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The Israelites were under the Mosaic law, but they were not saved by it as Peter says: “We believe that we shall be saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as they also” (Acts 15:11). Israelites and Gentiles are both saved on the same basis, that of grace.

However, we learn from Paul that even if we were under the law we have been made dead to it (Romans 7:4). We, by baptism (which is burial - it is dead persons that are buried), have taken our place as dead (Romans 6:1-14) and therefore the law has no longer any application to us (Romans 7:1-4).

Generally Christians accept that they are not saved by keeping the law. However they may think that they are under it for holy living. They may then say that it is only the moral precepts that we are under and not the Mosaic ritual. However, apart from what has been said above about the law being one whole, it must be said that Scripture nowhere divides up the law between moral and ritualistic provisions. In fact if one actually tries to do so one will quickly get into difficulties. Certainly there are provisions for making a tabernacle, consecrating priests and making sacrifices as well as what we would call moral commandments such as “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13). However there are a lot of commandments that do not fall into either category, such as diet, quarantine, conservation, building, and other regulations (Leviticus 11; 13 &14; Deuteronomy 22:6/7 & 8). Further, how can we possibly apply the penalties for offences laid down in the law today ? What about that for marital infidelity for instance (Leviticus 20:10) ?

However, although we are not under the law of Moses, we should follow the principle that is behind it, that is love: “Love works no ill to its neighbour; love therefore [is the] whole law.” (Romans 13:10) If we do that we shall effectively, as Paul says, fulfil the law: “The righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit.” (Romans 8:4). We are not under law, but subject to Christ (Matthew 11:28-30;1 Corinthians 9:21). What then does Christ say ? Not keep the law, but love one another (John 15:12 & 17; see also 1 John 4:21 and 2 John 5/6). A concordance will show many more relevant quotations.

It would be an interesting study to ascertain how the principle of love is behind the provisions in the

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