Modern Christianity commonly teaches that Jesus abolished God’s law, either by breaking it Himself or by declaring it obsolete through His ministry. While this doctrine is often assumed rather than examined, a careful reading of Scripture reveals a serious problem: if this teaching is true, then Jesus condemns Himself by His own words.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus directly addresses the law. He states plainly that He did not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. He immediately clarifies what this means by anchoring the Law’s validity to two future events: the passing away of heaven and earth, and the completion of all things. According to Revelation 21, neither has yet occurred. Therefore, by Jesus’ own timeline, the Law remains intact.
Jesus then raises the stakes. He declares that whoever breaks even the least of the commandments—and teaches others to do the same—will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. Conversely, those who keep and teach the commandments will be called great. If Jesus were teaching that the commandments no longer apply, He would be indicting Himself under this standard. Yet no Christian believes Jesus is least in the Kingdom. The contradiction does not lie in Scripture, but in doctrine.
This theme is reinforced in 1 John 2, where believers are told that those who claim to abide in Christ ought to walk as He walked. How did Jesus walk? The prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah provide the answer when describing the New Covenant: God would put His Spirit within His people and cause them to walk in His statutes and obey His laws. These passages explicitly refer to the Mosaic Law, not a newly invented ethical system.
Jesus Himself affirms this by emphasizing the written law—not oral reinterpretations—stating that not even the smallest Hebrew pen stroke would pass away. This leaves no room for redefining terms to preserve doctrinal comfort. If our theology conflicts with Scripture, the theology must change.
The issue is not legalism, nor is it salvation by works. The issue is whether we take Jesus at His word. Scripture consistently presents obedience as the fruit of faith, not its replacement. When tradition teaches otherwise, it does not liberate believers—it puts Christ at odds with Himself.
The solution is simple but costly: return to Scripture, read it plainly, and bring doctrine into alignment with what is written. Anything less elevates tradition above truth.
If you liked this article and want to keep up to date with future posts, you can sign up for my newsletter below. I promise I won’t blow up your inbox.