Thursday, July 9, 2020

Accomplished by Christ (Matt. 5:17)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/9/2020 11:47 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                  Focus:  “Accomplished by Christ”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matthew 5:17

 

            Message of the verse:  17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”

 

            As we continue to look at this verse we can see that there is a culminating reason and that is for the law’s preeminence was its fulfillment by Jesus Christ, who is God’s Son.  He states “I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”  We can see this from His incarnation, and in that the work of His Holy Spirit through the church, and in His coming again Jesus would fulfill all of the law—moral, judicial, and ceremonial.

 

            John MacArthur writes “The Old Testament is complete; it is all God intended it to be.  It is a wondrous, perfect, and complete picture of the coming King and His kingdom, and Jesus the King came to fulfill it in every detail. Five times in the New Testament we are told of Jesus’ claiming to be the theme of the Old Testament:  here, in Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39; and in Hebrews 10:7.”  Perhaps it would be good for us to go over these verses beginning with Luke 24:27, and follow them in the order given: 

27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

44 Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

7 Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. (This one is from Phillips)

 

            I want to now talk about how Jesus fulfilled God’s Law.  First let us look at the word “fulfill” in the Greek:  “from 4134; TDNT-6:286,867; v

 

AV-fulfil 51, fill 19, be full 7, complete 2, end 2, misc 9; 90

 

1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full

1a) to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally

1a1) I abound, I am liberally supplied

2) to render full, i.e. to complete

2a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim

2b) to consummate: a number

2b1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect

2b2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)

2c) to carry into effect, bring to realization, realise

2c1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute

2c2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish

2c3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God’s will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God’s promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfillment.”  (Italics added by me.)

 

            I believe that we can see a number of things in this rather long definition of the word “fulfill” that help us understand exactly what Jesus Christ did to fulfill the law of God. 

 

            We conclude this SD with another quote from John MacArthur because in his commentary he gave different views in how Jesus fulfilled the law of God but not gives what he believes to be true.  “But most importantly, as the Spirit surely intends to emphasize here, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament by being its fulfillment.  He did not simply teach it fully and exemplify it fully—He was it fully.  He did not come simply to teach righteousness and to model righteousness; He came as divine righteousness.  What He said and what He did reflect who He is.”

 

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I am always thankful that Jesus did fulfill the law of God, to cause God to be satisfied with what He did, and the reason is because I know everyday that I cannot do it.

 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Give thanks to the Lord for fulfilling something that I could never do on my own.

 

7/9/2020 12:13 PM


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