Message: Christ, the end of the law
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
I really love these verses. I think what I love is to notice things in life that are completely contrary to the message we often we receive in life through the world and its message.
I must admit, I have spent the past 3 weeks talking to a Muslim through GMO and he has asked some interesting questions.This message that Paul is speaking. Is it the same message of the Gospels? I don't know if I can really answer that right now, but I do know that Jesus was all about faith. And what he saw in others was faith. They had faith in Him. They believed in Him and because of that belief good things did happen to them. So, there is power in faith. And if there is power in faith then there is not power in works. We can't have both. Works are important, most definitely, but faith is what separates those who know Christ and those who pretend. And Paul is clearly mentioning a dividing line between the two.
The focus of the Old Testament and the Jew is pointing people to a Messiah. The Jews recognize this clearly. All the focus is on a Savior, on someone that will permanently take away sin.
From Precept Austin site:
Everything about the Jewish religion pointed to the coming Messiah—their sacrifices, priesthood, temple services, religious festivals, and covenants. Their Law, the Temple ceremonies, the sacrifices, etc were all "word pictures" given by God to tell His chosen people that they were sinners in need of a Savior. But instead of letting these "pictures" and the Law bring them to Christ (as mentioned in Galatians 3:24 "the law is our tutor, bringing us to Christ"), they worshiped their Law and rejected their Savior! The Law like the tabernacle, temple, and sacrifices was a signpost, pointing the way. It was a means to an end, not the end itself. It could never take them to their destination. The Law cannot give righteousness but only lead the sinner to the Savior Who Alone was the source of God pleasing righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30 - "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption").So once again, Paul isn't saying anything new. He is instead looking at the Old Testament and bringing together the words and themes of the Old Testament with the Messiah.
Fulfillment of the Law by the Savior
In Matthew 5:13-20 Jesus talks about fulfilling the Law and the Prophets. He states that he did not come to abolish but fulfill. Paul reiterates this many times in Romans stating the Jesus fulfilled the Law. And by doing so that fulfillment is passed onto me through faith. Christ did the work, we receive it. But we are to be obedient to the Law. Don't think for a second that we are not to be about law fulfilling ourselves. This is clear in this passage in Matthew 5.
End of the Law for the Saints
Yet, in this verse, it states the end of the law. So, while what I have said above is true, Paul's words here are that the Law, as a means of attaining righteousness, has ceased.
Jeremiah 31:31-32 - “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.
Hebrews 8:13 - When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.
But, I'm still not sure that the intent of the Law was ever to make a person righteous. It is a standard and it is something to be followed, but I don't think that what Paul is saying here is that something has changed. His audience is the Jews primarily, though he speaks to Gentiles as well. So, his focus is on speaking their truth and they believed the Law, in its entirety, was to be kept, for the purpose of being declared righteous? Is that correct?
Believe produces a new heart
Belief is an individual thing. Each person must have a belief. Each person must make an individual decision. We are not grafted into the faith because of the family we were born into or the people we hang around with.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 - Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
I am made new in Christ.
Believe is really one of the most powerful words we have. People believe so many different things in their life. I think it is so interesting all the different ways in which people believe, in which they hold something to be true. Yet, the belief that is being talked about here produces a change, produces a new life, produces a difference in me. That is what I always see as incredible. Christ in me produced a change in me. And people all over take on a new life in Christ. It's a beautiful thing.
But, this end of the Law only occurs to those that believe.
Promise: Christ fulfilled the Law, not so we wouldn't have to, but because we couldn't.
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