Jesus, The Law And The Christian (Matthew 5:17-20, Exodus 20:1-17)
Rev. William L. Barron, October 1, 2023Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The Pharisees instituted hundreds of "fence laws" intended to keep people from temptation to sin. These became elevated to the standing of the Ten Commandments. They became burdensome, whereas the Law's purpose is to free people. The Pharisees used the fence laws to accuse Jesus of antinomianism, the belief that man is not required to keep the Law. This accusation denies the whole purpose Jesus came to earth, to fulfill the requirements of the Law and not to abolish the Law. This is so that His righteousness is imputed to those that believe in His person and work. The Law has multiple meanings and applications. One is the civil law, which regulated the nation of Israel. This Law became fulfilled with the Crucifixion. Another is the ceremonial law, or the sacrificial system that reminded people that the payment for sin is the shedding of blood, pointing to Jesus death. The ceremonial law was also fulfilled in the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Still in force is the moral law, teaching us what God is like and what we are like (sinful), leading us to confess our sins and live righteous lives by God's grace in Christ. We want to do things our own way, and if we don't obey, we will be under judgment. Jesus didn't mean that we should exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees by adding more law-keeping to what they stipulated. We cannot live righteously in our own strength. Belief in Christ as Lord and Savior is the only way, and by this comes assurance. Freedom in the law gives us the desire to obey out of thankfulness for our salvation.
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| « The Satisfaction Of Hunger And Thirst For Righteousness | None | You Have Heard That It Was Said (Part 1) » |
Matthew 5:17–20 (Listen)
17 “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. 18 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. 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
(ESV)
Exodus 20:1–17 (Listen)
20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,
2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
13 “You shall not murder.
14 “You shall not commit adultery.
15 “You shall not steal.
16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
(ESV)