“Jesus didn’t come to do away with the law, He came to fulfill it.” This would seem to be a moot point. The law was a contract between God and the Jewish Nation. A contract that has been fulfilled loses its authority. It is no longer binding on either party. Here is a case in point. If I contract with a builder to build a house, once the house has been built, the contract is no longer binding on either party. The contract doesn’t go away; it merely loses the authority to enforce its mandates as all its mandates have been fulfilled. There are no teeth left in it.
When Jesus fulfilled the law, the law lost its authority to condemn for sin. However, Jesus now uses the law as a tool of salvation. Another of the untruths preached by many so called ministers of the gospel is that we were born into sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ephesians 2 reveals that if you are a Gentile, which is anyone other than a Jew, you are born outside the covenants of God, without hope in the world. And it is God’s covenant that defines sin. If you are born a Gentile, you are born free from the law and its definition of sin. The only way for you to be saved is for you to accept God’s definition of righteousness and that the debt of righteousness required by God for salvation, according to old covenant law, is greater than your ability to pay. By this two part acknowledgement, you become an indentured slave to the law, but also eligible to be bought back by Jesus’ death for your sin. It is then through acceptance of Jesus’ death under penalty of sin that you are redeemed.
We, Gentiles, are not born in sin; we become slaves to the law, or slaves to sin by our acknowledgement of God’s standard of righteousness and our inability to pay it. The purpose of the law was to accentuate sin; its purpose was to reveal the sinfulness of mankind and mankind’s inability to live up to God’s standard for righteousness. A provision of the old covenant was a case where an individual came to owe a debt to another they were unable to pay. In this case, the person owing the debt could volunteer to become a slave to the one owning the debt in order to work off the debt owed. This provision of the law did not apply to Jews alone but also applied to “strangers and foreigners living among you.” This means Gentiles.
In our case, we could never pay off our debt of righteousness owed to God but the law also allowed for a redeemer who could purchase the debt owed by another, and thus set them free from the debt. The word, “redeem,” means, “to buy back.” It does not mean, “to purchase.” In the early years of America, slaves were routinely bought and sold and many of the African immigrants were born slaves. They never experienced freedom and could never be redeemed. If I take a tool that I no longer need to a pawn shop, I can indenture the tool to the pawn shop, but later come back and redeem the tool from the pawn shop. If I sell the tool outright to a buyer, I have no option of redemption.
If Gentiles were born in sin, Gentiles would have no hope of salvation because Jesus came to redeem. Jesus, who was a Jew, born of the Jewish race of people, lived His life perfectly according to the law’s demands, which really only required that God, the Father, be treated with respect. Because of mankind’s bent toward rebellion against authority, it is very difficult to respect anything or anyone who has authority over us. Thus, mankind rebels against God’s authority and disrespects Him in the process. Jesus uses the legal aspect of the old covenant to redeem mankind from sin. It is a brilliant ploy and much more magnificent than purchasing our salvation outright. The only way for Gentiles to enter the old covenant is this little known clause in the old covenant that allows for those owing a debt greater than their ability to pay to become indentured slaves to the one the debt is owed to. Once the decision has been made that one is not able to pay the debt owed and the reasonable solution is to sell one’s life to the one owning the debt in payment of their debt, the opportunity then exists for a redeemer. This is all according to old covenant law.
We should understand that the old covenant is a contract existing between the Jewish nation and God, the Father. It is a legal binding agreement. The fact that Jesus fulfilled the contract without removing it is key to understanding how Gentiles come to be saved. Jesus uses the legal binding aspect of the law against the law in many respects, which sounds like Jesus is working against His Father unless you consider that the new covenant predated the old covenant. Then we realize that the old covenant was a stepping stone in God’s mind, meant to provide cover for the new covenant.
It is the new covenant that utilizes this very important clause of the old covenant for the salvation of the whole world. If this provision did not exist, it would be impossible for Jesus’ death to apply to Gentiles legally. The legal aspect of God’s dealings with mankind is important because of God’s righteousness and holiness. The word, “righteous” generally means, “to do the right thing,” and is the largest difference between God and Satan; the largest difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Our God is very careful to do the right thing that no one can bring a railing accusation against Him. All of His deeds are done in righteousness.
Satan, on the other hand, does none of his deeds in righteousness and cares nothing for the right way of doing things. All of this desire to bypass doing things the right way, the end justifies the means way of thinking, is of the devil. Sure, it is much easier to get forgiveness than to get permission but that doesn’t make it right and while we live in a fallen, unjust, world, God lives in eternity, where justice and righteousness reign. We may do things wrong at times just to get them done but God would not, could not, because of His eternal nature. If Satan could find one unrighteous act to accuse God of, he could also prove there was no difference between he and God and his status in the universe would be greatly improved. There is absolutely no comparison between God and Satan and God closely monitors His own behavior to not allow Satan the slightest hint of impropriety.
