How Do We Fulfill The Law By Faith In
Christ?
Rom. 8:4
Paul declares that we
fulfill the law's righteousness, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit. He is not saying that the Holy Spirit of God
enables the believer to personally fulfill the law. To suggest such a thing is
to suggest that believers are enabled by the Spirit to attain sinless
perfection in this world, for nothing short of perfection can fulfill the law
of God. Paul is simply declaring that we do not nullify,or
make void,the law through faith in Christ. Rather, "we establish the
law"(Rom.
1. THE LAW REQUIRES COMPLETE SATISFACTION FOR SIN. "The soul
that sinneth it shall die." We fulfill this
requirement of satisfaction by offering to God the precious blood of Christ's
atonement. He is the propitiation, the satisfaction, for our sins. When the law
looks upon the blood of Christ, it is silent. It cannot require more. That
blood is our death insofar as God's law is concerned. Because we died in
Christ, we are dead to the law (Rom.7:4).
2. THE LAW REQUIRES COMPLETE LOVE TO GOD. It requires the total
consecration of our lives and hearts to the will, worship, and glory of God. We
fulfill this requirement by offering the consecrated love of Christ to God in
his life upon the earth as our Representative. And with that, only with that,
God is well pleased (Matt. 17:5).
3. THE LAW DEMANDS PERFECT LOVE AND DEVOTION TO OUR NEIGHBOR. And
we fulfill this requirement by offering to God the perfect love and devotion of
Christ to his people, even unto death.
As our sins became his,
Christ's righteousness is ours by imputation. His death is our death. His
obedience is our obedience. And his life is our life (Rom.
Don Fortner