The Law, the Church, and You
Matthew 5:17–20 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. … Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
1 Peter 1:24–25 (ESV) “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
To open our time in the Word today, I was thinking about a psychological concept called, Theory of Mind. Theory of Mind is the ability to recognize that other people have their own thoughts, feelings, desires, and perspectives that may differ from one’s own. It’s when a child first realizes that other people have their own lives. It typically happens around ages 4 to 5. I remember, sometimes, as a child, and as a young adult, looking out of the window of the car as we drove someplace, and seeing people, and thinking, “We are passing them, but their lives and thoughts, are totally different than mine.
I was thinking about all that has happened this week, in my life, and in your lives. On the top of my list, of course, is the birth of a new baby, which was exciting. I also think about the storm this week, and all of the cleanup involved. In our own church, I know that there was a funeral this week, and a surgery. We could sit here this morning and recount all that has happened.
And I wish that I could stand up here and deliver a personal sermon to each and every one of you. I can’t address each of your lives and circumstances. But I can try and direct our thoughts back to the one thing that we know is a constant. It is the Word of God. That’s why I read what I read.
Matthew 5:17–20 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. … Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
1 Peter 1:24–25 (ESV) “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
So, let’s try and draw our thoughts to God’s Word this morning.
Prayer
Well, this morning, we are returning to the book of Exodus, and the story of the Children of Israel being led by Moses out of slavery in Egypt. And we just finished the stories of the ten plagues. And, as I’ve mentioned before with this series, we are looking at the “Foundations” of the faith. We are not covering every detail of the Old Testament story. So, today, we are leaving the ten plagues. And, if we were doing a verse-by-verse exposition of the book of Exodus, we would now be looking at the crossing of the Red Sea, and the beginning of the wilderness wanderings. But instead, we are just flying over those, and we are going to go straight to a most important foundational truth about the gospel; the place of the Mosaic Law in the Christian economy.
After Israel is delivered from death at the Passover, after they cross the Red Sea and God destroys the Egyptian army, after they enter the wilderness and grumble over water and food, after God provides them with water manna to eat every day. After some other things happen in Exodus 14-19, they arrive at Mount Sinai, and God gives them the Ten Commandments. And then from Exodus 20-23, 25-31, 34-35, and the book of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, God gives Moses laws to record and pass on to the Children of Isreal.
Laws, laws, laws.
God gives Moses law after law to record and pass on to the children of Israel. Laws, laws, laws. There are moral laws, like “You shall not murder” and “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20); dietary laws, such as avoiding pork or shellfish and only eating animals that chew the cud and have split hooves (Leviticus 11); laws about clothing, including the command not to wear garments made of mixed fabrics (Leviticus 19:19); and laws for the priesthood, detailing how priests must wash, dress, and offer sacrifices (Exodus 28–29). God even gives blueprints for the construction of the tabernacle—from the dimensions of the altar to the exact materials for the curtains (Exodus 25–27). And then there are the weird laws—to modern readers, at least—like not boiling a young goat in its mother’s milk (Exodus 23:19) a law about cutting the beard is found in Leviticus 19:27, which says: “You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard.” (ESV)
These laws shaped every part of Israelite life, from worship to diet to hygiene, creating a culture deeply aware of God’s holiness and their call to be distinct.
But the question that we will consider over at least a couple of messages is, “What does a Christian do with all of these Old Testament laws.” Do we have to abide by all these laws? Do we discard all these laws?
That question is addressed in the New Testament, but it has been one that been addressed and abused throughout Christian history. In the modern Christian church, the debate continues.
Different churches approach the Old Testament law in various ways. Seventh-day Adventists emphasize continued observance of the seventh-day Sabbath and Old Testament dietary laws, though the official church does not require broader ceremonial observance; some fringe groups go further by observing biblical festivals. The Worldwide Church of God, under Herbert W. Armstrong, once taught strict adherence to Old Testament laws—including festivals and dietary rules—viewing the New Covenant as a renewal of the Mosaic Covenant. Though the WCG has since renounced these teachings, splinter groups like the United Church of God continue them. Meanwhile, the Christian Reconstructionist (Theonomy) movement, a fringe group, argues that Old Testament civil laws—including penalties—should govern modern nations, though this view is widely rejected by most Christians. These varying perspectives highlight the ongoing debate over how Christians should understand and apply God’s laws given through Moses.
Well, though we are not going to be able to answer this question about every Old Testament law, what I want to do is to give you a framework with which to classify every Old Testament law, so you can use that framework to decide, “Is this a law that Christians must obey?”
Here is the framework; Different churches approach the Old Testament law in various ways, depending on their theological framework and views of the Old and New Covenants. Mainstream evangelical and Protestant churches typically divide the law into three categories—moral, civil, and ceremonial—and teach that while the moral law (like the Ten Commandments) continues to reflect God’s character, the ceremonial and civil laws were fulfilled in Christ and are no longer binding. So, we are going to look at each of those categories in this order; civil law, ceremonial law, and moral law.
