"do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." Then He continues, "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one title 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." (Matthew 5:17-19).
This is one of the passages which many have misunderstood, which religious Christians (I call them "men of Ten") usually hold on to in order to encourage their members to observe the laws and commandments of Moses. Sometimes even certain faith teachers are guilty of this. When trying to teach faith, they indirectly end up emphasizing the law of Moses.
The Greek word for destroy also means, "abolish." In essence, Jesus is saying that the purpose of His first coming was not just to fulfill the law but also to abolish it. The question to answer now is this; has Jesus fulfilled the law? The answer is Yes! Paul clearly points out that Christ is the end (termination) of the law...(Gal 2:16). Meaning that, when Christ finished His redemptive work, the law ceased to operate. His finished work was the point where the law ceased to function. In order words the law of Moses is not functioning today.
Again, Paul says, "the law was our school master to bring us unto Christ... (Gal 3:24).
Notice that the phrase "to bring us", is italicized in the King James version. This phrase has been poorly rendered, as it gives casual readers a wrong idea of what the writer is saying. Actually, that phrase was added by translators. It is not found in the original text. This phrase gives people the wrong idea that the law is what brings people to Christ. This is the idea that cranky Christians have when they come across this verse. But this is not what Paul is saying. A better way to render this verse should have been, "the law was our schoolmaster until Christ came." Paul is simply saying that the law was the schoolmaster of the Jews until the coming of Christ, after which it ceased to be the schoolmaster. In other wards, Christ put an end to the reign of the law of Moses as a means of approaching God or pleasing Him.
Notice that the phrase "to bring us", is italicized in the King James version. This phrase has been poorly rendered, as it gives casual readers a wrong idea of what the writer is saying. Actually, that phrase was added by translators. It is not found in the original text. This phrase gives people the wrong idea that the law is what brings people to Christ. This is the idea that cranky Christians have when they come across this verse. But this is not what Paul is saying. A better way to render this verse should have been, "the law was our schoolmaster until Christ came." Paul is simply saying that the law was the schoolmaster of the Jews until the coming of Christ, after which it ceased to be the schoolmaster. In other wards, Christ put an end to the reign of the law of Moses as a means of approaching God or pleasing Him.
Observe also that Paul used the word "was", not "is". Was is past tense not present tense. So the law was the schoolmaster in the past, not now (in the present). Understand that Jesus did not only fulfill the law of Moses, He also abolished it (Eph 2:15). Today we are under the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Paul speaks about this in his epistle to the Corinthians. He points out that under the ministry of the Holy Spirit the Law and its commandments have been abolished (2 Cor 3:7-13)."...to the end of that which is abolished" (vs 13).
Again we are told that the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2,3, the emphasis are mine). What is the law of sin and death? It is the law of Moses and its commandments - the law engraved on stones (2 Cor 3:7).
The Greek word for "Abolish" is "Katargeo." It means all of the following:
- to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative
- to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency
- to deprive of force, influence, power
- to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish
- to cease, to pass away, be done away
- to be severed from, separated from, discharged from, loosed from any one
- to terminate all intercourse with one. (Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary, Kittel Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.")
Now let me bring your attention to a very important statement in Marks gospel. This statement is very suggestive. It points to the fact that Jesus never preached or encouraged anyone to follow the Law of Moses (see my post titled: If ye keep my commandments).
Paul tells us in Romans 7:1-3, that you cannot follow Christ and the Law at the same time. You cannot be married to two husbands at the same time. Following Christ and the Laws and Commandments of the Old Testament would be spiritual adultery. You cannot preach Christ (Grace) and his finished work and at the same time be preaching, teaching or upholding the Old Testament Laws and Commandments. If you are encouraging people to follow the law in any way then you are encouraging them to commit spiritual adultery against Christ. What I am simply saying is that; Jesus Christ has already
fulfilled the Law and its Commandments, and as a result, it is
unnecessary today for anyone to try and follow or serve God by following
the law of Moses.
Don't get me wrong. I am not against the Law of Moses. The Bible tells us that the Law is good, if a man use it lawfully (1 Timothy 1:8). Notice the word if in this verse. I have italicized it for the sake of emphasis. What does this imply? Paul is just telling us that the Law is good only if a person uses it for the main intent for which God gave it, otherwise it becomes harmful. So then, for what reason did God give the Law?
You see, God gave the law to the Jews under the Old Covenant because he wanted to show them His righteous requirements and by so doing make them realize that no one could attain to His standard or save themselves through their self effort or self righteousness, no matter how much they tried. He gave the law to show that men were sinners by nature in need of a savior, and that without Christ they are helpless. Paul tells us that the Law with its commandments were given so that men could see the extent of their failure to meet up to God's standard of righteousness (Romans 5:20, TLB, emphasis are mine). The law and its commandments were never given to save anyone. The law was never given to curb sin. Rather it was given to make men see their sin and in so doing turn to the Lord for help (salvation). Paul goes on to tell us that the law was never given to justify men in the sight of God. No man can ever please God by doing what the law says. I like the way the message Bible renders it,
"We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it — and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good," (Galatians 2:16, MSG)
Again Paul tells us that, "no one can be justified in the sight of God or sustain a relationship with Him by doing what the Law says," (Galatians 3:11)
Most folks misunderstand the purpose of the law, so they think it is meant to save people. They think God gave the law so that we can live by it in order to make heaven. That's a lie.To say it in a nut shell:
(1) The Law shows men God's righteousness, but can never help anyone to obtain it.
