Old Testament Law — What Applies and What
Doesn’t?
The Old Testament contains over 600 laws. Do Christians have to
follow all of them? This lesson teaches you how to understand
Old Testament law in its original context and determine what
principles carry forward.
~20 min watch + readVideo + podcast companionPDF handout includedTaught by Andrew RamirezCompleted
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Section 01
Key Terms
Moral Law — Commands that reflect God's
eternal character — like prohibitions against murder,
theft, and adultery. These principles apply across all times.
Civil Law — Laws that governed Israel
as a nation — like property rules, court procedures, and
penalties. These applied to ancient Israel's specific
situation.
Ceremonial Law — Laws about worship,
sacrifices, cleanness, and the temple system — fulfilled
in Christ and no longer binding in their original form.
Underlying Principle — The timeless
truth behind a specific ancient law — the reason God
gave the command, which may still apply even when the specific
practice does not.
Section 02
Key Concepts
01Not Uniform
Not all OT laws apply the same way today.
Some carry forward unchanged. Some are fulfilled in
Christ. Some were meant for one nation in one era.
02A Framework
Moral, civil, ceremonial — a starting point.
Not a perfect grid, but a useful one. Helps you ask the
right questions without flattening the text.
03Why?
Look for the underlying principle.
The roof-rail law in Deut 22:8 isn't about architecture
— it's about protecting your neighbor. That
principle still holds.