A reader recently e-mailed stated that he agreed with much of what this web site has to say, but questioned if the law was really canceled and if the dietary laws along with taking a day off from work were not just good advice for life. He also thought that keeping the feasts was a good reminder of what Jesus has done. All-in-all, he thought that keeping the law was good for righteous living. The e-mail has been paraphrased and the response clarified. I share it because it summarizes much about what myRedeemer.org is about.

I am concerned that you might not read this response entirely, but I urge you to --not because I have spent hours this week on it, but because of the relevant scriptures that answer your question. I trust that you really were honest when you said that you are looking for truth on your journey.

If you were looking for the exact phrase indicating that the law has indeed been canceled, then the Colossians passage below might answer your query:

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:13-14) These regulations are not merely the ten commandments.

However, being a New Testament Christian, it seems that you are really interested in finding other applications for God's word. The trouble with trying to extract just some passages for daily life and not using them they were given (as "the law"), is that our human pride is given a foot-hold. Here are some examples of how pride --legalism-- moves in and takes hold unnoticed:

Most would agree that God had our health in mind when He provided dietary rules. Based on that, we would conclude that we should not eat those items that He declared to be unclean (pork, shrimp, etc.).

That in itself is not a problem. What typically happens however, it that people then form groups of those that think the same way --again not a problem in itself. The next step is where it goes disastrously wrong. They begin to look down on others that do not think and live the same way that they do. God gave Peter a vision (in the book of Acts) to let him know that all people were just as "clean" or "holy" as he was even though they ate meat that is identified in the dietary law as being from "unclean" animals.

In a similar way --before the flood-- man did not eat meat at all. Yet after the flood, Noah began the practice of eating meat --and God blessed it! Those who continue to eat only vegetables --because they think they are more pleasing to God-- are no better or worse than those who eat meat. In Romans 14 they are referred to as "weak in their faith." Did our health needs change? We don't know for sure, but God has declared all meat to be "clean" --we are to give thanks for whatever we have because He provided it for us.

What about the sabbath? Of course we are better off physically and mentally if we don't work day after day without a break. It will destroy our health --not to mention relationships with others-- due to tiredness and stress. Beware though! Pride easily creeps into the Christian's way of life in regard to God's command for "a day of rest."

Some Christians observe the sabbath starting on Friday night at 6 o'clock. Then there are other Christians that observe their day of rest beginning on Sunday morning --because that is the day that Jesus rose.

Here is the problem. Both groups avoid their places of employment on their designated day. But the first group takes it even farther, some of them won't even open their window shades or answer the door on their sabbath --not even to help a person in distress. Why? Because it's "not keeping the sabbath"! Both groups tend to look down on each other. According to that Romans 14 passage, both groups are equally acceptable --in fact, treating every day as the sabbath is also good. The fulfillment of the sabbath rest is explained in Hebrews 3 and 4. It describes ending a life of religion and entering into a new life --His salvation --His rest. Furthermore, "Then He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath'." (Mark 2:27)

Observing the feasts raises the same problem. As an example, how accurately is the Passover feast to be kept?

Do we eat the bitter herbs? Do we use real wine like He did? Do we bring out an actual sheep three days in advance to show it to the community and then properly slaughter it, share with the person next door, and burn what is left? Do we teach our children to seek the spirit of Elijah? If we misinterpret any of these, have we made a mockery of the feast?

Should we merely drink the wine and eat the bread on communion Sunday --recognizing that that is purely based on a small part of the Passover dinner that our Lord was eating with the apostles? And for that matter, how sinless must we be to take part? Do we have to have a letter of membership at that assembly --or have been baptized? The same question is appropriate for both groups: Do we use real wine like Jesus told us to? Or is it acting in unbelief for us substitute grape juice because our flesh might be weak or we don't like alcohol?

Here again is where legalism creeps in and ruins the whole batch. No one should consider himself to be better than another in the slightest way --they should embrace one another for what God has shown them. We should understand that the Passover feast is a perfect picture of what our Lord and Savior has done for us.

I hope that you and I are in agreement at this point. The whole "law", prophets and psalms were written to tell us about Him; to help mankind recognize Him when He came in a human body and to explain His Father's plan of redemption for His creation --it's all about Jesus!

But we need to be very careful because our pride --due to our fallen nature-- trys to work itself through our whole being just as leaven does in bread. We must be certain to rightly divide His word and use what God says is acceptable and not acceptable (that's what "the law" is for). We need to rely on Him to determine the dividing line between those things that are permissible and those that are abhorrent.

The "law" was fulfilled --completed --ended for Christians. It did it's work in us.

Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. (Galatians 23-25)

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. (Romans 3:19-20)

And we uphold the law (Romans 3:31) be declaring our guilt; our need for life which only can come from God; and putting on His righteousness, forgiveness, and holiness once and for all. Still, "the law" remains for those who have not yet reached the end of themselves. They still need to be exposed for who they are and shown that He is their only hope.

The only people that Jesus railed against during His entire human life were the religious --those who "observed the law", but never realized what it was for. The feasts describe nearly every aspect of Him. The law describes everything He has done on our behalf. (In addition to the books of the law, the books of wisdom display the emptiness of our ways; the history and poetry books tell all about our relationship with Him; and the prophetic books explain that our security that can only be found in Him.)

I totally enjoy going to the local Messianic Synagogue for Sadar dinner where the rabbi explains how each of its details points to Jesus. Every year he repeats the same message: "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ." (Colossians 2:16-17).

I stress avoiding legalism for God says in 1 Corinthians 6 and 10 --four separate times-- that all things are permissible! It's just that ALL things are not beneficial nor are they constructive --we should not be mastered by them. The law had to be finished for Him to tell us that.

Let us choose how we follow Jesus without being pridefully judgmental about other Christians. Else we are establishing our own law that is greater than God's law. We should accept His completion of that law and not be like the adulterous people in Romans 7 that were told to be done with it like a dead spouse --and have no more to do with it.

"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." (Romans 7:4)

There is no righteousness nor the bearing of fruit to God apart from His Son. Righteousness cannot come through observing even the smallest part of the law --it can only be received as a gift that comes through Jesus.

The whole law --dietary; sacrificial, and priestly-- was changed when Jesus died. "When there is a change in the priesthood there must also be a change in the law." (Hebrews 7) That did not take effect until the one who made the new covenant died (Hebrews 9). There are two "laws" (covenants) described in Romans 8 and we can choose which one to be under. But for a Christian the choice should be straightforward: "Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."

In closing, remember, every law --and God's is no exception-- has to have a result. There is no law without its corresponding curse. We are fooling ourselves if we believe that for a moment God left the rule, but took away the punishment. One who has the Spirit has the resulting eternal life; one who lives under the law spelled out in the old testament has the resulting death.

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:21-24)

The result is always listed along with the rule (commandment, statute, regulation, or "guide to holy living"); sometimes it was washing; sometimes retribution; sometimes stoning to death --but there was always a required result. To ignore that result a person has "has trampled the Son of God under foot, treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace." (Hebrews 10:29) The only "sin" described in the entire book of Hebrews is that of not trusting our lives with Jesus --not entering into His Sabbath Rest-- once and for all. Moses said to his people, "I set before you life and death. Choose life!"

May God bless as you continue seeking the Truth.