Dear Friends:

For the lack of proper teaching, many Christians believe and act as though they are still under the Law of Moses, or the Old Covenant.  They include many Messianic Jews and their followers.  It makes people falsely feel "religious."  That is ironic, because the law condemns.  This is also tragic, and denies what Jesus has done for us to set us free.  Most churches reinforce this false belief, and keep people in bondage for their own purposes.  It is mixture of law and grace, and like oil and water, the two do not mix.

It is difficult to argue with or help such people because what they claim their truth "is in the Bible."  True, it is in the Bible, but they have never been taught the difference between the Old Covenant vs. the New Covenant, both "in the Bible."
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If you ever get into such discussions, here are two key Scriptures for those legalists who say the law has not changed because god has not changed.  In fact, the law HAS changed,

1.  "If perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law" (Hebrews 7:11-12, NKJV).

2.  "In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13, NKJV).

The priesthood has been changed!  Our new high priest is after the order of Melchizedek, not Moses or Aaron.  Thank you, Jesus,our High Priest! 

Also, the law represents the bondwoman, Hagar, and Mount Sinai,  "Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? 'Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.' So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free."  (See Galatians 4).

The law is called "the ministry of death written and engraved on stones" (only the Ten Commandments were written and engraved on stones.)  It is also called "the ministry of condemnation" (2 Corinthians 3:7).

"Our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter (law) but of the Spirit; for the letter (law) kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1).

Does this give people a license to sin?  Paul answers: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:1-4).

"The law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).

"You are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14)

Halleluyah!

Jim