Only Jesus could fulfill the law
Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen that each of us is under the condemnation breaking the law, or the 10 commandments, ascribed. The penalty for breaking any part of the law, which makes you guilty of the whole law (James 2:10), is death (Romans 6:23). And none of us are capable of keeping the law–
Romans 3:20 | For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
Because of this, Jesus came to earth to fulfill the law (Matthew 5:17)-
2nd Corinthians 5:21 | For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
As a human, Jesus was subject to law, lived righteously by keeping the law, and then rendered the law powerless by giving His life in our place, paying the penalty for sin that we deserved.
Romans 8:3-4 | The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
God freely offers salvation through Jesus, His Son, who fully satisfied and fulfilled all the law required. When we put our faith in Him, He declares us righteous, not because of what we have done, but because of what He has done. This righteousness is not so we can brag about our own holiness, but so we can glorify the Savior and others may follow Him too–
1st Corinthians 1:30-31 | God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
But since before the beginning of time, stealing God’s glory has been tempting. The angel Lucifer (now Satan) wanted it (Isaiah 14:13-14) and mankind still wants it today (John 12:43, 1st John 2:16). Over and over again in the Gospels, Jesus engages the Pharisees whose pride, self-righteousness, and desire for glory keep them from accepting the salvation Jesus offers. Instead, they are sure that they deserve entrance into God’s kingdom because of their own good deeds. The truth is, many today still live the same way– elevating their own good works as their plan of salvation. Romans speaks of these people and says-
Romans 10:1-4 | Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Like Paul states, these people aren’t saved or right with God. Their own righteousness simply will not do. This is because even our best “right” is completely “wrong” compared to the holiness of God–
Isaiah 64:6a | We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.
Luke 16:15 | Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.”
Ecclesiastes 7:20 | Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
We absolutely cannot fulfill or satisfy the law on our own. It is only through faith in Jesus that we can be declared righteous or ‘right in God’s sight.’ It is by accepting the way of rescue God already provided through Jesus that we are adopted into God’s family (Galatians 4:4), not by our own works–
Ephesians 2:8-9 | God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Romans 3:27-28 | Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.
Remember our timeless truth: Only Jesus could fulfill the law. We could never keep the law through our own effort or earn salvation based on our own righteousness. Only Jesus could fulfill the law. Even better? Remember that He already did, making a way of salvation for all who believe!
What is something that stood out to you in today’s devo?
According to Romans 10:1-4, what do some people cling to for salvation instead of Jesus?
Can you relate to this at all or do you know anyone who does?
What is wrong with this plan for salvation?
Why is Jesus the only one capable of fulfilling the law?
Why is fulfilling the law necessary for salvation?