Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Who is Israel?

The Abiding of the Law and the Prophets

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2013-12-12

Synopsis: John Weaver expounds Matthew 5:17-20, arguing that Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, establishing its abiding validity. He refutes the idea that the law is opposed to grace, that Christ introduced a higher standard, or that love replaces the law. Weaver explains how Christ fulfilled the law through His teaching, perfect obedience, and empowerment of believers. He warns that righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, and that the law remains the standard for sin, salvation, and Christian living.

[John Weaver] All right, it's good to see each one of you here tonight, and I'm glad to be here, and I trust that you are as well. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Matthew, chapter five. Kind of want to pick up where Brother Sam left off last night and maybe even continue another thought here. Notice, if you would, Matthew, chapter five. I want to bring a message which I have entitled the abiding validity of the law. Notice, if you would, Matthew chapter five, verses 17 through 20.

[John Weaver] Our Lord says it like this. Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For barely, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all be fulfilled. 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. For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ was entirely different from the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees.

[John Weaver] The Bible tells us in Matthew 7 verse 29 that he taught them as one having authority. Jesus Christ was absolutely totally against the tradition of the elders who were the religious leaders of that day. And since he was against their traditions, they just simply supposed him to be a charlatan and a deceiver going about to destroy the very foundations of piety. Well, certainly he was going about to destroy foundations, but not the foundations of piety. He was destroying a legalistic, pharisaical foundation, and certainly he was going to establish the law of God. If you read Mark 7 in Matthew Chapter 15, he says, woe unto you. He said, why is it that you with your traditions violate the law of God?

[John Weaver] And then he said, in vain you worship me serving and doing the commandments of men rather than of God. Well, certainly Jesus Christ was against all of those traditions. So either there was an open accusation or subtle insinuation that somehow that Jesus Christ and his teachings was contrary to the law of God, Therefore, Matthew chapter 5, he kind of sets the record straight. So let me just tell you, first of all, what Christ is not doing in this passage. First of all, Christ is not pitting the law of God against grace. Do not think for one instance it is law versus grace. You're going to find grace in the Old Testament. In fact, the Bible says, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And the truth of the matter is this, anyone that has ever been saved, Old Testament, New Testament or past time, anyone that has ever been saved has been saved by grace. There's no other salvation. But then you also find law, of course, in the New Testament. Children, obey your parents of the Lord, for this is the first commandment promise.

[John Weaver] Ephesians chapter six. So it's not law versus grace.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want to point out that Christ is not establishing or even trying to establish some higher standard than God's law. The Bible tells us in Romans 7 verse 12. that the law is holy, just, and good. And then, of course, we find in Matthew 5, which you will see before we close today, that Christ is enforcing God's law and establishing it as His standard. You're going to find that oftentimes when our Lord preached, when our Lord witnessed, He used the law of God as well. So let me give you the four points I want to cover tonight. First of all, I want you to see in verse 17 a divine prohibition. When he said, think not that I'm come to destroy the law of the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Secondly, a solemn affirmation in verse 18. Thirdly, a necessary conclusion in verse 19. And then finally, a serious warning in verse 20. So let's begin with verse 17, where our Lord says, Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets.

[John Weaver] I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. So here, then, is divine provision. Literally, our Lord is saying this. Do not even begin to think. Do not let this enter into your mind that somehow, some way I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. He says, no, that is not so. In fact, it is a clear command. We find in the New Testament oftentimes the Apostle Paul wrote something like this, God forbid, and it is exactly the same phrase when he said, think not, you could read that. God forbid that it should enter into your mind. So our Lord says, don't even begin to think this. Don't even let it enter into your mind. He said, I have not come to destroy. Now, the word destroy here literally means to annul. It means to abrogate, to make invalid, to repeal or to set aside or dismantle or by taking something apart piece by piece. So our Lord says, don't even begin to think that I've come to do that. And then he says in verse 17, think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that usually this phrase refers, at that particular time, to the entirety of the scriptural writings? In fact, the Bible tells us, in the book of Luke chapter 24, when our Lord was walking with those two men on the Emmaus road, beginning at Moses and the prophets, He expounded all things concerning Himself. So here then is a phrase that refers to the totality of Scripture. But notice He says, think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Literally, when he comes down in verse 18, he says this, I'll deal with it later. But he says, for verily, I send to you till heaven or pass one shot or one title shall in no wise pass from the what the law till all be fulfilled. So he's emphasizing here, particularly the law. Now, when you and I think about the law normally, Normally, most people want to make distinctions in the law, and they make it simply like this. There is the ceremonial law, which, of course, referred to all those rules and regulations concerning the worship of God as they were in the tabernacle and later in the temple.

