Tuesday 10 December 2013

Law - Not Abolished But Fulfilled

Jesus said He didn't come to abolish the Law. It meant He didn't come to negate the Law.

But a contract can end without being negated.

One way a contract can end legitimately is if one party breaks the contract.

Another way is by a sunset clause in the contract itself.

In these ways a contract can end legitimately without you having an attitude that set about to abolish the contract.

And even after a contract has legitimately ended in such cases, the usefulness of the contract still continues, in a certain sense.

If someone tries to sue you after a contract has legitimately ended for not keeping contractual obligations that you had under the contract, all you need to do is produce the terms of the contract to show that the contract has ended. The contract continues to be useful as a testimony authorising and defending your current situation.

In that case which of the two parties is truly upholding the contract - the party which says the contract is over, or the party which says it's still in force? The party who says it's over!

Jesus didn't come with an attitude of disdain for the Law. He didn't negate it on any point. He perfectly obeyed its morals, civil codes, ceremonies and prophecies. He also fulfilled the part of the Law which spoke of the inauguration of a New Covenant, which was promised seeing Israel had broken the first Covenant (Law). By His Spirit He now empowers believers to behave in such a way that the Law, taken as whole, cannot condemn on any point.

The usefulness of the Law continues in that it authorised and bears witness and testimony to all of these outcomes. If we use all of the Law as intended for us at this time rather than only parts of the Law as they were intended for Israel in a time past, then it's good and profitable in many ways.

In that sense the Law continues, is upheld, is not abolished, and is continually fulfilled.

The Law, David, the Prophets, Jesus, and the Apostles each spoke of a coming change of Covenant or Law. Embracing the New Covenant therefore embraces all of the Law, and all of the Bible in one sweep.

No the Law has not been abolished - negated. It is only by the New Covenant that it is fulfilled, and it continues to bear witness of the New Covenant of which it spoke.




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