Then in Colossians 2:13-15, Paul says that the written law was canceled and nailed to the cross.

These are just 2 verses of several verses concerning the law that seem to contradict each other. One says that the Law will never change and one saying that the law was nailed to the cross and cancelled. What do these verses mean and how can the bible have verses that contradict each other?

The answer is that they are referring to two different laws. The Law of God which is the Ten Commandments and the law of Moses which is the book of laws that Moses wrote.

The Law of God was spoken by God to the Israelites and then written by God on the 2 tablets of stone. The Law of God is unchanging and permanent. This is the Law that Jesus said was would not change in Matthew 5:17-19.

In Matthew 24:20, , Jesus, when talking about the end times, says that we should pray that our flight will not take place in the winter or on the Sabbath. This shows that Jesus considered that the fourth commandment was still in effect even in the end times.

The book of laws that Moses wrote was the ceremonial laws including the laws of the sacrifices to be made. These laws were pointing the way to the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. When God told Moses about these laws, they were meant to be temporary.

When Christ was crucified and died, He fulfilled the law of Moses. The law of Moses was not needed because Christ was the perfect and final sacrifice. This is the law mentioned by Paul in Colossians 2:13-15.

The Law of God or the Ten Commandments was still in effect and is still in effect. In 1 John 2:3-4, John says that if we say that we know Jesus and do not keep His commandments, we are a liar and the truth in not in him. How can we claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior and not keep his commandments?

Therefore, although we cannot earn our salvation by keeping the Ten Commandments, we should make every effort to obey them. They were not nailed to the cross. They are still important. They are not the ten suggestions.