Some religious people believe the Old Testament to still be in effect. If not for all men, then at least for the Jewish people. While we believe the Law to be from God, and an important part of our story of redemption, Paul made it very clear that its authority was only temporary. This truth is taught time and again in scripture, but a very interesting argument on the matter is made by Paul in Galatians 3:15-18:
“Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise” (Galatians 3:15-18).
In effect Paul writes that the promise God made to save men through the Seed (Jesus Christ) predated the law of Moses by 430 years. As Paul argued continuously to the Judaizers, the coming of the Christ ushered in a change! Hence, Paul’s contention that the law of Moses can’t annul the promise God made to Abraham long before.
In fact, the Old Law was never intended to be the way God ultimately redeemed man. “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect” (Hebrews 10:1). Instead, it served the purpose of preparing the way for the Messiah, showing Jesus to be God’s son, and the Annointed One.
Think of it as a step in the process of redemption. So, once the step was taken, God moved on to the next step. God first promised Abraham to make his descendants into a nation of people. This He did by leading the Jews out of Egypt, and protecting them until His second promise of land was fulfilled as they entered and made Canaan their own. His final promise is what is mentioned in Galatians 3. Through the Seed (Christ) he assured all men the inheritance of eternal life. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:16-17).
The law of Moses is merely a part of God’s promise to Abraham, it does not oppose or annul faith in Jesus!
