Christ Our Law-Fulfiller

“These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.” — Lev. xxvii. 34.

These commands, what we have read in Exodus and Leviticus. Two great divisions, the ceremonial law and the moral law. Christ the end of both (Rom. x. 4.).

I. Ceremonial law. Burdensome and costly. Contrast,” My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. xi. 30).

All performed through priests. “And every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering oftentime the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sancti fled” (Heb. x. 11, 12, 14).

All this only “a shadow of good things to come”; “a shadow of heavenly things” (Heb. x. 1, viii. 5). Describe the shadow, and contrast it with the substance. Christ the substance. He is a continual object lesson, teaching of Himself and His offices and of our need of atonement. Heb. ix. 9, 10: “until.” Christ the end of all this.

II. Moral law. This law was

1. Reflection of God’s holiness; forbidding all contrary, enjoying all accordant. Witness to the law is placed within us — conscience, annvcring only if awake. Illustration: If a witness is drugged he can give no evidence, no response. Sin drugs the conscience (Rom. vii. 11-16).

2. The moral law is summed up in two great commandments (Matt. xxii. 37-40). These are put in one word by St. Paul, love! “Love is the fulfilling of the law’’ (Rom. xrii. 10).

3. The moral law is not done away with. “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” (Matt. v. 18). Some confuse between the ceremonial and the moral law. Christ not only did not destroy the moral law, but gave it a fuller meaning and a wider reach, applying all to the heart as well as our outward observance (Matt. v. 21-45). “Sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John iii. 4). “The soul that sinneth it shall die” (Ezek. xviii. 4). The Commandments are read in our Communion Service, and the prayer after each is, “Lord, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.” It would be well if this was done in chapels also.

4. If the moral law is not done away with, it has got to be fulfilled. Mark the word: not one thing done that ought not to be, not one left undone. Not doing harm is not fulfilling the law; you will never get to heaven by what you have not done. It would be no excuse for a servant who had broken a china vase to say, 1 ‘I have not broken the window and the china. “1 ‘For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all” (James ii. 10). This is not my saying but God’s; and Christ says, “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John xii. 48). Illustration: If only one link was broken in the chain let down to pull you out of the shaft of a mine, the danger is the same, even if every other link were unbroken.

Tests: “Search the Scriptures’’ (John v. 39); and, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. xxii. 37). Even if all else kept, have you searched the Scriptures, have you loved God with all your heart?

Therefore, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. iii. 23). Illustration: Describe the ice crevasses in the pass of St. Theodule; travellers roped to the guide; if that rope breaks once only, danger. Besides, God says, “Neither shall they cover themselves with their works’” (Isa. lix. 6).

5. Christ is the end of this law for righteousness to every one that believe th.

The very first thing He said He came to do. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matt. v. 17). God said, “He will magnify the law and make it honorable” (Isa. xliii. 21). Christ said: “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of Me. I delight to do Thy will, O My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart” (Ps. xl. 7, 8). Why did Jesus Christ live thirty-three years? Why not simply come down to die? It was to do for us just what we have not done and could not do, “fulfill all righteousness.” This had got to be done by some one for us; that is, instead of us. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Rom. v. 19). “Many be made righteous,” but who are they. All them that believe, “for the righteousness of

God which is by faith of Jesus Christ is unto all and upon all them that believe” (Rom. iii. 22). So Jesus is our “righteousness” (1 Cor. i. 30).” And this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUS-NESS” (Jer. xxiii. 6). Then we may say, “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. lxiv. 6); and, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isa. lxi. 10).

6. Therefore let us keep the commandments. Jesus said, “If ye love Me, keep my commandments” (John xiv. 15). “For the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Cor. v. 14). Love evidenced by obedience, “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me “(John xiv. 21); and faith evidenced by works, “Even so, faith if it hath not works is dead” (James ii. 17). What about seeking for all the commandments of the Lord? This is a further step; He wants us to “seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God “(1 Chron. xxviii. 8). He wants us to keep “all... always.” “Oh that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear

Me, and keep all My commandments always” (Deut. v. 29). Because, “the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always” (Deut. vi. 24). Anc God promises in the new covenant, “I will put My laws into their mind, and will write them in their hearts” (Heb. viii. 10). Pray, “Make me to go in the path of Thy commandments” (Ps. cxix. 35); and “Write all these Thy laws in our hearts we beseech Thee.” It is very humbling when the Holy Spirit’s light flashes upon some command of our God which we have never observed, and of course have never kept. Do ask that blessed Spirit to show you not only your sin in not keeping His commands, but also the remedy, the precious blood of Christ. Come to that Fountain, and you will find the cleansing, sanctifying, and overcoming power of the blood of the Lamb.

In conclusion, what are you going to do about: 1st, believing; and 2nd, obeying? John xiv. 21, 23: “He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me.” “If a man love Me, he will keep My words.” “Moreover by them is Thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward” (Ps. xix. 11).