MODULE 5: THE NEW TESTAMENT WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR HUMAN ENEMIES BY EVANGELIST OGHOGHO IKPONWOSA (PHD)

In this module we shall begin to look at some statements Jesus made with respect to the Old and New Covenants. This is necessary so that we can appreciate the fact that Jesus Christ indeed acknowledged the fact that there is now a difference in how the Old Covenant can and should be applied to those of us in the New Covenant.
 
Matt 5:17-25

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said that He did not come to destroy the law neither did He come to destroy the prophets but to fulfill them. This statement is very important for us to understand the place of the Old Covenant in relation to the New Covenant Jesus came to establish. So what does Jesus mean when He said ‘to fulfill the law or to fulfill the prophets’?

To understand this let us look at the meaning of the word ‘fulfill’. The word ‘fulfill’ means:

1. To do or achieve what was hoped for or expected.

2. It also means to do or have what is required or necessary, (e,g. to fulfill the terms and conditions of an agreement).

This means Jesus achieved what was hoped for or expected in the Old Covenant laws and the prophets.
It also means that Jesus came to do and make available to humanity what was required or necessary in the Old Covenant laws. The righteous standard of God hoped for by those in the Old Covenant and required in the Old Covenant laws was made available to us in Christ Jesus.
Other synonyms that describe the word ‘fulfill’ are: achieve, accomplish, realize, satisfy, justify, bear out, live up to, etc.

Putting these words together we can say that for Jesus to say He came to fulfill the law, He was saying He came to:

1. achieve the law and the prophets (or more precisely to achieve the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets)

2. accomplish the law and the prophets (or more precisely to accomplish the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets)

3. realize the law and the prophets (or more precisely to realize the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets)

4. satisfy the law and the prophets (or more precisely to satisfy the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets)

5. justify the law and the prophets (or more precisely to justify the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets)

6. bear out the law and the prophets (or more precisely to bear out the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets)

7. live up to the law and the prophets (or more precisely to live up to the purpose and demands of the law and the prophets).

Clearly Jesus said He came to fulfill the law. He emphatically stated in Matthew 5:18 that no part of the law will pass away until it is fulfilled. This means that all parts of the law fulfilled in Him will be permitted to pass away.

All the laws of the Old Covenant will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ and translated to the New Covenant law of love which will be written in the hearts of those who are part of the New Covenant (Heb. 8:10, Romans 13:8-10, 3:20-28, John 13:34-35; Rom 5:5).

Notice that in Matthew 5:19 Jesus also clearly stated that anyone who breaks any part of the law (not yet fulfilled in Him) and teaches others to do so will be the least in the Kingdom of God. Anyone who also does the law (not yet fulfilled in Jesus) and teaches others to do them is considered the greatest in the Kingdom of God.

This means Jesus had to first fulfil the law before it could be permitted to pass away. To avoid confusion of His listeners on what He was really teaching, He immediately told them that their righteousness had to exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees if they will enter into heaven.
Jesus was referring to the righteousness that can be achieved by men today apart from the law of the Old Covenant. This righteousness comes by faith in Jesus and this righteousness is what He came to establish when He fulfilled the law by His death, burial, resurrection and ascension (Romans 1:16-17; 3:20-28, 4:25, 5:1).

Clearly Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant laws so that they can be permitted to pass away and yet be fulfilled, satisfied or achieved in the one Law of the New Testament which is LOVE (Rom 13:8-10, John 13:34-35, 15:12,17, Gal 6:2).

We shall look at more aspects of what Jesus said with respect to the New and Old covenants in the next module.

To be continued…

EVANGELIST OGHOGHO IKPONMWOSA (PHD)
PRESIDENT: SAVE THE LOST GOSPEL EVANGEVANGELISTIC MINISTRY
EMAIL: oghoghoik@gmail.com
TEL: +2348060676748