How New Covenant Believers Relate To Old Testament Law?

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Perhaps more than any other genre in Scripture the place of the “Law” in New Covenant preaching is the most challenging, demanding, and controversial.  Many different solutions have been proposed with various degrees of overlap between the major camps.  Certain Reformed Baptist preachers following the pattern of the Westminster Confession of Faith divide the Mosaic Law into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial. Many in this camp argue that the civil and ceremonial laws were fulfilled in Christ but that the moral aspect of the Mosaic Law is still binding.[1]   New Covenant theologians and Progressive Dispensationalists often teach that the entire Mosaic Law under the Old Covenant was fulfilled in life, death, and resurrection of Messiah Jesus. New Covenant believers are now under the “Law of Christ.”[2]  Some in the Classic Dispensationalist camp teach that the “law of God” and the “law of Moses” are one and the same and that no distinction between them is justifiable.[3]  A few Classic Dispensationalist also believe that New Covenant believers are now under grace (without law).  Such statements, without appropriate qualifications, have been rightly labeled “Antinomian.”[4]  Finally, the Theonomist camp rejects the traditional Reformed belief that the civil laws of Moses have been abrogated.  As such Theonomists believe that the moral and civil law codes of Moses remain in effect today.  Suffice it to say, before “preaching Law” the student of Scripture needs to have some understanding of the proper relationship between the Old and New Covenants.[5]  Without a larger understanding of biblical and systematic theology a preacher may teach a variation of "Theonomy" or "Antinomianism" and not even know it.

Another complication when it comes to preaching “Law” to New Covenant believers is that the term itself has many different definitions.  The English word “law” often denotes a system of rules that regulate behavior within a country or community.  The Hebrew word for law (torah) can denote a variety of concepts depending on the Old Testament context.  “It is often said that torah in the Old Testament does not refer so much to commands (to the keeping of commandments), as it does to instruction (to teaching).”[6] In view of this it may be better in certain contexts to translate torah as “instruction.”  Having said that, “The emphasis on doing what the law commands, on keeping it, and on obeying what the Lord has prescribed is quite extraordinary.”[7]


In the New Testament the use of the term law (nomos) also covers a wide range of meaning.  In some instances the word law refers to the Old Testament Scriptures in general (Matt. 22:36; Luke 10:26; John 7:49).  In other settings law refers to the Pentateuch (Matt. 5:17; Luke 16:16; Acts 13:15).  Furthermore, in some New Testament settings the word law refers specifically to the Ten Commandments.

 

To make matters even more confusing the New Testament has a number of verses that seem to teach the Mosaic Law has been abolished and fulfilled in Christ (Rom. 6:14, 10:2, 1 Cor. 9:20; 2 Cor. 3, Gal. 2:21; 1 Tim. 1:8-11); while other New Testament passages seem to uphold the abiding nature of Law today (Rom. 8:4; 13:8-10; Gal. 5:14, 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:20-21).  In view of these Texts and the issues briefly raised above it is really not that surprising Luther and Calvin did not agree completely on the proper use of the law in New Covenant times.  According to Luther, “The Old Testament is binding only insofar as it agrees with the New Testament and mirrors natural law.  Calvin maintained that the moral laws of the Old Testament are obligatory to the believer and asserted that this is the ‘principle use’ of the law.”[8]

Thus far I have demonstrated why preaching the Law to New Covenant believers is challenging, demanding, and at times, quite controversial.  In the remainder of this essay I want to demonstrate a few principles that will guide the expositor as he preaches the Law of Moses to New Covenant believers. 

No matter what passage of Scripture is being taught the most important rule of sound hermeneutics is context.  Context is king.  “Context, context, context.”  The immediate context that surrounds a verse, a paragraph, and/or a chapter is often the most important towards “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).  The general context of a pericope within the context of the biblical book itself is the second layer of proper bible study methods.  Finally, we must preach in light of the overall metanarrative of the Bible. “One of the most crucial questions we must always ask in investigating any text is where the text lands in terms of the whole flow of redemptive history."[9]

The second principle towards preaching the Law in a faithful manner is to understand the flow of redemptive history.  “We must consider where a command is in the story line of the Bible and in terms of the redemptive-historical scheme we see in Scripture.  The moral norms of the Bible cannot be preached apart from the canonical context and apart from the whole counsel of God.”[10]  “In other words, we can determine which moral norms to preach as applicable today only when we read the Old Testament from the standpoint of the New Testament.  We understand the whole story of Scripture truly when we see it in light of the fulfillment Christ brings.”[11]  

Since the creation of Man in Genesis 2 the Creator of the universe has established what is morally right and wrong (see Genesis 1-3).  God clearly told Adam and Eve what they should do and what they could not do.   When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they willfully disregarded divine Law.  Tour first parents chose to be autonomous, determining their own laws, instead of willfully submitting to God’s good commandments.  “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world, Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread through everyone, for everyone sinned (Rom. 5:12).”

Throughout the book of Genesis the Creator holds human beings accountable for immoral actions (Gen. 3:6; 4:5; 9:22-25; 11:4ff; 16:5; 19:31ff).  The global flood (Gen. 6:5-10:32), for example, took place well before the giving of the Law of Moses at Sinai (Ex. 20), yet God still held humanity responsible for their wickedness and sin.  How could the Lord hold people accountable if they did not possess a particular codification of the law of God?  “It is clear that man in the image of God possesses an intuitive awareness of at least some of the requirements of God upon him.”[12]  This is “the law of God written in the hearts” or “conscience” (Rom. 2:14-15; cf. vv 26-27). The specific and general sins that are mentioned between Genesis 3 and Exodus 20 reflect an unwritten law, a law code written upon the heart. 

