Friday 27 July 2012

Apply the Law and Prophets Today (Part 2)

Good morning.

Until Friday morning, 27 July, we are going to look at some extracts from my book.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them,” (Matthew 5:17).

Jesus said in this passage that He came to fulfil the law and prophets. Instead of separating the law and the prophets, he causes them to complement each other, to make their unity complete. He has come to put in the last pieces of the puzzle, to fill up what lacked—to make them complete.

Jesus brought this fulfilment by establishing both His new and modified laws. He also became the Prophet, unifying the Law and the Prophets. The law now demands faith and the moral instruction given by Christ, especially concerning love.

This love is the law written on our hearts (Romans 2:15). Christ declared it the greatest law.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Jesus became the love on whom hangs all the Law and Prophets. Since He lives in us through His Holy Spirit, we can obey His law by the Spirit. Jesus’ commands in the New Testament, whether spoken by Him or His apostles, are the fulfilled versions of the Old Testament law. They either completed an Old Testament law, no longer requiring us to obey it, or they refreshed the law, making it more personal and strict. When Jesus told us to keep His commandments, He referred to the commandments that fulfilled the law and prophets.

Consider John 14:21, 24: “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.” If we do not keep His commandments, we do not love Him. If we do not love Him, He will not reveal Himself to us. Jesus reveals Himself to us to the degree that we prove our love to Him by doing what He tells us to do

He reveals Himself to us by anointing us with a revelation of His own character within the scope of our gifting. He gives us more knowledge of Himself and the Word (for He is the Word) in order to enhance our faith and love for Him.

Lord, thank you for the change you brought.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.

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