The Law

Obedience and Mercy is Better than Sacrifice

In Saul's arrogance, he did not obey what God told him to do when he attacked the Amalekites. Instead of killing all of the livestock, he took them back to sacrifice to the Lord. Samuel told Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice to God. Then later Jesus mentions that mercy is also greater than traditional old testament sacrifices.

But Samuel replied:

"Does the Lord delight in burnt offering and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." - 1 Samuel 15:22

If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. - Matthew 12:7

The Law Alone Can Save No One

The Law given to Moses does not save anybody. That is why Christ came and established the new covenant.

The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. - Hebrews 7:18-19

The Law is Good When Used Correctly

The law can cause pain if it dominates a christian's life and they lose sight of their salvation through faith. However, it can also be greatly useful to those who use it as a road map for righteous living.

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. - 1 Timothy 1:8

Symbols and the Law Cannot Save You

Following the law does not save you. Adhering to Christian symbols (circumcision/baptism/etc) does not save you. The only thing that saves you is FAITH in CHRIST.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. - Galatians 5:2-6

A Big Use of the Law is to Make us Conscience of our Sin

This purpose of the law is to expose sin, not to redeem us through righteousness.

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. - Romans 3:20

God's Law is Written on the Hearts of All

People's non-Christian morality still comes from God. All morality originates with God. Non-Christians make their own laws to try and keep themselves in line with their God-given conscience.

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) - Romans 2:14-15

The Law Will Never Disappear

Despite the advances of our society, the law will never change nor will it become irrelevant.

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. - Luke 16:17