Christ the End of the Law

[Guest]

Christ the End of the Law

A.T. Jones

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In Rom. 10:4 we read as follows: "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Before showing what this text means, it may be well to briefly show what it does not mean. It does not mean that Christ has put an end to the law, because (1) Christ Himself said concerning the law, "I am not come to destroy." Matt. 5:17. (2) The prophet said that instead of destroying it, the Lord would "Magnify the law and make it honorable." Isa. 42:21. (3) The law was in Christ's own heart: "Then said I, Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart." Ps. 40:7, 8. And (4) since the law is the righteousness of God, the foundation of His government, it could not by any possibility be abolished. See Luke 16:17.

The reader must know that the word "end" does not necessarily mean "termination." It is often used in the sense of design, object, or purpose. In 1 Tim. 1:5 the same writer says, "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." the word here rendered "charity" is often rendered "love," and is so rendered in this place in the New Version. In 1 John 5:3 we read, "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments," and Paul himself says that "love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom. 13:10. In both these texts the same word (agape) is used that occurs in 1 Tim. 1:5. Therefore we say that this text means, Now the design of the commandment (or law) is that it should be kept. Everybody will recognize this as a self-evident fact.

But this is not the ultimate design of the law. In the verse following the one under consideration, Paul quotes Moses as saying of the law that "the man that doeth those things shall live by them." Christ said to the young man, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17. Now since the design of the law was that it should be kept, or, in other words, that it should produce righteous characters, and the promise is that those who are obedient shall live, we may say that the ultimate design of the law was to give life. And in harmony with this thought are the words of Paul, that the law "was ordained to life." Rom. 7:10.

But "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death." Thus it is impossible for the law to accomplish its design in making perfect characters and consequently giving life. When a man has once broken the law, no subsequent obedience can ever make his character perfect. And therefore the law which was ordained unto life is found to be unto death. Rom. 7:10.

If we were to stop right here with the law unable to accomplish its purpose, we should leave all the world under condemnation and sentence of death. Now we shall see that Christ enables man to secure both righteousness and life. We read that we are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. 3:24. "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. More than this, He enables us to keep the law. "For he [God] hath made him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:21. In Christ, therefore, it is possible for us to be made perfect--the righteousness of God--and that is just what we would have been by constant and unvarying obedience to the law.

Again we read, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. . . . For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1-4.

What could not the law do? It could not free a single guilty soul from condemnation. Why not? Because it was "weak through the flesh." There is no element of weakness in the law; the weakness is in the flesh. It is not the fault of a good tool that it cannot make a sound pillar out of a rotten stick. The law could not cleanse a man's past record and make him sinless; and poor, fallen man had no strength resting in his flesh to enable him to keep the law. And so God imputes to believers the righteousness of Christ, who was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, so that "the righteousness of the law" might be fulfilled in their lives. And thus Christ is the end of the law.

To conclude, then, we have found that the design of the law was that it should give life because of obedience. All men have sinned and been sentenced to death. But Christ took upon Himself man's nature and will impart of His own righteousness to those who accept His sacrifice, and finally when they stand, through Him, as doers of the law, He will fulfill to them its ultimate object, by crowning them with eternal life. And so we repeat, what we cannot too fully appreciate, that Christ is made unto us "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

[wayfinder]

Is it not odd that this salvation theology is only found in, and supported by, Paul. You will not find The Son of God teaching this!

[Dr. Rich]

Wasn't A. T. Jones the one who lost his privilege to preach and ordination from the GC in 1909?

[Guest]

Did either of you bother to read it before sharing your ignorance? He says that the law must be kept.

[Guest]

Is it not odd that this salvation theology is only found in, and supported by, Paul. You will not find The Son of God teaching this!

How can you say this when he uses the words of Jesus to prove his point? What you should have said, and what you really mean, is:

"This does not fit with my own private interpretation, and my own ideas of how things are. Which are the only ones I pay any attention to".

[skyblue888]

Good stuff Richard.

Yes, Christ is the "end" of the law, in other words, the purpose of the law. Engraved on stones or written with ink, the commandment is a ministration of condemnation and death and thus the commandment shows us our need of a Saviour; but proceeding out of the mouth of God that same law is a ministration of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. The reception of the commandment, proceeding out of the mouth of God, that is, as the voice of God from Heaven speaking to the soul, is the reception of Christ Himself, His Spirit, and thus we read, "the end (purpose) of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and faith unfeigned," for the grace of Christ is exceedingly abundant with faith and love. 1 Tim.1:14.

