FOR CHRIST IS…

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."

The great Apostle to the gentiles, Paul, certainly knew how to conjugate verbs; his truth statements are both succinct and expansive as seen here in this snippet from the epistle to the Romans:

* Paul pointed, of course, to Jesus Christ. This one man, both God and man, Who is the divine pivot point of all history, accomplished by Himself and in Himself multiple things in His vicarious act of atonement, His suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. One of the great works He accomplished was to bring to an end the age of seeking righteousness with God by keeping the Mosaic Law.

* Christ is the “end” of the law. The word “end” comes from the Greek telos and means, termination; the limit at which a thing ceases to be; the end of a state; the last in a series of things; that by which a thing is finished or brought to a close. By His redemptive work, which tore no doubt the Father’s heart, Jesus terminated the law and its temporary role. He brought to an end the age of law where men sought to gain a place of righteousness with God by keeping His law. That time is now over; it has ceased to be; Jesus brought that age to a close with, as the writer of Hebrews confirmed, the “death of the testator”, Himself, ushering in the new and glorious covenant of Grace.  

* Reconciliation is a change from a state of enmity between God and man to one of friendship. The hostility between God and man includes not only our enmity against God, but also God’s wrath against our sin: There is serious divine displeasure in mankind’s disobedience. God is not reconciled to man – man is reconciled to God -- for it is man’s sinful nature that separates him from God. Reconciliation is through the death of Jesus who was made sin for us that we might become God’s righteousness in Him. Therefore reconciliation is analogous to justification – the God who judges is also the God who reconciles -- wherein sin’s guilt is removed and the love of Christ comes to constrain our behavior.

* Jesus’ work changed the way of reconciliation to God, the way to gain right standing with God. He put the way to righteousness in place: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus Christ is The Way, the only way, to be reconciled to God. The righteousness which could never be gained by keeping the law, because of the weakness of the flesh, Jesus made available through His work. All men can now be forgiven, cleansed of their sins, justified before God, and made righteous.

* The offer of righteousness which God has made to all men through the work of the One Man, Jesus Christ, must be accepted. Although this righteousness is offered to all, becoming right with God and becoming the “righteousness of God” is “to everyone who believes.” We “become” the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ must be preached in all the world so that all men can hear the gospel: Those that believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved, and enter into a place of right standing with God.

THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE

(Rom. 5:6, 10, 10:4; Heb. 9:16; Jn. 14:6; 2 Cor. 5: 14-15, 18-21)