If Jesus came to fulfill the law, why did God make a law that would eventually need fulfilling in the first place?
Ken
Ken
Sep 19, 2016, 4:59 AM
Veteran (3746 posts)
Sep 19, 2016, 4:59 AM
Post #4 of 6
Views: 3128
kenny: Hi
If Jesus came to fulfill the law, why did God make a law that would eventually need fulfilling in the first place?
The revelation of God to mankind was progressive, not instant. The reason it took over 1000 years for the Law of Moses to have the effect upon the Israelite nation which brought them eventually to the ability to understand the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth and for some to respond positively to the final revelation of God to mankind, was purely the natural inborn ignorance and rebellion of human beings to any form of reason and moral precept. This is a condition common to the entire human race and God had to make provision for it.
The law of Moses was merely a progressive preparation for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Fulfillment does not mean replacement by something else. It means the completion of the law, to finally accomplish what the law was designed to achieve for the human race. To carry it fully into effect, to develop and realize its full potential for good.
The law of Moses was the standard by which the nation of Israel was measured for 1000 years and it was a vast improvement over the moral, ethical and political codes of the nations which surrounded Israel during that time. Though the standard fell far short of perfection, in comparison to our own time it was the highest standard that human beings were capable of at the time. Indeed Israel failed to live according to The Law, most of the time, (even though it was not yet fulfilled), as can be seen by studying the writings of The Prophets and the history of Israel.
Since the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, the Law is fulfilled through submission to HIS teachings, in combination with his ‘spiritual’ interpretation of the meaning of The Law. Thus it is that certain ordinances and requirements of The Law of Moses have already fulfilled their purpose, (such as animal sacrifice and which foods were ritually 'clean'), and are no longer ‘binding’ upon Christians.
However the essential elements of The Law of Moses, such as The Ten Commandments, and much else, are still in effect for the purpose of identifying ‘sinful’ human behavior, from ‘ethical’ human behavior.
Where there is misery, injustice, oppression, exploitation, human greed and crime in the world, it can be attributed to the FACT that the Law of Moses has no effect in that place, neither are the teachings of Jesus Christ respected or obeyed.
Regards Chris.
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 2 Cor. 5:19. Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Pet.4:8b.
If Jesus came to fulfill the law, why did God make a law that would eventually need fulfilling in the first place?
The revelation of God to mankind was progressive, not instant. The reason it took over 1000 years for the Law of Moses to have the effect upon the Israelite nation which brought them eventually to the ability to understand the Gospel of Jesus of Nazareth and for some to respond positively to the final revelation of God to mankind, was purely the natural inborn ignorance and rebellion of human beings to any form of reason and moral precept. This is a condition common to the entire human race and God had to make provision for it.
The law of Moses was merely a progressive preparation for the ministry of Jesus Christ. Fulfillment does not mean replacement by something else. It means the completion of the law, to finally accomplish what the law was designed to achieve for the human race. To carry it fully into effect, to develop and realize its full potential for good.
The law of Moses was the standard by which the nation of Israel was measured for 1000 years and it was a vast improvement over the moral, ethical and political codes of the nations which surrounded Israel during that time. Though the standard fell far short of perfection, in comparison to our own time it was the highest standard that human beings were capable of at the time. Indeed Israel failed to live according to The Law, most of the time, (even though it was not yet fulfilled), as can be seen by studying the writings of The Prophets and the history of Israel.
Since the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, the Law is fulfilled through submission to HIS teachings, in combination with his ‘spiritual’ interpretation of the meaning of The Law. Thus it is that certain ordinances and requirements of The Law of Moses have already fulfilled their purpose, (such as animal sacrifice and which foods were ritually 'clean'), and are no longer ‘binding’ upon Christians.
However the essential elements of The Law of Moses, such as The Ten Commandments, and much else, are still in effect for the purpose of identifying ‘sinful’ human behavior, from ‘ethical’ human behavior.
Where there is misery, injustice, oppression, exploitation, human greed and crime in the world, it can be attributed to the FACT that the Law of Moses has no effect in that place, neither are the teachings of Jesus Christ respected or obeyed.
Regards Chris.
In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 2 Cor. 5:19. Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Pet.4:8b.
Sep 19, 2016, 11:24 PM
Enthusiast (701 posts)
Sep 19, 2016, 11:24 PM
Post #5 of 6
Views: 3084
Jesus fulfilled all the Law of Moses when hung on the cross. Now the entire emphasis for Christians is for us to fulfill the Law of Christ (Spirit), which is higher than the law of flesh. No Christian is required to keep fulfilling the Law of Moses, seeing Jesus fulfilled it up through his resurrection. He did that for God's creation, chiefly for his man. Jesus has already fulfilled Moses, and has no more of it to fulfill.
All laws delivered from God require fulfillment, which simply means to satisfy it's purpose once and for all.