"The words that I speak to you," He said, "they are Spirit and they are life." John 6:63.

sky

[phkrause]

Originally Posted By: wayfinder

Is it not odd that this salvation theology is only found in, and supported by, Paul. You will not find The Son of God teaching this!

How can you say this when he uses the words of Jesus to prove his point? What you should have said, and what you really mean, is:

"This does not fit with my own private interpretation, and my own ideas of how things are. Which are the only ones I pay any attention to".

pk

[Dr. Rich]

Jones' conclusion: "But Christ took upon Himself man's nature and will impart of His own righteousness to those who accept His sacrifice, and finally when they stand, through Him, as doers of the law, He will fulfill to them its ultimate object, by crowning them with eternal life. And so we repeat, what we cannot too fully appreciate, that Christ is made unto us "wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."

Ya, what am I missing here? Is it your thinking that Jesus' said this too? Hmmm? Sounds really twisted to me! Please show me where Jesus taught this. (My yoke is easy--but it still is a yoke.) This guy has Jesus doing everything for everyone and the only thing people have to do is accept His sacrifice. No more and no less. So are you telling me that all one has to do is pray the 'sinner's prayer'?

[wayfinder]

Originally Posted By: wayfinder

Is it not odd that this salvation theology is only found in, and supported by, Paul. You will not find The Son of God teaching this!

How can you say this when he uses the words of Jesus to prove his point? What you should have said, and what you really mean, is:

"This does not fit with my own private interpretation, and my own ideas of how things are. Which are the only ones I pay any attention to".

Kindly point out the words of Jesus he (Jones) uses. Show me this salvation theology in "The Old Testament" or in Matthew, Mark, and John. No cut and paste, please.

[Musicman1228]

Did either of you bother to read it before sharing your ignorance? He says that the law must be kept.

He is doing exactly the same thing that Paul does in speaking out of both sides of his mouth. Yes, he says we must keep the law, and then he says no one can possibly do that so we no longer need to keep the law because Jesus kept it for us. And what is this about Jesus doing away with the 'purpose of the law' but not the law itself?

I will restate the challenge given by both wayfinder and Dr. Rich; please show me where Jesus ever taught this as truth using ONLY the words of Jesus Christ (specifically from Matthew, Mark and John). Surely if Jesus said it it must be there in those accounts somewhere.

[Dr. Rich]

We had a great sermon today about the four places the seed was sown by Jesus. Doesn't Jones and Paul's gospel violate what Jesus attempted to get across to those who would listen? (Not simply hear, but actually listen). Did not Jesus say those who have an ear, listen up!?

Read Matthew 13 if you want to see what Jesus said about this issue. In verse 9 Jesus said "he who has an ear, let him hear".

Verse 11 shows us that not everyone will understand what Jesus said--that ONLY those who it has been granted from the Kingdom of Heaven. In verse 13 Jesus again emphasizes the problem of people not listening.

Alison T. Jones had this same problem just as almost everyone who calls themselves a christian. Yes, they spring up, but quickly die because they are not being fed any food. They think they have been fed enough just by accepting Christ as their personal Savior--mistakenly they are dead wrong. Why do they do this?--because of the sweet and tempting food the writer of Romans is dishing out.

Question: If the ONE good and faithful servant left in charge of the Masters House will be feeding his fellow servants when the Master returns, please tell me what this food (words/gospel) is all about since the writer of Romans has been feeding people his food ever since they could read it?

[Guest]

and then he says no one can possibly do that so we no longer need to keep the law because Jesus kept it for us.

Please quote where he said that. Here you are tagging on and haven't even read it!! LOL

[Guest]

No cut and paste, please.

Wayfinder, please go and find someone more computer savvy than yourself, and find out what that term actually means.

Then maybe you can use it correctly, or stop using it, since it doesn't mean what you think it does. I know I've tried to tell you this before, but just like MM, you don't pay attention to anything except what is running around in your own head. (that must make the job of the Holy Spirit very hard, if not impossible)

[Guest]

We had a great sermon today

I'm proud for you.

[wayfinder]

Originally Posted By: wayfinder

No cut and paste, please.

Wayfinder, please go and find someone more computer savvy than yourself, and find out what that term actually means.

Then maybe you can use it correctly, or stop using it, since it doesn't mean what you think it does. I know I've tried to tell you this before, but just like MM, you don't pay attention to anything except what is running around in your own head. (that must make the job of the Holy Spirit very hard, if not impossible)

Richard, I ment exactly what I wrote. I did'nt want one verse cut here and pasted to another verse there etc. so they would appear to support the belief. If I am wrong show me don't tell me.