After the Lord graciously rescued the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage the Redeemer entered into a covenant with Israel (Ex. 19:1-25). During this event at Sinai God also gave his covenant people the Ten Words (Ex. 20:1-17) which represent the heart of the Torah.  It is important to note that obedience is always a response to grace (Ex. 20:1-2).[13]  The Israelites were to be holy because God is holy (Lev. 11:44-45).  They were to obey all the commands of Torah because holy God now dwelt on earth with His people again.[14]  Keeping the Law of Moses was also important because it was a means by which God’s people would bring Gentiles nations to know God (Ex. 19:4-6; Is. 42:6; 60:3).   Sadly the rest of the Old Testament demonstrates that the Israelites failed to keep their part of the Old Covenant time and time again. Israel turned away from their LORD and Savior and so came under the curses of the Law and were exiled (Deut. 28:64). 

According to the riches of God’s grace the Law of Moses also predicted that the LORD would send a deliverer (Gen. 49:10) from Judah.  Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Jesus Christ came to fulfill, but not to abolish, the Law (Mat. 5:17-20) and to succeed where Israel (and the first Adam) failed (Mt. 3:15).[15]   As the “suffering servant of Jehovah” Jesus bore the sins of His people (Is. 52:13-53:12; 2 Cor. 5:19-21; 1 Pet. 2:24) on the cross.  Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fulfilled what the Mosaic Law pictured.  Believers are now under a new and better covenant (Matt. 26:28; Luke 22:20; Heb. 8:7-22).  Under this “New Covenant” God’s people come under the “Law of Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2).[16]

Conclusion:  The primary function of the Law of Moses is to reveal our sinful blemishes, convict us of our unworthiness,[17] (Rom. 5:20; 7:7-13; Gal. 3:19-23) and to act as a severe schoolmaster who drives us to Christ (Gal. 3:24-25).[18] The Old Testament reminds us that “there is none righteous no not one” (Ps. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:10) and that “cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them” (Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10; James 2:10). We desperately need a Savior and God has mercifully provided one in and through Jesus Christ our Lord (John 3:16-26; 1 Cor. 15:1-11).  The Law is therefore a very powerful tool in evangelistic preaching.

Because the Law also reflects the character and perfections of its Divine Author one should preach the Law in order to demonstrate the unchanging nature and character of God (Psalm 119).  Whenever God’s people catch a glimpse of God’s glory they should respond in wonder, love, and praise.  In this way the Law can be proclaimed in a doxological manner.

The law of God reflects eternal principles of righteousness that are always binding.  As such it is the standard of righteousness and personal holiness. If one exposits the Old Testament in view of the New Testament one can preach the law of God pedagogically because the he law reveals what is pleasing God (19:7-11).  The Christian delights in the law of God (Psalm 1:1-3; 119:97) as God Himself delights in it. We delight in obeying God’s Word because we love Christ (John 14:15); and we love Christ only because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

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[1] Knox Chamblin, Continuity and Discontinuity: Perspectives on the Relationships Between Old and New Testaments, ed. John S. Feinberg (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1988), 195-202.  Pastor Phil Johnson is a Reformed Baptist theologian who espouses this position concerning the Tripartite division of the Law.

[2] Douglas J. Moo, Continuity and Discontinuity: Perspectives on the Relationships Between Old and New Testaments, ed. John S. Feinberg (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1988), 203-218.

[3] Alva J. McLain, Law and Grace (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1973), 40-42.

[4] See Mark Jones, Antinomianism.  Reformed Theology’s Unwelcome Guest (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P and R Publishing Company, 2013).  Throughout church history Antinomianism has crept up in both Dispensational and Covenantal contexts.  Mankind has always been under some kind of Divine Law.  See also Dr. Mayhue's lecture, Still Written in Stone: The Christian's Relationship to the Mosaic Law? http://www.shepherdsconference.org/media/details/?mediaID=6783 

[5] Jason C. Meyer, The End of the Law.  Mosaic Covenant in Pauline Theology.  ed. E. Ray Clendenen (Nashville, Tenn.: B & H Publishing Group, 2009), 10-14.  Meyer presents five more technical approaches of how the Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant relate.

[6] Thomas Schreiner, 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Publications, 2010), 19.   T. D. Alexander holds this viewpoint.

[7] Schreiner, 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law, 21. 

[8] Thomas R. Schreiner, The Law and Its Fulfillment. A Pauline Theology of Law (Grand Rapids, Mich.: 1993), 16.

[9] Schreiner, 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law, 227. 

[10] Ibid., 229.

[11] Ibid., 227. 

[12] Fred G. Zaspel, The Continuing Relevance of Divine Law (Pottsville, PA.: unpublished IBRA Research Report No. 41, 1991), 2.

[13] Which is why the gospel of grace is announced before the Mosaic Law is given to Israel through Moses.  This same approach is imitated in the New Testament.  For example notice how Paul declares the gospel in Eph. 1-3 and then concludes with how believers ought to respond to God’s amazing grace in Eph. 4-6.  True obedience is always a response to God’s grace.

[14]  The real climax of Exodus is when the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle in Exodus 40:24.  Exodus 25-40 is dedicated to this monumental event.

[15] Theologians refer to this as the active obedience of Christ.

[16] Jesus, the superior Priest, brought with Him a new law which has displaced the old.” Zaspel, The Continuing Relevance of Divine Law, 13.  

[17] The Law is a mirror which exposes our unrighteousness and God’s holiness (Rom. 7:13). 

[18] During His life Christ’s fulfilled the Law perfectly by satisfying all of the Law’s requirements (Matt. 3:15; 2 Cor. 5:19-21).  He also paid the penalty of the Law by offering up His perfect life and bearing all of our transgressions on the cross (Gal. 3:10-14).

THIS ARTICLE IS ONLY A ROUGH DRAFT and was written on Saturday, August 8th.