Question: If Jesus did not fulfill the Law, did His mission fail?
If He said He came to fulfill it but somehow we are still under it then Jesus did not do all that was needed to fulfill it as He stated.
If you believe Jesus got this wrong, what else will you be willing to believe He got wrong? In John 6 many turned away from Jesus so He asked the twelve if they too would leave. Peter’s statement is very revealing. He said, “where would we go you alone have the words of eternal life.”
Some people get stuck on the statement, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled, and think Jesus is giving a literal timeline for the Law to be in force. It is language meant to make a point more than establish the length of time for the Law to be in force.
Jesus is making it clear He must fulfill the Law, or else. The law still stands as a witness against all who have not received Christ because it reveals their deeds are sinful. It proves mankind is not righteous. Using it for this purpose would be using it lawfully. But as children of God through Christ we are not under the law.
All of the types and shadows under Moses point to Christ, the Prophets who spoke were declaring things regarding Christ, Abraham, Noah, and David all looked with faith for the day of Christ!
If Jesus was so zealous about preserving the Old Covenant prior to the cross, do you think He would be any less diligent to defend the New Covenant He established with His own blood?
This is what the letter to the Hebrews is speaking of when it speaks of trampling under foot the blood of Jesus.
The writer is speaking to Jewish believers who are tempted to return to the old ways due to the persecution they are receiving from the Judaisers.
They are being told by the Holy Spirit there is nothing in the Old Covenant that can save them. They are being warned that if they disbelieve that Christ sacrifice was sufficient and thus return to the old methods for security they will be trampling under foot the blood of Christ. The sin of disbelief that questions whether or not Christ did all that was required to fulfill the righteous demands of the Law is a sin that destroys those who embrace it.
Some of the Israelites who were brought up out of Egypt didn’t like what was happening under Moses and they declared they wished to go back to Egypt instead of staying the course with Moses and inheriting the promised land. It was unbelief in the promise that caused so much death and ruin in that generation. The same thing plagues professing “Christians” today. Many would rather run back to something that is antiquated and useless for righteousness. They would rather put their faith in the Old Covenant given by Moses rather than live in the exceeding glory of the New Covenant that came through Jesus Christ.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
