Are We Under Divine Law Today?

By Louis Rushmore, Editor

    Admittedly, the New Testament teaches that people living today are no longer under or amenable to God’s law in the Old Testament, i.e. the Law of Moses. Admittedly, God’s grace and mercy are operative today respecting human redemption. However, do God’s grace and mercy displace or annul divine law in the New Testament era? In others words, are people living today amenable or under divine law or are we saved by grace and mercy without divine law?

    The answer to this question of amenability to divine law today is twofold. In part, the answer lies in the examination of Old Testament prophecies respecting the establishment of Christianity, i.e. the New Testament kingdom or the church. In part, the answer lies in the examination of New Testament passages respecting the law, grace and mercy.

    Old Testament passages have something definitive to say about the New Testament kingdom or the church respecting divine law. Old Testament prophecies predict that divine law in the Christian era would proceed from Jerusalem. Micah 4:1-2 and Isaiah 2:2-3 emphasize and predict that a new divine law would go forth from Jerusalem in the Christian era. These prophecies identify the time period when this new law of God would go forth from Jerusalem as the “last days.” The “last days” refers to the whole Christian era, which began on the first Pentecost following the death, burial, resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21). Since Acts 2, a new law of God has sounded forth (from Jerusalem), especially regarding human redemption (Luke 24:47).

    Old Testament law (including the Law of Moses) was to be replaced with New Testament law (the Gospel). Moses was the great Old Testament lawgiver (e.g., “law of Moses,” 1 Kings 2:3; Nehemiah 8:1; Malachi 4:4; Acts 28:23; 22 references throughout Bible). A new Lawgiver or Prophet comparable to but superior to Moses was to replace Moses and his law (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18; Acts 3:22-23; 7:37).

    New Testament passages have something definitive to say about the New Testament kingdom or the church respecting divine law. Since the inauguration of the New Testament, no one living today is under or amenable to the Old Testament, including the Law of Moses. Specifically, the New Testament teaches that it is not possible to please God today by practicing the Law of Moses (Galatians. 3:11; 5:4). People living today are “justified by the faith of Christ” rather than the Law of Moses (Galatians 2:16). The purpose of the Law of Moses was preparatory, paving the way for the introduction of the Gospel (Galatians 3:23-24). The entire Old Testament (including the Law of Moses) has been replaced with the New Testament (Romans 7:6-7; 1 Corinthians 6:6, 11; Ephesians 2:15; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 8:6-7).

    Grace and mercy are facets of the divine law in the Christian era and do not substitute for divine law today. The “grace of God” stands apart from the Law of Moses (Galatians 2:21). However, the context in which Galatians 2:21 appears makes the grace of God a component part of “the faith of Christ”—Gospel (Galatians 2:16).

    The New Testament or Gospel is described by the New Testament itself as a law of God, just not the same as the Law of Moses. The Gospel is referred to as “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Rather than eliminating all sense of law respecting God-given religion, “there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Hebrews 7:12). Further, the Gospel is called “the perfect law of liberty” and “the royal law” (James 1:25; 2:8, 12). James 4:11 clearly equates the New Testament or Gospel as a law of God now in effect, though it is not the Law of Moses.

    Sin exists in the New Testament era because of violation of the Gospel law (1 John 3:4). If there were no divine law today, then there could be no sin—since sin is the violation of law. There is sin today, so there must be a divine law to which people living today are amenable. That law is the New Testament or Gospel of Jesus Christ!

    The workings of the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ work differently. The Law of Moses was a works based religion. The Law of Moses required good deeds or obedience (Galatians 3:10). However, the Law of Moses could not save from sin based on those deeds or works (Hebrews 10:1-4). Something was lacking from the Law of Moses to redeem souls—the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

    The Law of Christ is a faith (man’s part) as well as a grace and mercy (God’s part) based religion. The Law of Christ requires good deeds or obedience (Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). These good deeds or obedience equate to one’s faith in action (James 2:14-26). Yet, faith even demonstrated by Christian service cannot save by itself (but God will not save mankind without it). God responds to our active faith with his saving mercy and grace (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:8).

    In conclusion, it is obvious that no one living today is under or amenable to any part of the Old Testament (e.g., the Law of Moses). However, grace and mercy neither contradict nor displace New Testament divine law (i.e., the Gospel). New Testament divine law (Gospel), grace and mercy complement each other regarding human redemption.

    Salvation today is only available to souls who obey the Law of Christ, the Gospel (1 Peter 4:17). Have you responded to the divine invitation appearing in the first recorded Gospel sermon (Acts 2:38)? If you have been immersed for the remission of sins previously, are you a faithful Christian today (Revelation 2:10; 1 John 1:9)?