Matthew 3:15 And J-sus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil (end) all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Obviously to fulfil something and end it are not the same thing. Secondly, Yeshua says that until heaven and earth pass not one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all be fulfilled. This means the smallest and the most seemingly insignificant parts will not pass from the law, until when? When heaven and earth pass away. I have yet to hear a convincing argument that heaven and earth have passed away, though many have tried to explain away the words of Messiah. Not only have G-ds commandments not been done away with or made void. Again, obedience to the commandments is actually a sign of true followers of Y-shua in the last days.
1 John 2:3-5 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of G-d perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
Yeshua emphatically states that He did not come to do His own will, but the will of His Father. The Fathers Words (Law) are not contrary to His will. Yeshua said not those who call Him L-rd shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the one that does the will of His Father.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, L-rd, L-rd, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, L-rd, L-rd, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We are shown in this example not just the typical person. These people really believe that they know the Son of God. These are people that one would say; "surely this person will enter in." Not many believers could boast of this degree on dedication and power in their lives. Yeshua does not refute their claims to have performed these great wonders in His name. No, He just states "depart from me, you workers of iniquity, for I never knew you." He says that He never knew them. Who is He? He is the Living Word, Who was with God, and was God, and became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1, 14).
They did not abide in, or know, the Living Word of G-d, Y-shua the Messiah. This is such an important scenario that I believe this should really get our undivided attention. You can almost see the disbelief, shock and utter horror in their words. They thought they did know him. These people were obviously quite dedicated to serving G-d. They might be one of the nicest people you would ever meet. They might be the types to give you the shirt off their back, but Y-shua didnt know them. They might even spend lots of time praying, or maybe even devoted their whole life to preaching the gospel, but Y-shua did not know them. So if Y-shua did not know them, they didnt really know Him. Was there someone else that they had gotten to know? Perhaps someone who looked similar to true Messiah. Another christ, a false christ? We are only left to assume, but one thing is clear. Yeshua didnt know them.
In addition to flatly stating that He does not know them, He calls them workers of iniquity. What is iniquity? To put it simply, iniquity is a habitual transgression of G-ds Law. In other words, He is saying, "Depart from me, you transgressors of the law." It is very likely, that these individuals believed (and had been taught) that Yeshua had done away with the law. Thus, it stands to reason why they had no intention of being obedient to it. You cannot be a habitual transgressor of G-ds law and really love or know the one that is the Living Word of G-d. Scripture is clear on how we can know that we truly do know Him.
1 John 2:3-5 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of G-d perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
The evidence of truly knowing the Messiah is not in having great knowledge, professing to know Him, or even necessarily signs and wonders, but simple obedience. We are plainly told in 1 John that someone claiming to know him is a liar if they dont keep His commandments. Again in James we have another witness of this.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Without doubt, Yeshua did indeed fulfill the law and the prophets, not by destroying or ending them but by filling them to the full. In Him they find their fullness and completion, not ending. One fulfills ones marriage vows not by breaking or ending them, but by keeping and completing them. A person, who has fulfilled their goals or dreams, has not made an end of them, but accomplished or completed them.
Some may be thinking, yes but we are under the New Covenant now. The New Covenant did not replace the quote "Old Covenant." It fits upon the Old Covenant. It is not "new" as in opposite or totally different from, but an addition or "renewal." Do you know what the New Covenant actually is? So many speak about the "New Covenant" but never really explain what the scriptures say about it.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the L-rd; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a G-d, and they shall be to me a people:
