Do vs Done — Understanding the Law and the New Covenant in Christianity
- Elisabeth H. Drew
- Nov 15, 2025
- 28 min read
Updated: Jan 8
The Old Testament law was built on the command: Do this and live. The Gospel, by contrast, declares: Jesus has done it — now live in Him. This difference is not just a theological detail; it shapes how believers live, relate to God, and understand their identity. Many Christians struggle with the tension between trying to earn God’s favor through their actions and resting in the finished work of Christ.
Understanding this difference is essential for every believer. The fullness of the Gospel reveals the complete work of Christ: His life on earth, His sacrificial death, His resurrection, and the new life He gives through the Holy Spirit. When we grasp the Gospel as a whole, we no longer live from fear, pressure, or performance. We live from grace, freedom, and the transforming presence of Christ within us.
Yet today, the message is often distorted. Some megachurches preach a prosperity-centered gospel, promising earthly wealth instead of calling people to repentance, holiness, and true spiritual life. At the same time, social media has produced a wave of teachings that mix Christianity with Judaism, claiming believers must keep Old Testament laws, festivals, and rituals. Many accuse Christians of ignoring God’s law, but Scripture explains clearly why believers live under the New Covenant and not the old.
In this article, Do vs Done — Understanding the Law and the New Covenant in Christianity you will discover how the Gospel frees believers from striving under the old law, how Jesus fulfilled what the Law of Moses could never accomplish, why Christians obey Christ as Lord rather than returning to Old Covenant commands, and how Scripture clearly reveals the difference between living under the law and living under grace. This article will help you understand what the New Covenant truly means for your faith, your identity, and your daily walk with God.
The Gospel: From “Do” to “Done”
Do — is law
Done — is Gospel
The law in the Old Testament says: Do this and live.
The Gospel says: Jesus has done it — now live in Him.
This is the core difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Under the law, life with God depended on human behaviour and perfect obedience. The law commanded righteousness but did not give the power to live righteously. It revealed God’s holiness and exposed our sinfulness, showing every human being their inability to reach God by their own effort.
The Gospel does not erase the law; it fulfills it through Christ. Everything the law required — perfect obedience, perfect righteousness, perfect sacrifice — Jesus accomplished. Where we failed, He succeeded. What we could not carry, He carried. What we could never earn, He freely gives.
Under the law, the standard was perfection.Under the Gospel, the standard is Christ.
Because of His finished work, God writes His truth on our hearts and transforms us from within through the Holy Spirit. Christianity is not a return to rituals, ceremonies, or external commands — it is a transformed life flowing from a transformed heart.
This shift from “Do” to “Done” is the difference between religion and relationship, between works and grace, between bondage and freedom. The Gospel invites believers to rest in what Jesus has already accomplished and to live in the power of His Spirit, not in their own strength.
Romans 8:3–4 “For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. Sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh… that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
This verse explains the entire truth of “Do vs. Done.”
What the law could not do — because of our weakness — God did through Christ.
The law pointed to righteousness.
Jesus gives righteousness.
The law commanded obedience.
The Spirit empowers obedience.
In the Gospel, believers do not obey to earn life — they obey because they have received life.
They do not strive to be accepted — they obey because they are already accepted.
They do not chase righteousness — they receive Christ’s righteousness.
The Gospel replaces striving with rest, fear with confidence, ritual with transformation, and self-effort with the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Foundation of the Old Testament Law
The Old Testament law, given through Moses at Mount Sinai, was far more than a list of rules. It was a complete covenant structure — a sacred agreement between God and Israel that shaped the nation’s worship, identity, and daily life. The law expressed God’s perfect holiness and revealed what a holy life before Him looked like.
The law included several dimensions:
Moral commands such as the Ten Commandments, which revealed God’s eternal moral standards.
Ceremonial commands such as sacrifices, priesthood instructions, purification rituals, and feast days that governed Israel’s worship.
Civil and judicial commands that governed Israel’s national life, justice system, property laws, and social order.
Together, this covenant formed a system designed to show Israel what it meant to live under the rule of a holy God.
But the law did something even deeper: It exposed humanity’s inability to meet God’s perfect standard.
The law demanded perfect obedience: One failure made a person guilty of breaking the whole law. One act of disobedience brought separation. One sin required a sacrifice.
