Bible Questions and Answers

What was the role of the law? Is it still valid?

Jesus fulfilled the Law – he was the only one who could. Matthew 5:17 Everyone else was convicted and condemned by the Law. Romans 3:20

The sacrifices required by the Law could never take away sin. Hebrews 10:11

Those who believe the Gospel preached by Jesus and his apostles and are baptised into Christ are not under the Law. Romans 7:4-6; Romans 10:4 

We are justified by faith in Jesus, not by the Law. Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11; Galatians 3:24,25; Hebrews 7:11,12

Observation of the Law was a requirement of the Old Covenant which God made with Israel at Sinai. Israel failed the keep the Covenant and God promised the institution of a New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-12

The Old Covenant was now obsolete and about to vanish away (‘vanish away’ may refer to the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 causing the sacrifices required by the Law to cease)

Hebrews 8:13  In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant.

Hebrews 12:24  to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Under the New Covenant we are to live by the commandments of Christ.

John 15:13  "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14  "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you...

After baptism by immersion in water for the remission of our past sins, we cannot live a completely sinless life.

We will still sin through weakness. But providing we are making a determined effort to live by Christ’s commandments, our sins will be forgiven by confession in prayer.

1 John 1:7… if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,

Glenn