The primary covenant of the Old Testament covenants is the Old Covenant, which is what we call the law, or the Mosaic Covenant.
We need to realize that The Old Covenant is no longer active and has been replaced by the New Covenant. We are not under The Law.
The word law is towrah in the Hebrew pronounced– to·rä’. We are not under the to-ra
Jesus has fulfilled the law, the Sabbath, and the Feasts.
Now there are three parts to the Old Covenant 1-the moral law 2- the Ceremonial Law 3- And the Judicial or Civil Law.
Some people say that we are bound by moral law, we are still under moral law – but not the religious law, or ceremonial law.
But we must realize that there is no distinction between the three of these in the New Testament. When it says we are not under the Law it is also referring to the moral law-what is right and what is wrong, which is a type of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Under the New Covenant the laws are spiritual principles, the head law is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. When we walk in the Spirit, we fulfill the righteous requirement of the law which goes beyond the moral law in that our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, intentions, and motives come into line with the new heart we receive which is portrayed in the Sermon of the Mount (Romans 8:1-8)(Mathew 5-7)
We are able to fulfill the righteous requirement of the law because it is no longer us who live, but Jesus who lives through us. Christianity is not doing better, but another Spirit living through us.
Not once in the New Testament do we see a separation of these three aspects of THE LAW. We must not lean upon our own understanding but search the Written word of God, because it interprets itself. There is no other book like it in the world, The Bible is living, and will speak to us according to our level of growth in God.
THE LAW
There are the Three Parts to the Old Covenant 1-the Moral law 2- the Ceremonial Law 3- And the Judicial or Civil Law
The Moral Law in the Hebrew is Mishpatim- it means judgments.
“Ordinances” (appointed custom, manner, statute) are based on God’s nature as Yahweh M’Kadesh. (God, our holiness).
The purpose of these ordinances is to promote the welfare of those who follow them.
There is little doubt that the welfare of those in adulterous relationships, or those who murder someone will result in consequences such as broken relationships, loneliness, worry and fear of retribution.
The Ten Commandments summarize moral law.
CEREMONIAL LAW
Ceremonial Law are statutes- Hukkim or Chuqqah-in Hebrew.
“Statutes” focus on relationship with God. It relates to our right standing with God through ceremonies and sacrifices. It also includes feasts and festivals, dietary and clothing requirements to make them different from the surrounding nations, and signs that point to the coming Messiah (for example, circumcision, Sabbath, Passover, the redemption of the first-born.
Judicial or Civil Law.
These laws encompass all moral law except the Ten Commandments. They include laws around murder, sexuality, restitution, safe cities. Jewish culture makes no difference between moral laws and judicial laws and nor should we.
The Law was Added because of Man’s Inability to Resist Sin.
GALATIANS 3:19 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 HAND OF A MEDIATOR.
THE OLD COVENANT IS GOOD AND HOLY
ROMANS 7:12 THEREFORE THE LAW IS HOLY, AND THE COMMANDMENT HOLY AND JUST AND GOOD.
But it Cannot Help us to Overcome Sin.
ROMANS 7:18 FOR I KNOW THAT IN ME (THAT IS, IN MY FLESH) NOTHING GOOD DWELLS; FOR TO WILL IS PRESENT WITH ME, BUT HOW TO PERFORM WHAT IS GOOD I DO NOT FIND.
The Old Covenant Brought about an Adding of Sin to our Account.
ROMANS 5:13 FOR UNTIL THE LAW SIN WAS IN THE WORLD, BUT SIN IS NOT IMPUTED WHEN THERE IS NO LAW.
Here we find that sin is no longer added to our account if there is no law. Therefore, when we become a believer, we are dead to sin.
The Law Brought a Conviction of Guilt.
JAMES 2:9 BUT IF YOU SHOW PARTIALITY, YOU COMMIT SIN, AND ARE CONVICTED BY THE LAW AS TRANSGRESSORS.
The Old Covenant Empowers Sin to Kill us.
ROMANS 7:11 FOR SIN, TAKING OCCASION BY THE COMMANDMENT, DECEIVED ME, AND BY IT KILLED ME.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:56 THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.
The Law Brought Judgment and Condemnation.
ROMANS 5:18 THEREFORE, AS THROUGH ONE MAN’S OFFENSE JUDGMENT CAME TO ALL MEN, RESULTING IN CONDEMNATION, EVEN SO THROUGH ONE MAN’S RIGHTEOUS ACT THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, RESULTING IN JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE.
Being Under the Works of the Law brings a Curse.
GALATIANS 3:10 FOR AS MANY AS ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER THE CURSE; FOR IT IS WRITTEN, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT CONTINUE IN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM.”
From the Giving of the Law until Now, Sin Reigns Over the Unbeliever.
ROMANS 5: 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in (intimate union with) death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to (motion into) eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sin reigned resulting in the death of the human body. The dead also refer to those who have not yet received Jesus as Lord and entered the family of God.
Therefore, sin reigns over the unbeliever.
The Law Produces Good Desires in us to Obey it.
ROMANS 7:22 FOR I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD ACCORDING TO THE INWARD MAN.
But it Produces a Self-righteousness also which is deadly. It divides the Body of Christ and opens you up the spirit of Pride and Judgment and religious spirits.
PHILIPPIANS 3:9 AND BE FOUND IN HIM, NOT HAVING MY OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH IS FROM THE LAW, BUT THAT WHICH IS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST, THE RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS FROM GOD BY FAITH.
What the Law could not do, Jesus Accomplished by Condemning Sin in the Flesh, where it Dies Through His Death on the cross.
ROMANS 8:3-4 FOR WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO IN THAT IT WAS WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH, GOD DID BY SENDING HIS OWN SON IN THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH, ON ACCOUNT OF SIN: HE CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH, THAT THE RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US WHO DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH BUT ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.
The Law no Longer Teaches us.
GALATIANS 3:24 THEREFORE THE LAW WAS OUR TUTOR TO BRING US TO CHRIST, THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.
Now that grace and faith have come to us as believers, the Law is no longer needed.
GALATIANS 3:25 BUT AFTER FAITH HAS COME, WE ARE NO LONGER UNDER A TUTOR.
Trying to obey the law, besides not helping us, will make us focus more on sin and the law, the very opposite of what we need. WE need to walk by the Spirit and keep our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, and stay yielded to His Spirit.