The Mosaic Law is largely irrelevant in the daily lives of most people today, including Christians. Very few—if any—actually attempt to live by its full requirements, such as executing adulterers, stoning apostates, or demolishing houses with mildew. Even the most devout Orthodox Jews do not follow every single command, as many laws were tied to the temple system, which no longer exists. While debates about the Law continue in Jewish academic and religious circles, they are far removed from the everyday concerns of the average Christian. For most believers, the real question is not whether to follow the Law of Moses but how to live faithfully before God. The only two viable scriptural options for this are either the simple faith in the Creator, as seen before the Law was given, or the path outlined by Jesus and His apostles—faith in Christ expressed through obedience to His teachings.
However, during the Reformation, a new theological development introduced a level of scrutiny that neither Jesus nor Paul ever required. The Reformers, particularly in their opposition to Catholic traditions, insisted that even obedience to Christ had to be carefully examined to ensure it was not legalistic. Instead of simply following Jesus’ commands as a natural response to faith, believers were now told they had to evaluate the motivations behind their obedience. This led to a doctrine where obedience itself became suspect—something that had to be tested to determine whether it was the result of grace and faith or an attempt at earning salvation. Yet, there is no biblical foundation for this distinction. Jesus never instructed His followers to question their own motives before obeying; He simply told them to obey. Likewise, Paul never applied his arguments about faith, grace, and works to obedience to Christ—his concern was always with works of the Mosaic Law.
The consequence of this theological shift was profound. Instead of clarifying the Christian life, it introduced confusion. Instead of strengthening obedience to Christ, it made many doubt whether they should obey at all. Instead of uniting believers around Christ’s teachings, it created endless divisions based on an unknowable and highly debatable factor—the inner motivations behind obedience. This not only led to theological disagreements but also contributed to violent conflicts, including wars and executions on both sides of the Reformation divide. The Reformers, in practice, created a new kind of legalism—one that did not judge outward actions, but inward intentions, something that no one can ever fully discern.
By shifting the focus from obedience itself to the question of why one obeys, the Reformers introduced a teaching that has done more harm than good. It has caused believers to question whether they are truly following Christ, divided the Church into factions, and distracted from the simplicity of the gospel. This meets the biblical definition of heresy—not just as a false teaching, but as a divisive doctrine that separates believers from one another and from a clear understanding of Christ’s call to discipleship. In the end, the only question that should matter is whether one is following Jesus, by faith, and by holding to his teachings, not whether their obedience passes an impossible test of inner purity.
Stephen D Green, with wording clarified by ChatGPT, April 2025
