FULFILLING THE LAW
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17).
When Christ made such a statement as the above, it tells us something. This statement clearly highlights to us the prevalent thought during the time of Christ – many, whether the believers or His enemies, thought that Christ came to abolish the Law and the Prophets. How wrong they were, as Christ pointed out! Instead of abolishing the law, Christ emphasized that His first coming was to fulfill the Law. This statement took the people by surprise.
At His first coming, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, descended from heaven’s glory to be born as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. The Bible says in Luke 2:21-24 that the baby Jesus was circumcised on the eight day according to the Law. When the days of Mary’s purification were accomplished, Jesus was brought to Jerusalem to be presented before God and a sacrifice according to the Law was made. Why were these statements on the early infant years of Christ recorded for us? I believe one of the chief reasons is to show us that from the day that He was born, Christ had been fulfilling the Law. He did all that is required of any person from the Law of God.
At the commencement of His earthly ministry, Christ went to the John the Baptist. John was baptizing many people at Jordan. These came for water baptism as a sign of their repentance and cleansing of their sins. But John reminded the people, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matt. 3:11). When John saw Jesus approaching, straightaway he pointed out to the people that Jesus was the One he was talking about. When Jesus sought John for baptism, the Bible says John forbade Him. What was Jesus’ response? “And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matt. 3:15).
Why did Jesus who is the Son of God need baptism? Was it because He was born in sin as all men are since the fall of Adam? For us, who are born of our earthly fathers, we are born in sin. We possess the original sin, but not so for Christ; because the birth of Christ is very different from the normal birth of men. The birth of Christ is a virgin birth; and hence, the original sin is not passed down from men unto Him. Jesus was born sinless. Though Christ was born sinless, yet He still went to John for baptism. His answer to John tells us clearly why He did so – not because He has sin but that He might fulfil all righteousness. Christ laid for us the pattern to emulate.
Thus, in all things, believers like you and me are called to fulfil all righteousness. This righteousness includes the need to live an upright life before God. As Christians, we are called to fulfil the Law of God – not because so that we may be saved but because we have been saved. We know that no one can be saved by the Law. However, for one who has been saved, Jesus has these words for him: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
Jesus showed us the example to fulfill all righteousness, be it big or small, so that we may be blameless in the sight of men and God. The apostle Paul reminded us, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil. 2:14-15). My friends, how have you been fulfilling all righteousness of the law? Have you been keeping God’s commandment grudgingly? If you do, then remember what the Lord Jesus has done for you and what you need to do so that you may be a testimony of Christ to the world.
Other than giving us an example to emulate, a greater reason why Jesus fulfilled all the aspects of the Law of God is so that He may be our representative. Yes, Jesus has saved us by dying on the cross for us. But do you know that Jesus saves us not only by His death but also by living His life for us? Now, if all that Jesus needed to do to save us is by dying on the cross, then why would He need to go through the trouble to descend from heaven’s glory as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger? Why would He need to be born of a virgin and raised up to an adult and live in this world. Instead, all He needed was to come down from heaven as an adult and lay down His life on the cross for our sakes. That was not the case. Why?
Because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; and hence, no man in this world is able to keep the Law of God perfectly. If Jesus were to redeem mankind from their sin, first, He must be a representative of men. While Adam was the first representative who brought men into the bondage of sin, Jesus is the second Adam, who redeems us from the bondage of sin. In order to do this, Jesus must be a perfect man. Thus, He cannot condescend from heaven merely as an adult. He has to be born as a babe yet without sin. He has to be born of a virgin. After a sinless birth, Jesus has to live a perfect life fulfilling all the righteousness as required of men from the Law of God. If Jesus were to fail one tiny speck of the Law, His representation for men would be flawed. Thanks be unto God, Jesus indeed fulfilled all the righteousness required by the Law of God. His fulfillment of the Law climaxed in the death on the cross as a perfect sacrifice unto sin. How did Jesus save us? First, by living a perfect life for us on our behalf. Second, by dying on the cross on our behalf. We call this active obedience and passive obedience of Christ.
Yes, not only did Christ fulfill all the righteousness of the Law, but Jesus Christ Himself is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. The purpose of the Law is to point us to our own sin and then to point us to Christ as our salvation. Beginning from the Law, at the fall of Adam, God promised Adam and his posterity the redemption of sin through Christ in the first Gospel (Gen. 3:15). Thereafter, pages and pages of the Law reveal further of Christ and His redemptive work for mankind. The priesthood and sacrificial system as practised by the Jews is a pictorial representation of Christ’s redemptive work to come. My dear friends, Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Christ, the perfect Lamb of God who has died for you. Your physical eyes may not have seen Jesus, your physical hands may not have touched Jesus but do you have the faith in your heart to believe Jesus for who He is? Have faith in Jesus Christ because only Jesus saves.
Rev Ho Chee Lai
Adapted from Evangel Weekly, 15 Jan 2017