Many of the laws (commandments) were given to teach people better health and avoidance of consequences of bad choices. The first was a commandment to the first man Adam not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. No doubt God had plans for that fruit later, but obviously didn't want his new creation to be filled with more information than needed. I liken that to the learning spiral parents use to teach children to develop a step at a time. We don't immerse them in all knowledge in their first year. Because it came from God, it was a good commandment.
Adam was created "good", without sin, without even knowing what sin was other than yielding to that one fruit. It took two direct deceptions, initiated by Satan, to get to him, birthing the concept of rebellion in him. Eve yielded to temptation, then brought that temptation to Adam.
Commandments from God are never frivolous. Once Adam ate of it, the consequence of that action had to be death entering into creation because that was what God said would happen. When God carried out the sentence on the couple, that extended onto all of his good creation. His one commandment was broken, and then fulfilled. There is no second curse on creation over the eating of that fruit. Death came.
Once good and evil knowledge was unleashed upon mankind, evil acts multiplied. For each class of evil act then came God's declaration of the evil of it through a law of commandment and a curse, a dire warning, if repeated. Adam's son Cain murdered Abel when there was no law about that. God handled that by making a new commandment not to murder, even that Cain ought not be killed in retaliation. A great curse would fall upon the man that might kill him. That specific law was fulfilled in that Cain lived a long life. Later God delivered a less specific law against murder of anyone at all, due to an increase in murders.
Like men today have a terrible time obeying laws of men, so did the ancients labor in vain to satisfy all of God's demand for holiness.
Jesus was judged by men as a sinner while doing so under perversion of the Law of Moses, then was executed for sins he didn't commit. Because he was innocent, God accounted his death as the final fulfillment of all the Law, since by the Law Jesus died ill-judged, and was legally excused from all the Law of Moses. Upon his resurrection he was totally free from the curse of the Law, teaching his disciples to live by his law of Life and Liberty in Christ, so men can die to sin in Christ, and spiritually rise again in this lifetime with Christ to new life in Him.
So now that all but a few prophecies have been been fulfilled, there remains Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
That's just one example of the higher Law of Christ for us to perform all our days, fulfilling the word of God, obeying the commandments of Christ.
One example of things not fulfilled is how God must carry out his judgment against all who deny Christ, refuse to seek and obey his righteousness. He is holy and will not invite the unholy into his eternal home. They won't be homeless, but choose in this life to live forever in eternal existence without life, with nothing good to know.
·...¸><((((º>
.··´¯`·.¸.·><((((º>
·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><((((º>
Be fishers of men.....DG
All laws delivered from God require fulfillment, which simply means to satisfy it's purpose once and for all.
Many of the laws (commandments) were given to teach people better health and avoidance of consequences of bad choices. The first was a commandment to the first man Adam not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. No doubt God had plans for that fruit later, but obviously didn't want his new creation to be filled with more information than needed. I liken that to the learning spiral parents use to teach children to develop a step at a time. We don't immerse them in all knowledge in their first year. Because it came from God, it was a good commandment.
Adam was created "good", without sin, without even knowing what sin was other than yielding to that one fruit. It took two direct deceptions, initiated by Satan, to get to him, birthing the concept of rebellion in him. Eve yielded to temptation, then brought that temptation to Adam.
Commandments from God are never frivolous. Once Adam ate of it, the consequence of that action had to be death entering into creation because that was what God said would happen. When God carried out the sentence on the couple, that extended onto all of his good creation. His one commandment was broken, and then fulfilled. There is no second curse on creation over the eating of that fruit. Death came.
Once good and evil knowledge was unleashed upon mankind, evil acts multiplied. For each class of evil act then came God's declaration of the evil of it through a law of commandment and a curse, a dire warning, if repeated. Adam's son Cain murdered Abel when there was no law about that. God handled that by making a new commandment not to murder, even that Cain ought not be killed in retaliation. A great curse would fall upon the man that might kill him. That specific law was fulfilled in that Cain lived a long life. Later God delivered a less specific law against murder of anyone at all, due to an increase in murders.
Like men today have a terrible time obeying laws of men, so did the ancients labor in vain to satisfy all of God's demand for holiness.
Jesus was judged by men as a sinner while doing so under perversion of the Law of Moses, then was executed for sins he didn't commit. Because he was innocent, God accounted his death as the final fulfillment of all the Law, since by the Law Jesus died ill-judged, and was legally excused from all the Law of Moses. Upon his resurrection he was totally free from the curse of the Law, teaching his disciples to live by his law of Life and Liberty in Christ, so men can die to sin in Christ, and spiritually rise again in this lifetime with Christ to new life in Him.
So now that all but a few prophecies have been been fulfilled, there remains Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
That's just one example of the higher Law of Christ for us to perform all our days, fulfilling the word of God, obeying the commandments of Christ.
One example of things not fulfilled is how God must carry out his judgment against all who deny Christ, refuse to seek and obey his righteousness. He is holy and will not invite the unholy into his eternal home. They won't be homeless, but choose in this life to live forever in eternal existence without life, with nothing good to know.
·...¸><((((º>
.··´¯`·.¸.·><((((º>
·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><((((º>
Be fishers of men.....DG
