LAW (3) – JESUS UPHOLDS THE LAW (1)

Law (3) – Jesus upholds the law (1)
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There is a proverb that says “Nothing hurts like the truth.” Yes, this proverb is not found in the Bible. But people generally don’t like to hear the truth. Frankly, biblical truth hurt me too. Nonetheless, a half-truth is even worse.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this series of the study of the law is to establish how Jesus upholds or fulfills the law. The intention is to find out if there is any law governing believers under the new covenant. This is part five of the study of law. The rest of the past postings can be found at:-
Part 1: Melchizedek, Grace, Truth, and Law
Part 2: Law is being canceled
Part 3: Law (1) – Justification by faith
Part 4: Law (2) – Jesus upholds the Law (Circumcision)

So far those past studies have established that Jesus did not abolish nor come out with a new law. The true meaning of “Jesus fulfills the law or upholds the law” is that Jesus BRINGS BACK THE ORIGINAL TRUTH of God’s word. In another word, Jesus restores the original meaning of God’s truth. He did not abolish the law.

WAS A WICKED THOUGHT VIOLATE GOD’S LAW IN OLD COVENANT?
Just to highlight the “Sermon on the Mount” covers the whole chapters from Matthew 5 to 7.

Before we discuss further how Jesus brings back the original truth based on the “Sermon on the Mount”, let us examine is an evil thought sinful under the old covenant. Let’s look at what the scriptures say below:-

(Jeremiah 4:14)
14 Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts? (NIV)

(Deuteronomy 15:9)
9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. (NIV)

(Psalm 139:23-24)
23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (NIV)

(Proverbs 15:26-28)
26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but gracious words are pure in his sight.
27 The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.
28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil. (NIV)

(Isaiah 55:7)
7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. (NIV)

SERMON ON THE MOUNT
Obviously, an evil thought is a sin, even under the old covenant. Not only that King David lamented in Psalm 139, asking God to search and examine his heart.

Is that aligned with Jesus’s teaching, under the new covenant? Let’s check what Jesus says in the sermon on the mount, Matthew 5:21-22 below,

(Matthew 5:21-22)
21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’
22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. (NIV)

(Matthew 5:29-30)
29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be THROWN INTO HELL.
30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to GO INTO HELL. (NIV)

Indeed, based on “Sermon on the Mount”:
– If anyone angry with his brother, that is already considered as murder (Matthrew 5:21-22)
– Certainly, a thought is a sin as what Jesus says: “If your right-hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If your eye causes you to sin, plunk it off” (Mathew 5:27-30).

That means, Jesus’ teaching on “Sermon on the Mount” is aligned with the Old Covenant teaching.

Of course, modern teaching is protesting by saying has anyone done that?
Has anyone gouged out their eyes or cut any of their body in churches now?

They continue saying Jesus doesn’t mean that. Jesus only raises the law to the pristine standard that it makes mankind to the end of themselves.

What modern teaching is saying is that men can not keep the law faithfully.
But we just read that a bad thought is a sin in both Testaments.

Besides, Jesus does not say that it shall happen/ take place in this current earth. Thus, it cannot say no one gouge out one eye or cut any part of the body in the church now.

Jesus is referring to the future stage i.e. at the Judgment Seat. Believers don’t go to hell now with a sin or sins, anyway.

In addition, modern teaching also expresses have anyone “Love your enemy as yourself” as what Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:43-48. However, the same verse appears in the Old Testament as well, in Leviticus 19:18 which reads:-
“18 “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:18, NIV)

In a nutshell, modern teaching’s approach is to put Jesus on every page. Have to see Jesus fulfilled it all on every page of the bible. It is all about Christ, nothing about self they say. More details can be found in “SEE JESUS: (1 CORINTHIANS 10)”

Nonetheless, if we will continue reading the sermon on the mount, Jesus also teaches “Do not worry” (Matthew 6:25-34). The same modern teaching approach on this topic is that Christians’ worries choke up God’s blessings.

I thought they are saying that we have to put Jesus on every page. If that is the case, we should also paraphrase by saying: “Yes, we worry, but Jesus won’t worry in heaven. Our identity is in Christ.

Furthermore, modern teaching is having another famous teaching that says: “As Jesus is so am I in this world.” That means Jesus doesn’t worry in heaven, “so am I in this world“, should be their preaching then saying “the worry of believers, choke up God’s blessings.”.

With all these, the conclusion is that Jesus really means what He is saying in the Sermon on the mount. It is not what modern teaching is saying that:
– Jesus raises the law to the pristine standard that makes mankind to the end of themselves.

In another word, believers need not read the bible through the lens of grace, as advocated by modern teaching.

As a matter of fact, many of the new testimony teachings are aligned with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Such as:-

(1 John 3:15)
15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (NIV)

(Colossians 3:5-6)
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. (NIV)

Indisputably, both the Books of First John 3 and Colossians 3 do not tell believers that there is no more law in the new covenant. Apart from that, both authors do not suggest believers to insert Jesus on every page of the bible (i.e. see Jesus in every page) to draw out the meaning of His word, as modern teaching suggests.

The problem for the Pharisees and teachers of the law was that through years, they had waterdowned God’s truth of His commandments. They only emphasized on physical sins, and physical circumcision then hearts circumcision and sinful thought.

SUMMARY
In summary, let’s go back to the opening statement; on the true meaning of Jesus fulfilling or bringing back the original meaning of God’s law by looking at verses in “Sermon on the Mount” in the GNT translation in Matthew 5:17-20

17 “Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to MAKE THEIR TEACHINGS COME TRUE.”

18 “Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be DONE AWAY with—NOT UNTIL THE END OF ALL THINGS.”

19 “So then, whoever disobeys even the least important of the commandments AND TEACHES OTHERS to do the same, WILL BE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. On the other hand, WHOEVER OBEYS THE LAW and teaches others to do the same, WILL BE GREAT in the Kingdom of heaven.”

20 I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires. (GNT)

Clearly, Jesus does not abolish God’s law. Jesus fulfilled it by going back to the true meaning or original intention of God’s law.

Last but not least, it is good to re-read and emphasize verses 17-20 again. Especially in verses 19-20. The highlight is, those who preach:

– no law,
– not to follow the law,

would have problems in the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).

And, verse 20 is saying, should a believer’s righteousness be just like teachers of the law and like those Pharisees would have a problem entering into His Kingdom.

Of course, there is a teaching that says, the “Sermon on the Mount” is given before Jesus was crucified on the cross. Thus, it is not for new covenant believers. Since no one is called “Christian”, then.

If that is the case, whatever miracles, healing, Jesus turning water into wine, Jesus walking on water and etc are not supposed to preach in churches then. Those incidents also took place before Jesus was crucified on the cross. Amenbible

Amenbible