Why don't Christians follow Jewish Law?

Question

If Jesus was a Jew, his appostles were Jews, and he stated, quite succintly in Matthew 5:17-20:

17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18For 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.

19Whosoever 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.

20For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Why don't Christians follow Jewish Law?

Answer 1

Christ fulfilled it in the New Testament. We are therefore Christians.

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Answer 2

Good question!!!!!!!
The early church did....... Then the Jews led a revolt against the Roman Empire and a man named Constantine 1 "converted" to Christianity and changed the face of the Church and started what brought about the "Dark Ages" and the Church went from a powerful relationship between the Jews and Gentiles to a dead religion of warriors and politics. The word "Christian" in the ears of the Jews quickly became a word that provoked fear and disgust. The Pope become more powerful than the king of Rome and the church became the way to salvation instead of God through Jesus Christ. Constantine convinced the Church that the Jews killed the "Christian god" and in turn, they must be hated killed upon sight. Mary was brought up to "god” status and worshiped and prayed to as the "mother of god". Above all, the truth was hidden behind the dieing language of Latin until William Tyndel translated it into English in the early 1500's, for which the "Church" had him strangled and burned at the stake. This made it where the common man could read the Scriptures. To regain control, King James ordered 47 men to legitimately translate the Bible from the original languages of Hebrew and Greek into English in 1611. It was supposed to be read along side of the Latin, but some of the ones who trusted the translation and not the "Church of England" took that translation and fled to what is now America. I believe that G-d is drawing the Church back to that relationship.

Answer 3

Much of the Jewish law was specifically made to allude forward to Christ's sacrifice. To go on sacrificing goats for our sins is no longer necessary or appropriate, it denies His gift. Those laws haven't been destroyed, they've been fulfilled; they were tailored for the purpose of preparing us for Christ's coming, and now that he did, they no longer apply.

The rest of Jewish law, the bits that don't have to do with the rituals that the Jews were bound by, are still as good an idea as they ever were, but the difference is, they are no longer what determines our righteousness. Before Christ, people lived by the Law; now we live by Grace.

The laws would have been destroyed if Jesus had simply abolished them without providing the substitute. The end effect is stll that Law is no longer what determines our righteousness, but that hasn't been accomplished through abolishing them, it was accomplished by the plan they were made to support being finished.

Answer 4

Because we are free from the rules and regulations of this law.

The Bible clearly states that we are not under the law.

Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." Since we are under grace, we are not under the law.

We learn from the law but we are not under the law. We seek to fulfill the righteousness of the law through the power of the Spirit in us ( Romans 8:4 ) and not by the keeping of 613 rules and regulations of the Mosaic law. God bless.

Answer 5

You stated the reason in your question. Jesus fulfilled the Old Law and instituted a New Law, the New Testament.

Jeremiah, who lived under the Law given at Sinai, said that this Law was temporary and that God was going to make a New Law with His people: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 31:31,32). The New Law would be different from the Old. Jeremiah spoke these words 900 years after the Law was given at Mt. Sinai and 600 years before Christ gave the New Law. The writer of Hebrews in the New Testament quotes this passage from Jeremiah and applies it to Jesus Christ who is "also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second" (Hebrews 8:6-13).

What happened to the Old Testament (the Old Law, or Old Covenant)? The New Testament tells us, "In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away" (Hebrews 8:13). "For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect..." (Hebrews 7:18,19). "Then He said, 'Behold, I have come to do Your will, 0 God.' He takes away the first that He may establish the second" (Hebrews 10:9). "For the priesthood being changed, of necessity, there is also a change of the law" (Hebrews 7:12). The apostle Paul wrote: "Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements (the Law of Moses) that was against us, which was contrary to us, And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14). Paul also wrote concerning this Old Law which contained the Ten Commandments: "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" (Galatians 3:24, 25).

When was the Old Law taken away and the New Law given? It happened when Jesus shed His blood on the cross: "And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives" (Hebrews 9:15-17).

What was the purpose of the Old Law which was given to Israel at Mount Sinai? Paul answers: “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hands of a mediator" (Galatians 3:19). The Seed is Christ (Galatians 3:16). The Old Law, which contained the Ten Commandments, was given to keep Israel under control until Christ came. Since Christ has come and has fulfilled this Law, He has taken it out of the way. He has given us a New Law (covenant or testament). We must go to this New Law to learn how God wants us to serve Him today!

Answer 6

1) the scribes and the Pharisees made up the law, added to the Law, and worshipped word over the Creator.

trust me, I exceed them there....

2) "till all is fulfilled". what did Christ say on the Cross? "it is finished".

3) do I look like a Jew to you? no, I look like a phone.

Answer 7

Why should they follow any other "laws" but their own!?! The Jews follow the Law of Moses and Jehovah, teh Muslims follow only the law of their prophet - the mouthpiece of Allah. The Christians that of Christ....... The communists follow Marxist/Leninist teachings etc. Diversity makes the world go around.

Answer 8

Because we are not under the old Judean Covenant. Jesus came to fulfill the law, as you quoted. He set up a new and better covenant, not with the blood of sheep or goats but with His own blood, shed for our sins. No one could be put right under the old covenant, the Jewish law, because it was based on earning your way to heaven. The new covenant is based on faith in Jesus.

Answer 9

we've been talking a lot about that in my bible study. and here's what i've gotten out of it:

Jewish people followed Rules and Regulations --> The Law
The Pharisees were extreme followers of this law.

The Pharisees are also the ones who KILLED JESUS. Jesus was teaching something different.... He was teaching GRACE.

in Acts and Romans, Paul discusses this. that Jesus FULFILLED the law, by dying on the cross for our sins. "voila!" we are now UNBLEMISHED in God's eyes, because Jesus died for us. now the law does not apply to us Literally anymore, but Figuratively now --> the law is now Written in our Hearts.

so, when people say "oh we are unblemished in God's eyes? so no matter how we sin, we are clean? then why don't we just party all the time and sin, cuz we can?"

Nope. when you really Believe and are Thankful to Jesus for saving us....do you think u will just Ignore him??? NO! to be thankful to him is to Rejoice and to Live a Good Life. Decent, Humble, Good, Positive, Healthy, and Righteous.

yes we will make mistakes. but that's the point: if we keep the Law in our hearts, then it won't matter if we "mess up". we can just pick ourselves up and try again.

in the olden days, if u messed up, u were stoned.

Jesus saved us from that.

good luck to us all.. i'm still learning. but it sure makes me feel Joyous to know that i am forgiven for past, present and future sins. and because that matters to me, i want to Rejoice in it, not punish myself for my mistakes. :)

Answer 10

Well- we do follow basic law, and certainly the Ten Commandments. But when Jesus came, He did banish certain laws that were no longer in need. Such as sacrificing and food laws.

Answer 11

That's a good question!