“Until heaven and earth pass away” - this expression indicates that the law never would be destroyed until it should be all fulfilled. It is the same as saying “everything else may change—the very earth and heaven may pass away—but the law of God shall not be destroyed UNTIL its whole design has been accomplished.”
The Law of Moses was abrogated at the cross. Jesus “fulfilled” it/accomplished it/finished it (ginomai).
Here is another hard verse: “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 5:20.
But let’s clarify it:
*“For IF righteousness comes through the law, THEN Christ died in vain.” *Galatians 2:21.
To wit: righteousness is a gift to be freely received. Romans 5:17. We Christians are the righteousness of God in Christ. 2 Cor. 5:21.
God is perfect, but Moses was not. Let’s not confuse the two. Moses had a perception problem. For example, God told him to “speak to the rock,” in order to bring forth water to graciously provide for his beloved people, but unfortunately Moses angrily embellished the instructions:
“Listen, you rebels, must WE bring you water out of this rock? Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff.” Numbers 20:10-11.
The imperfections of the Law of Moses are indicated by these verses, among others:
-“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Jn 1:17.
-“The ministry that brought death…engraved in letters on stone…The ministry that brought condemnation.” 2 Cor. 3:7-9.
-“Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees [Greek: [i]dogma] against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:14. [Note: “dogma” are the threatening curses and embellishments added by Moses to God’s instructions. By nailing these to the cross, God [i]“disarmed the powers and authorities” v. 2:15. ]
-“By calling this covenant ‘new,’ he has made the first one obsolete.” Hebrews 8:13.
-*“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set." *John 5:45.
Regarding the Bible, Jesus himself is the Word of God. John 1:1. Rev. 19:13. And so the Scriptures point us to THE Word of God, who is a person, Jesus. The Scriptures are only part of a progressive revelation of the goodness of God in Christ—a revelation that will continually increase, forever.
We should remember that the New Testament does not actually begin at Matthew 1:1, but later, with the crucifixion of Christ.
IF being a Christian means “To love God with all one’s heart, soul and mind” (Deut. 6:4,5), and “To love one’s neighbor as oneself” (Lev. 19:18)—THEN I fear there won’t be too many people in heaven. But, to reiterate, the New Covenant began with death of Jesus, not before.
One must bear in mind that most of what Jesus is quoted as saying in the New Testament, he was saying to people under the Law of Moses. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, lusting became adultery; anger became murder. Jesus was jerking the “works rug” out from under his listeners’ feet and pointing them to the grace of God, himself, the savior of all mankind. (He did the same thing with the rich young ruler, who insisted that he had indeed faithfully kept the commandments.) Furthermore, the New Covenant says, “As the Lord HAS forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Col 3:13). There is no more “forgive in order to be forgiven.” We forgive because we ourselves were completely forgiven at the cross. All our sins—past, present, and future—were all still future 2000 years ago. But our complete forgiveness took place at the cross (Eph. 1:7, Col. 2:13), NOT on a case by case basis by confessing our sins to God.
The Ten Commandments were part of a ministry that brought death and condemnation. The ministry of the Spirit brings righteousness. Through the death of Christ, the law of the Spirit of life has set us free from the law of sin and death.
Legalism is a system of living in which a person tries to make spiritual progress, and gain God’s blessings, based on what they do. Legalism is focused on behavior and is therefore an earning system. Legalism is the opposite of grace.
Grace is a system of living in which God blesses us because we are in Jesus Christ—and for no other reason at all. Grace is focused on our spiritual birth and is therefore a receiving, and sharing, system.
Legalism says, *“do, do, do.” *Grace says, “done, done, done.” Jesus has done it all. It is finished. Let us strive to enter, and remain in, his Sabbath Rest.
Unfortunately, many well-intentioned preachers actually throw gasoline on the fire of sin—by putting the focus on sin, instead of on Jesus.
Sin is not the problem! Lack of grace is the problem. But sin does not, and cannot, stop God’s grace:
“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Romans 5:20.
Legalistic teachers “load men with burdens hard to bear”: “Behave!” “Obey!” “Promise to be good!”
…instead of unveiling the burden bearer: “Come to me…and I will give you rest.”
When preachers harp on what people must DO–putting the focus on themselves (e.g., “5 Steps”-“3 Keys”-“7 Principles”), instead of teaching them to receive, and rest in, what Jesus already DID–with the focus on Jesus, they are putting their hearers into further bondage to their sins!
Trying to be justified by the law (performance) alienates us from Christ, and causes us to fall away from grace. And GRACE is what keeps us out of sin, not Rules-Laws-Performance:
*
you are not under the law, but under grace.” Rom. 6:14.*
Sadly, the converse of that verse is also true:
‘If you are NOT under grace, but under law, then sin SHALL be your master.’
For Christians, we are not under The Law of Moses, but the Law of Christ.
Blessings.
