Red Letter Edition: Grace-Fueled Obedience and the Power to Not Sin
“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 tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-20).
New Testament believers in Christ live in an era of grace. By God's grace, we are born again and empowered for service. God’s grace, however, does not mean we are permitted to become “lawless.” Pastor Denn Guptill offers seven words that form modern Christians' greatest “cop-out”: "I’m not under law but under grace!" Yes, we are under grace, but does “The Law and the Prophets” no longer apply to any aspect of our lives?
To answer this question, we first need to understand what Jesus means when He says, “The Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 5:17). “The Law” refers to the five books of Moses or the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). “The Prophets,” or Nevi’im, is made up of two sections: the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings) and the Latter Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets).
Watch this great video from The Bible Project to Learn More.
Jesus emphatically states that He did not come to abolish “The Law and the Prophets” but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17b). Notice the contrast? First, Jesus declares that His teaching does not dissolve or destroy the principles and promises of the Old Testament. Second, Jesus announces that He alone can fulfill (and is the fulfillment) every law and prophetic utterance.
The Scribes and Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the law because He did not adhere to their prescribed rules of obedience. Jesus was obeying the law as God intended—from the heart! By doing so, Jesus declares that the law is necessary even for those whose faith is firmly focused on Jesus Christ—not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law.
How can this be? Does that mean I must bring a bull or a goat to church for sacrifice? Let me explain some things before you parade your finest Jersey cow into the sanctuary.
The Law can be broken down into three types or categories:
Ceremonial Law: these were the laws about how Israel was to worship God through sacrifice and ritual. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we are no longer bound to offer animal sacrifices.
Civil Law: these laws pertain to daily living in Israel (like making loans, borrowing something from a neighbor, or handling human waste). These laws were specific to the time they were written and have little to do with us today except in principle and conduct.
Moral Law: these were laws like the Ten Commandments requiring absolute/strict obedience.
Moral law is still in effect today and is not set aside because of grace. Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 5:19, “Therefore, anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
James 2:10 teaches, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” In our strength, you and I cannot fulfill even the smallest letter of moral law. This truth is our condemnation. Our guilt makes us the object of God’s wrath. But here is the good news - -
Jesus fulfilled every facet of the law and took on God’s wrath for us. Now, through our faith in Christ, we can live without fear of God’s wrath. If we sin, we can confess and repent to Christ, who took the penalty.
Notice I said “if” we sin. Grace is not a license to act according to the old man and give in to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). No! Grace is how Christ's followers are empowered to walk in holiness, not lawlessness.
Hear John’s appeal to us, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” It is God’s that we do not sin, but if we do, we have an advocate. Yet, daily, Christians declare, "I’m not under law but under grace” to justify sinful behavior.
Jesus’s fulfillment of the law makes it possible for us to do what we are powerless to do—surpass the righteousness of the Pharisees and teachers of the law and enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:20). The law pointed to Christ; it also, pointed out our need for a savior.
A.J. Jacobs, the agnostic senior editor of Esquire Magazine, decided to spend an entire year trying to be utterly obedient to every command in the Bible. In 2007, he wrote a book entitled The Year of Living Biblically. He says, “One thing I learned was how much I sinned. That was a little disturbing, but once you start to pay attention to the amount that you lie and gossip and covet and even steal—I was taken aback, and that was a real eye-opener.”[1] Jacobs fails to recognize that the revelation of our sinfulness is an opportunity for victory through Christ’s fulfillment of “The Law and Prophets.”
Grace sets us free to repent of our sins, but it also empowers us to continue overcoming sin. To think otherwise is to misunderstand and possibly misuse God’s gift. The Law of God reveals our weakness to obey its commands. But the unmerited favor of God shows the power to deny “ungodliness and worldly lusts” and “live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12).
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[1] https://bible.org/seriespage/above-and-beyond-matthew-517%E2%80%9320
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