The Law of God

📖 The Old Testament Law & the New Covenant

✝️ What Still Applies Today?

 

📚 Breakdown of the Four Types of Old Testament Law

1. 🕊️ Moral Law - It tells us RIGHT AND WRONG regarding conduct and character.  Right and wrong is defined only by God.  The law of God which prescribes the moral or social duties and prohibits the violation of them. The Moral Law of God is His character.  The very essence of Who He is.  God doesn't change. The Ten Commandments and various other commands given to Moses and the Prophets cover what God views as RIGHT and WRONG. 

• Includes universal commands like the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20).
• Reflects God’s holy character and moral will.
• Reinforced in the New Testament (Romans 13:8-10; James 2:8-11).
• Still binding under the New Covenant - though reinterpreted in the light of Christ (e.g., anger = murder in Matthew 5).

✅ Still in effect - We don’t obey the moral law to earn salvation, but to express our love, worship, and new life in Christ. 

🔑 Key Points:

• Not for justification - we’re not made righteous by law-keeping (Galatians 2:16)

• But as fruit of regeneration - we now desire to do what pleases God (Romans 6:18, John 14:15)

• Obedience is not about fear of punishment but a response to love (1 John 4:19)

What about the Sabbath? I asked the Lord about the Sabbath and whether we are still supposed to observe a Holy day where we cease from all works and just worship Him.  This is the answer I received: - “What is the Sabbath?  It is a day of observation to Me!  ‘Works’ in this instance is defined as man doing something for self-gain. Cease from all works and come before Me.  It is laying aside self. Should you still observe the Sabbath?  The Sabbath is no longer about one day – it is about total yielding of oneself to God so the old man is no longer active.  The new man is the new man in Christ - the old ceases to exist.  No more works – just resting in Me to do what I have called you to do.  Total reliance on Me and not on self.  The Sabbath was in the Old Covenant one day committed to God.  The Sabbath in the New Covenant becomes greater – total commitment to God to cease from all works so ‘God’ in you can be glorified. Only one day was required because without Christ in them they could not cease from works in all things on their own.  The Sabbath commitment is greater.  To fulfil this all you need to do is allow Christ in you to rise up and complete His good work in you!”

2. 🕍 Ceremonial Law - This was the sacrifices, ceremonies, traditions and acts one had to perform for the cleansing of sin and to be right standing before God. 

• Included temple sacrifices, festivals, priesthood rules.
• Pointed forward to Christ as the perfect sacrifice and High Priest.
• Fulfilled in Jesus (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1-14).

❌ No longer in effect

What then does that mean for the feasts and celebrations simply as part of worship?  

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths but the substance is of Christ (Colossians 2:16, NKJV).

 I asked the Lord and this is what I believe He spoke: - "The feasts and celebrations were still observed in the New Testament.  All feasts and celebrations point to Jesus.  Observing these feasts and celebrations is a good thing all Christians should do as part of worship to Me.  To partake means you are worshipping Jesus.  Is it a requirement?  No.  Is it good?  Yes.  Can you be cursed in your flesh if you do not do them?  No - but if you do partake in these feasts and celebrations you will grow in strength and spirit.  All worship is a weapon from Me to you to use against the enemy.  Your spirit, soul and body are blessed when you worship Me.  These feasts and celebrations are worship."  

Shortly after this word the Lord led me to a Scripture in Zechariah which shows there is an even greater emphasis in regard to the Feast of Tabernacles. The second half of Zechariah fortells of the return of the Lord to the promised land (Israel/Jerusalem) where He will dwell with the remaining believers for 1000 years. Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain.  If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.  This will be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (Zechariah 14:16-19).  The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, is the third great annual pilgrimage festival when the Jewish people gather together in Jerusalem not only to remember God's provision in the Wilderness but also to look ahead to that promised time of the return of the Lord when all nations will flow to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. During the time of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ the entire world will celebrate this feast because I believe it will mark the return of Jesus to the earth. At that time all nations will be required to join in this yearly gathering, but for now it is voluntary.

 

3. ⚖️ Civil (Judicial) Law - Laws governing the Civil Penalties for Crimes within the Theocracy of Israel.  Theocracy is a system of Government in which Priests rule in the name of God.

• Governed Israel as a nation under theocracy (e.g., laws for theft, adultery, punishment).
• Applied to a specific nation and time.
• No longer binding, but the principles of justice and righteousness still inform Christian ethics.

❌ No longer in effect

 

4. 🩺 Health Laws - Health laws in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 that God gave His people to keep them healthy and free from disease. It included specific instructions on what animals could and couldn't be eaten as well as sanitary practices to avoid otherwise you could become unclean. 

Law Type	Status	Scripture
Ceremonial Health Laws	❌ Not binding - fulfilled in Christ	Mark 7:19, Acts 10:9-16
Moral Health Principles (e.g., purity)	✅ Still binding - body is God’s temple	1 Corinthians 6:19
Practical Health Wisdom	⚠️ Optional - beneficial but not required	Proverbs 3:7-8

📖 Supporting Scriptures

1. Jesus declared all foods clean - Mark 7:18-19
2. Peter’s vision - Acts 10:9-16
3. Paul’s teachings on food - Colossians 2:16; 1 Timothy 4:4-5

 ✅ Are These Health Laws Still Useful?

Yes - many had practical health benefits (avoiding scavengers, promoting hygiene, etc.). While not required, they can still be wise choices.

 

✨ What Did Jesus Say?

“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

Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial and civil laws.
He affirmed and deepened the moral commands (e.g., Sermon on the Mount).

✍️ Paul’s Teaching

"You are not under law but under grace." - Romans 6:14
"The law was our guardian until Christ came..." - Galatians 3:24-25

Believers are now under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2), which upholds the moral law through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-4).

🕊️ Key New Testament Principles

• We now live under the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
• God's moral law is written on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3).
• We obey not to earn salvation, but as the fruit of salvation.
• The Holy Spirit empowers our obedience (Romans 8:3-4; Galatians 5:16-25).

🔍 Under the New Covenant

Only the Moral Law - the eternal, unchanging principles of right and wrong - continues to be in effect.
The Ceremonial and Civil Laws given to Israel under the Old Covenant were fulfilled in Christ and are no longer binding.

 

🩺 Healing & Obedience - Does Exodus 15:26 Still Apply?

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God... I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” - Exodus 15:26

✅ Application Today - Through Sowing and Reaping

“Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” - Galatians 6:7

Even though we’re no longer under the Old Covenant, the principle still applies:

• Obedience and wisdom often lead to health and blessing.
• Poor choices often lead to consequences - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

 

🙏 God Is Still Yahweh-Rapha

• God still heals today - physically, emotionally, and spiritually (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8).
• Healing can come through faith, wisdom, repentance, or grace.
• Obedience is no longer a legal requirement, but it is still the path of blessing.

 

🪴 Final Summary

Truth	Still Applies Today?	How?
Obedience leads to blessing	✅ Yes	Through sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7)
God's healing nature (Yahweh-Rapha)	✅ Yes	He still heals physically and spiritually
Old Covenant law as a requirement	❌ No	We’re under grace, not law (Romans 6:14)
Wisdom in God’s statutes	✅ Yes	Still beneficial for health and well-being

 - Tania Francis