Grace Upon Grace
has fulfilled the law…Romans 13:8
Jesus said, I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, Matthew 5:17. Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets, Matthew 22:26-40
The apostle Paul, taught by Jesus Himself, says the same thing. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery.” “You shall not murder.” “You shall not steal.” “You shall not bear false witness.” “You shall not covet.”, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in the saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law, Romans 13:8 thru 10. What was a commandment under the law is now a moral principle under grace. We are not to sin more because grace abounds, but less. Even so, grace exists.
Murder is still murder. Actually, whoever hates his brother is a murderer, 1 John 3:15. Jesus said, whoever is angry with one’s brother is guilty of murder, Matthew 5:21-22. A person who loves his brother would never want to murder him. Jesus says, a person who loves his brother should never be angry with him. Is this what Jesus meant when He said He came to fulfill the law? To teach us to love as God loves; to forgive as God forgives; to be holy as God is holy. That is, to be filled with His Spirit!
It is easy to see that in general, society does not regard the commandments as from God. While they may agree murder is wrong, they do not see it as sinful. Nor do they see it as unloving. They see it only as a means to an end.
These laws point us to Christ Jesus. All the requirements of the old covenant point to Jesus as Christ. All of them. Jesus is our Sabbath rest. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rest from their works, just as God did from His, Hebrews 4:9-10. Jesus is seen in all the ceremonies of worship. As each Sabbath points to Jesus; so does Jubilee. As each feast was a Sabbath, they also point to Jesus. Every feast was given a specific time, each had its appointed time, each came with an invitation to participate. Each pointed to Jesus. From Passover to Tabernacles, all pointed to Jesus.
Society may disregard God’s laws, we shall not. For we shall fulfill all the law by loving God and each other. Not by might, but by the Spirit of God with shouts of Grace, grace to it! Zechariah 4:6-7
