Welcome to Day 2664 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Day 2669 – New Testament Orientation – “Christ, The Fulfillment of the Law”

Putnam Church Message – 07/06/2025

Sermon Series: New Testament Orientation

Message 10: “Christ, the Fulfillment of the Law”

 

Last week we explored “The Letters of Paul: God’s Design for a New Humanity.” Core Verses: Romans 1:16-17 (NLT) “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ, for it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is by faith that a righteous person will live.’”

This week is the tenth of 12 messages in our New Testament Orientation Series, and we will learn: “Christ, the Fulfillment of the Law” Core Verse: Galatians 2:16 (NLT)

“Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God by faith in Christ and not by obeying the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

 

Opening Prayer

Our Gracious Heavenly Father, we stand before You today, humbled by the depth of Your wisdom and the mystery of Your ways. As we delve into the intricate relationship between Your holy Law and the glorious Person of Jesus Christ, we pray for clarity of mind and open hearts. May Your Holy Spirit guide us to understand how Christ perfectly fulfilled Your purposes, shattering the barriers that separated humanity from Your presence and from one another. Transform our understanding, deepen our devotion, and empower us to live in the freedom and righteousness He secured. In the mighty name of Jesus, our Living Torah, we pray. Amen.

Introduction: The Enduring Question of the Law

We’ve navigated the Gospels, explored the explosive growth of the early church in Acts, and journeyed through Paul’s foundational letters. Today, we confront a topic that has puzzled, divided, and sometimes even hurt believers throughout history: the Law. For ancient Israelites, the Torah was a gift, a privilege, a source of joy and identity. As the psalmist declared, “Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long.” (Psalm 119:97, NLT). So, if the Law was so good, what changed with the coming of Christ?

Our core verse from Galatians 2:16 boldly states: “Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God by faith in Christ and not by obeying the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” This statement, from a Jew who once fiercely kept the Law, demands our careful attention. How can something so celebrated in the Old Testament suddenly be portrayed in a way that suggests it cannot make one “right with God“?

Today, we will explore three interconnected concepts that help us understand this profound shift: the “curse of the Law,” the “works of the Law,” and the Christology of the New Testament, culminating in the understanding of purification through Jesus’ death. Our goal is to grasp how Jesus fulfills the Law, not by abolishing it, but by bringing its deepest purposes to their glorious completion, especially concerning the inclusion of all humanity—Jew and Gentile—into God’s holy presence.

1. The “Curse of the Law”: Gentile Exclusion, Not Human Imperfection (Bulletin)

The “curse of the law” in Paul’s writings, particularly in Galatians 3:13, refers not to humanity’s inability to perfectly obey every command, but specifically to the Torah’s explicit prohibition and ritual exclusion of Gentiles from participating in the covenant blessings of Abraham’s family and approaching the holy God of Israel.

Narrative & Illustration: When Paul writes, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13, NLT), what exactly is this “curse“? The most common understanding, often taught in Protestant traditions, is that the curse lies in the Law’s demand for perfect obedience —a standard that no human can meet. Therefore, everyone is cursed by the Law because no one is perfect.

However, consider this from the perspective of a devout Gentile who believes in the one true God, like Cornelius from Acts 10. For centuries, the Torah, though a privilege for Israel, clearly marked Gentiles as “unclean,” “vile,” “outside the covenant,” and “unfit to approach the God of Israel.” Peter himself, a Jew, initially believed it was “an abominable thing for a Jewish man to even keep company with somebody like you” (Acts 10:28, NLT) – referring to Gentiles. The Law’s stipulations on kosher food, Sabbath observance, and especially circumcision, created an impenetrable “brick wall” of separation. Gentiles could not participate in Passover or truly share table fellowship with Jews without undergoing full proselytization. This was their “curse of the law“—the legal, God-ordained exclusion from the family of Abraham.

If this understanding is correct, then when Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law,” what would be the expected result? Paul answers immediately in the very next verse: “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:14, NLT). This perfectly aligns with the idea that Christ’s death removed the legal barrier (the curse) that prevented Gentiles from receiving Abraham’s blessings directly, without becoming Jews. It explains why the cross was necessary for Gentile inclusion, not just for individual forgiveness.

