Phil Rowlands

Hello, my friends!

Have you ever found yourself puzzled about Jesus' relationship to the law? It's a question that has intrigued and sometimes confused believers for centuries. Today, I'd like to consider with you this fascinating topic and explore how Jesus' mission wasn't to abolish the law, but to fulfill it in a way that takes us far beyond its original scope. Are you ready for a journey that might challenge some of your preconceptions but ultimately lead you to a greater appreciation of God's grace? Let's get started!

Friends, our starting point is Matthew 5:17, where Jesus makes a profound statement: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Now, why would Jesus need to clarify this? Well, His association with sinners and His teachings of grace often led people to misunderstand His mission. They thought He might be encouraging lawlessness or disregarding God's standards.

Does this sound familiar? Even today, those who teach about God's grace are often accused of giving people a “license to sin.” I've heard it myself countless times, and perhaps you have too. But Jesus wanted to make two things crystal clear: First, He didn't come to disparage the law or encourage lawlessness. Second, He didn't come to leave His people under the law but to lift them to a much higher and more effective way of living. Isn't that exciting? Jesus came to elevate us, not to lower God's standards!

Now, let's dig a little deeper into what Jesus meant by “fulfilling” the law. Throughout Matthew's Gospel, we see Jesus fulfilling prophecies left and right. From His birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) to His ministry in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2), from His teaching in parables (Psalm 78:2) to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Zechariah 9:9), Jesus was ticking off prophetic boxes one by one. But it wasn't just about prophecies. Jesus fulfilled the law in His life by keeping every commandment perfectly. He was the only human being ever to live a sinless life, fully pleasing to the Father.

But there's more to it than that. Jesus also fulfilled the law by exhausting its judgments. On the cross, He took upon Himself the punishment for every sin, for every broken law. That's why He could cry out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The law had served its purpose, pointing to the One who would fully satisfy its demands.

Friends, this is where it gets really good. Paul tells us in Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” Christ is both the finish line of the law and the goal to which it was always pointing. The law was never meant to be a permanent fixture, but a temporary measure until the promised Seed, Jesus, would come.

Now, you might be thinking, “But didn't Jesus say that not one jot or tittle would pass from the law till all is fulfilled?” (Matthew 5:18). Absolutely! But notice the word “till.” The law isn't everlasting; it's long-lasting until its fulfillment in Christ. It's like when someone asks you to hold something “till” they get back. You're not meant to hold it forever, right?

So, what does all this mean for us as followers of Jesus? Well, Jesus goes on to talk about our righteousness needing to exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). He's not talking about salvation here, but about life in the Kingdom. You see, the scribes and Pharisees were all about external righteousness. They were masters at looking good on the outside while their hearts remained unchanged.

 

Jesus, on the other hand, came to change us from the inside out. In Matthew 5, He provides a series of teachings that beautifully illustrate how the standard of the Kingdom transcends that of the law. These teachings reveal the heart of God and the transformative power of His grace.

Jesus begins by addressing matters of the heart, showing that true righteousness goes far deeper than external actions. He teaches that it's not enough to refrain from murder; we must also guard against anger and contempt in our hearts. Similarly, He elevates the standard of purity beyond the act of adultery to include the lustful thoughts that precede it. In doing so, Jesus confronts the root causes of sin, calling us to a level of holiness that can only be achieved through His transforming work in our lives.

Moving on to matters of integrity and relationships, Jesus challenges the conventional wisdom of His day. He speaks about divorce, not to impose stricter rules, but to remind us of God's original intention for marriage as a lifelong, sacred bond. When it comes to our speech, Jesus calls for a level of truthfulness that makes oath-taking unnecessary. His standard is simple yet profound: let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No.' This teaching invites us into a life of such consistent integrity that our word alone is trustworthy.

Perhaps most radical of all are Jesus' teachings on how we respond to others, especially those who wrong us. He replaces the old standard of “an eye for an eye” with a call to turn the other cheek, to go the extra mile, and to give to those who ask. This isn't a call to be a doormat, but an invitation to respond to evil with good, breaking the cycle of retaliation. Jesus then takes this even further, challenging us to love not just our neighbours, but even our enemies. He calls us to pray for those who persecute us, mirroring the unconditional love of our Heavenly Father.

