The New Testament does not answer this question in a single verse. Jesus says that He came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it; the council in Acts 15 did not support the requirement to circumcise Gentile converts and obligate them to observe the Law of Moses; Paul writes that believers are not under the law, but under grace, and that love fulfills the law. The author of Hebrews speaks of a new covenant that is better than the first.
What Does the Bible Say About This?
- Jesus tells His disciples not to think that He came to abolish the law or the prophets: He came not to abolish them, but to fulfill them. Until everything is fulfilled, not one jot will pass from the law; whoever breaks the least commandment and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:17–20).
- Acts 15:1–11: some taught that no one could be saved without circumcision according to Moses and demanded that Gentiles be instructed to observe the Law of Moses. Peter reminds them that God gave the Gentiles the Spirit without making a distinction, and speaks of a yoke that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear, while we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus.
- Then James proposes not to trouble those turning to God from among the Gentiles, but to write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, blood, meat from strangled animals, and sexual immorality; the letter says not to impose any greater burden on them (Acts 15:19–29). This decision concerns Gentile converts.
- Paul writes that believers are not under the law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14); whoever loves another has fulfilled the law, and the commandments concerning adultery, murder, theft, and coveting are summed up in the command to love one’s neighbor (Rom. 13:8–10).
- The law was our guardian until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith; now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (Gal. 3:23–25). Anyone who receives circumcision is obligated to keep the whole law, while those who seek to be justified by the law have fallen away from grace; in Christ, what matters is faith working through love (Gal. 5:1–6).
- Paul instructs believers not to let anyone judge them regarding food and drink, a festival, a new moon, or a Sabbath: these are a shadow of things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ (Col. 2:16–17). Christ is the mediator of a better covenant; by saying “new,” God has made the first obsolete (Heb. 8:6–13).
- Interpretations differ regarding how exactly to understand the continuing role of the Torah, especially for Jewish believers.
This brief answer was compiled by the editorial team; the verse texts are from the Father’s Blessing Bible.
Key Scripture Passages
9 Scripture passages · Father’s Blessing Bible
Matthew 5:17–20
17 Do not think that I came to abolish the law or the prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. 18 For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or one stroke will pass from the law until everything is fulfilled. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 For I say to you, unless your righteousness surpasses the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Acts 15:1–11
1 Some men came down from Judea and taught the brothers: Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. 2 When Paul and Barnabas had no small disagreement and debate with them, it was decided that Paul and Barnabas, along with some other believers, should go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem concerning this question. 3 So, being sent on their way by the Church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers. 4 When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the Church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 5 But some believers from the sect of the Pharisees rose up and said that it was necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and command them to keep the law of Moses. 6 The apostles and elders gathered to consider this matter. 7 After much discussion, Peter rose and said to them: Brothers, you know that from the earliest days God chose me among you, so that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the Gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 Now then, why are you testing God by wanting to put a yoke on the disciples’ necks that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, just as they will.
Romans 6:14
Sin must not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
Romans 13:8–10
8 Owe no one anything except mutual love, for whoever loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments “You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, [you shall not give false testimony,] you shall not covet what belongs to another” and any other commandment are summed up in this word: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians 3:23–25
23 Before faith came, we were held in custody under the law, until the time when faith was to be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ, so that we might be justified by faith; 25 but now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Galatians 5:1–6
1 So stand firm in the freedom that Christ has given us, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen from grace. 5 But by the Spirit, through faith, we eagerly await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any power, but only faith working through love.
Acts 15:19–29
19 Therefore, I do not think we should make it difficult for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write to them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood[[, and not to do to others what they do not want done to themselves]]. 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from ancient times and is read in the synagogues every Sabbath. 22 Then the apostles and elders, with the whole Church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely: Judas, called Barsabbas, and Silas, men who were leaders among the brothers, 23 and they sent the following letter with them: “The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. 24 We have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with their words and unsettled your souls, saying that you must be circumcised and keep the law, although we gave them no such instruction. 25 So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these necessary requirements: 29 to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality [[, and not to do to others what you do not want done to yourselves]]. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.”
Colossians 2:16–17
16 Therefore, let no one judge you regarding food or drink, or regarding a festival, a new moon, or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of things to come, but the reality belongs to Christ.
Hebrews 8:6–13
6 But this High Priest has received a ministry that is as much superior as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises. 7 For if the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to seek a second. 8 But the prophet, finding fault with them, says: “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 9 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to My covenant, and I turned away from them,” declares the Lord. 10 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord. “I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. 11 No longer will each one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” 13 By calling this covenant “new,” He has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear.
Related Questions
- Are good works sufficient for salvation?
- Should a Christian tithe?
- Should Christians observe the Sabbath?
