March 11 – Fulfilment of the Law
Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus told His disciples, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Many of Jesus’ followers thought that Jesus would abolish the Old Testament Law and establish a new law for them to live by. Jesus tells us just the opposite and that the Law will not pass until ALL is accomplished. Jesus knew the Law inside and out and loved His Father’s Law. Luke wrote in 2:46-47 that the rabbis were amazed at his knowledge and questions about the Law when Jesus was only twelve. He was the one called to fulfil the Law because He was sinless and obeyed His Father. He was the unblemished Lamb that the Lord was willing to sacrifice to “take away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Finally, He included the words that the prophets gave us, and He fulfilled those promises through his Life, Death and Resurrection (for one example, see Isaiah 53). Even though He fulfilled the Law, we are still called to follow the Commandments and to look forward to the promises of Divine Revelation. Our Christian Churches do not have the right to pick and choose which parts of the Law to obey or ignore. It is our responsibility as Christians to know and understand the Law and Commandments so we can recognize when a Church or Government has changed or modified “a dot” of the Law. The only way we can know something has changed is through reading and studying the Bible. We should not use our own interpretation of the Law, the “rules and laws” set by others, or “pick and choose” which commands should or should not be followed because a command is too difficult to obey. We do not want to be called the least in the kingdom of heaven or cause another to sin because of our ignorance of the Law. This can be a great responsibility to teachers and leaders who are in charge of guiding others, and parents who are in charge of teaching their children correctly the laws God wants us to live by. Just because something is legal by our Country’s laws does not make it morally right in God’s Law. God’s Law is unchanging and until all is fulfilled, we are to live our lives according to it.
Lent in Action:
Open the Bible to Exodus 20. Read and obey all of the Commandments in the way God gave us and in the way Jesus commanded us.
Pray:
My Lord, Thank you for the Commandments and rules for us to live my life by. They are difficult and there are times which I know I have failed, yet through Reconciliation I am able to ask for forgiveness. Thank you for the sacrifice of your Son to fulfil your Law, and His words which gave us new ways to look and live by Your Law. Please make the Holy Spirit strong in me so that I am able to understand Your Law and live my life according to it. I ask this through your Son. Amen.