These teachings of Jesus aren't just a new set of rules to follow. They're a picture of what life looks like when we're transformed by God's grace. Jesus is showing us the character of God and inviting us to participate in it. He's calling us to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees not by piling on more rules, but by changing our hearts to align with God's heart.

Friends, can you see how radical this is? Jesus is setting a standard that goes way beyond external compliance. He's calling us to a transformed heart, a new nature that reflects the very character of God. It's a standard that we could never hope to meet through our own efforts. But here's the beautiful truth: in Christ, this seemingly impossible standard becomes our new nature. As we abide in Him, His life flows through us, producing the very righteousness that the law demanded but could never create.

Now, you might be thinking, “This sounds impossible! How can anyone live up to this standard?” And you'd be right – on our own, we can't. That's where the beautiful truth of the New Covenant comes in. God doesn't just give us a new set of rules; He gives us a new heart and puts His Spirit within us. As He promises in Ezekiel 36:26-27, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

This is the key difference between life under the law and life in Christ. The law could tell us what to do, but it couldn't empower us to do it. It could point out our sin, but it couldn't transform our hearts. But in Christ, we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). We're not just trying to follow rules; we're being changed from the inside out to become more like Jesus.

 

Think about it this way: the law is like a mirror that shows us our dirt, but it can't clean us. Jesus, on the other hand, not only shows us our need but also cleanses us and transforms us into His image. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

This transformation isn't instant, and it isn't always easy. We're still growing, still learning to walk in this new life. But the power for change doesn't come from our own efforts to keep the law. It comes from the indwelling Spirit of God, producing His fruit in our lives – “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Isn't it amazing? The very things the law demanded but couldn't produce are now growing in us as we abide in Christ. We're not throwing out God's standards; we're living them out in a way that far exceeds what the law could ever accomplish.

So, what does this mean for our daily lives? It means we're free from the burden of trying to earn God's favour through rule-keeping. Instead, we're invited into a relationship with Him, where His love transforms us from the inside out. It means we can approach God with confidence, not based on our performance, but on Christ's perfect work on our behalf.

But let me be clear: this freedom isn't a license to sin. Anyone who teaches that grace means we can live however we want has missed the point entirely. Jesus said such a person would be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:19). No, the grace of God teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-12).

The difference is, we're not motivated by fear of punishment or desire for reward. We're motivated by love for the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. We obey, not to become righteous, but because in Christ, we already are righteous. We live holy lives, not to earn God's love, but in response to the love He's already lavished on us.

Friends, this is the heart of the gospel – not that we must strive to reach God's standard, but that in Christ, God's standard has reached down to us. Jesus has fulfilled the law on our behalf, and now He lives in us by His Spirit, working out His righteousness through us in ways that go far beyond what the law could ever demand or produce.

Let me give you a practical example. Under the law, you might refrain from stealing because you fear punishment. Under grace, you not only refrain from stealing, but you actively look for ways to give and bless others. Why? Because you're secure in God's love and provision, and His generous nature is being formed in you.

Or consider forgiveness. The law might require you to forgive to a certain extent. But in Christ, we're empowered to forgive even the most grievous offenses, just as we've been forgiven. We can love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, not because we're trying to earn points with God, but because His love is flowing through us.

This is the kind of life Jesus came to give us – a life that's not just about avoiding sin, but about positively reflecting God's character to the world around us. It's a life of freedom, joy, and purpose that goes far beyond mere rule-keeping.

 

Be blessed today, my brothers and sisters. May you rest in the finished work of Christ, knowing that in Him, you have fulfilled all righteousness. May you walk in the freedom and power of His Spirit, allowing His life to flow through you in ways that bring glory to His name. And may you always remember that in Christ, you are loved, you are righteous, and you are free to become all that God has called you to be.

Phil