Once a Gentile sells themselves to God in payment of their debt of righteousness, Jesus then can become their redeemer, buying their debt back from God through His own death on the cross. At this point the debt of righteousness has been paid in full and the life of the one in debt to God belongs to the redeemer but Jesus is not a taskmaster and sets the redeemed free. Their life is their own. Here is where the beauty of our salvation is revealed in my opinion. Jesus states, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Even after the great price Jesus paid to redeem mankind, He does not lord His authority over them, even though He was raised from the dead with all authority in the heavens and in the earth. He has every right to exercise Lordship over all He redeems but His love and respect for His creation prevents Him. Instead of exercising authority of the redeemed; He issues an invitation. It is up to us whether we respond to the invitation or not.
The fact is; all of our sin is purchased by Jesus as redeemer, past, present, and future. Our debt of righteousness is completely paid and since Jesus fulfilled the law, the law no longer has authority to define sin in our lives. We can, and many do, go back under its authority and repent of sins defined by the law, becoming slaves to the law once more but Jesus’ redemption is complete and thorough. It is only because of ignorance that anyone would go back under the taskmaster of the law when Jesus offers complete freedom.
You see, as Gentiles we were born free of the law. The law has no authority to define sin in the lives of Gentiles. Only Jews are born under the authority of the law to define sin. Now, it might not seem so to those who were raised in church as children raised in church are many times raised with an acute awareness of the law’s demands for righteousness. This awareness brings many children to sell themselves into sin at an early age and therefore become eligible for redemption by the Saviour but those raised outside a church generally do not become aware of God’s defining of righteousness and their inability to pay it till later in life. Thus, they do not sell themselves into sin until they come to reap the deterioration of sin. The natural progression of living against God’s definition of righteousness is death, a process that generally takes many years to fully materialize. Though the law has no authority to define sin in the lives of Gentiles, God’s definition of sin still exists. It is a law of nature.
The invitation Jesus offers to those He redeems is an offer to take His place as the Son of God. In order for this to happen the redeemed must keep Jesus’ commandments. It is through the keeping of Jesus’ commandments that the life of almighty God flows through human flesh, transforming humanity into divinity. Jesus offers all of heaven to those who love Him but requires nothing. It is all completely voluntary. However, the old covenant did not and could not provide eternal or everlasting life. To be redeemed from the law and provided the righteousness of the Christ is wonderful but temporal. The only way to live forever is to take Jesus up on His offer of becoming a son of God; again, a completely voluntary offer.
Although Jesus was born the Son of God, He was not raised from the dead as the Son of God, leaving the position and authority of “Son of God” open for others to fill. It is this position and authority that the redeemed are invited to fill, however, once again, it is only through our voluntary submission to Jesus’ commandments; our daily obedience, that we come to fill the position of sons of God. Again, we are invited to become sons of God, with all the power and authority the position suggests, but are under no obligation to do so. Jesus left two commandments after His resurrection, with all the power and authority conveyed on Him by His Father and the Holy Spirit at His resurrection, making Him the supreme ruler of all of creation but His commandments, even though issued with all the authority of creation, are more along the lines of edicts than actual commandments. Disobedience does not carry any penalty, though it’s only through obedience that we gain eternal life.
It is an important distinction to realize the old covenant had no provision of eternal or everlasting life. Thus to be redeemed from the law cannot provide something the law didn’t provide. The fact that those redeemed from the law can now receive the Holy Spirit into their hearts should not confuse the truth that they are not yet sons of God. This truth is abundantly clear as the redeemed have none of the life of God in their lives. They have the witness of the Holy Spirit and they have the mercies of God, which are new every morning. What they do not have is eternal life. Notice John 3:16, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Now, this is King James Version but the word used here is, “should” not perish, not, “would” not perish, the reason being that those who have been redeemed from the law now have the ability to keep Jesus’ commandments thus they could have everlasting life.
Further, Jesus promised the woman at the well that He could be in her a well of water springing up to everlasting life. It is the Holy Spirit, serving in His role of Jesus’ representative that is the water that dwells in our hearts through the new birth but the new birth provides a well of water that springs up to everlasting life. In other words, at the new birth Jesus provides a taste of the promise of the Spirit but the actual promise is the Spirit pouring forth from the belly. In John 7:38-39, Jesus is quoting Joel 2:28, “and it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” as confirmed by Peter, who also quotes Joel in response to the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. You see, the promise of the Spirit means that the Holy Spirit who is in your heart through the new birth must spring up and flow out. The way God pours His Spirit upon all flesh is through those who obey Jesus’ command to allow the Spirit to pour out of the bellies daily. The water in the well springs up to everlasting life but only through obedience to Jesus’ commandment is everlasting life realized.
Notice the words of Acts 2:4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The Holy Spirit rose up within the 120 waiting for the baptism with the Spirit, filling them completely, and poured out of their mouths, manifesting Himself as tongues, thus, the Spirit spilled out upon all flesh. But, it was the well of water springing up that had to fill these obedient ones before He could pour out.
As it turns out, Jesus statement, “I have not come to do away with the law but to fulfill it,” is a very important distinction. Jesus brilliantly uses the law, which was designed to identify sin, to allow Gentiles access to the law where no access was granted before; but then He uses another provision of the law to deliver these Gentiles from the law altogether. “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” This is a beautiful and magnificent maneuver. But, for all its beauty and magnificence, those set free from the law are still not saved for eternity, they are saved from their sins. Which is why Paul makes the distinction in Romans 10:10: we must believe in our hearts for righteousness before we can confess with our mouth for salvation.