This revealed a fundamental truth: humanity is unable, in its sinful condition, to keep God’s law perfectly.
The law revealed sin — but it could not remove it.
The law commanded righteousness — but it could not produce it.
The law showed God’s holiness — but it could not make the human heart holy.
This is why Scripture says:
Romans 3:20 “For by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
The purpose of the law was not salvation but revelation.
It revealed God’s standard.
It revealed humanity’s failure.
It revealed the need for a Redeemer.
The law functioned like a mirror: it showed the dirt, but could not wash it away.
It showed the wound, but could not heal it.
It diagnosed the disease, but could not cure it.
The law acted as a tutor, guiding Israel toward the realization that they needed someone greater than Moses: Someone who could fulfill the law perfectly, embody righteousness, remove sin, and empower obedience from within.
The Old Testament saints looked forward to this promise — the Messiah who would bring a new covenant. Jesus Christ became that fulfillment.
The law prepared the way for Him by:
• revealing God’s holy standard
• exposing humanity’s failure
• foreshadowing the sacrificial work of Christ
• visualizing redemption through sacrifices
• pointing to a righteousness that would come through faith, not works
In this way, the entire Old Testament law pointed beyond itself to something greater — a Savior who would accomplish what the law could not.
The law could point.
Jesus could save.
The law could reveal.
Jesus could redeem.
The law could demand.
Jesus could fulfill.
Understanding the foundation and purpose of the Old Testament law is essential to understanding the Gospel — because without seeing the impossibility of the old covenant, we cannot fully appreciate the beauty and power of the new covenant established by Christ.
Jesus Has Done What the Law Could Not
Many believers struggle at this point because they were taught that God’s favor must be earned through good works, obedience, or keeping certain rules. Others are confused by voices on social media claiming Christians must “go back to the law,” observe rituals, or live under Old Testament commands. But Scripture explains with complete clarity why Jesus accomplished what the law never could.
The law itself was holy, good, and perfect. It revealed God’s character and His standards. But the law could not change the human heart. It could show people their sin, but it could not remove it. It could command righteousness, but it could not give the power to obey. The law functioned like a mirror — reflecting truth, but unable to wash or heal.
Under the Old Covenant, the law demanded perfect obedience. One failure made a person guilty of breaking the entire law. No one, not even the most devoted follower of God, could meet that standard. The law showed humanity its need for a Savior. Jesus came as that Savior.
He fulfilled the law in every way — morally, spiritually, prophetically, and sacrificially. He lived without sin. He obeyed God perfectly. And as the spotless Lamb of God, He died as a once-for-all sacrifice to remove sin forever. His resurrection confirmed that the old system of sacrifices and rituals was complete and that a new covenant had begun.
Jesus did not come to make the law easier. He came to fulfill it completely so that believers would no longer relate to God through a covenant of works, but through a covenant of grace.
What we could not do, He did.Where we failed, He succeeded.Where we were powerless, He was victorious.
This is the heart of the New Covenant: Jesus has done the work we could never do.
Salvation is no longer based on human effort but on Christ’s finished work. The focus shifts from “Do” to “Done.” This does not produce laziness; it produces worship, gratitude, holiness, and Spirit-led transformation. Grace doesn’t weaken obedience — it empowers it.
Galatians 2:16 “A man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ.”
This verse forms the foundation of Christian faith. Justification — being made right with God — does not come through the law, rituals, commands, feast days, or personal perfection. It comes through faith in Christ alone. His obedience, not ours, becomes the basis of our righteousness. His sacrifice, not our efforts, secures our forgiveness. His Spirit, not the written code, transforms our hearts from within.
Because Jesus has done what the law could not do, believers live in freedom — not the freedom to sin, but the freedom to live in the power of the Holy Spirit, to walk in true holiness, and to enjoy a relationship with God that is rooted in grace instead of fear.
Understanding the Sabbath Under the New Covenant
One of the most common sources of confusion today is the Sabbath. Many voices online insist that Christians must observe the Sabbath exactly as Israel did under the Law of Moses, arguing that failing to rest on a specific day is disobedience. Others use Genesis to claim that God commands rest on a fixed day of the week, implying that modern believers are unfaithful if they don’t follow the same pattern.
But Scripture — especially in the New Testament — reveals a fuller, richer understanding of rest under the New Covenant.
Yes, rest matters.
