The Law Of Christ

The holy scriptures are not always easy to read and understand. The Old Testament has many laws that are impossible for us to keep. Consider some of the following laws. Should we apply capital punishment for incorrigible children? (Exodus 21:18-21), for those caught in adultery? And if you will be honest with yourself, this will include a vast number of people today (Leviticus 20:10). What about the false teachers among us (Deuteronomy 13:1-11)? Should we be stoning them to death?

The Jewish nation established these laws. They were not then to be passed onto the Church. Just over 50 days after Jesus died on the cross, the Church was established. At his death, the new covenant came into effect, and this is the law Christians should keep today.

People have described Jesus as being of greater worth than Moses, and Moses himself tells us that another prophet would come, and we must listen to him. And that prophet was Jesus Christ. When John baptized Jesus in the river. God, the Father's voice was heard, and he also said "listen to him".

We cannot keep both laws, so we must keep one or the other. The new laws of Jesus Christ came into effect the moment Jesus died on the cross, and these are the laws all people must keep. Jews and Christians alike. Keeping these laws is the only way to be seen as righteous in the eyes of God.

The bible is very clear about who we should be listening to. Even Moses himself told us to listen to Jesus Christ, as we can see from Deu 18:15.

Deu 18:15 The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.

Then in Mark 9:7 we have the words of God the Father when Jesus was baptised by John in the river Jordan. God said we must listen to him.

Mar 9:7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

Then Luke informs us in the book of Acts that it is Jesus who we are to take notice of. He quotes what Moses said and then states anyone who does not listen to Jesus will be cut off from his people.

Act 3:22 For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.

Act 3:23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.'

If we are to listen to Jesus and not to Moses, then whose law should we be keeping? The law of Moses or the law of Christ?

When you search for the answer, you find Jesus tells us there are just two commandments that cover the entire law, and that also includes the law of Moses. The book of Matthew clearly shows this.

Mat 22:36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

Mat 22:37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'"

Mat 22:38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

Mat 22:40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The entire law hangs on just these two commandments. The following verses also tell us the importance of loving our fellow man.

1Pe 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1Co 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The author wrote this book to guide the reader in further understanding the difference between these two laws and learning how to keep the most important law, the law of Christ.