The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) presents Jesus’ authoritative teaching on righteousness in the kingdom of heaven, raising a crucial question: How does His teaching relate to the Law of Moses? In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” This fulfillment does not mean continuation but completion—Jesus fully satisfied the demands of the Law of Moses, rendering it obsolete and establishing a new standard: the Law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
A clear dispensational distinction must be made—believers today are not under the Law of Moses in any form. We are not required to keep its moral code, its ceremonial regulations, or its civil statutes. Rather, we live under Grace, following the Law of Christ, which naturally results in a moral life not by obligation to Moses’ Law but by the power of love and the Spirit.
This essay will examine how Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Law, why it is now obsolete, and how believers today live under the new standard of the Law of Christ.
Words: 1267 / Time to read: 7 minutes
1. Jesus’ Fulfillment of the Law: Bringing It to Completion
Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17–18 are foundational:
- Not Abolished, But Fulfilled – Jesus did not discard the Law as meaningless, but He brought it to its intended completion.
- Every Letter Accomplished – The Law remained valid until Jesus accomplished its purpose.
- His Fulfillment Rendered It Obsolete – Because He fulfilled it completely, it no longer has any jurisdiction over believers.
The book of Hebrews clarifies this:
- “The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:18–19)
- “By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.” (Hebrews 8:13)
If something is obsolete, it is no longer binding. The Law of Moses ended as a rule of life the moment Christ fulfilled it through His perfect obedience and atoning death.
2. The Law of Moses Was a Complete Unit—Now Entirely Replaced
Many attempt to divide the Law of Moses into three parts: moral, ceremonial, and civil, arguing that while the ceremonial and civil laws have passed away, the moral law remains. However, the Law was never divided in Scripture—it was a single unit.
James 2:10 makes this clear:
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”
If one part is binding, all of it is binding. But Paul decisively states that the entire Law is no longer in effect:
“Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4)
Believers today are not obligated to any part of the Mosaic Law, even its moral commands. Instead, we follow the Law of Christ, which results in righteous living through the Holy Spirit.
3. The Law of Christ: The New Standard for Believers
What replaces the Mosaic Law? The New Testament repeatedly affirms that believers are under a new law—the Law of Christ:
- “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)
- “To those not having the law, I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.” (1 Corinthians 9:21)
The Law of Christ is not a legal code, but a way of life empowered by the Spirit. It is summarized by two great commands:
- Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37)
- Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:39)
Paul affirms:
“Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:10)
Following the Law of Christ produces moral living, not because we are obligated to the Law of Moses, but because love naturally fulfills all moral righteousness.
4. How the Law of Christ Exceeds the Law of Moses
Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount illustrates how the Law of Christ surpasses the Mosaic Law. Rather than a system of external rules, Christ calls for inward transformation:
- Murder vs. Anger (Matthew 5:21–26) – The Mosaic Law forbids murder; Jesus calls us to eliminate hatred.
- Adultery vs. Lust (Matthew 5:27–30) – The Law forbids adultery; Jesus demands purity of heart.
- Justice vs. Mercy (Matthew 5:38–42) – The Law allows retaliation; Jesus calls for forgiveness.
- Loving Neighbor vs. Loving Enemies (Matthew 5:43–48) – The Law commands love for fellow Israelites; Jesus commands love for all, including enemies.
This shift reveals that Christ’s Law is not merely a new set of rules—it is an entirely new way of life, shaped by love and empowered by grace.
5. The Law of Moses Was Temporary; Grace Is Permanent
The Law of Moses was always meant to be temporary:
- A Guardian Until Christ Came
- “The law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” (Galatians 3:24–25)
- A Shadow of Christ’s Reality
- “These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” (Colossians 2:17)
- Set Aside in Christ’s New Covenant
- “For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.” (Hebrews 8:7)
Since Jesus fulfilled and ended the Mosaic Law, it no longer applies in any way, shape, or form. The believer’s rule of life is now Christ and His teachings under grace.
6. Practical Implications for Believers Today
Since we are under the Law of Christ and not the Law of Moses, this affects how we live:
- We Do Not Follow the Law of Moses – Not even the Ten Commandments as a legal system; we follow Christ’s commands, which naturally reflect moral righteousness.
- We Live by the Spirit, Not Legalism – The Holy Spirit produces holiness in us (Galatians 5:16–18), not adherence to Old Testament rules.
- We Are Motivated by Love, Not Obligation – We obey God because we love Him, not because we are bound to a legal code (2 Corinthians 5:14).
- We Preach Grace, Not Law – The gospel is about Christ’s finished work, not Moses’ system (Galatians 2:16).
As Lewis Sperry Chafer puts it:
“To impose the Mosaic Law upon the believer today is to ignore the entire doctrine of grace, which is the distinctive revelation of this age.” (Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Grace: The Glorious Theme. Zondervan, 1950.)
Conclusion
The Sermon on the Mount demonstrates the contrast between the Old Covenant and the New. While Jesus upheld the Law’s original intent, He also fulfilled it, making it obsolete and establishing a new standard—the Law of Christ.
Believers today do not look to Moses for guidance but to Christ, who empowers us to live righteously by His Spirit. The Law of Moses is entirely obsolete, but in following Christ, we fulfill the heart of God’s moral will—not by obligation to the old law, but as a natural overflow of love and grace.
“For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)
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New International Version (NIV)
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For Further Reference: A Detailed Study on the Entire Sermon on the Mount