Quick Answer: What does it mean to be “dead to the Law”? At salvation, believers are crucified with Christ. As a result, we die to the Law, and consequently we die to sin. Once we’re taken out from under the dominion of the Law, sin no longer has power over us. As the Scripture states: “apart from the Law, sin is dead” (Romans 7:8). Under God’s grace, we end up living a godly life motivated by God’s Spirit within us, not... Read more

Quick Answer: Why does the Sermon on the Mount contain such difficult teachings? The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is often presented as a beautiful passage to inspire spiritual growth in the believer. However, the reality is that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells His audience to cut off their hands, to pluck out their eyes, and to be perfect like God. In addition, He tells them that looking with lust equals adultery and that anger is... Read more

ARE CHRISTIANS STILL UNDER THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (THE MORAL LAW)? Quick Answer: Are Christians still under the Ten Commandments (the moral law)? The Apostle Paul states that Christians are not under the Law (Galatians 3:19-20). The Ten Commandments (the moral law) are not an exception to this freedom. We trust Jesus as our sacrifice and as our daily source of morality and ethics. Christ within us, apart from the Law, is enough to produce the godly life we desire (Galatians 5:22-23). Diving... Read more

Quick Answer: Do Christians need to keep the Sabbath? Some teach that Christians need to keep the Old Testament Sabbath which forbids physical work from Friday at sundown to Saturday evening. But Scripture teaches that the Sabbath was merely a shadow of the spiritual rest we enjoy in Christ (Hebrews 10:1). All who believe in Jesus enter a spiritual rest because of His finished work (Hebrews 4:3). Diving Deeper: You’ve likely heard Christian teaching that encourages believers to keep the Sabbath (Friday at sundown... Read more

Quick Answer: What is the greatest commandment? People often believe they should try to love God with all their strength and try to love others as they love themselves. However, this misunderstanding results from misinterpreting a conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee (Matthew 22:34-40). An expert in the Law came to Jesus and asked Him what were the greatest commands in the Law. Jesus answered that the greatest commandments in the Law are to love God with all your strength and to love your neighbor... Read more

WHAT LAWS ARE WRITTEN ON A BELIEVER’S HEART? Quick Answer: What laws are written on a believer’s heart? The laws written on a believer’s heart are not the Ten Commandments, because we are no longer under the Law (Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:14; 2 Corinthians 3:6-7). Believers have the new commands of Jesus written on our hearts: believe in Him and love one another just as He has loved us (1 John 3:23; 5:3; John 13:34). Diving Deeper: Hebrews 10:16 says “I will put... Read more

Quick Answer: Did Jesus fulfill the Law? If so, how did Jesus fulfill the Law? Romans 8:4 says Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirement of the Law by becoming a sin offering for us. Not only did He live a perfect life, according to the true spirit of the Law, but the entire Law pointed to His death on the cross as both the fulfillment of the old covenant, and the beginning of the new covenant (Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:4; 10:4). Still, this... Read more

Quick Answer: Does the Bible say that Christians need to tithe? No, tithing is an Old Testament requirement. Instead, we Christians are called to give freely from the heart, not under any pressure (2 Corinthians 9:7). Diving Deeper: Many churches teach that Christians are robbing God if they do not give a tithe. They use Malachi 3:8-10 to argue that believers are required to give a ten-percent tithe of their income in order to please God. But is this what the New Testament... Read more

Quick Answer: Is the Old Testament still important for New Testament believers? Absolutely! We live under a new covenant, but the entire Bible – from Genesis to Revelation – is the inspired Word of God. And we can learn a great deal from the Old Testament. Diving Deeper: 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.” At the time this was written, only the Old Testament had been compiled... Read more