“Christ Is The End Of The Law.”

The Fulfillment Of The Law Romans 10:4

Not only is our Lord Jesus Christ the end of the law’s purpose and object of it, the One to whom the law points, Christ is also the fulfillment of the law (Isa. 42:21). Our Lord said, “I came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil the law.” The law demands complete obedience, without one spot or speck, failure or flaw. The law demands holiness, righteousness, perfection. The terms of the law cannot be lowered, not even in order to save God’s elect. The law also demands complete satisfaction. It will settle for nothing less than the death of every transgressor.

In Christ we who believe have all that the law demands (Rom. 5:19). His righteous life of obedience as our Representative and his sin-atoning death as our Substitute are now ours; and we are the righteousness of God in him. In Christ we are free from the law’s curse and condemnation (Rom. 8:1). In Christ we fulfill the law (Rom. 3:31).

The only way any sinner can possibly fulfill God’s holy law is by faith, by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ who has perfectly fulfilled the law in all its details and demands in the place of his people. When we hear the demands of God’s law and justice, we lift up Christ in the hands of faith, and God is well-pleased!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the termination of the law. Yes, you read the sentence right. Christ is the end of the law in the sense that he is the termination of it. Dead is just about as terminated as you can get; and Paul tells us that if we are truly married to Christ we are dead to the law (Rom. 7:1-4).

Christ has terminated the law as a covenant of life - “We are not under the law, but under grace.” Christ has terminated the law’s curse and penalty (Gal. 3:13). In Christ, every believer has a just, righteous claim of merit upon all the blessedness of everlasting glory (Psa. 32:1-2).

Do you see the sweet mystery of salvation by the substitutionary work of Christ? The law has no claim upon those for whom Christ died. The curse spent itself on our Redeemer. We are dead to the law. We are righteous, justified, guiltless, innocent in Christ.

The law of God has nothing to do with the believer. We are dead to it. Being dead to the law and married to Christ, we must not even think about returning to that former dead husband. Let no man beguile you with the enticing words of man’s wisdom. Let no worksmonger bewitch you with the spell of legality. Let no one persuade you with “a show of humility in will worship” to return to that oppressive yoke of bondage from which Christ has made us free. Child of God, live in the liberty of grace in Christ, and live in peace.

Don Fortner