In a Nutshell

Many of us in the Christian church experience a gap, a question, an unreconciled question that has been regurgitated throughout the last two millennia – strongly debated, fiercely defended yet rarely understood – the question, “What is the New Testament believer’s relationship to the Law – has the Law ended?”

We will make a general and basic pass at understanding the relevance of the Law, both in the past under the Old Covenant and presently within the New Covenant, as well as its presence throughout eternity past, present and future. However, from the get-go, Scripture, ALL Scripture, is the unquenchable intrigue into the depths and wonders of the very anatomy of the heart of God -- we are called as true pilgrims to pioneer the frontier of His Presence! So let's go!

The word Bible is a derivative of the word library. The canon of the Old Testament is loosely referred to as the Old Testament or the Law. However, the canon of Old Testament in Hebrew is called Tanakh which is an acronym for its three divisional parts, Torah (Teachings from the Law, which is also divided into three parts), Neviim (Prophets) and the Ketuvim (Writings).

As mentioned in the introduction to this section, ALL admonishments written in the New Testament to study Scripture were referring to the Old Testament Scriptures – the New Testament had yet to be canonized. The New Testament, by and large, is the interpretation or decoding of the types and shadows written in the Old Testament. It was neither the intent of the Spirit of God, nor those writing the New Testament under His authority, that the instructions and enlightenment given in the New Testament would be a stand alone or replacement Script to separate and deauthorize the Old Testament Scriptures. The absolute opposite is true!

For an example, when we share the Gospel and encourage folk to repent for the forgiveness of their sins and believe in the blood atonement of Jesus as the Lamb of God, they might answer, “Sure, but why?” (which was my personal experience). Without any understanding of the Old Testament, you would be hard pressed to give a legitimate answer. The Old and New Testament are an inseparable singular narrative, which, I might add, is still unfolding!

The New Testament quotes the Old Testament 695 times, 245 are directly related to the Law itself and there are modestly over 3,000 inferences (some commentators have equated in the 4,000 range). To believe in the New Testament and not the Old Testament when the New Testament itself validates and punctuates the authority of the Old Testament is at best (and let me say this as gently as I can) unenlightened! The New Testament is like the shorthand of the Old Testament’s long hand script – it describes, explains and interprets the greater revelation within the Old Testament.

Friend, to disregard the Old Testament is to hold both God and His revealed plans in low esteem, which is a profound level of presumption. Besides, Jesus is the main Star and Character of the Old Testament – He is the Peek-a-Boo throughout the Script! A very clumsy mishap spawned in Christendom is the belief that the Old Testament has been completely fulfilled. NOT SO – portions, parts have been fulfilled, but certainly not all! 

Jesus has fulfilled all righteousness by offering in FULL the required blood atonement within the Ceremonial Law through His sacrifice on the cross -- He gave His Life for ours! But there are tenants of the Law not yet fulfilled. For an example, at the very heart of the Mosaic Law is the description of the Seven Feasts of the Lord. The first four feasts tell of Messiah’s First Coming, the last three tell of His Second Coming, and we have not yet experienced the fulfillment of the Second Coming. In addition to that, there are numerous prophecies within the Old Testament about the end times that are yet to be fulfilled – many are happening before our very eyes – all of which by theme are the focal point and motivation of this study. Though a mind teaser, it is truthful nonetheless, Jesus fulfilled all the Law, but all the Law has not been fulfilled yet!

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Mat 5:18

If we cling to a dismissive attitude to the collective Body of Scripture, then we self-impose upon ourselves a gross disadvantage! Most arguments about Old Testament verses New Testament are lateral bantering's back and forth. But by the grace of the Lord, my efforts will be to reveal a vertical appeal. The Origin of God’s Word does not begin on earth for lateral leverage, but it begins from Him in Heaven as a vertical revelation for vertical leverage!