Today’s Encouragement is, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 ESV
To Fulfill –
We have named the ‘law and the prophets’ the Old Testament. The writings about Jesus and His disciples have been named the New Testament. Jesus explains here that He didn’t come to earth in human form to wipe out, erase, or delete the Old Testament. Rather, He came to fulfill, complete, and fully satisfy it.
So, all the Old Testament laws, rules, commands, and requirements are fulfilled, fully fulfilled, completely satisfied, and accomplished by Him!
Any honest person reading the OT rules and laws will recognize that obedience to even a few of these is impossible. Jesus even raised the bar on many of the commandments and summed it up when He said, “Be Perfect!” (Matthew 5:48)
We know it is impossible for any human to be Perfect… so what does He mean? Only He is or ever can be perfect, so we can only “Be Perfect” through Him. By believing in Him, trusting in Him, and identifying with Him, we also fulfill the law perfectly – but only because – we are His.
So, when we read the OT today, we do not allow judgment or condemnation to enter our hearts; instead, we can gratefully thank Jesus for doing for us – what we could never do. He fulfilled and still fulfills – everything! He is our completeness, our perfection!
Father, You have provided for Your people such a beautiful, perfect, and free gift of grace… the perfect fulfillment of all things… our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him, we move and live and have our being! (Acts 17:28)
In Christ Alone
Keith and Kristyn Getty
Today’s Encouragement 