Paul's Passing Thoughts

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” ~ Matthew 5:17

So then the question is, how did Christ fulfill the law?

The entire protestant gospel is rooted in the idea that since man is unable to keep the law perfectly, then Jesus must keep the law for us. This makes perfect law-keeping the standard for righteousness.  This is the protestant interpretation of “Jesus fulfills the law”, for the purpose of justification.

BUT…

The Bible says that righteousness is APART FROM THE LAW! If righteousness is by the law, then there would have been no need for Christ to die (Galatians 2:21, 3:21)

Also, how do you reconcile Matthew 5:17 with Romans 8:4?
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in US…”

Here is the true Biblical gospel:

Jesus didn’t die to keep the law perfectly on our behalf. He died to END THE LAW! He died so that all of our PAST sins could be TAKEN AWAY (not “covered”). Because of the New Birth, the believer becomes the righteous offspring of God the Father (not just “declared” righteous, but righteous as a state of being!) He is no longer under condemnation (Romans 8:1) because the law was ended for him. He is no longer under its jurisdiction. And where there is no law, there is no sin (Romans 5:13)

Therefore, the believer is now FREE to aggressively pursue obedience as an expression of LOVE to God and to others, without FEAR of condemnation!

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” ~ 1 John 4:18

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” ~ Matthew 22:37-40

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” ~ John 14:15

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” ~ Romans 13:8

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” ~ Romans 13:10

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” ~ Galatians 5:14

“If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:” ~ James 2:8

So how did Christ fulfill the law? He fulfills the law through US, believers!  NOT for the purpose of justification, for the believer is already righteous.  But by making it possible for us to be the righteous offspring of the Father, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us as we strive to obey for the purpose of showing LOVE!

Andy