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“Christ is the end of the law.” Romans 10:4
“Christ is the end of the law.” It is entirely correct to do with that statement exactly what the whole religious world says we must not do with it. Take it and run with it just as far as possible. There is no sense in which Christ is not the end of the law. He is the fulfilment of the law, the conclusion of the law, the finality of the law, the object of the law, the reason why the law was given, and the termination of the law. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness.” There is no righteousness of any kind, justifying righteousness or sanctifying righteousness, to be had by our personal obedience to the law. It is written, “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain!” Christ is not the end of the law for everyone. The Son of God did not fulfill the law’s demands for everyone. He is the end of the law for God’s elect, for all who trust him. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.”
Holy, Just, and Good
When the apostle Paul declares, “Christ is the end of the law,” he is not telling us that the law is evil. It is not (1 Timothy 1:8-9). It is an evil thing to misuse the law; but the law is not evil. Writing by divine inspiration, the apostle tells us those apostate religious leaders who try to mix law and grace, who try to put believers under the yoke of bondage, desiring to be teachers of the law, do not know what they are talking about, “understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.” The law was never intended, in any sense, for those who are righteous before God. The law was given for the unrighteous. The law is not evil. It is holy, just, and good. It would be well if all men lived in conformity to the law’s commands, both in outward practice and in inward principle. Indeed, it is ordained of God and used by all civil governments to protect society from those who would otherwise disregard all respect for the rights, property, and lives of others.
Delight in the Law
When the Scriptures affirm, as the New Testament constantly does, that Christ is the end of the law and that believers are entirely free from the law, the Spirit of God certainly is not suggesting that believers are free to break, or disregard God’s holy law. Not only is the believer not free to break the law, he has no desire to do so. To those who believe, God’s commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:1-3). Every child of God in this world truly delights in the law of God after the inward man (Romans 7:22). If we could, we would love God with all our hearts. If we could, we would love our neighbor as ourselves. But we do not have the ability to do so. But (Blessed be God for his wonderful grace!) Christ fulfilled the law for us, and we fulfil the law in him. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, we fulfil the law. So declares God the Holy Spirit (Romans 3:31l 8:4).
Don Fortner
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