Yes, God rested in Genesis.
Yes, we are called to slow down, renew our strength, and honor God with our bodies and minds.
But the Sabbath as a legal requirement belonged to the Mosaic Covenant, not the New Covenant.
It was a sign between God and Israel, not God and the worldwide church. The New Covenant shifts the emphasis from a calendar-based obligation to a life shaped by the rest Jesus provides.
1. The Sabbath Was Given to Israel as Part of the Law of Moses
Scripture is clear that the Sabbath was specifically a sign given to the nation of Israel under the old covenant.
Exodus 31:16–17 “The children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath… It is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever.”
The Sabbath was tied directly to the covenant made at Sinai — not to all nations for all time.
2. Jesus Redefined Rest — It Is Found in Him, Not in a Day
Jesus confronted the legalistic use of the Sabbath. He reminded the Pharisees that the Sabbath was a gift, not a burden, and that He Himself is the true source of rest.
Matthew 11:28–29 “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest… and you will find rest for your souls.”
Jesus gives soul-rest, not merely physical rest. This is the heart of the New Covenant.
3. Life’s Realities Make a Strict Sabbath Impossible
Scripture gives examples that show God understands the realities of life.
A mother with a newborn cannot simply “rest” for 24 hours.
A family caring for a sick child does not stop tending to needs.
A farmer harvesting before a storm cannot pause his work.
People working multiple jobs to survive cannot always dictate a weekly rhythm.
Jesus addressed these very tensions when He was confronted with accusations about “breaking the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Human need has always been more important than ritual observance.
4. Rest Is Important — But It Is No Longer Tied to a Specific Day
The New Testament repeatedly teaches that Christians are not bound to observe the Sabbath as Israel did.
Colossians 2:16–17 “Let no one judge you… with respect to a feast day or a Sabbath day; which are a shadow of the things to come, but the body is Christ’s.”
Paul says directly: No one may judge you about the Sabbath.
Under the New Covenant, believers are called to rest — but not commanded to rest on a specific weekly day. Rest now flows from walking with Christ, not from observing a Mosaic regulation.
5. Glorifying God Is Daily, Not Weekly
A major misunderstanding is the belief that one day is “holy” and the others are secular. But Jesus teaches that worship is everyday, not calendar-based.
Romans 12:1 “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God — which is your spiritual service.”
The Christian life is lived in constant worship, not limited to a Sabbath cycle.
6. Jesus Did Not Reinstate the Old Covenant Sabbath
When Jesus taught about rest, He spoke of health, renewal, balance, and spiritual restoration — not strict observance of a ritual day.
He offered wisdom, not legalism.
He offered rest, not restriction.
He offered freedom, not burdens.
Legalistic Sabbath teaching ignores the realities of human life and misunderstands the purpose of Jesus’ ministry. Some modern groups — and many social media voices — impose Jewish Sabbath observance on Christians, but this is not the Gospel. It is a return to shadows when the Substance has already come.
7. The True Sabbath Is Fulfilled in Christ
Hebrews reveals that the Sabbath is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Himself.
Hebrews 4:9–10 “There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God… For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.”
This rest is spiritual, ongoing, and rooted in faith, not tied to a specific weekly day.
Christ is the believer’s eternal Sabbath.The Gospel is the believer’s rest.The New Covenant is the believer’s freedom.
Christians are absolutely called to rest — emotionally, physically, spiritually. But the New Covenant does not command a specific day for that rest, nor does it require observing the Jewish Sabbath. Jesus fulfilled the law, including the Sabbath, and now invites believers into a life of continuous rest in
Him. Rest is wise.
Rest is healthy.
Rest is holy.
But resting in Jesus is not bound to a calendar.
Glorifying God happens every day.
Rest happens when needed.
Worship is continual.Christ is our Sabbath.
Scripture and the New Covenant
Some claim that Christians must keep Old Testament laws, feasts, or rituals, but Scripture teaches the opposite. God Himself established a New Covenant through Christ — a covenant built on better promises, a transformed relationship with God, and the internal work of the Holy Spirit.
The Old Covenant was written on stone; the New Covenant is written on the heart. The Old Covenant revealed sin; the New Covenant removes sin. The Old Covenant depended on human obedience; the New Covenant depends on Christ’s finished work.
