Although Christians are no longer under the condemnation of the Law, in what ways are believers still to embrace, rather than discard God’s Law?

There are three aspects of God’s Law:

God’s Ceremonial Law. This is the aspect of God’s Law that regulated the worship under the Old Covenant. This aspect is no longer applicable since the Jewish religion (based on temples, priests, and sacrifices) ended in 70 AD, when the temple was demolished by the Romans. All of the ceremonial law looked forward to and was fulfilled by Christ.

God’s Civil Law. This is the aspect of God’s Law that regulated the civil government of ancient Israel. Ancient Israel no longer exists, and even if it did, we are not citizens of ancient Israel. The civil laws of ancient Israel are not the laws of modern, secular Israel either. Therefore, the ancient civil law is no longer applicable.

God’s Moral Law. This is the aspect of God’s Law that addresses morality and ethics, which are timeless and not limited to ethic Jews, but are applicable to all people throughout time. Do not miss that there are moral principles found in both the ceremonial law and civil law for ancient Israel.

To summarize the Christian responsibility to these aspects of God’s Law:

Believers are no longer obligated to keep the ceremonial law because Old Covenant worship has been fulfilled by Christ (Colossians 2:16-17).
Believers are no longer obligated to keep the civil law because the ancient nation of Israel no longer exists.
Believers are very much obligated to keep God’s timeless moral law, particularly all ten of the Ten Commandments, which is a summary of the moral law of God. This is true also of the moral principles found within the ceremonial and civil laws.

But do not miss this: Christians do not keep any law for salvation, but out of gratitude for already being saved by grace alone, received through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone!

Next time we’ll consider the three uses of God’s Law in our lives.