Are Old Testament Laws Still Valid Today?

My husband and I are reading through the Bible this year. This is something I've never done before. I've read plenty of the Scriptures; I've probably read most of them. But, like many, I have my favorite books. Psalms. Proverbs. Matthew. John. Isaiah. James. And then there are some where I have to pray to get through. Like Leviticus, which is where I am now.

After reading about the temple and the sacrifices and the laws concerning leprosy, I made it to chapter nineteen. Here is what God says in the beginning of this chapter:

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy (Lev. 19:1).

He calls us to be holy. To be holy means morally (what I'm focusing on here) or ceremonially sacred. If we follow the word back to its Hebrew root, it means to be clean. To consecrate. To hallow. To keep holy. To purify. To sanctify. (I love discovering roots.)

So, in verse one, God is calling us to be set apart as sacred unto Him. To be as He is. Despite our sinful nature.

Next, God goes on to tell us how to do this. He gives specific details, which we consider to be either the Ten Commandments or the laws of the Old Testament. One would question whether or not these hold relevant to today's world. Especially since Jesus' death on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins has occurred. Does that leave us free from the chains of the law? Not necessarily.

Matthew 5:17-20 says the following: 
 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

This is Jesus speaking. He did not come to destroy the law. Let's look at destroy. In the Greek, the definition of destroy is to loosen down or disintegrate. To demolish. To halt for the night. To dissolve. To come to nought. To overthrow or throw down. If we trace it back another step to the root, it also means to break up. To unloose. To melt. Or to put off.

Jesus did not come to dissolve the law. He didn't come to overthrow it. He didn't come to put the law off. We are still called to follow the law. Including the Ten Commandments.

Jesus came to fulfill the law. In the Greek this means to make replete (fully or abundantly filled). To level up. To furnish (to imbue: to permeate or influence as if by dyeing) (to influence). To satisfy. To execute (an office). To finish a period or task. To verify. To accomplish. To be complete. To fulfill. To make full. To fully preach. To perfect. To supply.

Here is what I see in this verse: 
Jesus didn't come to destroy the law or make it null and void. We still need to honor God's commands and consider the rest of the Old Testament laws. However, we should not forget the importance of justice and mercy and faith (see Matthew 23:23).

Jesus came to fulfill the law. He came to complete it. He came to be a living example of righteousness and holiness for us to follow. He came to set us free from the sinful nature that ensnares us, and by His death on the cross, we are set free from that curse. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice, so we no longer need to offer bulls and goats and turtledoves on an altar. 

Does that mean that we should run out and do whatever we please because we are covered by the blood of Jesus, that we no longer need to obey the laws of God? I don't think so. I think the laws are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago:
 
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 John 5:1-4).

My final thought on the law is this: The laws were given so that people would know that they were sinners. The law became a daily reminder that the people needed God to redeem them from their sins. Hence, the sacrifices. To me, the law is a constant reminder that I am merely a sinful human being. Personally, I have a difficult time keeping all of them every day. It's not possible. Heck, there are even presumptuous sins: "Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression" (Psalm 19:13). Sins I don't even realize I'm committing.

What I do know and put all of my faith in is that God loves me so much that He sent Jesus to save me from myself and my sinful nature. With Jesus standing between me and God the Father, I am clean. I am righteous. I am holy. I am set apart as a child of God who will spend eternity with my Father in heaven because His Son became the ultimate sacrifice for my sins. I am forgiven every time I break one of God's laws. But I will also do my best to honor my Father and obey His commands. Down to the last jot and tittle.

For the next few weeks, I'll be taking a look at some of the laws mentioned in Leviticus 19. I'd love it if you'd join me. And please, if you'd like to discuss something particular, feel free to leave a comment. I love to discover God's word. I'd love to do so together. (However, let me also add that I do not wish for this to become a huge debate where people get ugly. Let's remember holiness as we discuss the things of the Lord.) Thank you!