This is not a modern interpretation. It is the clear teaching of the prophets, the message of Jesus, the doctrine of the apostles, and the understanding of the early church.
Here are the foundational Scriptures:
Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”
Jeremiah proclaimed this message during a time when Israel repeatedly failed to keep God’s commands. God did not promise to repair the Old Covenant; He promised a completely new one. The early church saw this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant.
Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant that I will make… I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
This prophecy reveals the inward transformation of the New Covenant. The Old Covenant regulated behavior from the outside through rules and rituals. The New Covenant transforms the heart from the inside through the Holy Spirit. Obedience now flows from love and transformation, not fear or ritual obligation.
Luke 22:20 “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
With these words, Jesus declared that the New Covenant was established through His sacrifice. The Old Covenant began with animal blood; the New Covenant begins with the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. When believers partake in communion, they remember not a covenant of law, but a covenant of grace sealed by Christ’s blood.
2 Corinthians 3:6 “He also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
Paul contrasts the “letter” (the written legal code) with the Holy Spirit. The law condemns and exposes sin. The Spirit gives life, regenerates, and empowers obedience from within. This is why Christian ministry is not about leading people back to Moses, but leading them into the life-giving power of the Spirit.
Hebrews 8:6 “But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry… the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.”
The writer of Hebrews explains that Jesus did not come to reinforce the Old Covenant but to establish a better one. The promises of the New Covenant are based on Christ’s perfect obedience, not human effort. It is a covenant that brings forgiveness, transformation, and spiritual access to God.
Hebrews 8:13 “In that he says, ‘A new covenant,’ he has made the first obsolete…”
This verse directly states that the Old Covenant is obsolete. It is not partially active, not partially binding, not optional. It has served its purpose and been fulfilled. Returning to its rituals or laws as a requirement for righteousness contradicts the New Covenant established by Christ.
Hebrews 9:15 “For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant… that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”
The New Covenant brings eternal redemption and access to God. The Old Covenant could only temporarily cover sin through repeated sacrifices. Jesus’ sacrifice brings permanent forgiveness, spiritual rebirth, and eternal inheritance.
Romans 7:6 “But now we have been discharged from the law… so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter.”
Paul teaches that believers have been released from the law as a covenant system. Christians now serve God through the Spirit, not through external regulations. This does not lead to lawlessness; it leads to Spirit-empowered obedience, joy, and transformation.
Theological and Historical Summary:
Taken together, these Scriptures reveal the heart of New Covenant theology. The Old Covenant was temporary, external, and dependent on human performance. The New Covenant is eternal, internal, and dependent on Christ. The early church understood this clearly. At the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, the apostles rejected the idea that Gentile believers must follow the Law of Moses. Early Christian writings also warn believers not to return to Old Covenant practices, feast obligations, or ritual requirements.
The New Covenant is not a secondary doctrine. It is the foundation of the Gospel itself. God now relates to His people not through tablets of stone, feast calendars, ceremonial laws, or ritual obligations, but through the indwelling Holy Spirit, the righteousness of Christ, and the transforming power of grace.
The Old Covenant has been fulfilled.The New Covenant is active today.And God calls every believer to walk in the freedom and life that Christ purchased.
Why Paul Attended Jewish Feasts
Some use Paul’s visits to Jerusalem to argue Christians must keep Jewish festivals today. But Paul’s own explanation makes his intention unmistakable.
Paul sometimes participated in Jewish customs not because he was under the law, but because he ministered to Jews and wanted to avoid unnecessary offense so he could preach the Gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:20 “To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law…”
Paul states directly: He acted like he was under the law — but he was not under the law.
His mission is explained clearly:
Acts 20:24 “I consider my life of no value… so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Good News of the grace of God.”
Paul’s goal was evangelism, not law-keeping.
Paul’s Feast Attendance Was Missional — and His Teaching Warned Believers Not to Return to the Law
Legalists often take Paul’s cultural actions — such as going to Jerusalem, attending certain feasts, or participating in Jewish customs — and turn them into theological requirements. They argue that because Paul did these things, Christians today must obey the Law of Moses. But Paul’s own teaching makes it very clear that believers are not under the law as a covenant of obligation.
Paul never rejects God’s holiness. Instead, he shows that the law cannot save, cannot transform, and cannot empower believers to live holy lives. Only grace through Christ — applied by the Holy Spirit — can accomplish that.