[Musicman1228]

Originally Posted By: musicman

and then he says no one can possibly do that so we no longer need to keep the law because Jesus kept it for us.

Please quote where he said that. Here you are tagging on and haven't even read it!! LOL

I'm sorry, the 'he' I was speaking of was Paul.

A.T.Jones said, "But "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death." Thus it is impossible for the law to accomplish its design in making perfect characters and consequently giving life."

Who designed the Law? Why, God of course. What Jones as quoting Paul just said is that although God designed the Law to accomplish the making perfect of our characters to give us life, that cannot happen because no one can ever do this. Therefore, the only way that this can be accomplished is for Jesus Christ to do it for you, since you cannot possibly do it yourself, even though God designed this to happen.

Richard, do you see the problem with this? Paul and A.T. Jones have declared that God is incompetent in not only His plans for the Law but in His execution of those plans. In designing the Law to accomplish something that human beings cannot do God made a horrible mistake, which He had to correct by sending His Son to accomplish for mankind that which they were not capable of doing from the beginning of the plan.

There is no point in God having established His Law if humans can choose which of those Laws they will choose to obey. God established the Law because that Law IS HIS CHARACTER, and in order for us to become LIKE GOD we must obey the character of God, which is HIS LAW. WITHOUT THE LAW THERE CAN BE NO SALVATION.

A.T. Jones got it exactly right in his assessment of what Paul had written. Unfortunately, this does not match either what God said through the Sanctuary Service example and the Word of God in the OT or with what Jesus Christ taught in the NT. Here are but a very few examples.

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you. Deut.4:2.

And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone. Deut.4:13.

All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. Ex. 19:8.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." Matt.5:17-18.

You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” Matt.15-7-9.

And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”  Matt.19:17.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matt.22:37-40.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”   John 8:31-32.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.  The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. John 8;34-35.

Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” John 9:39.

If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.” John 12:47-50.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. John 14:15.

Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21.

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. John 14:23-24.

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” John 18:37.

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Rev.3:8.

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.  Rev.3:21.

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Rev.12:17.

It is these who have not defiled themselves with the women, for they are pure. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless. Rev.14:4-5.

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. Rev. 22:12.

[Guest]

Richard, I ment exactly what I wrote. I did'nt want one verse cut here and pasted to another verse there etc. so they would appear to support the belief. If I am wrong show me don't tell me.

That's not what cut and paste means, and I've never seen anyone try to do that. Not even you guys.

[Guest]

Don't forget to sign my book wayf. The one that musicman is going to send me. You can even let Rich sign it if you want to. I know he didn't have anything to do with writing it, but he is the only other person in the world who believes it. Ha ha, just kidding.

[wayfinder]

I would be happy to sign your book.

[Musicman1228]

Jesus Christ fulfilled His part of the Law by overcoming/conquering. We have to fulfill OUR part of the Law by overcoming/conquering. That is what 'overcoming' is.

The one who conquers (overcomes), I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Rev.3:21.

So the big question is - Overcome what?

[Dr. Rich]

Yes MM, that is the big question regarding the issue of this thread. If Jesus fulfilled His part by overcoming and conquering sin by obeying what His Father told Him, and since Jesus also said that we must also overcome sin, then the next question is WHERE and how did people get the idea and notion that no one can overcome sin because He did it for us?

NOWHERE, and I do mean nowhere do I find any place where Jesus said anything even close to this! So NO, Christ was NOT the end of the Law!

[John317]

Jesus Christ fulfilled His part of the Law by overcoming/conquering. We have to fulfill OUR part of the Law by overcoming/conquering. That is what 'overcoming' is.

The one who conquers (overcomes), I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Rev.3:21.

So the big question is - Overcome what?

It means we are to overcome sin and the devil through the same power that Christ used to do it. What power is that? His Holy Spirit. Christ never used His own divine power to do anything, but everything He did, He did through the same power available to us in our struggle against sin. Through His Spirit in our lives, we're enabled to resist and overcome every temptation to sin. That's the message of Romans 6 to 8 as well as a primary theme of First John and Revelation.

But where I think you're mistakan, MM, is where you make it appear (at least in my view) that we must do these things in order to earn merit with God and gain salvation. I think the truth is closer to being like a tree that produces good oranges without striving to do it, because its roots are in good soil and it's being watered and cared for. We will do the same-- producing good fruit-- if we are truly a part of the tree and stay a part of it and get "watered," "pruned," etc.

[Dr. Rich]

I see you point John, but are you then saying we do not have a choice other than to choose to keep on sinning and to choose to have faith that Jesus overcame for us so we don't have to? Why can't we just make up our mind our self to obey God because He said so?

