CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW
For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10:4).
There are many Christians who are still confused about the difference between Moses and Christ, between the Old Covenant and the New, between Grace and Law, between Faith and Works, between Liberty and Bondage. But the Word of God plainly declares that Christ is THE END OF THE LAW to everyone that believeth, because the Law was given by Moses, GRACE and Truth came by Jesus Christ (Jn.1:17). The difference between Moses and Christ is that of night and day. Yet there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, who prefer the bondage of Moses to the liberty of Christ. Why is this? Because man is a religious creature. Mankind in general prefers religion to the new birth. Mankind prefers rites and rituals to worship in spirit and in truth. Mankind prefers what is visible to that which is invisible.
THE OLD COVENANT WAS TEMPORARY
The Lord Jesus Christ is the same Yahweh and Elohim who appeared to Moses in the burning bush as well as on the burning Mount Sinai (Horeb) in the wilderness (Deut.5:1-5). But the Old Covenant (Deut. 5:6-33) was designed to be temporary and the Mosaic Law was designed to be abolished in Christ (2 Cor.3:1-18; Heb. 9:1-28). Once the true Lamb of God came to this earth, the Old Covenant and the Mosaic Law became redundant. A New Covenant, which had already been promised (Jer.31:31-34) came into effect the day that Christ died on the Cross and cried triumphantly It is finished! (Jn. 19:30) and the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt.27:51).
HOW IS CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW?
1. He Himself (the only man ever to do so) lived out the Law of God perfectly. He thus fulfilled the Law (filled it full) on behalf of Israel, as well the whole human race: Therefore as by the offence [transgression] of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation [damnation]; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus of Nazareth, the Man Christ Jesus, who lived a life of perfect love and obedience to God the Father] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Rom. 5:18). The last Adam, Christ, cancelled both the transgression of Adam, and the just demands of the Law because of Adams sin [Rom. 5:14,20-21]. Christ was A MAN APPROVED OF GOD AMONG YOU by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know Therefore let all the house of Israel [and all the race of Adam] know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, BOTH LORD AND CHRIST (Acts 2:22,36).
2. He became accursed on the tree and thereby took away the curse of the Law: The Law of Moses was accompanied by both blessings and curses (Deut. 11:26-28). Since the whole human race (including Israel) went after other gods, God declared humanity guilty and under the curse (physical and eternal death) (Rom.3:10,19). Therefore Christ was made a curse for us, and thus redeemed us: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree (Gal. 3:13).
3. He became sin for us and thereby abolished all the commandments and ordinances: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross (Col.2:14). This was the entire Mosaic Law. Since by the Law is the knowledge of sin (Rom.3:20), Christ was made sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21) and then He paid the full penalty for sin (1 Pet.2:24; 3:18; Heb. 2:6-18).
4. He opened the way into Heaven by establishing the New Covenant: The New Covenant ABOLISHED the Old Covenant: For if that WHICH IS DONE AWAY was glorious, [how] much more, that which remaineth is glorious (not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart) (2 Cor. 3:11,3) Then verily the First Covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary which was A FIGURE [a type, a shadow] for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and CARNAL ORDINANCES, imposed on them UNTIL THE TIME OF REFORMATION And for this cause He is the Mediator of THE NEW TESTAMENT It was therefore necessary that the PATTERNS OF THINGS IN THE HEAVENS should be purified by these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, WHICH ARE THE FIGURES [shadows] of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:1, 9-10,15, 23-24). Praise God for His "unspeakable Gift!
For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10:4).
There are many Christians who are still confused about the difference between Moses and Christ, between the Old Covenant and the New, between Grace and Law, between Faith and Works, between Liberty and Bondage. But the Word of God plainly declares that Christ is THE END OF THE LAW to everyone that believeth, because the Law was given by Moses, GRACE and Truth came by Jesus Christ (Jn.1:17). The difference between Moses and Christ is that of night and day. Yet there are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, who prefer the bondage of Moses to the liberty of Christ. Why is this? Because man is a religious creature. Mankind in general prefers religion to the new birth. Mankind prefers rites and rituals to worship in spirit and in truth. Mankind prefers what is visible to that which is invisible.
THE OLD COVENANT WAS TEMPORARY
The Lord Jesus Christ is the same Yahweh and Elohim who appeared to Moses in the burning bush as well as on the burning Mount Sinai (Horeb) in the wilderness (Deut.5:1-5). But the Old Covenant (Deut. 5:6-33) was designed to be temporary and the Mosaic Law was designed to be abolished in Christ (2 Cor.3:1-18; Heb. 9:1-28). Once the true Lamb of God came to this earth, the Old Covenant and the Mosaic Law became redundant. A New Covenant, which had already been promised (Jer.31:31-34) came into effect the day that Christ died on the Cross and cried triumphantly It is finished! (Jn. 19:30) and the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matt.27:51).
HOW IS CHRIST THE END OF THE LAW?
1. He Himself (the only man ever to do so) lived out the Law of God perfectly. He thus fulfilled the Law (filled it full) on behalf of Israel, as well the whole human race: Therefore as by the offence [transgression] of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation [damnation]; even so by the righteousness of one [Jesus of Nazareth, the Man Christ Jesus, who lived a life of perfect love and obedience to God the Father] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Rom. 5:18). The last Adam, Christ, cancelled both the transgression of Adam, and the just demands of the Law because of Adams sin [Rom. 5:14,20-21]. Christ was A MAN APPROVED OF GOD AMONG YOU by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know Therefore let all the house of Israel [and all the race of Adam] know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, BOTH LORD AND CHRIST (Acts 2:22,36).
2. He became accursed on the tree and thereby took away the curse of the Law: The Law of Moses was accompanied by both blessings and curses (Deut. 11:26-28). Since the whole human race (including Israel) went after other gods, God declared humanity guilty and under the curse (physical and eternal death) (Rom.3:10,19). Therefore Christ was made a curse for us, and thus redeemed us: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree (Gal. 3:13).
3. He became sin for us and thereby abolished all the commandments and ordinances: Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His Cross (Col.2:14). This was the entire Mosaic Law. Since by the Law is the knowledge of sin (Rom.3:20), Christ was made sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21) and then He paid the full penalty for sin (1 Pet.2:24; 3:18; Heb. 2:6-18).
4. He opened the way into Heaven by establishing the New Covenant: The New Covenant ABOLISHED the Old Covenant: For if that WHICH IS DONE AWAY was glorious, [how] much more, that which remaineth is glorious (not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart) (2 Cor. 3:11,3) Then verily the First Covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary which was A FIGURE [a type, a shadow] for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and CARNAL ORDINANCES, imposed on them UNTIL THE TIME OF REFORMATION And for this cause He is the Mediator of THE NEW TESTAMENT It was therefore necessary that the PATTERNS OF THINGS IN THE HEAVENS should be purified by these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, WHICH ARE THE FIGURES [shadows] of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:1, 9-10,15, 23-24). Praise God for His "unspeakable Gift!