Think of it like this: Imagine a grand, walled garden (God’s covenant family), beautiful and fruitful. There are clear rules for entry, and some people (Israel) are born within its walls, while others (Gentiles) are explicitly forbidden from entering by the very design of the garden’s rules, unless they undergo a complete and difficult transformation to become like those born inside. The “curse of the law” for the outsider is that they are locked out, not that they are incapable gardeners. Jesus, through His death, breaks down the wall, allowing direct entry for all who pledge allegiance to the Gardener, without demanding they become indistinguishable from those born inside.

Object Lesson: Imagine a thick, ancient scroll containing strict border laws for a kingdom. These laws clearly delineate who is permitted to enter the royal city and who is forbidden, detailing specific purity rituals and ethnic requirements. The “curse” for those outside is not that they cannot read the law, but that the law itself prohibits their entry. Christ’s fulfillment is like the King issuing a new decree, sealed with His own blood, that overturns the exclusionary part of the old law, allowing all who pledge loyalty to Him to enter, regardless of their original tribe or past rituals.

 

2. “Works of the Law”: Boundary Markers, Not Earning Salvation

The phrase “works of the law” in Paul’s writings refers specifically to the ethnic and ritual distinctions of the Mosaic Law (like circumcision, Sabbath, and dietary laws) that functioned as boundary markers, separating Jews from Gentiles, rather than a general system of human self-effort to earn salvation.

Narrative & Illustration: The phrase “works of the law” appears frequently in Paul’s letters, particularly in Romans and Galatians, often in contexts where he states that no one can be “made right with God” by them (Galatians 2:16). Historically, many have interpreted “works of the law” as any human attempt to earn salvation through good deeds or rule-keeping. This view often assumes that Jews in Paul’s day believed they could earn their way to heaven through perfect obedience.

However, a “New Perspective on Paul” argues that this misrepresents Jewish thought. Devout Jews, like David in Psalm 119, cherished the Law not as a burden to earn salvation, but as a privilege, a guide for loyal living within God’s covenant. They understood that forgiveness for sin was provided through the sacrificial system. So, what were the “works of the law” that Paul opposed? They were the boundary markers—circumcision, kosher food laws, and Sabbath observance—that distinguished Israel from the pagan nations. These rituals, while good in themselves, became obstacles to Gentile inclusion because they acted as an ethnic barrier, a badge of “Jewishness” required for entry into God’s family.

Paul’s argument is that God’s righteousness is revealed through loyalty (pistis) in Christ, a loyalty that is now open to all, bypassing these ethnic markers. Paul himself, a Pharisee blameless “concerning the righteousness which is in the law” (Philippians 3:6, NLT, paraphrase), recognized that his diligent adherence to these markers was ultimately insignificant compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ. He wasn’t rejecting the Law itself as bad, but rejecting its role as a necessary prerequisite for Gentiles to join God’s family.

Consider a distinct national sports team. Their uniform, their specific training regimen, their national anthem – these are “works” that mark them as part of that team, distinguishing them from other teams. It’s not that these are inherently bad; they are identity markers. But imagine a global championship where, suddenly, the organizing committee announces that anyone can join any team, regardless of nationality, simply by pledging allegiance to the spirit of the games and loving the sport. If a particular team still insisted on their national uniform and rituals as the only way to play, they would be clinging to outdated “works” that now hinder inclusion in the larger, new vision.

Object Lesson: Imagine a heavy, ornate gate at the entrance of a sacred tribal encampment. This gate is secured by specific tribal rituals and customs that only members of that tribe can perform to gain entry. These rituals are the “works of the law” – designed to distinguish and protect the tribe. When Christ comes, He opens a new, wider path, not by destroying the gate, but by offering universal access through loyalty to Himself, rendering the old tribal customs no longer necessary for entry into His global family. The gate’s function changes from exclusion to a historic marker of where the journey began.

3. Christology and Purification: Access to God’s Presence

The New Testament’s Christology—its understanding of Jesus’ divine identity and role—is profoundly linked to His work of purification, enabling all who are loyal to Him to access God’s presence, fulfilling the purpose of the Old Testament sacrificial system.

Narrative & Illustration: The New Testament presents Jesus with rich titles: Messiah (Christ), the Anointed King; Son of God, indicating His unique intimacy with Yahweh; and Son of Man, pointing to His authority as the heavenly ruler, as seen in Daniel 7. These titles affirm Jesus’ divine nature and His ultimate authority over all creation, including the spiritual “gods” of the nations. As John 1:18 (NLT) states (based on the best Greek manuscripts): “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is at the Father’s side. He has revealed God to us.” This depicts Jesus as a “unique Theos” who proceeds from the very “bosom” of the Father, making God known.