Romans 6:14 “For sin will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.”
Paul draws a clear distinction between living “under the law” and living “under grace.” To be under the law means your standing before God depends on your perfect obedience. To be under grace means your standing is rooted in Christ’s finished work. Paul is not teaching that grace leads to sin; he is teaching that grace breaks sin’s power. Legalism actually strengthens sin because it keeps people striving in their own strength. Grace produces true obedience from a transformed heart.
Galatians 4:9–10 “But now… why do you desire to be in bondage again? You observe days, months, seasons, and years.”
In Galatia, some were pressuring Christians to keep parts of the Jewish calendar as spiritual obligations. Paul calls this “bondage.” He is not condemning remembrance or gratitude; he is confronting the idea that keeping special days makes someone more righteous. Returning to Old Covenant patterns — even in the name of being “more biblical” — can actually pull believers away from the freedom Christ purchased.
Colossians 2:16–17 “Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day… which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Christ’s.”
Paul addresses another form of legalism here: judging believers based on food laws or feast observance. The key word is “shadow.” Feasts and rituals were shadows pointing forward to Christ. Now that the Messiah has come, believers cling to the substance — Christ Himself — not to the shadows. Paul is explicit: no one has the right to judge Christians for not keeping Old Testament feasts. Righteousness is found in Christ alone.
Romans 10:4 “For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
This verse summarizes Paul’s theology. The law demanded righteousness but could not produce it. Christ fulfilled the law completely — both in obedience and in sacrifice. He is the end, or the completion, of the law “for righteousness.” Everyone who believes receives righteousness through Him, not through law-keeping. To insist Christians must return to the law is to misunderstand what Jesus has already fulfilled.
Paul’s message is consistent across all his writings. He did not live as a man under the law; he lived as a man under grace, empowered by the Holy Spirit. When he participated in Jewish customs, it was for the sake of evangelism — never as a requirement of the old covenant. Christ fulfilled the law, and believers now walk in the newness of the Spirit, not in the bondage of legalism.
Many Christians encounter verses that seem, at first glance, to support the idea that believers must obey the Law of Moses or return to Old Covenant practices. These passages are often pulled out of context by well-meaning but misinformed believers, or by teachers who blend Christianity with Old Testament law. Understanding these verses in their proper context brings clarity and prevents confusion.
Here are the most commonly misused verses — and what they actually mean within the New Covenant.
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
Some interpret this to mean that Jesus wants Christians to follow the Law of Moses. But Jesus is not pointing His disciples back to Moses — He is pointing them to Himself. Throughout John 13–17, Jesus gives new commandments that reflect His own nature, not the old covenant code. His commandments are rooted in love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and Spirit-led obedience.
Jesus’ commandments = Jesus’ teachingsNot the Law of Moses.
Jesus fulfills the law and then gives believers a new pattern of life under the New Covenant.
Matthew 5:18 “For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke of the law shall in any way pass away…”
People use this verse to argue the law is still binding. But Jesus immediately explains how the law is fulfilled:
Matthew 5:17 “I didn’t come to destroy the law... but to fulfill.”
The law remains until Jesus fulfills it — and He did.The cross, the resurrection, the New Covenant, and the giving of the Spirit complete the law’s purpose.
Christians are not under a law that has been fulfilled; they are under the One who fulfilled it.
James 2:17 “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.”
Some use this to claim that salvation comes through obedience to the law. But James is teaching that genuine faith naturally produces fruit — not that works save. The works James describes are works of love, mercy, and obedience to Christ, not Mosaic rituals, foods, or feasts.
James and Paul do not disagree.Paul addresses how we are saved.James addresses what true faith looks like after we are saved.
Philippians 2:12 “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…”
This is not a command to return to the law. Paul is encouraging believers to live out the salvation they have already received. The next verse explains how that happens:
Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
This is Spirit-empowered obedience, not law-keeping.
1 Peter 1:16 “You shall be holy; for I am holy.”
Some mistakenly teach that holiness = keeping the law. But Peter is quoting Leviticus to show that God’s character has always been the standard — not the rituals. Under the New Covenant, holiness is produced by the Holy Spirit, not the law. Believers are holy because Christ is holy in them.
Romans 3:31 “Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.”
This verse is often used to argue the law must still be obeyed.But Paul is explaining that the law is upheld because Christ fulfilled it.