[John Weaver] And then there was the judicial laws, which described the ordinances for government and the punishment of offenders. And then thirdly, there was what we would call the moral law, which, of course, we refer then to the Ten Commandments. However, sometimes I don't really like that division. I use it and I explain it. But when you stop and think and we're saying, well, here are God's Ten Commandments, we say that's the moral law. Well, were not the ceremonial laws moral as well? Are not the judicial laws moral? Well, of course. All of God's law is moral. And so God is simply saying here, do not even begin to think, don't even let it enter into your mind that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. And then he says, I've not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you what Beezus said on this passage when he talks about destroying. He said this, Christ came not to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world. but to fulfill that indeed which was shadowed by the figures of the law, by delivering men through grace from the curse of the law, and moreover to teach the true use of obedience to the law, and to engrave in our hearts the force of obedience."

[John Weaver] And then Matthew Henry said it like this, the gospel is the time of reformation, not the repeal of the law, but the amendment of it, that is, from its fair sale of corruptions, And therefore, it's reestablishment. So obviously, Christ did not come to destroy the law now to destroy the law or the prophets. I want you to stop and think about this. When most people read this passage, they think the word destroy just simply means to violate. No. What would you do if you destroyed the prophets? If you destroyed the prophets, you would deny their validity.

[John Weaver] You would repudiate their inspiration. You would annul their authority so that it had absolutely no binding influence upon anyone. So to destroy the law is not just simply to transgress the law. It's not just simply to violate the law. It is literally to abrogate it, to set it aside, to make it repealed. And our Lord said, no, I never came to do that. I never came to dismantle it or abrogate it or set it aside. Rather, he said, I came to fulfill it.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to stop and think. The word fulfill basically has three meanings. First of all, it means to fill and to make full.

[John Weaver] Secondly, to set forth fully and to cause to abound. And thirdly, to fill up, to keep full, and to put into full force as continuous. So our Lord is saying this. Do not even begin to think that I have come to disannul or abrogate or repeal the law or the prophets. I've not come to do that. I have come to fill it and to put it into full force as continuous.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just stop for a moment and tell you how Jesus Christ fulfilled the law. If you take this in its widest scope, you're going to find that Jesus Christ. fulfill the law by enunciating the law in his teachings. And I'm going to show you this in Matthew 5 before I close. I'm going to show you how Jesus Christ corrected all of the false interpretations and the misapplications of the law by the scribes and by the Pharisees. So Jesus Christ in his teachings, as he enunciated the doctrine of God's law, he certainly clearly Set it forth in His teachings. Secondly, Jesus Christ exemplified the law in His life. Do you realize the law demands three things from every individual? We'll see this in just a little bit. But the law demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. Jesus Christ is the only one who ever gave to the law that which it demanded.

[John Weaver] I usually like to ask this question, I want you to think about it. Which would you say is more important? The circumcision of Jesus Christ. Or the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Most people say, well, it's the crucifixion because he died for our sins. But had he not fulfilled the law, the crucifixion would have been useless for us. So Jesus Christ now, watch it, he's enunciated the law in his teachings, he's exemplified the law in his life because he rendered to that law a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, but also he now empowers that law in his people because now he gives us a heart to obey him. He regenerates us. He converts us. He sanctifies us.

[John Weaver] He calls us unto himself. And let me point out also that this law is still in effect because it's going to be executed in the reprobates. Hey, do you know what the Bible says? Let me just read to you from Galatians chapter 3 and verse 10. I want you to think about this. The Bible says this, For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them. Now, listen, as many, he says, as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. Have you ever stopped to think about this? If the law has been done away with, what is God going to use to judge the wicked?

[John Weaver] How will He execute His wrath upon them? If the law has been disannulled and repealed and abrogated, how in the world can the wicked be judged and punished?

