Jesus preach the law, and the law preached fully. (Matthew 5:17-30)

 

I was doing a bible study this week with my home group, and we were doing Matt 5. Here Jesus taught on the Law. I would like to unpack a little bit of what Jesus is saying, by contrasting what he is saying and what he is not saying.

Matt 5:17-18

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.         

The reason why Jesus is saying this, is because in his days on earth, according to the perspective of the Jews, he was breaking a lot of the Mosaic laws, such as working on the Sabbath, touching lepers, associating with prostitutes and sinners,  as he was doing this constantly, some people were with the misunderstanding that he was here to demolish and put away the law. However Jesus is saying, no, the law is not going away, and I am here not to destroy the law, but to fulfill the law. (meaning he was here to fulfill the prophecy of the prophets that he is the messiah, the savior, and he came to fully fill the requirements of the law on your behalf)

The correct standard of the Law

Then he preached what the standard of the law should be, and that is, to even think of something, you have already committed the crime.

So the question is why did Jesus tell us this? When you read that passage what do you think Jesus is saying to you?

Some people belief that, God wants to show you his standard, so that you know what it is, and by the holy spirit, you go and keep the law.  If you are of this belief, then you must also read how Jesus suggests you to fulfill this.

29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  Matt 5:29-30

Jesus is telling you, in order to avoid committing sin per God’s standard; the easiest way is to cut out the body part so that you cannot be tempted. If we were truly to do that, basically we need to kill ourselves! As all parts of our body will be susceptible to sin. Jesus can’t be saying that right!!? This has to be hyperbola!?  Well he did say it. And He means exactly that.

You may say; “nobody can do this!” It is impossible to live life this way, because before the end of the day, you would have chopped up your body.

If you feel that it is impossible to do this, then you have gotten to the conclusion that Jesus wanted you to get to. Jesus is saying, no one can be made righteous by the law. People have totally misunderstood the purpose of the law. The law was not given so that we can be close to God by being a good or better person. The law’s main purpose was to show us our inability to keep the law, and we need a savior. It was not given so that we can have a relationship with God through the law.

Romans 7:13

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 

If you are to try and relate to God through adhering to the law, you will find that sin will take that opportunity and through the law become exceedingly sinful in your life. For without the law, sin was dead, however because of the law, sin has taken the opportunity and was made a live.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. Gal 3:21

Further reading on Romans 7, Romans 3, Galatians 3, will further elaborate the point for the reason of the Law.

So is Jesus saying we don’t need to obey the law?

Jesus is saying you have NO ability to obey the law in you flesh. You are not able to have a relationship with God based on your ability to obey the law. It is a dead end. The law is given to you not for the reason so you can keep it, It was given to tell you “You cannot keep it. This cannot be done! You need a savior!”  Jesus summarizes later on in the chapter, God wants you to be Perfect, his kind of perfect (Matt 5:48). You are not able to attain this by keeping the law. You can see this is the same message that he spoke to the rich young ruler, when he responded to the questions of “ What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” Luke 18:13-23.  Jesus is demanding the impossible. Because it is impossible to do this. The righteousness of God, needs to be imputed. Relationship with the Father comes through one thing. And that is belief in the Son. Faith in Jesus is the only way to the father, and that way is 100% sufficient.

It is not believing in the Son, so that by the holy spirit, you can do good, and according to the level of goodness, you increase your relationship with God.   It is Jesus, and his Righteousness alone, that is the ONLY basis of your relationship with God. It is JESUS plus NOTHING. Not Jesus sets you up so you can be a better man. Jesus didn’t come to help you to be more righteous in order to relate to God. Jesus came so that He can put his righteous in those whom believes.  This is what believing Jesus is about, it is to belief that he has imputed his righteousness in you. You are forever perfect in front of God. Now and forever. Even if you sin along the way. Because you appear in front of the father not because of your performance, but because of Jesus’s performance imputed on to you. This is the good news of Jesus Christ.

 

So we don’t need to obey the law?

YES! (but wait, there is more). We don’t need to obey the law to RELATE to God, for we are no longer under the law of sin and death, as we are under the law of the spirit of life ( Rom 8:2). God and the Holy Spirit doesn’t condemn you when you commit sin, because Jesus has removed your sins, however your consciousness will condemn you, and it will make you want to be further away from God. But wait read on.

So we don’t need to obey the law?

NO! Whilst God will not judge you by your obedience to the Law, however the people around you will. For you to function in the world, if you do not obey the law, you won’t be able to relate to people correctly in this world. If you think you can stay in adultery and still be able to have a good relationship with your wife, you are deceived, God still sees you perfect, because he relates to you based on the imputed righteousness of God , and not your performance. However your wife relates to you based on your performance, and so does your boss, your neighbour, the police, and the tax man.