Friday, February 27, 2009

Jesus, the Completer of Law, Prophets, and All

Jesus, the Completer of Law, Prophets, and All
By Robert Ricciardelli www.vision2advance.com

Matthew 5:17-19 17Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

King Jesus came with the policy of completion and not destruction of the old policies and procedures…

And yet, how do we reckon with the fact that He did in a sense destroy the “shadow” of what He was coming to fulfill. The Pharisees looked at Him as a heretic to the Mosaic standards. Stephen was stoned as a rebel against the current system, and Paul was a huge menace to the old patterns of expression, even amongst Christian brothers.

If we look at the seasons of God and especially the old covenant, we can see His Spirit driving the contents of the letter towards His Promise for all humanity, His Son Jesus. When the Completer comes, (the consummation of the law and the prophets), the letter is now replaced by the Life in the new and final covenant between God and all mankind. And yet while the letter is replaced, the Spirit of the letter remains in a perpetual continuum, represented in the fullness of Christ.

So Jesus did not abolish, but transfigured the law into His life and furthering the conceptual into His indwelling Spirit for every believer. Jesus engages us forever by being our Law and Guide for everyday life in the heart of every Christian.

A great example of the New Covenant overwhelmingly completing the old, is this scipture.

Matthew 11:11 - Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Any believer in Christ Jesus is greater than John the Baptist and any of the Prophets of old, because of the Promise, and the fullness that the old covenant pointed to. Having the Holy Spirit of God indwelt with us through Jesus Christ absolutely fulfills and exceeds the shadow of the law and the prophets. This is both amazing, and should further our desire to die to anything else that comes against living in the realm of His glory. Oh beloved, that we may all die to self and live for Him in ways that will give Him all honor and all glory.

Matthew 5:20 - Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.

Father has a standard of life beyond rules, regulations, and the Law.


Jesus is the law, the prophets, and the Eternal Word of God transfigured into the Spirit of life, and for all of life. Individual and Corporate Systems and Expressions, bow to the King and the Completer of our faith.

So much of the Body of Christ is still fragmented over the “letter” of what they believe. There are factions that resemble Judaism in expression, there are charismatic expressions, Baptist, and about 30,000 other expressions that just do it a little different, and often in their opinion, better, or more pleasing to God than the others.

When we make it about "our interpretation of the letter of the law", mostly we are missing the point, missing the Life, and certainly missing the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17 about being one as He and the Father are one.
Can you imagine if we realized that it was all about Him, and being supernatural citizens of a supernatural Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven?

Are we willing to give up our way for His way? Are we willing to be wrong to be right? Lord may your Kingdom come to overwhelm us. Override our ways and our religion that gets in the way of your glory being expressed through us individually, as well as your body of light to the world.

9 comments:

  1. Shabbat Shalom,

    Glory Hallalu YAH! to the Lamb of YHWH, to the Lion of Judah!
    Great post!
    Ahava in Yeshua, Rivkah

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  2. Great post, but I feel you left off the most important verse. verse 20
    For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
    It clearly proves that trying to live by the law alone will never allow you to walk in the realm of the Kingdom of God. No one better fulfilled the requirements of the law than the Pharisees, but they totally missed God. Those who are trying so hard to please God according to the law (His word) will continue to walk in the realm this world. God has so much more for us in the kingdom realm. It far surpasses anything I could ever accomplish in and of myself or by meeting a set of requirements. Praise God for His grace and access to all that is ours through Him!

    Blessings,
    Paul Taylor

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  3. When we look at ourselves, we can not see Him. He who called us to himself. If we sell all to have him.............
    Tony

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  4. I enjoyed your post, Robert. Kingdom Blessings to you and your yours.

    David

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  5. Wow what a great posting you've made! I think you've hit the nail right on the head, and if we all realized that "it's all about Him" this world would be so much richer for it!
    I'm sure if we all stopped our "silly religiousity" and kept our eyes on our Lord and King we'd suddenly find ourselves all in unity effortlessly! Thanks Robert for telling it like it is in Heaven and should be on Earth! Hallelujah! His Kingdom is a kingdom filled full of love like no other, and I hope and pray that the love He has for us would penetrate ALL of our hearts! Kate

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  6. Thank you Robert for these good and worthy articles. They "shake us and make us think clearly" about what we believe. I find myself daily relying on, ". . . 'the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus' Who has made me free from the law of sin and death, . . . that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us(me),who walk . . .after the Spirit." Romans 8:2-4 My prayer is for a communion with the Life of Jesus in all I think, ponder and do.This is the desire of my 'new heart' and I affirm that it stands in agreement with the heart of our Father and the Word of God. The Real Realm is here to stay! Thanks be to God!

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  7. Thank's Robert, if this message can be melted into the hearts of the body then maybe we all will come to the unity of the faith and quit trying to struggle against something that has been given so freely. I t was a hard concept for the 12 and even harder it seems like for us today who are so much more advanced in our thinking.(little sarcasm):) What a great way to encourage and equip the saints thru this method of communication!

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  8. Your message is greatly appreciated. I have been a believer for 35 years and two years ago began to understand that the Law and the Prophets define God's love in written form just as Jesus demonstrates it in living form. The church has suffered because we have thought that the Old Testament was obsolete when in fact it is the very scriptures that the writers of the New Testament believed in and quoted. It is the very foundation of our faith! We must begin to understand the scriptures from the language, culture and context in which they were written because it is through those things that God first chose to reveal Himself. We need to study the letter in order to understand the Life fully expressed in our Messiah!

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  9. great and greatly he to be praised!!! there are a lot to be studied but there is really nothing to study.all it takes is a sincere mind and a open heart to find him and the truth!! seek me with an diligent heart and you will find me.yah is a name they used many centuries ago. i know that the pagans started alot when they got converted but i know him by jesus the christ.i am in the apostolic doctrine and feel that im on the right foot if you think different or got a subject to disscuss holler at me back mark

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