Matthew 7:22 begins “In that day,” to which we should ask, “What day is He referring to?” It should be clear Jesus is speaking of a day sometime in the future when He will set upon His throne and all creation will be brought before Him to be judged. In that day, the day that Jesus sets upon His throne as Lord of Lords and King of Kings, some will come to Him having been turned away to plead their case before Him. They will say, “Have we not prophesied in your name and in your name cast out devils and in your name done many wonderful works?” And Jesus will say to them, “I never knew you,” because to know the Saviour who died on the cross is not the same as knowing the Lord God Almighty who is coming back to judge the whole earth. We get to know the Saviour through faith in His death but the knowledge of the Lord comes through obedience of His commandments.
Jesus said, “Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” The will of the Father is to believe on the Son, John 6:32. Sadly, most Christians, modern day followers of Christ, are unfamiliar with the dual nature of salvation. They are unaware of the two faiths the scriptures speak of concerning Jesus. To believe in Jesus is to believe in the Saviour, whereby you are washed of your sins, delivered from the law, set free by Jesus and provided with a covering of His righteousness but to believe on Jesus is to respond to the Lord with love and keep His commandments. Jesus said, “IF you love me, keep my commandments.” You see; a verbal confession of Jesus as Lord will not save you, but a response to His commandments will.
Notice John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” According to this verse, those who receive Him as Saviour are given power to become sons of God. Obviously then, to receive the Saviour is not to be made a son of God; it is to be given power to become a son of God. The verse goes on to clarify those who believe on His name are the ones who are a son of God. In Acts 1:8 Jesus promises power to witness of His resurrection to those who keep His commandments. We must receive Him before we can keep His commandments. It is the power of God flowing out of our bellies that transforms us into children of God. If there is no flow of power, there is no transformation. Of course Romans 10:10 makes a distinction between believing in your heart for righteousness and a confession that leads to salvation.
Ephesians 2:8 states that we are saved by grace through faith, indicating a two part salvation. In Romans 1:16-17, Paul defends his gospel saying, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes, to the Jew first, then also to the Greek, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” Who are the just if not those justified through faith in the Saviour? But it is written, “the just shall live by faith.” If the just shall live by faith, what must the just believe in order to live? Righteousness is doing the right thing and the right thing for those who are justified by faith in the Saviour is to believe on the Lord and keep His commandments.
The title “Christ,” is a title Jesus earned by dying on the cross. It is a title that ties the two roles of Jesus together. The Saviour of the world, the Son of God, died on the cross but it was the Lord of Lord and King of Kings that was raised from the dead. Thus Paul later calls Jesus, the Lord Christ Jesus, placing the two roles together more clearly. The gospel of Christ is a gospel that has two parts; the preaching of the Saviour of the world and the preaching of the Lord Christ Jesus. Paul was not ashamed of this gospel, a gospel that required speaking in tongues for salvation, even though he was surrounded by people who were ashamed of the gospel he preached. Paul claimed that his gospel, the gospel of the Christ, had the power of salvation, the same power mentioned by John in John 1:12.
It is certainly regrettable that this gospel is no longer preached or taught in the world and the only way to learn it is to study the scriptures for yourself. The just shall live by faith; or, in other words, the just shall not live if they do not go on to believe on the Lord after being justified by the Saviour. The righteousness of God, i.e. salvation, is revealed from faith to faith, Romans 1:17, we are saved through faith, Ephesians 2:8. To believe on Jesus is not the same as to believe in Jesus; the two words have different meanings. Thus Paul argues for belief on Jesus in Romans 10:11, “Whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed,” because it is not enough to believe in Jesus. Can you imagine standing in front of Jesus at the Day of Judgment and hearing, “Because you didn’t keep my commandments I never knew you.” The shame and guilt would be overwhelming. Thus Paul again in Romans 10:13 states: “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved,” because it is not the name of the Saviour that ultimately saves; it is the name of the Lord. But as we already know, it is not a matter of calling out the word "Lord," as revealed by Matthew 7:21; it is a matter of yielding to the Lord in the keeping of His commandments.
Now, many might protest that they have made Jesus Lord of their lives but to choose commandments to keep that the Lord didn’t issue is not making Jesus Lord. It is us making ourselves Lord. If Jesus is Lord then keeping the Lord's commandments is key. The Lord’s commandments are found in Acts 1:4 and Acts 1:8. Jesus did not become Lord until His resurrection, thus none of the commandments issued by Jesus, the Saviour, commandments issued prior to His resurrection can be commandments of the Lord. The first commandment Jesus issued was to saturate yourself with the Holy Spirit daily. This is accomplished by allowing the Living Water to pour out of your belly over your tongue (Jn.7:38-39) where He will manifest Himself as tongues. The only way for Joel 2:28 to come to pass is for the redeemed to obey the Lord’s commandment. There should be rivers of Living Water flowing from the hearts of believers every minute of every day. The second commandment is to preach this gospel, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and disciple as many as will listen.