Are Christians Still Under the Law? Understanding Law, Grace, and the Sabbath
As believers in Christ, a common question arises: Are we still under the law of Moses? What does the Bible say about grace, the Sabbath, and our relationship to God’s commands today? This blog aims to provide a clear, Bible-based answer.
Faith Before the Law: Abraham’s Example
Before the law was ever given, God called Abraham. Abraham was saved by faith, not by keeping any set of laws. Genesis 15:6 (NKJV) states:
“And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
God promised Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8). This prophecy pointed directly to Jesus Christ, who would come to save us. This shows that salvation was available before the law, through faith.
The Purpose and Limitations of the Law
Later, God gave the law through Moses. However, the New Testament explains that the law could not save us because it could not change the human heart. Romans 8:3 (NKJV) says:
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son…”
God had already promised a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31–33 (NKJV):
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant… I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts…”
No Longer Under the Law
The New Testament confirms in several places that believers are no longer under the law:
Romans 6:14 (NKJV): “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”
Galatians 3:24–25 (NKJV): “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
Colossians 2:16–17 (NKJV): “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
Jesus Fulfilled the Law
Jesus said in Matthew 5:17–18 (NKJV):
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
When something is fulfilled, it means it has been completed. Jesus completed the law’s purpose.
Understanding the Sabbath and True Rest
The Sabbath was instituted under Moses, yet even in Joshua’s time, the people had not entered God’s true rest. Hebrews 4:8–10 (NKJV) explains:
“For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day… For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.”
In Christ, we now enter that rest. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28–30 (NKJV):
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest… For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
This rest is more than relief from stress; it is rest from trying to earn righteousness through works.
Galatians 3:24–25 again highlights the law as a “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ. Like a teacher prepares students for life beyond school, the law’s role was to lead us to maturity in Christ.
Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath
Jesus clarified:
Mark 2:27–28 (NKJV): “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”
Paul reinforces this change in Colossians 2:16–17 and Romans 14:5–6 (NKJV):
“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.”
Paul: Not Under the Law of Moses but Under the Law of Christ
In 1 Corinthians 9:20–21 (NKJV), Paul explains:
“…to those who are under the law, as under the law… to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ)…”
Paul makes it clear he is no longer under the law of Moses but under the law of Christ.
What Is the Law of Christ?
Galatians 6:2 (NKJV) says:
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
The law of Christ refers to His teachings—grace, love, mercy, and making disciples as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19–20 (NKJV):
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…”
Conclusion
Understanding that we are no longer under the law of Moses but under grace through Christ brings true freedom. We now live under the law of Christ, guided by His teachings and empowered by His Spirit.
This is not an exhaustive study, but I hope it provides a helpful overview of what Scripture teaches on this subject. Feel free to explore these verses further and reflect on what it means to live in the grace and rest that Christ provides.