Originally Posted by antlers
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Jesus didn't abolish the law, the law & penalties are still there. But he wants us to follow the law...
Paul said that ‘we’ died to the law, meaning that its ability to identify us as sinners and demand our life in payment for our sins was fulfilled through the sacrifice of Jesus. Paul also said that ‘we’ were “released from the Law.” :
“But now we have been released from the law because we have died to that in which we were held so that we might serve in *newness* of the spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter" (Romans 7:6)
For fully devoted followers of Jesus, the law can no longer identify and punish us as sinners. Our obedience now is fulfilled through the *new* life in the Spirit of God. That’s what Paul meant when he wrote in Romans the following :
"For sin shall not rule over you because you are NOT under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14)
Jesus ‘fulfilled’ it (the law), now it’s over and done with. Jesus also said that ALL of the Law and the Prophets (that’s the ‘entire’ Old Testament) hangs on loving God and loving others. Period.
Yes, the strict letter of the law can't ID us as sinners, but if we don't follow it because of what is in our heart, then yes, we condemn ourselves. God can read our heart. He knows why/why not we follow His laws.

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17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.


Bottom line - We should follow God's laws out of love for Him.


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