The next thing one can do on their own is to make up their mind that they need to repent and ask God for forgiveness. Are you saying we can't do this on our own?

Then when one is tempted to do something that is against what the ten commandments, are you saying that we can't decide on our own to not break them? What kind of choice would that leave us with in that/this situation?

John, I too have seen the picture in the sand where the feet show that one was being carried, but if you leave it up to God, then how can YOU, yourself do the overcoming as God told Cain to do in Gen.?

It is my opinion that Satan has used mind control as a tool to make people believe they can't make a choice to obey God and become righteous.

[Musicman1228]

John said, "Christ never used His own divine power to do anything, but everything He did, He did through the same power available to us in our struggle against sin."

(We are in pretty close agreement here.)

But where did this idea come from that Jesus did not use His own divine power? I'm not saying this is not true, I don't see this in the gospels that contain the true words of Jesus. Was Satan lying when he said to Jesus during the temptation in the wilderness "If you speak you can turn these rocks into bread"? No Satan knew good and well that Jesus had the power to do that. What Satan didn't realize was that Jesus would not use that power for purely personal purposes; this was something Satan could not grasp. The only reason Jesus ever used the power of His words to word miracles was for the betterment of the Kingdom of Heaven.

When Jesus said to His disciples that they would do even greater things than He do you think He did not mean this? At the end of time the Two Witnesses and the Saints will do tremendous things, work spectacular miracles, in the name of Jesus Christ, using exactly the same power He used while He was here on earth. If you are righteous, as was Jesus, it is the very power of your words that will accomplish these things, as long as it is for the betterment and enhancement of the K of H. I do not know the method but I do know the result.

[John317]

Quote:

Dr. Rich: I see you point John, but are you then saying we do not have a choice other than to choose to keep on sinning and to choose to have faith that Jesus overcame for us so we don't have to?

No. In fact, just the opposite. 1 John 3: 1-10 shows us that when a person is born of God-- has God's seed, or nature, in him-- God restores his freedom to choose against sin. God both gives our freedom to us and gives us the desire for righteousness. But it's up to us to make the decision. We can decide in favor of sin or against it. Study 2 Cor. 3.

Christ fulfilled all righteousness for us, and all of these righteous deeds, God puts to the account of everyone who has genuine trust/faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior from sin and Lord & Master of his life.

God gives us the credit for all of Christ's rightousness and sends the Holy Spirit to make that credit a reality in our actual lives.

Quote:

Dr. Rich: Why can't we just make up our mind our self to obey God because He said so?

"Not by might and not by strength, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord." Zech. 4

Quote:

Dr. Rich: The next thing one can do on their own is to make up their mind that they need to repent and ask God for forgiveness. Are you saying we can't do this on our own?

The only reason anyone has a desire to repent and ask God for forgiveness is due to the Holy Spirit work on a person's heart and mind. If someone has no desire to do these things, he should ask God to give him a love and a desire for Christ's rightousness.

Quote:

] Dr. Rich: Then when one is tempted to do something that is against what the ten commandments, are you saying that we can't decide on our own to not break them? What kind of choice would that leave us with in that/this situation?

Sure, we can decide to obey, but if it's on our own strength, our resolutions will be like sand. It will be like people promising themselves that they will never smoke again, so they throw away the cigarette only to go pick it up out of the trash. It will be like the man who promises himself and God that he will never again look at a woman to lust after her in his heart, but then soon after he makes the promises he finds himself doing the same thing again. That's the way it is without Christ abiding in the heart moment by moment.

Quote:

Dr. Rich:I too have seen the picture in the sand where the feet show that one was being carried, but if you leave it up to God, then how can YOU, yourself do the overcoming as God told Cain to do in Gen.?

You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. I don't say that we give over the wheel to Christ to drive and we go to sleep. God's not going to make the decisions for you. We have to submit our will to God's will. God doesn't make my decisions for me. Through His word and by His Holy Spirit, He shows me the way I should go, but I have to decide to follow Him in doing what He's shown me.

Quote:

Dr. Rich: It is my opinion that Satan has used mind control as a tool to make people believe they can't make a choice to obey God and become righteous.

We make a choice to accept Christ and make Him the Master of our life. As we continually do that, He provides us with the power to obey Him. We can do nothing without Christ, but with God all things are possible.

It is Satan who wants peope to think that they can gain heaven apart from God's empowerment and grace because Satan knows that as long as we believe this, he can control us. We can't defeat or overcome Satan and sin on our own, Dr. Rich. You might as well try to jump to the moon. None of us are a match against Satan on our own, but with Christ we're more than a match.