The New Testament makes it very clear that Christians are not under the law, yet people are often confused about this area. In the first century when Christianity was established, there were many troublesome judaizers that sought to force new believers in Christ back to the Mosaic Law. The entire epistle of Galatians was written to refute this heresy.
We are saved by Grace through Faith ALONE.
The Mosaic Law (the Old Covenant), was an agreement between God and the nation of Israel. We are not the nation of Israel. We are the church and we have a better covenant through the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:6).
However, being made free from the law is not permission to sin (Romans 6:15). We have no need to keep the ceremonial or civic laws of the Old Testament, but the Moral Laws still apply because they are based off the character of God. In some cases moral laws have been added or strengthened by Jesus Christ (see Matthew 5).
One interesting thing about this is while we no longer make sacrifices (Because Jesus is our final sacrifice), we DO practice communion which is done to remember His sacrifice on the cross.
Salvation is by faith alone:
John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Luke 7:50; Acts 10:43; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9
People have always been saved by faith:
Genesis 15:6; Acts 15:8-11; Romans 4:1-5
We are not under the law:
Romans 6:14-16; Romans 10:4; Hebrews 7:18-22; Hebrews 8:6-13
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." - Galatians 2:16
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