CHRIST AND THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW

We often hear born again Christians or the so-called born again Christians say, “I am not under the law, I am under grace”, and this is often said in response to people trying to question their sinful lifestyles or character flaws. However, it is important to for us not just use clichés anyhow without ensuring that we are sticking to Biblical truth, because, you just end up like that fool who built his house on sand.

Let us look at what Jesus said about the wise man and the fool in Mathew chapter 7, and verses 24-27:

24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

This simply means, that when we decide to choose our own way, or our own interpretations of the scripture, outside of the truth from God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we will suffer for the consequences of our actions. This simply means that God cannot be held responsible for our wrong interpretations that are based on our fleshly conveniences.

It is important for us to know that if there is a day when the danger of us making these foolish choices is high, it is today, in line with the prophecies concerning the last days. Let us see the instructions Paul speaking by the Holy Ghost, gave to Timothy, in 1Timothy chapter 4, and 2 Timothy chapter 3.

In 1 Timothy chapter, we are warned that in the last days, some shall depart from the faith, and give heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. These people the Bible says, may not the actual truth of God’s word, but may never accept it, rather they will prefer to speak lies in hypocrisy. The Bible tells us that conscience of such men and women has been seared by the devil!

In 2 Timothy chapter 3, the Bible tells us that in the last days, it shall be very difficult to be a Christian, because perilous times shall come. It tells that men shall love themselves, and their flesh so much that they will be willing to say, ‘To hell with God”.

If truly we are in the last days before Jesus returns, as so many Biblical prophecies and signs are showing us, then these things are inevitable. However, the  good thing about it, is that you and I can make a choice, to be that wise guy, so that in the end, the Lord will not say to us, ‘Away from me, ye that work iniquity, I never knew you’.

During last year’s Word and Glory Conference, I tried to correct a very erroneous teaching that has been destroying so many people in the body of Christ for ages-false teachings and beliefs about the true meaning of the grace of God. I tried to explain, that nowhere in the Bible, was the grace given as an excuse to live a loose, careless, or sinful lifestyle. However, if you live close to or get close to so many of today’s weak, hypocritical, and fleshly preachers, you will not only find out that they dwell in iniquity, but also encourage others to do the same. These fake preachers have only one explanation for the fake Christianity-the false teachings about grace!

Let us look at Romans chapter where it was clearly said by Paul that no one is justified in Christ Jesus through his or her own works:

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF NOT BEING UNDER THE LAW

It is important to understand what Apostle Paul meant when he said, that you are not under the law but under grace. You need to understand that the Book of Romans has two faces, and was addressing the attitudes of both the Jews and the non-Jews in Christ Jesus towards each other.

In the first part, he was addressing the attitude of the Jews towards the Romans and other Gentiles. They felt that since they were given the laws of Moses, they were superior and actually were the only ones who were qualified to inherit the kingdom. They put the person of Christ Jesus and the grace of God which he brought, lower, and depended so much on the works of the law.

Paul therefore went on to explain, that the coming of Christ has brought to us something higher than the laws of Moses. Under the law of Moses, there was no power given to enable you keep the instructions that you were given, however, Christ has brought with him-grace, which is power to keep the commandments. I will look at this scripturally shortly. You will notice that Paul with this saying, at no time, diminished the power of sin, and never encouraged sin. Paul rather emphasized that because you are now under grace, you have a greater power to overcome sin (sin shall not have dominion over you).

In the second part where Paul addressed those Gentiles who despised the Jews, thinking that God has abandoned them because of their disobedience, and chosen the Gentiles, he emphasized that the Gentiles could not have been grafted in without the Jews. This is because the law and the covenants and the Patriarchs, all came from the Jews. Let us see from the scriptures in Romans chapter 6, verses 12-15:

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof

13 Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin: because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

This is amazing indeed, many people think that what it means not to be under the law, is that they are free to sin and to receive forgiveness under grace, but it is not what it means. It simply means that you now have power over sin, therefore you don’t have to sin at all! Amazing indeed!

UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF THE NEW COMMANDMENT

Jesus was once asked a very important question by one of the Pharisees, who wanted to know which of the commandments, is the greatest. We can find this in the Book of Mathew chapter 22 verses 35-40:

35 Then one of them which was a lawyer, asked him a question, and tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

This saying of Jesus is similar to what he said earlier on in the same Book of Mathew chapter 7 and verse 12:

12 Therefore whatsoever ye would that men do to you, do even so them: for this is the law and the prophets.

In these two set of scriptures, Jesus made a very important statement, which we should never forget. He said that all the Old Covenant Laws and the teachings of the Old Covenants Prophets, hang upon-love for your fellow human being. This is amazing, it simply means that we should we find evidence, that this same thing that was required from the Old covenants saints, is what is required of the New Covenant saints, then the law was never abolished.

This simply means, that just as Christ said, he never came to abolish the law of Moses, but to implement or enforce it. In Mathew chapter 5:17, we read as follows:

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

This is in agreement with Mark chapter 12, verse 31.

CHRIST’S NEW COMMANDMENT OF LOVE AND THE NEW TESTAMENT!

In line with the teachings of Christ above, when he was about to leave, he left his disciples with one new law or commandment, and we can see this in the Book of John chapter 13 verse 34, and 2 John 1:5, as follows:

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

This may sound like it is new, but is it actually new? If it is the same thing on which hangs all the law and the prophets, is it really new? Well Jesus again, that it is not really new, but because he is giving it to them now in clear terms, it may be called new. In 2 John chapter 1 verses 5, we read as follows:

5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

Here Jesus clearly merges the Old and the New, saying that there is no new commandment, but that which has been-the moral law of Moses.

THE AGREEMENT OF THE APOSTLES’ TEACHINGS WITH THE MORAL LAW OF MOSES-LOVE!

Paul the Apostle, who is actually, the apostle of grace, is equally the apostle of love, as we can see in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the love chapter. Here, he makes it clear that you are wasting your time, playing church, if don’t have love!

In the Book of Romans chapter 13 verses 8-10, we read as follows:

8 Owe no man anything, but love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

9 For this. Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Here again, Paul shows us that the law of Moses, was never abolished!

Again in Galatians chapter 5 verses 11-14, we see Paul the Apostle repeating this same statement in another fashion:

11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased.

12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love, serve one another

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Finally, James equally agrees with the Lord and the commandment of love, insisting that the law of Moses, was never abolished, and we can see this in James chapter 2 verse 8;

8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself: ye do well.

In conclusion, when you a Pastor, a Prophet, a Teacher, an Apostle, an Evangelist, or a Christian, who says that he is not under the law, and thinks that the way to show it, that he is not accountable to any one, is by putting HIV, into his neighbor-you have right there-a false apostle, reject the fake fellow!

Above is the teaching, on the 21st, Day 1 of the 2015 Word and Glory Conference by Dr Chidi Peters, at the Umuahia North L.G.A. Headquaters, Abia State!