Jesus Came to Fulfill, Not to Destroy
““Don’t think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill. For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18 WEB)
Even though I write that we are not supposed to keep the Law of Moses today, I am not calling the Law evil or making it seem like something bad.
The Law shows God’s holiness, revealing that only perfection is acceptable to God. Anything short of God’s glory is unrighteous.
Jesus did not come to destroy the Law. He didn’t say, “Oh Israel, I guess this is too hard for you to keep. It’s okay, let Me snap My fingers and cancel this Law. Let’s forget about it okay?”
No, Jesus came to fulfill the Law on our behalf. The requirements of the Law can be summed up by the following verse:
“Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4 WEB)
Sin is a crime that demands the penalty of death. God is holy, so He must punish sin.
However, God also loves us, so how can He spare us and yet justly punish sin?
The answer is the cross. God the Father placed all our sins upon His Son Jesus Christ, and punished Him fully in our place, so that the wages of sin which the Law requires was fully paid by Jesus’ death. The divine, sinless blood which He shed is worth much more than all the sins of the world throughout the passage of time.
So for us who have faith in Jesus, the issue of sin is settled. We are forgiven. He has fulfilled the Law’s requirements on our behalf, making us righteous.
However, the Law will not pass away until God creates a new Heaven and new earth at the end of time. The Law still has a purpose to be met.
“For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified (for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.” (Romans 2:11-16 WEB)
At the Great White Throne judgment, Jesus will sit as judge, and the unbelievers will be judged based on their conscience if they are Gentiles, and by the Law (Ten Commandments) if they are Jews.
Jesus has record books of their works, and will measure out the appropriate degree of punishment before they are cast into the lake of fire. Each unsaved soul will experience a different level of torment based on the works they have done in their lifetime. Of course, the one screaming the loudest will be Satan.
“I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15 WEB)
After that final judgment, when all humans, fallen angels, and Nephilim giants have been judged and sentenced to their appropriate eternal abodes, then the Law will pass away. At that point in time, all things will be accomplished, and eternity will begin. Christ shall reign supreme and be all in all.
For us who believe, the future is bright. Read this passage which will happen after the Law has passed away:
“I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”” (Revelation 21:1-4 WEB)
Isn’t it beautiful? Come back soon, Lord Jesus! We praise and worship You this Passover!
Do you want to receive Jesus as your Lord and be forgiven of all your sins? Go to the following link and speak the prayer to be saved: https://www.miltongoh.net/miltons-blog/salvation
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