What Is the Law of Moses, and Why It Could Not Save Us?
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The Law of Moses was a system of laws consisting of 613 commandments that God gave to
the People of Israel through Moses. Included in the Law are the 10 commandments that
were written on tablets of stones by the hand of God and 603 commandments that God gave
orally to Moses. If you were to enumerate every command that was given by God in the
first five books of the Bible, you would noticed the 613 commandments that became known
as the Law of Moses.
"The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the
first tabernacle was yet standing: Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both
gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on
them until the time of reformation (Hebrews 9: 8-10)."
The Law of Moses commanded that every year the people of Israel would perform of a
multitude of religious rituals including; animal sacrifices, sprinkling of blood, offerings for
sins, diverse types of washings including baptism, tithe offerings, fasting, oil anointing,
dietary laws and the observances of various festivals such as the Sabbath, the Passover and
Pentecost.
The law also pronounced curses to everyone who did not do everything in accordance to the
Law and commanded for those who did not obey the Law to be cut off from Israel.
"Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen
(Deuteronomy 27:26)."
The Law kept us bound to sin, that is why Jesus had to take it out of the way
Paul said that these sacrifices and offerings could only do temporary atonement (covering of
sin); but could never take away our sins, as sin remained always in the conscience of those
who performed these rituals. He said that the Law of Moses was contrary to us because it
was impossible for anyone to accomplish all of its commandments of the Law. Since no one
could fulfill each of the commandments of the Law, everyone remained bound to sin and to
the curses of the Law. In order to save us from our sins, Jesus had to fulfill everything that
was commanded in the Law, including become the ultimate sacrifice for sin. Through His
mighty sacrifice, Jesus redeemed from both, the Law and the curses of the Law.
"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many as are of the works of the
law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are
written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is
evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall
live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Galatians 3:9-13)."
When Jesus came, He offered a perfect sacrifice for sin. With His own blood He washed our
sins away and by His redemptive words He cleansed our minds from the conscience of sin.
Then He poured on us the spirit of His salvation, which is the seal guarantee for the time of
our redemption. Jesus became the High Priest of a better Covenant, and He Himself is
sitting in the Holy of Holiest at the Heavenly Tabernacle.
The Law was not meant save us but to guide us to Jesus, who would save us.
The Apostle Paul said that the Law of Moses had been given to Israel because of their
transgressions, their disobedience and their unbelief. Paul further explained that the Law of
Moses was given to the Jewish nation as a guide to lead them into righteousness, but at the
same time this system was like a measuring device that made sin visible and kept us bound to
sin. He said that the Law was like a tutor; a guide or a schoolmaster that was implemented to
keep us in track or guide us until the time that faith in Jesus would be revealed.
"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be
revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by
faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:23-26)."
In other words, the Law of Moses was implemented to keep us in our path with the Father,
until Jesus the Lord of Righteousness paid the price of our salvation. He gave us faith, and
sealed us with His Holy Spirit for the time of our redemption.
Jesus Fulfilled the Law, then Nailed it to the Cross
Paul said that Jesus took all of the decrees of the Law that were against us and nailed them to
the cross, thereby abolishing the Law and setting us free from sin and from the curse of the
Law. However, there are still some bible teachers who teach that we are commanded or
mandated to perform many of the rituals of the Law because Jesus observed these during His
earthly ministry.
"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out
of the way, nailing it to his cross (Colossians 2:14)."
It is important for Christians to understand that Jesus observed not only the rituals of water
purification (baptism), the observance of the Sabbath, tithes and Passover (the Lord's Supper)
but also all of the rituals that were commanded by the Law including circumcision on the
eight day after His birth, bar mitzvah and all of the commandments of the Law that were
required of Him including being hanged on a tree. He was born while the Law was still in
effect; therefore, braking the Law would had made Jesus a sinner, and would have kept Him
from becoming the righteous sacrifice for our sins. Jesus had to do everything according to
the Law in order to fulfill it and to abolish it. According to Paul, the Law was fulfilled and
taken out of the way at the time when Jesus was nailed to the cross. In other words all of
the rituals that Jesus did during His life on earth, He did because these were commanded in
the Law.
Paul was careful to explain that the hand writing of ordinances, meaning all of the rituals that
were included in the Law, were taken out of the way and nailed to the cross. For this reason,
Paul warned not to be deceived by the philosophies, traditions and vain deception of men
after the rudiments of the world, for we have been completed in Jesus.
" Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power (Colossians 28-10)."
He also told us not to let anyone judge us about the food that we eat, the drinks that we
drink, the days or festivals that we observed or even the Sabbath, for all of these rituals are
like shadows of things to come but the body (the Church ) is of Jesus.
" Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of
the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ (Colossians 2: 16-17)."
The Bible says that Jesus was the end of the Law for those who believed, for the Law was
given to Moses, but grace and truth came through our Lord Jesus who paid the price of our
sins. Jesus set us free from the traditions and rituals of the Law, by doing this He has enable
us to enter the kingdom of God.
Those who try to become justified by the rituals of the Law are still under a curse
Through the Law one had to perform all of the commandments of the law in order to live in
the midst of the people of Israel. While we were under the law, we were still in bondage by
the law. In other words, we were constantly in debt, paying a price for a redemption that we
could not acquire. There was no salvation through the Law of Moses. God had intended it
this way, so no one could boast claiming that he or she is more righteous than the other
because he or she has offered more sacrifices, more offerings or has fasted more often that
the other. God does not share His glory and we can not buy out our salvation. It is the free
gift of God, not by works, but by Grace through faith in the redemption of Jesus.
Paul said that those who try to justify themselves by the Law have fallen from the grace of
God. Do you know what this means? It simply means that we will not enter the kingdom of
God, but end in the Lake of Fire.
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them (Galatians 3:10-14)."
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the
yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For
I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law (Galatians 5:1-3)."
We are saved by Grace through active faith in Jesus, not by sitting in church!
The Bible says that because all of us have sinned, we all have fallen short of the glory of
God. For that reason God sent His Son Jesus the Messiah to pay the penalty for our sins.
That is why Jesus died for us and God wants us to believe in His Son.
Now that Jesus has set us free from the bondage of the Law, God cares less about the
multitude of our religious activities for these can never justify us before God. God does not
want us to be religious; however, He wants us to be righteous. That is to do that which is
right before God and not that which seems to be right by man.
Jesus said that we must love God with all our strength, and love our neighbors as we love
ourselves. How can we say that we have faith and love God whom we have not seen, when
we don't love people who we see and surround us everyday. How can we love God and not
love those who God so greatly loved to the point that He sent His Son to die for them.
The Bible says that we are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus and not by
the performance of religious activities from the Law. But how can we say that we have faith
when we don't believe in Jesus enough to put our old sinful ways behind and begin living in
obedience to His teachings. I am not referring to religious rituals as many religious fleshy
minded men teach or think, but to be righteous and to do that which is right before God.
That is to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbors as Jesus has commanded us
to do. The deeds of compassion, kindness and mercy are still in effect in the Law of Christ
(the Law of Liberty) without these deeds no one will see the Lord.
"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared
for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no
drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye
visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a
stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying,
Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these
shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal (Matthew 25:41-46)."
Every tree that doesn't produce fruits will be cut off and thrown in the Lake of Fire, Jesus
said so!
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Brother Ivan Maldonado