4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: “DO not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” Romans 10:4-9 (NASB) Read verses 8-9 on the site.
I grew up as a Southern Baptist in Oklahoma. Even before I was saved in 1986 I had heard from teachers and preachers that Christians are under a dispensation of Grace while Old Testament believers were under a dispensation of the Law….
The work Christ did on the cross did away with any need to be concerned about keeping the Law. Now, while that statement, in a sense, is true it is not true in another sense. What am I talking about? As we study the Law of God in the Old Testament we find two distinct sections of the Law. There is the ceremonial Law that includes the very complex system of festivals or feasts and a very detailed system of sacrifices. All of the ceremonial law was intended to be a type or picture of Christ and His work of atonement on the cross. This is a very complex topic and out of topic for this post. The other section of God’s Law contains the Ten Commandments and all other commands that reveal God’s standards about sin.
What I was taught growing up was that Christ’s birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension fulfilled the Law and did away with it by establishing a new covenant. As I said earlier, this is partially true and partially false. Yes, Christ did come and establish a new covenant. This covenant is a blood covenant that was “cut” with the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. Believers partake of this covenant by dying and being Born Again at salvation.