The Civil (or Judicial) Law refers to the legal statutes given by God to govern the day-to-day life of the nation of Israel as a theocratic society. The word “theocratic” is important. We are a democratic republic, that means that we are governed by representatives elected by the people. An autocratic society is one where one person has all the authority and makes the rules. But a theocratic society is one where God makes the rules and governs the people. That was what the nation of Israel, in the Old Testament was to be. They didn’t vote on their laws, God made them. And He made these laws to govern a specific people, the nation of Israel, in a specific place, the land of Canaan where God was taking them.
Their laws covered matters such as property rights, justice in the courts, penalties for crimes, and social responsibilities—functioning much like a national legal code. Rooted in God’s desire for justice, mercy, and order, these laws were specifically designed for Israel’s unique identity as God’s covenant people living in the Promised Land under His direct rule. While these civil laws reflected God's righteous character and concern for societal justice, they were tied to Israel’s historical and cultural context. As such, Christians today are not bound to enforce them as a national code, but they can still glean timeless principles of justice, equity, and love for neighbor from their underlying moral values.
Here's a summary list of these laws by category.
Civil (Judicial) Laws
(Laws for Israel’s governance as a nation under God)
The civil laws given in these passages highlight God’s concern for maintaining social order and justice within the community, emphasizing fairness in economic and social relationships. But we have to remember that these laws were established especially for Israel as a theocratic kingdom, a kingdom rule by God. They were also given in a specific time and place that was distinct from other times in history. They were given to regulate Israel as God’s nation.
Vos: Israel’s judicial laws were shadow-forms of God's ideal kingdom, not eternal mandates.
Westminster Assembly (Westminster Confession of Faith 19.4):
“To [Old Covenant Israel], as a body politic, He gave sundry judicial laws, which expired together with the state of that people, not obliging any other, now, further than the general equity thereof may require.”
Now, there are eight categories of law there. And with each, I will define the category, give some examples, apply the law to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament time, and talk about the principle for today behind the law. And let me say this about the principle of each civil law. The civil itself, tells Israel what they were to do. The principle behind the law tells them and us, what God says is right and wrong. The principle doesn’t tell us what to do. The law does that.
1. Restitution for Theft or Property Damage
Definition: These laws required individuals who caused loss or damage to another person's property to make restitution. The focus was not only on punishment but on making the victim whole again through fair compensation.
Example: In Exodus 22:1, a thief who stole and killed or sold an ox had to repay five oxen. For a sheep, he had to repay four. Lesser cases of theft or damage required a double restitution or full repayment plus an additional percentage.
Application in Ancient Israel: These laws promoted personal responsibility and deterred theft by ensuring the offender had to face financial consequences. They emphasized justice that restored, not merely punished, and helped maintain social harmony.
Now, I think this sounds great. I agree with these laws. We understand human nature, that if we are to deter crime, if a person is going to stop criminal behavior, there has to be some pain associated with the commission of a crime. There has to be a fear of the consequences of committing a crime.
But, in terms of applying this to today, we can apply the principle, not the specifics, to our society. I mean, I guess if you own oxen or sheep, we could have laws like this. But what does that mean when someone steals a car, or a TV?
Principle for Today: Modern justice systems can reflect this principle by focusing more on restoration and reconciliation where possible. The goal is not just punishment, but also repairing the harm done and restoring relationships when feasible. We can advocate for these kinds of laws in our society.
I think that we generally understand that just sending someone to jail doesn’t always prevent future crime from that person. But, if there were a way to require a couple of things that were part of these laws; first, restoration. It is important to make the victim whole again. They have suffered from the theft. And these kinds of laws not only covered the loss, but made up for it twice, four or five times.
And there’s another part of these laws that I think made them more effective. They required some level of a relationship between victim and perpetrator. The perpetrator had to restore to the victim.
Believe it or not, there are examples where this principle is used in our world, even the U.S. today. Restorative justice often involves direct dialogue between the victim and the offender, with the goal of restoring relationships and making amends for the harm done. This approach is used in various settings across the United States. In juvenile justice systems, states like Vermont, Colorado, and California have implemented restorative programs to help youth offenders take responsibility and make restitution. In certain cities such as New York, Minneapolis, and Oakland, community courts and diversion programs offer nonviolent offenders the chance to meet with their victims and agree on restitution or community service, providing a constructive alternative to traditional prosecution.
2. Cities of Refuge for Accidental Killers
Definition: God established six cities of refuge where individuals who accidentally killed someone could flee for safety and a fair trial. These cities provided protection from avengers of blood until guilt or innocence was determined.
Example: Numbers 35:9–34 outlines how a person who killed without intent could escape vengeance by fleeing to one of these cities, where they would remain until the death of the high priest if found innocent.
Application in Ancient Israel: These laws created a judicial process that acknowledged the difference between accidental and intentional acts. It limited personal vengeance and brought order and fairness to matters of life and death.
Now, this law was designed for Israel, and their legal system. It should be obvious that this kind of system would be almost impossible to implement in our modern society. First, because not only would it require certain cities to be cities of refuge and have protections and laws for specifically for that city. But also because there is an unwritten law that would not work in our society. It was the law of the “avenger of blood.” This law allowed a family member of a victim to personally go and execute the killer.