We do not establish the law by returning to it —we establish it by embracing the One who completed it perfectly.
Law-keeping confuses the purpose of the Old Covenant. Jesus fulfilled it, completed it, and established a New Covenant built on grace and the Spirit’s power. The verses above only seem confusing when read apart from the full message of Scripture. In their proper context, they point not to the law — but to Christ.
Modern Confusion: Prosperity Gospel and False Teaching on Social Media
Some churches confuse the message by focusing on prosperity rather than holiness. Instead of calling people to repentance and surrender, they teach that faith guarantees wealth, success, and financial blessing.
On the other hand, many voices on social media insist that Christians must return to the Law of Moses. They argue that believers must keep festivals, rituals, and dietary laws that belonged to the Old Covenant. These same voices often spread confusion by claiming that Christmas and Easter are “pagan holidays,” supposedly rooted in ancient deities or false worship. This is far from the truth.
Historically, these celebrations were established by early Christians to honor Jesus — not to imitate paganism. Some falsely claim that Christmas comes from pagan winter festivals connected to worship of the sun or seasonal deities. In reality, early Christians chose this time of year not to imitate paganism, but to proclaim the opposite: even during the darkest, coldest season of the year, Jesus Christ — the Light of the World — entered our darkness with hope, salvation, and truth. Christmas became a reminder that even when the world grows dim, the light of Christ shines brighter. Easter was set apart to honor the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the center of our faith and the foundation of Christian hope.
Believers need discernment more than ever. Much of what circulates online is not biblical truth — it is propaganda designed to confuse, divide, and lead Christians away from the simplicity of the Gospel. This is spiritual warfare. Forcing Jewish traditions, Old Covenant laws, or false claims about Christian celebrations pulls hearts away from Christ and back into systems He has already fulfilled.
That does not honor Jesus as Savior and Lord.
The New Covenant calls us to follow Christ Himself — His teachings, His commandments, and His finished work — not legalistic interpretations or worldly trends that distort Scripture. To honor Jesus is to understand, trust, and respect His message, not the world’s opinions. Discerning believers reject false teaching and cling to the truth: Jesus fulfilled the law, established a new covenant, and calls His people to walk in the freedom of His grace.
This confusion comes from misunderstanding Scripture. Jesus fulfilled the law fully and established a better covenant.
Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
Because Christ fulfilled the law completely, believers do not return to its requirements. Instead, they walk in the freedom, obedience, and renewal produced by the Gospel.
Christians Obey Jesus as Lord — Not the Law of Moses
One of the greatest misunderstandings today comes from people who think that if Christians are not under the Old Testament law, they must be lawless or disobedient. But the New Testament teaches the exact opposite. Christians do not live without commands — we live under a new Master, a new covenant, and a new kind of obedience.
When we accept Jesus as Savior, we also accept Him as Lord.
Salvation and lordship cannot be separated.
A heart that receives His forgiveness also submits to His authority.
A heart that trusts His grace also follows His voice.
Jesus did not free us from the law so we could live however we want.
He freed us so we could live fully for Him.
Under the Old Covenant, obedience was shaped by commands written on stone.Under the New Covenant, obedience is shaped by the voice of Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit written on our hearts.
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commandments.”
Jesus does not point His disciples back to Moses.He points them to Himself.
His teachings, His commandments, His example, and His Spirit form the pattern of Christian obedience.A believer obeys Christ because Christ lives in them — not because fear drives them, but because love transforms them.
John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
Notice what Jesus says: They do not follow Moses.They do not follow feast calendars.They follow Him.
This is why returning to the Law of Moses is not a sign of strong faith — it is a misunderstanding of the Gospel. The law brought people to Christ, but once faith has come, believers walk with the Shepherd Himself.
Galatians 5:18 “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”
To be “led by the Spirit” is to be led by Jesus, who sends the Spirit and speaks through Him.This is obedience from the inside out — not from fear, but from renewal.
A Christian who truly understands grace does not become less obedient.They become more obedient, because their obedience flows from love, gratitude, and transformation — not from ritual obligation.
When we take Jesus as Savior, we take Him as Lord.Following Him becomes our new way of life.He becomes our Teacher, our Shepherd, our Master, and our King.