This profound understanding of Jesus’ identity is crucial to grasping the concept of purification. For ancient Israelites and other cultures, approaching a holy God or entering sacred space required ritual cleanliness. Touching a corpse, certain bodily discharges, or eating “unclean” foods made one ritually “stained” or “taboo” (tame in Hebrew), not necessarily sinful, but unfit for God’s presence. The Old Testament sacrificial system, particularly the purification offering (often mistranslated as “sin offering”), was God’s gracious provision to remove this “stain” so people could re-enter His presence and worship. The purpose was to enable access, not to pay a penalty for moral guilt in the way we often conceive of it.

“Human beings often become aware of ‘stain’ or ‘uncleanness’… it’s like taking off your shoes when you go into a home… This is culture. This is also Bible… it’s part of culture – everyone thought this way.” Blood, counter-intuitively to us, was the prescribed means of ritual cleansing in ancient cultures, and God accommodated this understanding in the Law. Jesus’ death is presented as the ultimate, metaphorical purification offering. He dies outside the temple, not in a literal sacrifice within its walls, but provides the means for universal cleansing.

Therefore, when we read about Jesus “dying for our sins,” it’s not solely about atoning for Adam’s guilt in a transactional sense. It’s fundamentally about Jesus providing the ultimate cleansing from all forms of “stain” and “taboo,” especially the ritual uncleanness that marked Gentiles as unfit for God’s presence. Through His death, Jesus removes the barriers that prevented both Jews and Gentiles from approaching Yahweh’s holy presence, allowing them to enter God’s family and temple (the Church) fully purified.

Imagine an ancient king’s inner court, where only those deemed ritually pure can enter. The standard for purity is rigorous, and simply being human, with its natural bodily functions and exposure to death, automatically makes one “stained” and unfit. Various prescribed rituals involving blood are the only way to become pure enough to enter the realm. Then, the King’s own Son, embodying perfect purity, willingly undergoes a ritualized, self-sacrifice outside the court walls, spilling His own life-blood not for His own defilement, but as the ultimate cleansing agent. His act purifies all who pledge loyalty to Him, making them perpetually clean and fit to enter the King’s presence, no longer needing constant, individual rituals.

Object Lesson: Imagine an ancient temple floor plan with various courts, leading to an inner, most holy sanctuary. Entrance to each court, and especially the sanctuary, requires specific purification rituals to remove “stain” from daily life. Jesus’ death is like the ultimate, once-for-all purification bath that cleanses all who are loyal to Him. It’s not about jumping over a chasm of hell, but about being cleansed to enter the sacred space. So, the object lesson here is a basin of water with blood-like dye, emphasizing that what seemed impure was the very means of making us clean to enter God’s presence. The act of dipping one’s hand into it (symbolizing loyalty to Jesus) is what grants access to the Holy of Holies.

Application and Takeaways – Made right with God because of our faith in Christ.

1. Embrace the Law’s Fulfillment in Christ: Freedom from Exclusion, Not License for Lawlessness

Summary: Understanding Christ’s fulfillment of the Law frees us from the “curse” of ethnic and ritualistic exclusion, allowing for universal inclusion in God’s family through loyalty to Jesus, which should lead to a life guided by His Spirit and love, not a disregard for God’s moral will.

 

Narrative & Illustration: The concept of the “curse of the law” is often misunderstood as implying that the Law itself is bad, or that God demanded impossible perfection to condemn us. However, Paul’s Jewish background and the context of Gentile inclusion suggest that the “curse” was the Law’s exclusionary function—it legally marked Gentiles as “unclean” and separate from Abraham’s family. Christ’s death removed this barrier, allowing the “blessing of Abraham” to flow to Gentiles through loyalty (Galatians 3:13-14).

This doesn’t mean we can now live as we please. As Paul consistently argued, freedom in Christ is not license for lawlessness. Instead, it empowers us to fulfill the “righteous requirements of the law” (Romans 8:4) through the Holy Spirit and a heart of loyalty to God. We are no longer defined by external ethnic markers or ritual rules, but by our new creation in Christ, where love becomes the guiding principle for living God’s will (Galatians 5:14).