The cities of refuge were to be safe places that a person who killed, without intent, could go until the matter could be judged. But, despite the fact that we don’t have these cities of refuge today, is there a principle that can work to have applied to our judicial system? Yes.
Principle for Today: Justice systems should differentiate between intent and accident, ensuring fairness in legal outcomes. Due process and the presumption of innocence are modern extensions of these biblical values.
3. Punishment for Intentional Murder
Definition: Unlike accidental killing, intentional murder carried the most severe penalty. The laws were designed to uphold the value of human life and to bring justice to victims.
Example: Numbers 35:16–21 lays out specific cases of intentional murder, emphasizing premeditated acts and personal hostility. The punishment was capital execution by the community.
16 ‘But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he struck him down with a stone in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him with a wooden object in the hand, by which he would die, and as a result he died, he is a murderer; the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The blood avenger himself shall put the murderer to death; he shall put him to death when he meets him. 20 And if he pushed him of hatred or threw something at him lying in wait and as a result he died, 21 or if he struck him down with his hand in enmity, and as a result he died, the one who struck him shall surely be put to death; he is a murderer; the blood avenger shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
Application in Ancient Israel: These laws reinforced that life is sacred and that taking it unjustly required the highest accountability. They also protected society from unchecked violence.
Principle for Today: Societies must uphold the sanctity of life through fair, proportionate legal consequences for violent crimes. The underlying principle is justice and deterrence.
And, though this was a law for the nation of Israel, God’s theocratic kingdom, I believe there is a universal principle here for law in all places and times. The principle predates the ten commandments.
Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image."
The death must be intentional.
Exodus 21:12 "Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death."
Deuteronomy 19:11–13 "But if a man hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him and strikes him fatally… then the elders… shall send and take him… and he shall die."
And I personally believe that the reason why our society is becoming more violent, and in some places, the murder rate is out of control is because we don’t have a hard and fast standard like this one.
Thomas Jefferson on Proportional Justice (Aug 26, 1776)
Discussing the form and severity of punishment, Jefferson wrote:
“Punishments I know are necessary, and I would provide them, strict and inflexible, but proportioned to the crime. Death might be inflicted for murder and perhaps for treason…” people.brandeis.edu+12scribd.com+12reddit.com+12en.wikipedia.org+10americancreation.blogspot.com+10reddit.com+10
We are going to stop here for today. We have one more category of civil law that we will start with next week. But let’s remember the foundational truth that we are establishing with these messages. We are asking the question, “What do I do with Old Testament law?” If you are in the habit of reading through the Bible regularly, and I would encourage you to do that, when you get to the Old Testament, you will have questions about much that it tells the nation of Israel to do. Its dietary laws say that you shouldn’t eat bacon, ham, shrimp, rabbit, if any of you eat squirrel, that’s a no-no, catfish, crab, lobster, or squid.
And there are civil laws, and ceremonial laws that are equally confusing. But let us conclude today by remembering again the title for this long series of messages; Foundations of the Faith. God gave these laws to Israel for a purpose. He was laying the foundation for the Faith. The Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament law served as a divine foundation preparing the world for the coming of Christ. It revealed God's holy character, established moral order, and exposed humanity’s inability to meet His perfect standards. The moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments, showed what righteousness looks like and convicted people of sin (Romans 3:20). The ceremonial laws—including sacrifices, temple rituals, and priestly duties—taught Israel that sin required atonement through the shedding of blood, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice that only the Messiah could provide. These laws did not exist merely as rules but as shadows and symbols anticipating Christ, who would fulfill them completely (Hebrews 10:1–10).
Additionally, the civil laws governed Israel as a theocratic nation and demonstrated what a society shaped by God's justice and mercy could look like. They emphasized care for the poor, justice for the vulnerable, and the importance of holiness in every area of life. Yet, even with these detailed laws, the people continually fell short, making it clear that external obedience could not produce internal transformation. In this way, the law functioned as a tutor or guardian to lead people to Christ (Galatians 3:24), preparing hearts to recognize their need for a Savior. When Jesus came, He did not abolish the law but fulfilled it in His life, death, and resurrection—bringing grace and truth in place of types and shadows (Matthew 5:17; John 1:17).
Let us pray,
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the gift of Your Word and for the wisdom of Your law, which revealed Your holiness, justice, and mercy. We see how, from the beginning, You were preparing the way for Jesus—our perfect Savior and final sacrifice. Though we could never fulfill the law on our own, You sent Your Son to do what we could not, offering grace in place of guilt and life in place of condemnation.
Help us, Lord, to cherish the truth that the law was not an end in itself but a signpost pointing to Christ. May we walk in the freedom He purchased for us—not using grace as a license to sin, but as a reason to pursue holiness, compassion, and justice. Shape our hearts to reflect the love and righteousness of Jesus, in whom the law is perfectly fulfilled.
In His name we pray,
Amen.