Christians obey Jesus not to earn salvation, but because salvation has already changed their hearts.We do not obey to be accepted; we obey because we are accepted.We do not strive to become righteous; we obey because His righteousness has been given to us through faith.
The law pointed to righteousness.
Jesus produces righteousness.
The law commanded obedience.
Jesus empowers obedience.
The law condemned.
Jesus transforms.
This is why Christians do not go back to Moses — we go forward with Christ.
Why Christians Do Not Return to Old Testament Feasts
Christian history shows clearly that neither Paul nor the early church viewed Old Testament feasts as binding for believers. These feasts—Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, and others—were part of the covenant God made with Israel through Moses. They were shadows pointing forward to Christ.
But once Christ came and fulfilled their meaning, the system of feasts reached its completion.
Hebrews 8:13 “In that he says, ‘A new covenant,’ he has made the first obsolete…”
Even Jewish believers in Jesus did not keep the feasts as obligations. Some attended them for cultural or evangelistic reasons (especially in Jerusalem), but not as requirements of righteousness. Their identity was now in Christ, not in the calendar of Moses.
As Christianity expanded among Gentiles, feast-keeping naturally faded because believers were no longer under the Law. Early church leaders consistently warned Christians not to return to the Old Covenant feasts as spiritual obligations.
Galatians 4:9–10 “But now… do you desire to be in bondage again? You observe days, months, seasons, and years.”
Paul is not condemning remembrance; he is condemning legalism — any teaching that says righteousness requires keeping feast days.
The New Covenant reveals that Jesus Himself is the fulfillment of every feast. To return to Old Testament obligations would be to return to shadows when we already have the substance.
For more detail on how early Christian worship developed, see the historical notes in the article Jesus the Reason for the Season — The Truth Behind the Myths About Christian Celebrations
Should Christians Celebrate Easter or Christmas?
Paul did not celebrate Christmas or Easter because these celebrations did not exist in the early church. The first generations of believers did not establish annual Christian holidays. Instead, they gathered weekly — on “the first day of the week” — to remember the resurrection of Jesus.
Acts 20:7 “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…”
The early church focused on the core foundation of Christian faith: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They did not create substitute “Christian versions” of Jewish feast days, nor did they carry over the ritual calendar of Israel into the life of the church.
Their lack of celebration does not mean Christians must return to Old Testament festivals. It simply reflects that these traditions developed naturally over time as Christianity spread across cultures.
Later in history, as the church grew throughout the Roman world, believers established specific days to remember major events of Jesus’ life — especially His birth and His resurrection. These commemorations were acts of remembrance, not rituals required for salvation.
None of these celebrations ever replaced or added to the Gospel. They were expressions of worship, not obligations.
This is why the New Testament gives no command for Christmas, Easter, or any Old Testament festival. Instead, Christians are called to center their lives on Christ Himself, not on specific dates or ritual calendars.
Colossians 2:16–17 “Let no one therefore judge you in eating or drinking, or with respect to a feast day… which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is Christ’s.”
The New Covenant shifts the focus from shadows to the Savior — from calendar observances to Christ-centered worship.
If you want deeper historical background on how Christmas and Easter formed and how myths have distorted their meaning, you can read my detailed article here:Jesus the Reason for the Season — The Truth Behind the Myths About Christian Celebrations
Living Under the New Covenant
Living under the New Covenant means embracing grace, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, and following the teachings of Jesus — not returning to the laws, rituals, and feast days of the Old Testament. The heart of Christian obedience is not tied to special days on a calendar but to a daily, ongoing relationship with Christ. Under the New Covenant, believers celebrate Jesus every day, not just during appointed feasts, rituals, or seasons.
The life Christ gives is not built on outward observances but on inward transformation. True worship is not measured by feast-keeping, dietary rules, or ceremonial traditions; it is measured by the condition of the heart and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us.
John 4:23 “But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth…”
This is the essence of New Covenant life. Spirit and truth — not feast days and rituals — define the Christian’s worship.
Instead of returning to the shadows of the Old Covenant, believers now walk with the One who fulfills all things. Every day becomes an opportunity to follow Jesus, listen to His voice, serve Him with love, and walk in the freedom He purchased through His blood.
Here are practical ways this New Covenant life is lived out:
Focus on relationship, not rules.
Spend time with God in prayer and Scripture, seeking to know Him personally. Christianity is not about maintaining rituals; it is about walking with Christ daily.
