Law Fulfilled

Matthew 5:17-18 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished.”
 
AS we live in the age of the New Testament – the age of the church – we rejoice in God’s new promise of salvation by grace through faith. In response to God’s grace, though, many tend to dismiss the Old Testament law. Reading Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy seems irrelevant for our lives today. The covenant of the law seems to have many more requirements than the covenant of grace. We are thankful God has simplified the way we worship him.
   But have you considered God’s law is a demonstration of his grace to save you? After all, the law was and is God’s visible sign of his love. Jesus said so in response to the question, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:36-39) Does it strike you as odd that God commands love? It seems to be a “work” we must do.
   But we must remember God’s character. Because he is love, God gave the law to reveal himself as the one and only supreme God. As Israel obeyed, they would come to know loving God would direct their hearts and minds to obeying God. Obeying God leads to loving God. We bless God in our active love for him. He blesses us in his active love for us.
   Jesus’ appearance on earth fulfills God’s very active and extraordinary love. Consider John’s teachings: For God so love the world that he gave his one and only Son. (John 3:16a) and This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (1 John 3:16) God’s love led to the most unexpected fulfillment of God’s own complex sacrifice laws. He sent his only Son to die in the law that we might live in grace. That’s why we don’t need the sacrifice laws and worship laws of the Old Testament.
   And that is why we must still obey God’s laws to love him and love others. Jesus has shown you the fullness of his teaching to “love God and love one another”. Loving God, you will live into Jesus’ loving sacrifice for your life. Be grateful for the law. It demonstrates God’s love.
 
Jesus Teaches: True law is God’s grace to reveal his true love.