Jesus Fought the Law (and He Won)
A fellow in our church was struggling with something and asked to meet. Within a few minutes, he explained that he was in a Bible study group led by a man who taught that following the Old Testament Mosaic Law is something God still requires, even for Christians. He believes Saturday is still the Sabbath and, therefore working on Saturday is a death penalty offense according to Exodus 31:14-15 and Numbers 15:32-36.
That led me to study what the whole Bible says with regard to Mosaic Law. Best I can tell, much of the Mosaic Law was fulfilled in Christ and is no longer binding on Christians. The New Testament teaches that the Mosaic Law was a temporary covenant pointing to Jesus, and with His coming, the law has been fulfilled (Matthew 5:17; Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:24-25; Hebrews 8:6-13).
Categories of Mosaic Laws Fulfilled in Christ and No Longer Binding
Sacrificial Laws – These laws governed the offering of sacrifices for sin. Jesus, as the perfect sacrifice, fulfilled them.
Leviticus 1–7 (burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings)
Hebrews 9:12 – “He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.”
Hebrews 10:10 – “By this will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
Temple and Priesthood Laws – These regulated temple worship, priestly duties, and purification. Jesus is the final and permanent High Priest.
Exodus 28–29; Leviticus 8–10 (priesthood regulations)
Hebrews 4:14 – “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.”
John 4:21-23 – Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that true worship is no longer tied to a specific location.
Dietary Laws – Laws governing clean and unclean foods, now declared fulfilled and no longer required.
Leviticus 11 (unclean foods)
Mark 7:19 – “Thus He declared all foods clean.”
Acts 10:9-16 – Peter’s vision of unclean animals, signifying the end of dietary restrictions.
Circumcision – A sign of the Old Covenant, no longer required for Christians.
Genesis 17:10-14 (circumcision command)
Galatians 5:6 – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith working through love.”
Sabbath and Festival Laws – The weekly Sabbath and annual feasts pointed to Christ and are no longer binding.
Leviticus 23 (feasts: Passover, Yom Kippur, Tabernacles, etc.)
Colossians 2:16-17 – “Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body belongs to Christ.”
Romans 14:5-6 – Paul states that observing certain days is a matter of personal conscience.
What Laws Still Apply?
Moral Laws (e.g., prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft, idolatry) are reaffirmed in the New Testament.
The moral core of the law is summarized in love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10).
The New Covenant ethic is driven by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25) rather than adherence to the written Mosaic Code.
In summary, Christians are not under the Mosaic Law (Romans 6:14; Galatians 3:25), but they are under the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21), which is characterized by faith and love. The law’s purpose was to lead people to Christ (Galatians 3:24), and now that He has come, we live by the Spirit, not the letter of the Old Covenant (Romans 7:6).
Anyone who tries to get you to follow laws that Jesus fulfilled is trying to obliterate your freedom in Christ (see Galatians—that was the problem Paul addressed). You can if you want to, but I politely decline.
