Evangelicals are all over the place regarding the “law of God.” No two Christians agree on what Biblical laws are in force and binding. Evangelicals agree, for the most part, on the validity of New Testament commands, laws, and precepts. However, when it comes to Old Testament law, opinions diverge, often wildly so.
Some Evangelicals believe the Old Testament law was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead. The 613 laws found in the Old Testament are not binding on believers. Other Evangelicals divide Old Testament laws into three categories: moral, ceremonial, and judicial. Only Old Testament laws “deemed” moral are valid and in force today. These Evangelicals typically hang on to the Ten Commandments, laws governing sexual behavior, and laws that are prooftexts for their peculiar codes of conduct.
I grew up in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church movement. I was taught that we were New Testament (New Covenant) Christians; that we were obligated to follow the teachings of the New Testament alone. Well, except when pastors wanted to preach against this or that sexual sin, women wearing pants, tithing, or any other hot-button issue stuck in their craws (or up their asses) that week. Then Old Testament proof texts were trotted out to justify their pulpit pronouncements. Sometimes, preachers would preach up the Ten Commandments — well, actually the Nine Commandments since IFB adherents are not sabbath keepers — ignoring the fact that the previous week they preached about being New Testament Christians. Quite frankly, such preaching could be quite schizophrenic, leading congregants to quietly say to themselves, “preacher, make up your mind!”
Some Evangelicals — mainly Calvinists — believe there is continuity between the Old Testament and New Testament; that all the laws of God, rightly interpreted, are binding and in force. As an Evangelical Calvinist, my favorite Bible verses on the law of God were found in Matthew 5:17-19:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them. What “law” was Jesus talking about? The Old Testament.
Jesus went on to say that not one jot or tittle (the minutest of parts) of Old Testament law will pass until ALL be fulfilled. Not just his death and resurrection; until ALL be fulfilled. Jesus said exactly what he meant by ALL. Til Heaven and earth pass away, the law of God is in force and binding. Has Heaven and earth passed away? Has Jesus created a new Heaven and new earth, as promised in the book of Revelation? No, so this means the law of God is still in force. Based on this interpretation of the Bible, most Evangelicals are lawless. Not only do most Evangelicals ignore the Old Testament’s laws, but they also show no regard for some of the Ten Commandments — especially the Sabbath command.
How did the churches you grew up in talk about the law of God? Please share your experiences in the comment section.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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