The law.
Matthew 5:17-19
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil
(1). For verily I say unto you,
Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
(1)
Strong's G4137 fulfil (
plēroō): to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment.
Mark 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 8:3-4 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony [of Jesus Christ; the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10)]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
Perfected character.
Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Look at the description of Job's character.
Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright [righteous], and one that feared God, and eschewed [abstained from] evil.
The questions then are:
Q: How do we know the character of God?
A: God's law shows His character. Obeying God's law develops His character in us.
Q: How did Jesus walk on this earth?
A: Jesus obeyed God's law, and lived a sinless life. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments", and points to the receiving of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17). Jesus was amplifying the law of God, as per His clear language shown above (Matthew 5:17-19). Jesus expanded on the law by hanging
all the law and the prophets on loving God and loving your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). "For this is
the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (1 John 5:3)
Conclusion:
- We are to be obedient unto righteousness (i.e. the law was not done away with).
- We are to have perfected character (i.e. through obedience of the law of God).
- Receiving of the Holy Spirit is linked to obedience.
The right way for Christians to think, talk and act is to take on the character of God, as shown through scripture, which means removing sin from your life (transgression of the law of God; 1 John 3:4) and taking on righteousness. Of course, this includes loving God and loving your neighbor, but the law and the prophets hang on these two; love is the foundation, but the law wasn't excluded whatsoever. In fact, the commandments of God show us how to love God and love our neighbor.