THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW

Paul tells us that the Law is just and holy and good and also that the law is spiritual, but the problem is with us that we are "carnal" under the bondage of sin. (Romans 7:12,14), As Paul explains, the human nature cannot keep the law of God in its fallen state (Romans 7:15-24)

Only a sinless, perfect man can measure up to the standard of righteousness required by a holy, pure and just God. For that reason, Yeshua became the second man (a second 'Adam') as the head of a new order of 'man' to fulfill the just requirements of the law on behalf of all who would offer Him, the perfect Lamb, as their sacrifice of atonement for their sin. By His sacrifice, we have been set free from the power of sin and its resulting curse of spiritual death.

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Yeshua the Messiah has made me free from the law of sin and death"

It is not the Law (the Torah) that we are set free from, but the righteous retribution of the law upon us. The 'law' of 'sin and death' is the principle, which operates as a result of the broken Law. (Romans 8: 2)

THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE

Now, the Law is written on our heart by the Spirit of Yahweh. "For this is the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days, saith Yahweh; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people." (Hebrews 8:10) See also 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

The Law being engraved on our heart and our minds means that it comes forth from our hearts and our own minds. It is within us. It has changed from being a code of ethics engraved on tablets of stone to being engraved on our hearts, so that the knowledge of God is within through His Word which has been internalised, and we don't need to be taught to know Him, we know Him in our heart. (Hebrews 8:11)

It is no longer the letter of the Law but the Spirit of the Law, for the "letter kills" but the "Spirit gives life". Therefore we live spontaneously out of the "newness of the Spirit" instead of the "oldness of the letter" and in that sense we are dead to the law. We are dead to the external written law through the internal law written on our hearts. Romans 7: 4-6; 2 Corinthians 3: 6

Living from the Spirit brings liberty. James referred to the Law in the new covenant as the 'law of liberty' which comes from obedience to the internalised Word.

"But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:25)

We need to discern that we are new creations (beholding our reflection in Him - the mirror v.23) and live out from the internalised law within by the Spirit, and not from the old nature of knowing what is right and wrong from an intellectual knowledge of the Law. (James 1:22-24)

As Paul said, "But IF you are led of the SPIRIT, you are NOT under the LAW" (Galatians 5:18)

If we are led of the Spirit then we are living from the imparted life of Yeshua Who fulfilled the Law/Torah of the Father (His principles) in perfect love toward the Father firstly, and secondly toward man. IF we walk in this manner, we are not under the dominion of the Law and its retribution. We are walking as He walked, by the summation of the whole Law -- "You shall love Yahweh your God with all .. .. .. .. and your neighbour as yourself"

This is living from the tree of Life and liberty as opposed to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The freedom of the Spirit, as compared to the bondage of the letter of the Law.

WALKING IN THE LAW OF LOVE

Being led of the Spirit of Yahweh will always be in harmony with the Law, it will never cause us to act lawlessly in a manner that is contrary to the principles of the written Law, His Word. Galatians 5:18 "You shall love Yahweh your God with all .. .. .. .. and your neighbour as yourself"

"Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVES another has Fulfilled the LAW... LOVE does no harm to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the Fulfilment of the LAW." Romans 13:8, 10

(This is the 'Law' of the ten commandments see verse 9)

"For ALL THE LAW is fulfilled in one word. even in this; You shall LOVE your neighbour as yourself." (Galatians 5:14)

If you act in LOVE then you will never do anything to harm your neighbor! There are 613 Laws in the Old Testament! Yet if you offend ONE of them you are guilty of ALL! We are FREE from the penalty of the law, yet that is not a license to sin (James 2:8-13).

Liberty is not freedom to abort Yahweh's principles for living - His Torah, rather it is an incentive to take full advantage of the redemption that we have from the curse that comes from the broken law and as Paul continues to exhort the Roman believers, "But put on the Lord, (the nature of) Yeshua the Messiah and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." (Romans 13:14)

The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us, as we obey it (Romans 8:4-7). We fulfill the law by being observant to it, just as Yeshua Himself did. We need to 'put on' Yeshua who was the complete embodiment of the Law, the fulfillment of it in mortal flesh, and by an act of faith, put to death all of our own desires that are of the natural man and make no provision to fulfill the lusts thereof (Romans 14:13). Wherever we fall short of its righteous standards, we know that we have an Advocate with the Father who intercedes on our behalf (1 John 2:1).

We are to live a 'crucified' life and not one where we need His grace to cover our sins. We are to live a life in the resurrection power of Yeshua. The reason that it is not a reality in the lives of God's people is for the very reason that they are taught the erroneous 'not under law' doctrine, of God's 'grace' covering for their sinful state of falling short of His standard. All that falls short of His righteous standard is SIN (Romans 3:23).

God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. They do not understand the power of the crucifixion to put to death the old nature and the power that is given us in Yeshua. Knowing the truth sets you free to live in the power of His life.

We can keep the righteous demands of the law by the power of His life if we have a healthy fear of Yahweh God and not a complacent presumption on His grace.

We are exhorted to "Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God" (Hebrews 12:14)

To not walk in love and holiness is to be in danger of falling short of God's grace.Those who do fall short are not aware of it, as they are not in fellowship with Him.

Remember, Yeshua's words of warning to those who thought they were accepted and did many things in His name. He said He would say unto them in that day,

"I never knew you" (Matthew 7:18-23)

"If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:18)