06/18/2026
Here are the notes from tonight's message. I missed a whole page in the service:
Do Christians have to follow the Law?
(Matthew 5:17-18 KJV)
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Using this passage of scripture, you could hold both sides of this debate. On the one hand, it is Jesus Himself telling us that He did not come to destroy the law, and until heaven and earth pass away, not one single letter of the law. That would tell us that yes, we need to follow the law.
On the other side, we can easily say that Jesus fulfilled every letter of the law and now we are free from the of death and sin to live under the law of love.
(Romans 8:2 KJV)
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
(Romans 10:4 KJV)
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
(Romans 13:8 KJV)
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
So, does that mean we as Christians do not have to follow the Law? I then have to ask, which law? The law of Moses, or the Law of Christ? If the Law of Christ, then what are we to do with the Law of Moses?
The first thing I want to do is to break down the Old Testament laws. We have been taught that there are 613 laws in the Old Testament. There are basically 3 different categories that the Law covers:
Moral, Ceremonial, and Judicial or Civil
The Moral Laws include universal, unchanging standards for distinguishing right from wrong and for basic human character. This includes the Ten Commandments.
Just to take a minute to once again go over the Ten Commandments, let’s look at them, and hopefully we all have them memorized.
You should have no other God before Me.
You should not make any graven image.
Let me talk about that for a minute. In Exodus 20, where we first find the Ten Commandments it reads:
(Exodus 20:4-5 KJV)
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
I want to look at the part where it says thou shat not bow down thyself to worship them. Take just one second and bow your head as if you were to pray or worship God..
Now, take out your phone and show me how you look at your phone, Looks about the same as worship doesn’t it. But I digress let’s move on to the 3rd commandment
Do not take the Lord’s name in vain
Honor the Sabbath
Honor your Mother and Father
Do not kill
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not lie
Do not covet
One thing that we discover is we can not even keep the Ten Commandments let alone 613.
Going on now to the Ceremonial Laws:
The Ceremonial Laws cover all the worship, sacrifices and ritual cleansings.
The Civil laws or Judicial Laws was the Israelites theocratic government. These laws cover everything from family disputes, to criminal cases, property right and so on.
Orthodox Jews split the 613 Laws into dos and do nots. 248 positive and 365 negative Laws. of all the 613 some 244 laws are impossible to keep because they require the Holy Temple in Israel, Levitical priesthood and a complete Torah ruled government.
Out of the remainder Laws they end up with 369 active laws, of which there are 144 positive and 243 negative, or prohibited laws.
Then of course there are some laws that certain genders do not apply to or kings and priesthood, along with geography, that only apply in the boarders of Israel.
Fun facts right? Maybe not!
OK, so, the broke it all down to six contend mitzvahs that every Jew must keep 24/7, 365.
Know there is a God
Do not believe in any other gods
God is one and He alone is holy
Love God
Be in Awe of God
Do not follow your heart or your eyes to sin.
Wow! Now let’s go back to what Jesus said in the 5th chapter of Matthew;
(Matthew 5:16-20 KJV)
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
You must exceed the righteousness of the most righteous Scribe or Pharisees. Jesus then goes on the talk about how you must be perfect as your Father in Heaven:
(Matthew 5:48 KJV)
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Paul gives us a great answer to our question about following the Old Testament Laws:
(Galatians 3:22-24 KJV)
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Now look at the Amplified Version:
'with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. '
(Galatians 3:24-26 AMP)
with the result that the Law has become our tutor and our disciplinarian to guide us to Christ, so that we may be [c]justified [that is, declared free of the guilt of sin and its penalty, and placed in right standing with God] by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under [the control and authority of] a tutor and disciplinarian. 26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus.
So should we as Christians follow the Law? We should use the law as a guide in all righteousness. We are free from the Law but it is a holy and good map to help us become more like Jesus who fulfilled the law.
Jesus on the cross proclaimed “It is Finished.” Fulfilled, complete, perfect. Uniting your self in Jesus makes you the righteousness of God in Christ. Uniting yourself in Jesus makes you complete. Uniting yourself in Jesus perfect. Uniting yourself in Jesus makes you…. AMAZING!
Jesus Bless You!
