What is the Bible's stance on Christians and the law?

I. The Context and Meaning of “Law” in Scripture

In Scripture, the term “law” often denotes the commands given through Moses (commonly called the Mosaic Law or Torah), which formed the covenantal framework for Israel (see Exodus 20; Deuteronomy 5). However, “law” can also refer more broadly to God’s principles, moral instructions, or even specific teachings that guide behavior and worship. Both these senses appear throughout the biblical text, shaping how believers understand redemption, holiness, and daily conduct.

Archaeological findings such as the Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered near Qumran in the mid-20th century) confirm the antiquity of Old Testament instructions, including detailed directives about sacrifices, feasts, purity, and morality. These Scrolls underscore how seriously the Jewish community preserved and followed the law, lending strong credibility to the texts that eventually informed Christian teachings.

II. The Purpose of the Old Covenant Law

The Old Covenant Law, delivered through Moses, established Israel as a distinct people under God’s reign. It regulated worship (e.g., Leviticus 1–7), social justice (e.g., Exodus 21–23), moral behavior (e.g., Exodus 20:1–17), and ceremonial observances (e.g., Leviticus 16; Numbers 28–29). These regulations demonstrated God’s holiness and humanity’s need for atonement. In effect, the law highlighted the gap between divine perfection and human sin, a point emphasized in later writings such as Romans 3:20, which indicates that “no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law.”

III. Jesus’ Fulfillment of the Mosaic Law

The New Testament proclaims that Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. As it is written: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Early Greek manuscripts of Matthew (including fragments such as Papyrus 64) confirm the longstanding reading of this verse, reflecting a consistent message that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection complete the very purposes of the Old Covenant.

Fulfillment here means that Christ embodies perfectly what the law was pointing toward: perfect obedience, ultimate sacrifice, and reconciliation between God and people. Through His sacrificial death and resurrection, believers are freed from the condemnation that the law pronounces on sin (Romans 8:1–3). Textual studies show no contradiction in the Gospels: all affirm the Savior who satisfies the demands of God’s righteousness.

IV. The Law in Pauline Teaching

Paul’s letters examine how believers relate to the Mosaic Law after Christ’s resurrection. Romans 3–7, Galatians 3–5, and other passages analyze the theological shift:

1. Not Under Law but Under Grace

Romans 6:14 says, “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law but under grace.” Here, Paul underscores that Christ’s work places believers in a state of grace instead of strict legal obligation. He does not denigrate the law’s goodness (Romans 7:12) but shows that salvation is granted through faith rather than meticulous adherence to regulations.

2. The Law as a Tutor

In Galatians 3:24–25, the law is described as a “guardian” or “tutor” leading to Christ. Once Christ comes, believers graduate from that guardianship. Manuscript evidence from early papyri such as P46 supports this reading and underlines the law’s temporary, preparatory function.

3. Freedom and Responsibility

Galatians 5:1 teaches that believers are liberated for a new life in the Spirit. This freedom does not promote sinfulness but engenders a higher moral calling: “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

V. The Role of the Law for Christians

Though Christ fulfills the Mosaic Law, its moral and ethical dimensions provide timeless wisdom (cf. Romans 7:14). Christian interpretation recognizes distinctions between ceremonial, civil, and moral aspects:

1. Ceremonial Observances

Old Testament ceremonies (feasts, sacrifices, purity rituals) foreshadowed Christ’s atoning work. Hebrews 10:1–10 explains these sacrifices pointed to the ultimate sacrifice in Jesus. Consequently, Christians are not bound to observe the ceremonial regulations for atonement, as Christ’s death and resurrection have rendered them complete.

2. Civil Codes

Ancient Israel’s civil laws served a tribal-theocratic society. While these commandments reflect God’s justice, the New Testament does not mandate reenacting Israel’s legal system. Instead, Christian communities are encouraged to respect governing authorities (Romans 13:1–7) and apply biblical principles of fairness, compassion, and prudence to contemporary social structures.

3. Moral Instructions

Moral directives (e.g., commands against murder, theft, adultery) align with God’s enduring character. The New Testament reaffirms these essentials, reminding believers to “put on the new self” (Ephesians 4:24) and to do everything in love (1 Corinthians 16:14). Insofar as the Mosaic Law reflects moral truths about holiness and righteousness, that aspect continues to instruct believers.

VI. Life in the Spirit and the Law of Christ

Romans 8:2–4 teaches that the Holy Spirit empowers believers to fulfill the “righteous requirements of the law.” This new dynamic is sometimes called “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2), summarizing the ethical commands in the principle of love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40). Believers do not revert to legal observances for salvation but pursue obedience as a grateful response to grace.

From a philosophical and behavioral science perspective, this approach aligns with how lasting transformation occurs through inward change—by the Spirit rather than external legal compulsion. Historically, communities shaped by these teachings have championed moral living, social reform, and benevolent practices.

VII. The Law, Faith, and Works

James 2:14–26 clarifies that genuine faith produces works consistent with God’s moral will, yet those works do not secure justification. Rather, they confirm a redeemed life. Manuscripts such as Codex Vaticanus preserve this emphasis on lived devotion, demonstrating that from the earliest textual witnesses, the intersection of faith and works was fundamental to Christianity’s doctrine and practice.

VIII. Unity of Scripture and Reliability

From Genesis onward, Scripture portrays God’s law as revealing His nature and humanity’s need for redemption. The consistency of ancient manuscripts, including the Masoretic Text and Septuagint traditions, confirms that foundational passages remain substantially intact. Modern textual critical work by scholars studying early manuscripts (e.g., the work validating the text of the Pentateuch in the Dead Sea Scrolls) supports the reliability of the scriptural accounts.

This unified narrative, preserved through rigorous copying and confirmed by archaeological discoveries, demonstrates internal coherence of the biblical record concerning sin, redemption, covenant, and law. Flood geology studies, genealogical timelines, and other historical data used in various Christian models further illustrate how the biblical timeline remains consistent with its own literary and theological purposes—though debates persist on exact chronological or scientific interpretations.

IX. Practical Implications for Christians Today

1. Salvation through Christ Alone

Believers rely on Christ’s atoning death and resurrection for salvation, not on legalistic performance. This spiritual security fosters assurance in God’s promise rather than continual anxiety over personal failures.

2. Ethical Guidance

The moral essence of God’s law still teaches believers about holiness, integrity, and compassion. Laws instructing kindness to strangers or fair treatment of the vulnerable find renewed application under the “law of Christ,” summarized by love.

3. Spiritual Maturity and Obedience

Christians grow in sanctification through the power of the Holy Spirit. They do not discard moral commands but embrace them as expressions of the new life in Christ. Biblical texts such as Colossians 3:12–14 encourage virtues like kindness, humility, and patience.

4. Balance of Freedom and Responsibility

Rather than legal rigidity or moral laxity, the biblical stance invites a life of freedom directed by the Holy Spirit. Believers aim to glorify God and love others in day-to-day actions, reflecting the heart behind God’s instructions.

X. Conclusion

Scripture teaches that the Mosaic Law was a foundational covenant for Israel, but its ultimate goal was to point to and be fulfilled in Christ. Once Christ accomplished salvation through His death and resurrection, He initiated a new covenant relationship. Christians are therefore released from the strict legal system for atonement and find life in the Spirit, yet the moral core of the law remains a guidepost for holy living.

This stance emerges consistently across the biblical text, a reliability confirmed by ancient manuscripts, cross-cultural transmission, and doctrinal continuity. For believers, the law serves as both an enduring witness to God’s holiness and a framework transformed by grace through Christ.