In a Christian Students on Campus bible study last week, I finally understood how Jesus dealt with the law.
In Ephesians 2:15 Paul tells us the Lord “abolished with His flesh the law with its commandments".
However in Matthew 5:17 the Lord Himself proclaims, “Do not think I have come to abolish the law or its prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”
Does the Bible contradict itself? Of course not. If there is one thing we can always trust it is the validity of the bible. (Isaiah 40:8)
The question: Did Jesus come to abolish the law or to fulfill it?
I'd like to disprove this false dichotomy and say, yes. Jesus came both to abolish and to fulfill. While He abolished the ORDINANCES of the law, He fulfilled the MORAL of the law.
CHRIST ABOLISHED THE LAW
Through His death, the Lord Jesus did away with the ritual commandments. Colossians 2:14 says the Lord has eliminated the Judaic ordinances by nailing them to the cross. These include dietary regulations, circumcision, and observance of the Sabbath. They are no longer needed.
Keep in mind, this only speaks of the ordinances in the law – that is – the religious obligations. The moral commandments are still in place.
CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW
Jesus upheld the moral law in a three-fold way. Good morals are still needed to live out the kingdom life.
1) Jesus kept the law’s moral standards.
2) He fulfilled the requirements of the law through his death on the cross for us. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death. He died in our place to satisfy this righteous requirement.
3) He complimented the old law with His new law. Matthew 5 shows us that the Lord actually introduced a higher standard.
For instance: the Old Testament law forbade murder. The new law forbids even getting angry with your brother. The old law forbade adultery. The new Law forbids even looking at a women, lest you commit adultery in your heart.
While the Old Testament law deals with outward actions, the New Testament law is concerned with the intentions of the heart.
Amen - that's a wonderful presentation. The Lord fulfilled the law and then replaced it with a higher law, the law of the kingdom of the heavens. The moral commandments are still in place though - the new law is much higher than the law in the Old Testament, dealing not only with the outward acts but with the inward parts of man, the intentions, the thoughts, etc.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that it is not ME who can fulfill the law, but the Christ in me can do it!
Simple answer: yes
ReplyDeleteThanks Vania. I like how the 'contradiction' can be explained so simply.
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