There is an ongoing campaign today amongst many Christians who want to eliminate the need for laws and commandments -- more specifically Old Testament laws -- in light of God's salvation given through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
With the rise of legalism, many Christians who have been hurt by moralism now declare that law is dead. More liberal believers are claiming that tithing, homosexuality, proper diets and many other Old Testament laws have now been made obsolete because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
But is the law truly obsolete? Are we reading the Old Testament for nothing? During His ministry, Jesus declared in Matthew 5:17, "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."
While some Mosaic laws have evolved due to cultural changes (i.e., some civil and cultural laws in Leviticus such as harvesting practices, body cleansing and work laws), the ultimate goal of all laws is to provide us with a picture of God's holiness, faithfulness and love.
Here are three reasons why we still need the law, even if Jesus has already paid for the consequences of sin.
Laws reflect God's holiness
The law is far from perfect, but it is the closest representation of the holiness and justice of God. Without a picture of God's holiness, it will be hard to revere and adore Him as holy and perfect. Psalm 19:8 tells us, "The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes."
Laws remind us that we need grace
The law exists to remind us also of just how screwed up we are without the grace of God. When Jesus told us that just looking at a woman lustfully is already adultery, it was His way of saying, "this is how high the standard you need to meet is and that's why you need me."
Romans 8:3 says, "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh."
Laws give light and protection
Imagine what the world would be like today if "Thou shalt not kill" and "Thou shalt not steal" were abolished. The law exists to protect the civil and moral rights of people, and to keep us secure in the light that it brings.
The law also protects us from the danger we may bring to ourselves by shedding light upon our hearts and revealing the precepts of our motives. Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
