A defense case: Why Don't Christians Follow the Law of Moses?
The Scriptures are a treasure house. And like all treasure houses, they've been raided. Passages have been cherry-picked to justify almost anything.
One of the most looted passages is Psalm 1.
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night."
Christians read this and think: "The law of the Lord is... general righteousness." "Following Jesus." "Whatever I interpret as godly."
But that's a sleight of hand. Because the author of Psalm 1 is writing in Hebrew. And the word used there for "law" is torah (תורה). And when a Hebrew author in the second temple period says "Torah," they're not referring to some abstract principle of righteousness. They're referring to the Torah — the actual teachings of Moses.
So the Psalmist is saying: "Blessed is the one whose delight is in the Torah, and who meditates on the Torah day and night."
Not a paraphrase. A specific text. A specific practice.
And that creates a problem for Christians.
Because if Psalm 1 is saying the blessed person meditates on the Torah, and Christians claim Psalm 1 as scripture, then aren't Christians supposed to meditate on the Torah?
Most Christian theologians answer this with nuance: "You're meditating on the Torah in light of Yeshua. The law is still binding, but its meaning is transformed by Christ's work."
Which... is actually defensible. But it requires acknowledging that the Torah still matters. That it's not nullified. That you can't just abandon it.
But that's not what most churches teach. They teach that the Torah is done. That Christ abolished the law. That you're free from the law.
And that contradicts Psalm 1.
So let's build a case for why Christians should meditate on the Torah.
The Case From Scripture
First, Romans 3:31. Paul writes:
"Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."
Paul explicitly says faith in Christ does NOT nullify the law. It upholds it.
Second, Matthew 5:17-18. Yeshua says:
"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. 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."
Not abolish. Fulfill. And the law doesn't disappear.
Third, 1 John 2:3:
"We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands."
Not: "We know we have faith in Christ if we have spiritual experiences." But: "We know we know Christ if we keep his commands."
Commands are not presented as optional. They're the sign of knowing God.
Fourth, John 14:15:
"If you love me, keep my commands."
Again. Love is demonstrated by obedience to command.
Fifth, Matthew 7:24-25:
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."
The wise person is the one who hears Yeshua's words and practices them. Again, obedience matters.
So the scriptural case is straightforward: Yeshua taught that the law matters. Obedience matters. Commands matter.
The question isn't whether the law applies. The question is how it applies.
The Case From Application
Here's where it gets interesting. The Torah contains multiple categories of law:
1. Civil/Judicial Laws (laws about judges, courts, governance) — These were specific to the functioning of Israel's legal system. Christians have never argued these are binding today. No one expects a Christian magistrate to enforce Torah codes of justice (though learning from them is wise).
2. Ceremonial Laws (temple sacrifices, priestly functions, purity codes) — Hebrews makes clear that Yeshua is the final sacrifice. The temple system was fulfilled in him. These are no longer required to be practiced by believers.
3. Moral Laws (laws against theft, murder, false witness, sexual ethics, neighbor love) — These reflect the character of God. They're not arbitrary. They're not "just Jewish culture." They're eternal statements about how humans should treat each other and God.
The Argument:
Christians can (and should) distinguish between ceremonial, civil, and moral laws. We should meditate on the Torah because it contains timeless moral instruction. We should learn from civil law (even if we don't enforce it the same way). We should understand the ceremonial law as fulfilled in Christ.
But we shouldn't pretend the whole thing got nullified.
The problem is, most churches don't teach this distinction.
Instead, they teach: "The law is done. You're under grace now. Don't worry about the law."
Which means most Christians are functionally lawless. They pick and choose which biblical commands to follow based on cultural preference, not textual reasoning.
So they follow "don't steal" and "don't murder" (moral law) because those fit modern ethics. But they ignore "don't wear mixed fabrics" and "don't eat shellfish" (ceremonial law)... which they should, because they're ceremonial.
But they do this by accident, not by principle. They follow "love your neighbor" (moral law) but often ignore "don't charge interest" (economic law that could apply today). They accept "don't commit adultery" but reject "keep the Sabbath" (both are commandments).
The framework is broken.
What It Means to Meditate on the Torah
Psalm 1 calls us to "delight" in the law and "meditate" on it day and night.
This isn't academic study. It's contemplative practice. It's asking: "What is God revealing about his character and his design for human flourishing in this text?"
When you read "Do not steal," you're not just following a rule. You're contemplating the principle: What does it mean that God cares about justice and honor? What does theft reveal about human greed? How does respecting what belongs to others reflect respect for God?
When you read "Love your neighbor as yourself," you're meditating on the nature of covenant community. You're asking: What does it mean that God cares about collective flourishing? What would change in my life if I actually practiced this?
When you read "Remember the Sabbath," you're contemplating rest as a spiritual discipline. You're asking: Why did God model rest? What does constant productivity reveal about my trust in God? How would keeping a day set apart change my relationship with him?
This kind of meditation is transformative. It's not about rule-following. It's about entering into the mind of God as revealed through his law.
And this is what Psalm 1 is calling Christians toward.
Not legalism. Not rigid rule-keeping. But deep, contemplative engagement with the instructions of God.
Why This Matters Now
Most Christians have abandoned the Torah. They've been taught it's irrelevant. So they miss the wisdom embedded in it.
They don't meditate on Sabbath rest because they've been taught it's "Jewish" and "done."
They don't study the laws about protecting the poor and widow because they're focused on "grace."
They don't contemplate sexual ethics as God designed them because they're more interested in cultural relevance.
They don't wrestle with the economic laws (about debt forgiveness, about interest, about jubilee) because those are "too Jewish" and don't fit modern capitalism.
And so they end up with a faith that's been stripped of its ethical framework. They follow whatever their pastor says is biblical. They practice whatever their culture says is acceptable. They believe whatever their news feed says is true.
They've lost the grounding that comes from meditating on God's actual instructions.
Psalm 1 says: Blessed is the one who delights in the law and meditates on it day and night.
Not: Blessed is the one who trusts Jesus and ignores the law.
Not: Blessed is the one who follows whatever feels right.
But: Blessed is the one who contemplates the law of God. Who asks what it reveals about God. Who lets it shape how they think and act.
And that person will be "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."
It's not that the law saves you. But engaging with the law shapes you. Transforms you. Grounds you in the mind of God.
How to Start
You don't have to become a Pharisee to meditate on the Torah. You don't have to keep all 613 commandments. You don't have to abandon Christianity for Judaism.
But you can start asking: "What is this law revealing about God's character and design?"
Pick a section. Proverbs. Exodus. Leviticus. And read it not as a rule book, but as a window into the mind of God.
What does the law about releasing debts every seven years reveal about God's view of mercy and economic justice?
What does the command to leave the corners of your field unharvested reveal about God's care for the poor?
What does the prohibition against muzzling an ox while it threshes reveal about God's concern for fair treatment of workers?
These are not arbitrary rules. They're God's instruction (torah) for how humans should live together.
And if Psalm 1 is blessing you, maybe it's time to start meditating on them.
The backlinks below represent the broader theological ecosystem this piece is part of:
Unpacking #12: The Heist Nobody Noticed
Unmasking the Tithe Trap: Exposing Manipulation in Modern Preaching
The Torah You Can Keep Today (Jew + Gentile)
The Church's Quiet Crisis: We've Taught Conclusions, Not Discernment
