Which Old Testament Laws Should I Keep?

What Laws Am I Supposed to Obey? Over the last couple of months I have been asked the question, “What Old Testament laws am I supposed to obey?” I can answer that fairly simply. You only need to obey one law. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.” (Mark 12:30) Jesus does add, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but really that is just part of loving God. If you love God you will love your neighbor, because God loves your neighbor, (John 3) and if you love your neighbor you love God. (Matthew 25:40) Jesus makes it clear in the “Sermon on the Mount” that our actions need to reflect a deep love for God from the heart. So, for example, the law says that we should not murder, but if we go deeper and love God from our heart, we will not hate, which is the root of murder. (Matthew 5:21,22) The law says that we are not to commit adultery with our bodies, but if we go deeper and love God from our heart, we will not lust, which is the root of adultery. (Matthew 5:27,28) So, love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. It doesn’t take much to realize that God is pursing us in a deep, profound, complete way. Mere actions are not enough. God wants actions motivated by love and affection for Him. That still does not answer the question as to what we do with Old Testament laws, such as the prohibition of sewing two different kinds of cloth together or an ox falling into the ditch on Saturday (the Sabbath). So here is how the church fathers have looked at this question. The law has been divided into three different categories. There is the ceremonial law, which are laws pertaining to worship and the tabernacle. There is the judicial law, which would be laws pertaining to everyday life of the nation of Israel. And there is the moral law, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments. The ceremonial law, we believe, has been completed. Jesus came and fulfilled all of the ceremonial law by his life, death and resurrection. There is no need to offer a wave offering of the first watermelon in your garden or sacrifice your prize sheep for your sins. Jesus was that gift to God for your sake. We believe the judicial law was given to the nation of Israel for a particular purpose at a particular time. You will notice from a close reading that even some of the judicial laws changed as the circumstances of national Israel changed. While wandering in the desert, the Israelites had no need of laws concerning boundaries or building homes. When they entered into the land and became farmers and merchants, instead of nomads, then they were given laws pertaining to their new situation. For example, the laws pertaining to homes or boundaries of property are not given until the book of Deuteronomy. The laws changed to reflect their new situation. The point is simply that the Biblical record demonstrates the judicial law was for a particular time and place. The moral law, the Ten Commandments, is the heart of the law from which all the rest of the law is taken. We believe the moral law to continue as God’s will for us. If you need a law to obey, other than love God, the Ten Commandments will do well. Now some would say that the law of Sabbath has been fulfilled in Jesus and we need not obey it. I think the law of Sabbath is still very much part of God’s desire. Clearly the New Testament writers thought it was very important for God’s people to continue meeting each week. They believed it necessary to be flexible with those from pagan backgrounds whose circumstances or obligations might prevent them from observing a strict Sabbath, (Colossians 2:16) but nowhere do they encourage the early believers to stop gathering and worshipping God. (Hebrews 10:25) Summing all of this up. I believe that the center of the law is to love God and love our neighbor from the heart. Our best external guide to help us love God and love our neighbor would be the Ten Commandments. Our best internal guide is the Holy Spirit. In Galatians where Paul is addressing similar questions about what laws we should keep, he says in Galatians 5:16 “But I say walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” So what laws am I supposed to obey? The answer is the law of the Spirit, which is to love God and love people from the heart.