Jesus makes it clear that as far as this world is concerned, the Old Testament laws are timeless (Mat 5:18). This too was the position of His apostles and other inspired teachers in the New Testament and why we find them constantly quoting those laws in their own instruction (e.g. Eph 6:1-2). As a matter of fact, the entire teaching of the New Testament is fully dependent on both understanding and embracing the continuing authority of the Old Testament laws (Rom 3:31, 13:8-10). This means that what Jesus gave as instruction to God’s New Covenant community (i.e. the Church) was not really new (1Jo 2:7). The same though, was not always true as it related to its application. In this respect, there can be “”newness”” (1Jo 2:8). Knowing however that only some of the Old Testament laws are explicitly addressed and applied in the New Testament, the question becomes, “”What is the biblical process for accurately determining how we as the Church should apply the rest of those laws today?”” The answer to that question is the some of the following three points:

1. Where does it fit in the Decalogue?
2. What is the “spirit of the law”?
3. See – The Application of the Old Testament Laws in the New Covenant/Testament – Part 2

7. The Inspired Teachers of the New Testament were only opposed to the continuing authority of the Old Covenant and its application of the clean laws as necessary for salvation.

Does what God says in the Old Testament have any authority on my life as a Christian today? First of three parts affirming the authority of the Old Testament. The hermeneutic we will follow when interpreting the text.