The thought that the Law is no longer valid, a theology called anti-nomianism, continues today. It is most often heard as “We are no longer under the Law because we are saved by grace,” with the speaker pointing toward Eph. 2:15 and other verses. In most literal and paraphrased translations, Eph. 2:15 says Yeshua abolished the Law with his flesh. As the verse doesn’t say exactly what Law Yeshua abolished, many Believers think this means all the Law. Considering what Yeshua said about the Law during his earthly ministry, did he really mean for it to be abolished? Looking at what Paul and other apostles said about the Law, did Paul really mean that it was invalidated by Yeshua’s death and resurrection?
In Matthew 5:17-18, Yeshua said, “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah (Law) or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish, but to complete. Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud (the smallest Hebrew letter) or a stroke will pass from the Torah—not until everything that must happen has happened.”
Saying he came to “complete” suggests something was missing. Yeshua added the missing elements in his interpretation of the Law. Not only should you follow the Torah with your actions, you should follow it in your heart, he said during his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Then he added, “Whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot (commands) and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever obeys them and so teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt. 5:19).”
Finally, giving his life as a sacrifice also completed the Torah’s way of atoning for sin and iniquity. Could he have given any greater support?
Paul also followed the Torah and taught Messianic Jews to do the same (Acts 21:20-25). As more non-Jews began to follow Yeshua, Paul and the other apostles began to wonder exactly what laws the Gentiles should follow (Acts 15). Some believed they should be circumcised and follow the Torah of Moses. In Jewish thought this means both the Written Law and the Oral Law. The Written Law contains moral and spiritual laws, as well as laws specific to the Jewish people, such as circumcision.
After much debate, the apostles concluded that while God gave the moral and spiritual laws in the Torah to everyone to keep, he did not require Gentiles to keep the Oral Law or laws from the Torah specific to Jewish people, other than four relating to food and sexual immorality.