The Law

[etothepii]

Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Matthew 7:12 - Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Matthew 11:13 - For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Matthew 22:40 - On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I don't know if this changes the dynamics of the discussion, but there are numerous verses where "the law and prophits" is repeated. The Matthew verses above are just the tip of the iceberg.

[Snooky]

I am not at a disagreement with anyone here, just making an observation. Jesus came to fulfill and not to destroy. I am not sure that we all understand the difference between fulfilment and destruction. In one post fulfilled is shown as completed and no longer applies. The next post it is used as "taken to a higher level and stronger now than ever". Doctrines are being built around the interpretation of the word "fulfilled". It seems to a word that can be used in different ways, depending of which point of view we want to promote.

I don't believe that God has weakened his moral stance at all. I also don't think that he has curtailed his desire for worship.

[etothepii]

Galatians 2:21 - I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

[Leafrivermac]

In one post fulfilled is shown as completed and no longer applies. The next post it is used as "taken to a higher level and stronger now than ever". Doctrines are being built around the interpretation of the word "fulfilled".

I hope you know that I agree Snooky. I hope everyone realizes that I know that we are not saved by the law, but by grace thru Jesus the Christ. I would however like to sort out the terms that are so loosley thrown around . . ."done away with, fufilled, perfected". I'm of the opinion so far that the ceremonial laws were done away with, prophecy concerning Christ fufilled, and moral laws perfected. I'm not all the way thru this study, but I will admit that for years I have been parroting what I have heard and assumed to be correct. I suspect that many others have also , or at least looking at scripture from a predisposed viewpoint.

[etothepii]

ORIGINAL: etothepii

Galatians 2:21 - I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Before Christ, one had to have faith in the law. Christ replaced the law in the sense that we now have faith in him. All the he is, is the law perfected. The law is not dead or gone. Christ lives!

[Leafrivermac]

Another slight evolution of thought here. Ceremonial law was "done away with" and "fufilled". Since we now have Christ as our mediator, there is no need for an ineffective ceremonial law. But in the sense that ceremonial law was in itself pointing to Christ, is has also been fufilled. All of the prophesy concerning Christ has been fufilled in that every jot and tittle was met. Every prophetic scripture that told of the first coming of Christ and the signs concerning His ministry, were fufilled. We can not recieve salvation thru the observence of moral law, but only thru Christ. That is not to say that Moral Law is done away with however. Sin is still sin. If moral law was no longer, . . .sin would be something else. We will be held accountable for any moral law (sin) that we have not been cleansed of. Moral law has been perfected. To perfect something does not mean to do away with it.
I hope no one thinks I'm trying to argue here. I've simply been doing a study and so far this is what I've come up with. I've went thru so much scripture to come to where I'm at now in thought. If it becomes debateable, of course I would produce scripture in making my points.
What most of all got me started on this study was other debates I have been in where someone would say "thats OT . . .it doesn't count". The more I look at it , the more I see that it does count. God is the same God today as He was yesterday. The entire OT shows man reaching out to God. God revealed His nature in the OT, and gave us many promises that He would send us a Saviour. The NT is God reaching back to man, fufilling His promises ,confirming His nature and, suffering so you and I can be cleansed and have everlasting life. What has passed away, is that we no longer have to have a High Priest to interceed, make blood sacrifice, observe complicated ritual, and put our sins on "hold", we can now approach the throne room and be cleansed now . .one on THE ONE.