#apologetics #questions Dr. Norman Geisler addresses the question of why Christians do not follow certain Old Testament laws—like dietary restrictions or clothing regulations—in several of his writings, especially in his work on biblical ethics and theology. His key point is that the Old Testament Law is divided into three categories: moral, civil, and ceremonial, and only the moral law is binding on Christians today. Here’s a summary of his explanation with citations: ## 1. The Old Testament Law is Divided into Three Types: - **Moral Law**: These are universal and timeless ethical principles (e.g., the Ten Commandments). - **Civil Law**: These governed the theocratic nation of Israel and are not binding outside that context. - **Ceremonial Law**: These pointed forward to Christ (e.g., sacrifices, dietary laws, ritual cleansings) and were fulfilled in Him. “The moral law is based on the very nature of God and thus immutable… The ceremonial laws were fulfilled in Christ… The civil laws are no longer in force since the theocracy ceased with the destruction of the Jewish temple in A.D. 70.” — Norman L. Geisler, Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010), 201–202. ## 2. Jesus Fulfilled the Law: - Geisler emphasizes Matthew 5:17, where Jesus says He came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. - The ceremonial and civil aspects of the law were temporary and typological, pointing to Christ. “Christ fulfilled the ceremonial law, rendering it no longer necessary (Heb. 10:1–14).” — Geisler, Christian Ethics, 202. ## 3. Christians Are Under the Law of Christ: - Geisler teaches that Christians are not lawless but are under the “law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2), which reiterates the moral principles of the Old Testament but is centered on love and fulfilled in Christ. “The New Testament does not leave the believer without a moral compass; it replaces the Mosaic law with the higher law of Christ.” — Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume 4: Church, Last Things (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2005), 257. ### Conclusion Dr. Geisler teaches that Christians do not follow Old Testament laws about food or clothing because those were part of the ceremonial and civil laws given specifically to Israel, and they were fulfilled in Christ. Christians today are bound to the moral law, which is reaffirmed in the New Testament, and live under the law of Christ—a law based on love and internal transformation rather than external regulations. # Other Scholars Confirm Comparative Chart: Christian Views on Old Testament Laws | | | | | | -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- | | Category | Moral Law | Civil Law | Ceremonial Law | | Norman Geisler | Still binding—rooted in God’s character and reaffirmed in the NT (e.g., 9 of 10 commandments). | No longer binding—specific to ancient Israel’s theocracy. | Fulfilled in Christ—no longer necessary (Heb. 10). | | Wayne Grudem | Continues through the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2). | Expired with Israel’s political system. | Fulfilled in Christ; shadow of things to come. | | John Calvin | Always binding—reflect God’s moral nature. | Not binding; only served Israel’s society. | Fulfilled in Christ; abrogated. | | R.C. Sproul | Normative and universal. | No longer binding; expired with the Mosaic system. | Typological and fulfilled in Jesus. | | Craig Blomberg | Reaffirmed through Jesus’ teachings. | Culturally bound and non-binding. | Superseded by Jesus’ priestly work. | Supporting Quotes from Other Theologians **Wayne Grudem** (on moral law): “The moral standards of the Old Testament are repeated in the New Testament and are thus still in force today.” — Wayne Grudem, Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning (Wheaton: Crossway, 2018), 68. **R.C. Sproul**: “The ceremonial law has been fulfilled in Christ… The civil law expired with the state of Israel.” — R.C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1992), 219. **John Calvin**: “The ceremonial law was the tutelage by which God trained his ancient people… now abrogated.” — John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.7.16. **Craig Blomberg**: “The Old Testament law was never intended as a timeless legal code. Its principles are fulfilled and reinterpreted in the New Testament context.” — Craig Blomberg, Jesus and the Law, in Jesus and the Gospels (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2009), 289. --- ### Bottom Line. - Moral law is timeless and continues in the New Testament. - Civil law was tied to ancient Israel and is not binding today. - Ceremonial law pointed forward to Christ and was fulfilled in His life, death, and resurrection. Norman Geisler is especially clear in categorizing these distinctions to defend Christian liberty from the ceremonial and civil parts of the Mosaic Law, while upholding the moral commands as reflections of God’s unchanging nature.