Consider a meticulously crafted ancient lock that has long guarded a valuable treasure. This lock has two keyholes. One requires a very specific, ethnic key (the Mosaic Law, with its boundary markers) that only a few possess. The other is a universal keyhole, (Master Key) which responds only to the unique shape of the Master’s own hand (Jesus). Christ’s fulfillment of the Law is not destroying the treasure or the lock, but revealing the Master’s hand as the ultimate key for all to access the treasure. Our freedom is not to ignore the treasure, but to enjoy it> fully through the Master’s new provision, living in joyful allegiance to Him who provided the access.

2. Recognize God’s Consistent Character: Righteousness Through Loyalty Across All Ages

Summary: Paul’s message consistently reveals God’s unchanging character, demonstrating that throughout history, both in the Old Testament and through Christ, He has always made people right in His sight through their loyalty (faith) to Him, not through human effort to earn His favor.

Narrative & Illustration: One of Paul’s key arguments in Romans is that God has always been consistent in how He makes people righteous. Abraham, the father of faith, was made righteous by his trust (loyalty) in God’s promise, not by works of the law, which hadn’t even been given yet (Romans 4:1-5). Similarly, many Old Testament figures, like Ruth (who declared, “Your people will be my people, and your God my God” Ruth 1:16, NLT), demonstrated loyalty to the one true God, fulfilling the “righteous requirements of the law” by heart, not merely by ritual.

This is a powerful counter to the idea that God suddenly changed His method of salvation after Jesus. Instead, Jesus clarified and universalized what God had always intended. Paul affirms that the “righteousness of God” is revealed “from faith to faith” (Romans 1:17), implying a continuous thread of God’s saving work, extended to both Jews and Gentiles through loyalty.

Think of a skilled weaver. They might use different colored threads and patterns over time, adapting their technique for various tapestries. But the fundamental skill of weaving, the consistent quality of their threads, and their signature style remain the same. God’s method of making people right with Him—through loyalty—is like that weaver’s consistent skill. The “threads” (the specific requirements or covenants) might change over history, but the fundamental “weaving” of relationship and righteousness is always by loyalty. Our challenge is to see this consistent pattern throughout the entire biblical narrative, recognizing that God’s gracious character remains unchanged.

3. Pursue Purification for Access: Living in God’s Presence Daily

Summary: Jesus’ death provides the ultimate, once-for-all purification, allowing us—Jew and Gentile—to live continually in God’s holy presence, transforming our worship from ritualistic distance to intimate, daily fellowship.

Narrative & Illustration: For ancient peoples, approaching a deity required ritual cleansing, removing “stain” to enter sacred space. Jesus’ death, understood as the ultimate purification offering, fundamentally changes this. We no longer need to perform constant sacrifices or meticulous rituals to be “clean enough” to approach God. His sacrifice has rendered us perpetually pure in His sight.

This means our lives as believers are meant to be lived in constant, intimate fellowship with God. The temple curtain, which separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, was torn in two at Jesus’ death, symbolizing direct access to God’s presence (Matthew 27:51). We are no longer limited by ritualistic “uncleanliness” from approaching God; we are invited into His presence continually. The concept of “forgiveness of sins” then becomes not just a one-time transaction to avoid hell, but a continuous state of living within God’s redeemed community, where impurities are constantly cleansed by Christ’s finished work.

Consider a beloved child in an ancient royal household. The child doesn’t need to perform elaborate purification rites every time they want to see their father, the king. Because they are the king’s child, and because the king has provided an overarching means of purity for the household, they can simply walk into their father’s presence. The king delights in their presence. Our relationship with God, through Jesus’ ultimate purification, is similar. We are His beloved children, welcomed into His presence not based on our perfect performance of rituals, but on the enduring, cleansing power of Christ’s sacrifice and our loyalty to Him. This should inspire us to live lives that reflect this constant access, boldly approaching God’s throne of grace in prayer, worship, and service, knowing we are always clean in His sight.

Closing Prayer

Almighty God, we are filled with gratitude for the profound truth revealed in Christ, the fulfillment of Your holy Law. Thank You for redeeming us from every curse, and for dismantling the walls of exclusion, making us one new humanity in Jesus. We praise You for Your consistent faithfulness, always making us righteous through loyalty to You. May we live each day, empowered by Your Spirit, in the liberating reality of Christ’s perfect purification, confidently approaching Your presence and extending Your love to all. In the glorious name of Jesus, our Lord and King, we pray. Amen.

Next week, we will cover Lesson 11 in our New Testament Orientation series. Our Eleventh lesson will cover “The General Letters of the New Testament.” The core verse is: 1 Peter 2:9-10