Here is a concise treatise on the overall purpose of the law of Moses. Like the apostle Paul, Abinadi declared that salvation does not come by the law alone (compare Galatians 2:16). Yet, earlier he was able to say with confidence that he knew that if the people would keep the commandments of the Mosaic law, they would be saved (Mosiah 12:33). How are both statements true? Because the law was conceived to bring people to the Messiah.
All those laws and practices were types of things to come; they served to strengthen the ancient disciples’ faith in Christ and point their souls to him (Alma 25:16; Jacob 4:5), the only real source of salvation. The law of Moses “is a shadow of those things which are to come,” and “redemption cometh through Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 16:14–15). Theirs was a very strict law with ritual performances and ordinances to observe with exactness day by day to help them remember God and their duty to him. In modern times we also have our daily and weekly performances and ordinances, reminders to keep our lives straight and our spirituality strong.
“Salvation Doth Not Come by the Law Alone”
Here is a concise treatise on the overall purpose of the law of Moses. Like the apostle Paul, Abinadi declared that salvation does not come by the law alone (compare Galatians 2:16). Yet, earlier he was able to say with confidence that he knew that if the people would keep the commandments of the Mosaic law, they would be saved (Mosiah 12:33). How are both statements true? Because the law was conceived to bring people to the Messiah.
All those laws and practices were types of things to come; they served to strengthen the ancient disciples’ faith in Christ and point their souls to him (Alma 25:16; Jacob 4:5), the only real source of salvation. The law of Moses “is a shadow of those things which are to come,” and “redemption cometh through Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 16:14–15). Theirs was a very strict law with ritual performances and ordinances to observe with exactness day by day to help them remember God and their duty to him. In modern times we also have our daily and weekly performances and ordinances, reminders to keep our lives straight and our spirituality strong.