The End Of The Law Has Come

How many criminals have not wished that the law would cease? Or at least that it would be suspended for their sakes? The most probable answer is that they all have wished for one or another variant of the end of the law. It does not happen. And yet, for us as believers, the end of the law has come.

The Law Of God Was Needful

Without the law, there could have been no sin. Think about it, no nation could punish a man for being a homosexual until they enact the law against homosexuality. Similarly, a just God cannot punish any sin until He makes a law against such sin. Therefore, as soon as God saw that every intent of our hearts was continually evil, He had to make laws.

They served to govern boundaries amongst men and between man and God. Laws proved quite effective to show us our fallen state but could not wash out hearts clean. In the same way, the legal system does not affect the character of a man or else, there would be no recidivism. Actually, the law gives sin an opportunity to increase.

For instance, a child must reach for the cookie which his mother said not to touch. If she had not said anything about the cookie, it could be sitting there and not attract the child. Similarly, although the law was necessary to govern man, it also served to increase opportunities for sin.

The End Of The Law Came

Consequently, man was drowning in sin, no matter how hard he tried to obey the law of God. Paul lamented that he really desired to serve the law of God with His mind. However, his flesh seemed to have a mind of its own. And you too know, from personal experience, that discipline does not lead to sinlessness. If you doubt this, ask the Roman Catholic priests, those disciples that God still uses, as we mentioned in a previous post.

When God observed that we were going to die in our sin, He took steps to rescue us. He sent His only begotten Son to be the propitiation for our sin. That big word in the previous sentence simply means that it is an action that one can take to appease, or find favor with, another. In this case, Jesus came to die so that we can find favor with God.

And this act is not only for believers but for the entire world. It is available for all and sundry. With Jesus, the end of the law has indeed come. Of course, not everyone will take hold of it, but Jesus is the atonement for the entire world’s sin. He is the ultimate and everlasting sacrifice. Some will still continue to try and save themselves by keeping the law, an impossibility. The bible states quite clearly that by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight. Jesus is the only way the law ends.

Jesus, The End Of The Law, Has Come

The Son of God came to earth and suddenly, we were free from the law, with all its seduction to sin against God. The same follower of Christ who has been struggling, and failing o overcome sin recognized the great value of Jesus. He no longer has to try and face down the law anymore. Paul rejoicingly penned the fact that Jesus Christ is the end of the law.

He recognized that only Jesus has the power to save him from his body of death. That is how he referred to his flesh that was constantly lusting after sin. He gave thanks to God for Jesus also through Jesus. For Paul, Jesus already has the preeminence in all things.

The Law Is Not suspended, It Ended.

Appreciating that the law of the land may not come to an end, a guilty person will desire the law’s suspension. And that would be great. But in Jesus, we have something even more wonderful. A total cessation of the law. God did it all by Himself, seeing as there was no other way by which we could save ourselves.

He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish. Notice the condition in that sentence: whosoever. You have to surrender all into Jesus’ hands. So, although the propitiation was effective for the entire world, only the “whosoever” will derive any benefit from it.

As soon as you decide to be the whosoever who will believe Jesus, you are free from the grip of the law. What is even more glorious is that you are also free from its enticement. Through the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, the temptations that used to be so attractive lose their lure. You do not understand why you no longer lust after women or men. Relax, God has not called us to understand. The call for us is simply to stand.

Jesus Christ Is the Fulfilment and the End of The Law

Those who want to try and save themselves via the law point to the verse where Jesus talks of fulfilling the law. They use it to argue that since Jesus did that, we should also continue to fulfill the law of God. In that verse, Jesus says that He has not come to destroy the law but to fulfill the law. But of course! He is not going to destroy His father’s laws. What sort of Son would He be if He sought to destroy the law?

But another way of interpreting that verse is that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. This is a position that finds confirmation from another verse. It says, for what the law could not do, in that it was weak,  God sent His son for.

God did all of that for you and I, with one purpose in mind. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. We who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Since the one to whom we are now related has fulfilled the law, we no longer have a need to try and fulfill the law. He has done it on our behalf. The price is paid, in full. All we need to do is to enter in and start enjoying the end of the law.

Maranatha!