End of the Law

Clearly desiring to reach the lost, the church sign proclaimed, “Worship Lite!”  The truth, though, is that when you truly look at God, His glory is a great weight.  It is not a weight to carry but a counter-balance to the heartaches of this world.  Our flippant culture desperately needs a BIG God!  Come look with me at Jesus as Paul portrayed him in Romans 10:4:

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Genesis – Deuteronomy records the ‘law’; it is in those words that God revealed himself to Israel (through Moses).  God did not opt for a Worship Lite approach.  In fact, the incredible righteousness of God blazes forth from the Law.  Glossing over this verse with a trite, “We are no longer under the law” misses its great beauty! Jesus said he did not come to destroy the law; it remains until is fulfilled.  We can never complete it, but He did!  Therein is the beauty of understanding Jesus is the “End of the Law.”

The Books of the Law clearly show a God one must not take lightly.  Simply approaching God demanded great care.  The consequences of irreverent worship or disregard for God’s ways were deadly.  While it is true that we are no longer under law, it still teaches us–for God has not changed. Approaching God is still serious business.

The end of the law does not mean that God is less holy or the rules changed for approaching Him.  It tells us that Jesus is our end destination!  The goal of the law was to help us know God.  It gave guidelines for drawing close; it revealed the glorious beauty of God to us.  It also showed us how far from holy righteousness humanity fell.  When we enter into the life of Christ, the law achieves its goal!  In Jesus, we enter intimate fellowship with pure holiness, with God Himself.

From the first word spoken in Creation, God moved toward this goal. Unable to compromise His righteousness, the love of God stepped forward to provide everything needed to allow fellowship with humanity. Sending His beloved Son, His very self to suffer and die in our place, God accomplished His goal.  The law found its completion in Jesus Christ.  No longer are there rules and regulations for seeking God.  We only need to come through Jesus.

In Second Corinthians, Paul tells us that Jesus became sin, so we could become the righteousness of God by hiding our lives in Jesus. What a trade that is: the best we can offer to God is nothing but filthy rags.  BUT Jesus makes the way for us with a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light!

May our hearts rejoice this week that the law is fulfilled and the way provided for us to enter into fellowship with a holy God. Jesus came that we might have abundant life. Don’t waste a minute of your life living outside of Jesus…of seeking fulfillment anywhere but in Him! Jesus paid it all…run to the Father and enjoy His glory and His love.