Which Old Testament laws are still applicable to New Testament believers?

As followers of Jesus Christ, the relationship between Old Testament laws and their applicability to New Testament believers is a topic of significant theological inquiry and practical significance.

The Old Testament, also known as the Hebrew Scriptures, contains a complex legal and ethical framework that encompasses a wide range of regulations, commandments, and statutes.

Understanding which Old Testament laws remain relevant to New Testament believers involves navigating the intricate interplay between biblical covenants, cultural contexts, and the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

In the New Testament, the teachings of Jesus and the apostles address the question of the applicability of Old Testament laws in several ways. Jesus' teachings in the Gospels often affirm and uphold the moral and ethical principles embedded in the Old Testament laws.

For example, Jesus affirms the commandments to love God and love one's neighbor as foundational to righteous living (Mark 12:28-31). He also emphasizes the enduring relevance of moral precepts, such as the prohibition of murder, adultery, and bearing false witness, while challenging a legalistic and outward-focused interpretation of the law (Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28).

At the same time, Jesus introduces a new covenant inaugurated by his sacrificial death and resurrection, which brings a transformative shift in the relationship between God and humanity. The apostle Paul further elucidates the implications of this new covenant in his epistles, emphasizing that believers are justified by faith in Christ rather than by adherence to the works of the law (Romans 3:21-22, Galatians 2:16).

In light of this new covenant, the New Testament provides guidance on the role of Old Testament laws for believers. The apostolic council in Acts 15 deliberates on the requirements for Gentile believers, concluding that they are not required to observe the Mosaic law in its entirety, but should abstain from idolatry, sexual immorality, consuming blood, and eating meat from strangled animals (Acts 15:28-29).

Within this theological landscape, the New Testament presents a nuanced approach to the applicability of Old Testament laws to New Testament believers. While the ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Mosaic law are understood to have been fulfilled in Christ's atoning work, the moral and ethical principles embedded in the law retain their enduring relevance.

The apostle Paul, for instance, underscores the place of Old Testament laws in shaping moral discernment and ethical conduct for believers while cautioning against legalism and bondage to external regulations (Romans 13:8-10, Galatians 5:1).

In discerning which Old Testament laws are still applicable to New Testament believers, it is important to consider the interpretive principles and ethical insights articulated in the New Testament.

Moral imperatives such as love, justice, compassion, and integrity, which are foundational to the Old Testament laws, are reaffirmed and emphasized in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.

The ethical dimensions of the Old Testament laws, which reflect God's character and desire for human flourishing, continue to inform the moral compass and spiritual formation of believers.

While specific ceremonial and ritualistic observances of the Mosaic law may no longer be binding on New Testament believers, the ethical and moral teachings embedded within the law serve as a source of wisdom, guidance, and conviction for Christian living.

As Jesus summarizes, the fulfillment of the law is rooted in love for God and love for one's neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40), encapsulating the enduring ethical principles that transcend the temporal and cultural particularities of the Old Testament legal code.