship with God. They held to an outward expression of the law without taking it to heart as an expression of true relationship (Mark 7:1-23). As a result, the longing of God expressed in the prophets is "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (Hos 6:6). God wanted obedience to spring forth from relationship. God's desire is the same today. As Christians we are saved because God wants a people who are eager to do what is good (Tit 2:14).
It is completely appropriate for the Christian to meditate on the Mosaic law because that law gives expression to a life of loving response to God.
"But ..."
Our meditation on the law is through Christ as the one who fulfils the law. There is absolutely no obligation on the Christian to obey the Mosaic law because it commands something. In fact, to obey the Mosaic law solely on the basis that it commands something is a denial of the gospel. The Christian is free from the law and should staunchly resist any idea of obeying the law as an obligation (Gal 5:2-3). The imperative for the Christian life does not come from the law of Moses but from our union with Christ.
The Mosaic law is of great value to the Christian because it gives such a comprehensive expression to a life shaped by love of God and neighbour. It is God given directives of how the principles of love are applied in specific circumstances and it is therefore extremely useful for the Christian in thinking though how to love today. A helpful analogy is to think of the Mosaic law as you would a retired professor: he is very useful to go to for advice but he no longer sets the exams. (1)
"But ..."
Unlike ancient Israel, the Christian will never use the Mosaic law to minimize a life of response to God. Rather the law will raise possibilities which may be pursued in all sorts of directions. The example of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is certainly to maximize the commandments. Hence, the commandment against murder is extended to include anger, and the commandment against adultery is stretched to include lust also. Jesus indicates the trajectory of the law in his preaching. In his life he does the same thing. His love for his neighbour was the greatest act of love ever seen, where a man gives up his life for his enemies (Rom 5:6-8). His love for God was so great that he was obedient to death (Phil 2:6-8).
The apostle Paul likewise demonstrates what it is to meditate on the law by finding principles behind the specific legislation (1 Cor 9:9) and by pointing to the fulfilment of the law's promises (Eph 6:2).
Conclusion
The key to understanding the relationship of the Mosaic law to the Christian is first understanding its relationship to Christ. Christ is the fulfilment of the law. He fully meets the requirements of the law for us in his perfect life and his sacrificial death. As a result the Christian has been set free from obligation to the law. However, this does not make the law obsolete, rather it allows us to use the law positively. It allows the Christian to see the shape and extent of the life of worship for Israel in the land. And such reflection is useful for thinking through what it means for us to love God and neighbour in our own situation.
E N D N O T E
I saw this analogy in Bryson Smith's Bible studies on Deuteronomy, The One and Only, Matthias Media, Sydney, 1993, p. 47.
David Sheath is the minister at Lakes Evangelical Church on the NSW Central Coast.