(2) It shows men how sinful they are, so that they can realize they need a savior/salvation- Jesus Christ.
(3) The law can never justify anyone in the sight of God. If it cant, then it cant help anyone make heaven or sustain a relationship with God.
It is used to bring people to the end of themselves so that they stop depending on their self righteous effort or morality.
(4) The law was never given to curb sin. rather it makes sin more obvious. It increases sin. You remember Romans 3:20. We are also told that "the strength of sin is the Law," (1 Corinthians 15:56). The law made sin stronger. Apart from the Law, sin lies dead, (Romans 7:8, ESV). The more people preach and advocate the Law of Moses, the more they strengthen sin.
Since this is the purpose of the law, why then should you or anyone else depend on it in order to please God, make heaven, or be made acceptable to God, as some wrongly teach? Most people think that the way out of sin is to do or obey what the law says. This is a wrong idea. The Law is not Grace and Grace is not law. The Law is not the Gospel, and the Gospel is not the Law (Romans 11:6). The Gospel is about Jesus Christ and His finished work on our behalf and how by faith people become partakers of all that Christ has accomplished on our behalf. On the other hand, the Law is about human or self effort viz-a-viz self righteousness, works, demand, e.t.c.
You cannot follow Christ and the Law of Moses together. The two cannot be mixed together. I am not saying you should stop reading your Old Testament. I study the entire Bible as often as I can, and I believe everything God says in His word. Nevertheless, what I am saying is that your salvation does not depend on observing the Law of Moses. It does not depend on rule keeping. Paul tells us clearly that as Christians we cannot be married to both Christ and the Law at the same time, (Romans 7:1-4). The Law had to die in order for us to be marriageable to Christ. Paul pointed out here that the Law of Moses was the legal husband to the Jews under the Old Covenant, and as long as the law was still in force(alive) then, they could not get married to another, which is Christ, least they commit adultery. However, when the Law died. They became free from the Law to now be married to Christ. You can understand now that Paul in a way equates the combining together of the Christian faith with the Law of Moses to a sort of adultery. Do you get the gist now? You cannot follow Christ and the Law of Moses together. As a matter of truth you are not even supposed to follow the Law of Moses. Being born again also means "born away from the Law of Moses and its commandments." If you are born again, you are far above the Law of Moses. You can never be bound by the Law or brought under it.
There are so many things to say, but I cannot say it all here. However, as you keep following our posts you'd discover timeless truths and realities that will dawn on you. You are forever blessed. Keep in touch!
Prize Chukwuka
"We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ. How do we know? We tried it — and we had the best system of rules the world has ever seen! Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good," (Galatians 2:16, MSG)
Again Paul tells us that, "no one can be justified in the sight of God or sustain a relationship with Him by doing what the Law says," (Galatians 3:11)
Most folks misunderstand the purpose of the law, so they think it is meant to save people. They think God gave the law so that we can live by it in order to make heaven. That's a lie.To say it in a nut shell:
(1) The Law shows men God's righteousness, but can never help anyone to obtain it.
(2) It shows men how sinful they are, so that they can realize they need a savior/salvation- Jesus Christ.
(3) The law can never justify anyone in the sight of God. If it cant, then it cant help anyone make heaven or sustain a relationship with God.
It is used to bring people to the end of themselves so that they stop depending on their self righteous effort or morality.
(4) The law was never given to curb sin. rather it makes sin more obvious. It increases sin. You remember Romans 3:20. We are also told that "the strength of sin is the Law," (1 Corinthians 15:56). The law made sin stronger. Apart from the Law, sin lies dead, (Romans 7:8, ESV). The more people preach and advocate the Law of Moses, the more they strengthen sin.
Since this is the purpose of the law, why then should you or anyone else depend on it in order to please God, make heaven, or be made acceptable to God, as some wrongly teach? Most people think that the way out of sin is to do or obey what the law says. This is a wrong idea. The Law is not Grace and Grace is not law. The Law is not the Gospel, and the Gospel is not the Law (Romans 11:6). The Gospel is about Jesus Christ and His finished work on our behalf and how by faith people become partakers of all that Christ has accomplished on our behalf. On the other hand, the Law is about human or self effort viz-a-viz self righteousness, works, demand, e.t.c.
You cannot follow Christ and the Law of Moses together. The two cannot be mixed together. I am not saying you should stop reading your Old Testament. I study the entire Bible as often as I can, and I believe everything God says in His word. Nevertheless, what I am saying is that your salvation does not depend on observing the Law of Moses. It does not depend on rule keeping. Paul tells us clearly that as Christians we cannot be married to both Christ and the Law at the same time, (Romans 7:1-4). The Law had to die in order for us to be marriageable to Christ. Paul pointed out here that the Law of Moses was the legal husband to the Jews under the Old Covenant, and as long as the law was still in force(alive) then, they could not get married to another, which is Christ, least they commit adultery. However, when the Law died. They became free from the Law to now be married to Christ. You can understand now that Paul in a way equates the combining together of the Christian faith with the Law of Moses to a sort of adultery. Do you get the gist now? You cannot follow Christ and the Law of Moses together. As a matter of truth you are not even supposed to follow the Law of Moses. Being born again also means "born away from the Law of Moses and its commandments." If you are born again, you are far above the Law of Moses. You can never be bound by the Law or brought under it.
There are so many things to say, but I cannot say it all here. However, as you keep following our posts you'd discover timeless truths and realities that will dawn on you. You are forever blessed. Keep in touch!
Prize Chukwuka
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