Trust Jesus’ finished work.
When you struggle with sin or guilt, remember that Christ’s sacrifice covers all. Your forgiveness is secure, not because of your performance, but because of His accomplishment.
Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your actions.
Transformation does not come from self-effort but from surrender. The Spirit empowers you to obey Christ from the heart.
Serve others out of love instead of obligation.
True obedience flows from gratitude, not guilt. The Holy Spirit produces compassion and love that reflect Christ’s character.
Celebrate freedom in Christ.
Living under grace means living with assurance, knowing you are fully accepted and deeply loved.
The New Covenant brings dramatic, life-changing shifts for every believer:
God’s favor is based on Christ’s work, not human effort.
The Holy Spirit empowers obedience from the heart.
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Believers become children of God, not slaves to rules.
Legalism creates pressure, fear, and spiritual exhaustion.Grace produces freedom, joy, and Spirit-led obedience.Feast days come and go — but Jesus is present every day.
Understanding this liberates believers from systems that Christ has already fulfilled and leads them into a life shaped by gratitude, love, and ongoing transformation through the Holy Spirit.
The Impact of Understanding Do vs. Done
Grasping this difference changes everything about Christian living. It removes the burden of trying to earn God’s approval. It brings peace, confidence, and gratitude. It fuels genuine holiness and deepens unity among believers resting in the same grace.
New Covenant:
It removes the burden of trying to earn God’s love.
It brings peace and confidence in salvation.
It motivates genuine holiness because of gratitude, not fear.
It fosters unity among believers who rest in the same grace.
Because the Gospel centers on Christ’s finished work, it is essential that believers study Scripture with clarity and accuracy. It is important not to interpret the Bible based on personal opinions or assumptions. Believers are called to seek the true meaning of Scripture by using reliable, biblically grounded tools. Bible encyclopedias and Bible dictionaries — published by trusted Christian publishers such as Holman, Zondervan, or Tyndale — provide historical, linguistic, and cultural clarity, and can often be accessed through local libraries or purchased online through retailers like Amazon.
Trusted theological platforms such as Logos Bible Software (https://www.logos.com) offer solid resources for deeper study, while Creation Ministries International (https://creation.com) provides well-researched material related to origins, genealogy, and biblical history. Apologetics Canada (https://apologeticscanada.com) also offers strong Christian apologetics content, including their YouTube teaching “Can I Trust the Bible?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhVPBNBAGY0), which helps believers understand the reliability and historical credibility of Scripture.
Using trustworthy sources strengthens biblical understanding and keeps interpretation aligned with God’s Word — grounding believers in truth and protecting them from deception.
Last Thoughts About Do vs Done — Understanding the Law and the New Covenant in Christianity
In this post As long as the Gospel is preached, there will always be voices twisting Scripture. Some will add requirements God never commanded. Others will mix the Old Covenant with the New. Still others will use isolated verses to argue that believers must return to rituals, feast days, or laws that Christ has already fulfilled. But God’s Word is clear: Jesus completed the work the law could never accomplish and established a New Covenant through His blood.
Understanding the difference between “Do” and “Done” is not just a theological exercise. It is the foundation of Christian identity. Under the old system, people lived with constant pressure, fear of failure, and the burden of perfection. Under the New Covenant, believers live with assurance, joy, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s finished work frees us from striving to earn God’s approval and invites us into a relationship anchored in grace.
Discernment is essential in a world filled with conflicting teachings and spiritual confusion. Believers must test every message against Scripture and follow God’s teaching, not the influence of false teachers, new trends, or misguided believers who misunderstand the role of the law. The life of faith is not built on outward rituals but on inward transformation through the Holy Spirit.
The New Covenant calls us to Christ alone — not to calendar-based religion, not to ceremonial laws, not to systems He has already fulfilled. True freedom is found in the One who completed the law perfectly, wrote His truth on our hearts, and now lives within us. This is the heart of the Gospel: Jesus has done the work. Our role is to walk in Him, trust Him, and let His Spirit reshape our lives from the inside out.
Every day becomes a celebration of Christ’s finished work. Every act of obedience becomes an expression of love, not fear. Every step forward becomes evidence of grace, not self-effort. The New Covenant is a covenant of life, freedom, and transformation — and it belongs to every believer who puts their faith in Jesus.
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