Does God's Law Still Matter?

Imagine this scene: You are in a court room on trial for committing a bank robbery. It was stupid. You know that, but you were desperate for money. In a moment of weakness, you made a horrible mistake. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but you did get caught and now face 20 years in prison for your crime. You’ve expressed how sorry you are to the court and feel a deep sense of remorse. Looking down from his bench, the judge begins to read the sentence:

“With the overwhelming evidence of your crime, including dozens of witnesses and videotape surveillance, there is no doubt in the court’s mind that you are guilty and deserve the full force of the law as punishment.” Then, after a brief pause, the judge utters, “However, I am acquitting you of this crime. You are free to go, but you must never do it again.” With a loud crack of the gavel, your trial is over, and you walk away with your freedom and a clean record.

What does the Bible teach about the law?

Biblically speaking, the punishment for stealing was pretty stiff. “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. If the thief is found breaking in, and he is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt for his bloodshed” (Exodus 22:1-2). If you were lucky and got caught after stealing, you had to pay back five times what you stole. If you weren’t so lucky and got caught while stealing and someone killed you in the process, they would not be guilty of any crime or sin.

Even in the New Testament, stealing and lying were not tolerated. In Acts 5 we read about Ananias and Sapphira, a couple that sold a possession and then lied about the amount they sold it for. They tried to fool Peter and told him they sold it for less than they did, so they would appear to be very generous. The punishment? God struck them dead!

It would seem that God takes His laws very seriously, and thus we should too. Beyond God’s laws, we are to honor man’s laws, as long as they don’t contradict God’s laws (compare Romans 13:1-7; Acts 4:19).

But is that where the story ends when it comes to the law?

Who has the authority to enforce the law?

First, we need to understand that while God’s laws do not change, how they are applied and enforced quite often does change. Murder, for example, is a sin, and the Bible clearly labels it as such (Exodus 20:13). In ancient Israel, if someone committed murder, the punishment was clear. “Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death” (Numbers 35:30-31). There had to be sufficient witnesses to make sure the truth was being told, but once that was established, there was no buying your way out of the penalty.

Why don’t we do this today? Why don’t people in their communities band together when they see crimes committed and execute justice? There are a lot of good reasons that doesn’t happen, but one that the Bible specifically mentions is that it isn’t our role, personally, to do such things. In speaking of civil authorities such as the police and judges, Romans 13:4 states, “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.” In the example of murder, we see a case where God’s laws and the civil laws of our nation overlap. Not only do we as a church not have the authority to carry out certain laws, there isn’t a need for us to do so.

Ancient Israel was a nation that had the civil authority to execute punishment for crimes. As a part of the body of Christ today, we do not have that authority. Instead, it exists through our local, state and federal governments. While God’s law did not change, those who have the authority to carry it out has.

Different applications at different times

Another point to consider is that different laws existed at different times for different reasons. You’ve probably heard about old laws that were written a hundred years ago that make no sense today. Something like, “It’s illegal to sleep on top of your refrigerator on Tuesday unless it’s raining.” What’s the point? Who knows, but it probably made sense at the time.

To a degree, the same can be said of some laws we read about in the Bible. Now, that’s not to say any of God’s laws are silly or outdated, but the principle in how they are applied has changed. For example, in ancient Israel, if you sinned, you were to bring an animal to sacrifice before the priesthood (Leviticus 4:1-4). This was dealing with sins where the wrong that was done was accidental or could in some way be restored. As we saw earlier, some sins such as murder could not be restored. There wasn’t a way to repay it. Instead, the guilty party faced death.

What’s the point of killing an animal because you sinned? Simple—it foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:11-14, “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man [Jesus Christ], after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

The law did not change. Blood sacrifice is required for sins. The difference now is how the application of that sacrifice was made. Under the old covenant, it was done through the blood sacrifice of an animal. Under the new covenant, it has been done once, and for all, through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Jesus expounds on the law

Some would stop right there and say, “Well, Jesus paid the price for my sins, so no need to worry about obeying any of God’s laws!” In fact, many believe exactly that. Can we just ignore the law and be free of any consequences from breaking it?

The short answer is no. Obviously, Christ’s sacrifice and paying the penalty for our sins is not an excuse to ignore the law. God’s law is given for a reason: to show us the proper way to live. Whether that be in regards to not being a thief, honoring our parents or loving our neighbors. God’s law is meant to be obeyed. But we all fall short of God’s glory and sin from time to time (Romans 3:23). And while there are consequences to sin, God will, at times, spare us from overly severe consequences.

Using our courtroom analogy, what do you think would happen if two weeks later, you were on trial for another bank robbery? Would the judge be so lenient? Of course not. You’d likely experience the full force of the law.

Why? Well, think about how you might feel after being set free the first time. Go back to the courtroom setting. If you had just been given freedom when you deserved jail, how would you feel? Probably pretty overwhelmed, confused even. Why? Why did he let me go? I’m guilty and deserve to go to jail. What am I supposed to do now?

I think it’s that last question that deserves the most attention. What would you do now, having been freed when you thought for sure you would spend the next 20 years in prison? Perhaps we can begin answering this question with what you would not do. I’m willing to say you would not go around robbing banks anymore. Hopefully, you would have learned an extremely valuable lesson and decided to set your life straight, never returning to a life of crime.

What did Jesus say about the law?

Early in His ministry, Jesus made a statement about the law. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 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. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19).

Jesus fulfilled certain aspects of the law, for example, the requirement of blood for sin as we read above. But He points out the law itself was not done away with. In fact, a few verses later, He makes this statement, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (verses 27-28).

While we should all be grateful for Christ paying the price for our sin, He was far from taking away the requirement for obedience. In fact, He actually made it much more difficult. Not committing adultery or murder is something most of us can handle on a daily basis. But not even thinking about it? That’s hard. By saying this, Christ showed us that there is much more to keeping the law than simply strictly adhering to the letter.

Keep God’s Laws

In order to understand how to obey God’s laws, we must not only understand the letter of the law, but the spirit behind it. What was the intent behind the law when it was given, and who was it given to? What outcome was God seeking when He gave certain laws? Can the law itself still be practiced today? Who has the authority to carry out the law?

There are hundreds of laws in the Bible. All are valid, but not all are applied directly today. Keeping the Sabbath still applies directly. Why? It’s part of God’s commands on how to live and honor Him. In addition, it points to the future rest that the Kingdom of God will bring. On the other hand, the law of taking someone’s eye who injured you and caused you to lose your own eye does not honor God. While the principle still applies regarding punishment for wrongdoing, there are now civil authorities that carry out punishments.

It can be challenging to understand how each law applies, and we certainly couldn’t cover them all in this article. If you have questions about how certain laws apply, ask your parents, minister or another trusted adult. (You can even write and ask me if you like, and I’ll try to help! My e-mail is dan_preston@ucg.org).

The main point is this: God’s laws are given so we can understand how to live. Through Jesus Christ’s death, the sentence of death has been suspended. Through God’s grace and love, we are given an opportunity to live a better life, one that honors God and the sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). Later, in Psalm 119:105 we read, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s laws are perfect. Every single one of them. Keeping them, especially in our hearts as Jesus explained, is hard at times. As you study God’s word, remember that all His laws are perfect and are provided as a guide for our lives.