Based on Galatians 5 (New King James Version)
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off! For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
The saying "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" originated from a German proverb, das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten, which is translated as such. The phrase's first known recorded use is in Thomas Murner's 1512 satirical work, "Narrenbeschwörung" (Appeal to Fools). The writing included a woodcut illustration showing a woman tossing a baby out with the dirty water out of the tub. This saying well explains what many believers do with God’s law and the Old Testament, because of a misunderstanding or an error, or because of a desire to justify their will to continue doing as they please. In any case, it is necessary for salvation to know how to retain the integrity of the fullness of God's Word (from Genesis to Revelation).
To begin, we must always remember what the Lord Himself said about the Law and the Prophets, as it is written: “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. Matthew 5:17-20. And it is also written: “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40. So, this gives very clear confirmation that neither the law, nor the prophets, and therefore, nor the Old Testament, is being eliminated, under any circumstances. Now, there are people who believe that the fulfillment of the law and the prophets was through the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord, and yes, it's true. He came to fulfill all things. But now, that same thing must be fulfilled in the life of every believer if they wish to gain entrance into the kingdom of heaven or inherit eternal life. We must always remember that the Lord is our example to follow, as the Apostle Paul himself said: Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:1. So, we should never look to people as our model or example, because they are imperfect, even when there are good intentions. Our focus and attention must always be on the Lord, and to live and do as He did.
Now, there are many who may comment and even ask: “This seems to go beyond faith, as if faith also depended on works. Aren't we saved by faith and nothing else?” Let's look at what the Word says, and what the Lord Himself taught: “And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’ So he answered and said, ‘ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ’ And He said to him, ‘You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.’” Luke 10:25-28. So then, what do we see here? The lawyer asked: “…what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And the Lord didn't correct him or say that salvation comes only through belief, but rather, He answered based on the same question, and even more so, He directed him toward the law. And when the interpreter answered with the same law, the Lord Himself confirmed that if he did this work of loving God properly, he would live as a result. So, faith and works go hand-in-hand. What works do is manifest the faith one possesses, and it is what God Himself will use as evidence in the final judgment. This is what is written: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26. So, it's very clear that salvation depends entirely on both faith and good works, ultimately, on doing the Father's will.
So, what changes or no longer applies from the law? The example we see is circumcision, and through this, we understand that the physical or bodily expressions of the law no longer apply because Christ came to re-establish faith through His person. For this is also what the Word says: “Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.” Deuteronomy 10:16. God has always been more interested in man circumcising the heart than in physical or temporary matters. This is why animal sacrifices are not applicable either, because Christ was the perfect sacrifice, but also because God seeks repentance from the heart, and not something superficial. This is God's will: “Then He said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” Matthew 13:52. So then, have you learned to please God through Christ living as He taught, putting into practice (doing works) the old and the new? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!