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you the absolute importance of how our Lord fulfilled the law. I want you to turn in your Bibles, whole Matthew five, but go ahead and turn in your Bibles to second Corinthians, chapter five. And look, if you would please, at verse twenty one, second Corinthians, chapter five and verse twenty one. I want you to see this is to me one of the most beautiful passages in the entire New Testament. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and look if you would at verse 21. In this passage.

[John Weaver] The Bible tells us this for he that is God the father for he got the father hath made him that is God the son to be sin for us. who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to watch this. I told you that Jesus Christ is the only individual that ever gave to the law that which it demanded a personal, perfect and perpetual obedience. Let me ask you a question before I show you this. Let's just suppose that the only thing that Jesus Christ has done for you, the only thing is, He just died on the cross to forgive you of your sins.

[John Weaver] That's it, he did nothing else. Now, let me ask you a question. If Christ only died on the cross just so that you could have forgiveness of sins. Would that be sufficient to get you into the presence of God? Hang on. The answer is no. It might keep you out of hell, but it wouldn't necessarily get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in the presence of God, you need more than forgiveness. You need absolute, perfect righteousness. Now, what did Jesus Christ do? The Bible says, But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. Why? To redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. So Jesus Christ was made under the law, and he came and gave to that law a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. Let's suppose this tube of chapstick happens to be our sins. And let's say this pocket knife happens to be the absolute perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. What we've just read in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21 is really the doctrine of imputation. Now, the word imputation just simply means to impute. It means to charge to one's account. It's like when the wife goes to the store and she doesn't have any money and she sees that new dress and she wants it and she says, impute this to my husband's account. You know, or impute this master card or this Visa card. It just means to charge the one's account. So what did God do in the act of imputation? Now, watch this. He took our sins and imputed them to his son, Jesus Christ, who is our surety, our sacrifice and our substitute. And He placed upon Him our sins and He suffered in our stead. But then He had already worked out an absolute perfect obedience, and then He took that obedience of Christ and He imputed it now to us.

[John Weaver] So now we not only have forgiveness of sins, we now have in Jesus Christ an absolute perfect righteousness. So it's very obvious the law has not been done away with. I asked one individual one time. I said, let me ask you, is salvation by the law? They said no. I said, well, that's true and it's not true. It is true. It is not by the law for us. Our law keeping cannot save us. It cannot help save us. But it is true that salvation is by the law, because Jesus Christ kept that law, and He kept that law perfectly. So our Lord, in Matthew chapter 5, is confirming the fact that the law is still in full effect as continuous.

[John Weaver] You say, but wait a minute now, Brother Weaver, as I read my Bible, there seems to be passages that would contradict that. Well, I understand that, but let me give you a couple of points. The first one is this. Number one, You cannot interpret one passage so as to make it contradict another passage. You cannot take a passage of Scripture and interpret it so as one to contradict another clear passage. If you do that, your interpretation is wrong because Scripture does not contradict Scripture. Moreover, you cannot pit Scripture against Scripture. I've had people say, well now, this is my favorite Scripture.

[John Weaver] And they'll totally ignore everything else, you know. Well, you know, I have people ask me all the time, what's your favorite passage? I like it all. You know, I know that there are passages that I think a lot of and I love and I preach from. All of it is true and all of it is accurate, and I love it all. But you can't just take this portion and say, well, I like this, but I don't like that.

[John Weaver] No, you cannot pit Scripture against Scripture. Thirdly, let me point this out. All of those passages in the New Testament that appear to speak negatively of the law can be explained in one of three ways. And if you study them in their context, you're going to find that one of these three ways will answer every one of those negative passages. First of all, there are those passages that renounce the law as a means of justification.

[John Weaver] For instance, in the book of Romans, chapter 6, and notice if you would, verse 14, for instance. In this passage, the Apostle Paul says, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but under grace.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you something, we are not under the law as a standard for justification. To understand Romans chapter 6, you must understand that Paul's argument for justification by faith begins in Romans chapter 3 and it does not end until the end of Romans chapter 8. And all he is saying here is we're not under the standard of the law for justification. Our works do not save us. Our works cannot help save us. The Bible says very plainly that no man is justified by the law. This is evident. Let me just show you how utterly, totally, and completely impossible it is to be justified by the law. For instance, Galatians 2 and verse 16 says this, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Now, let me just show you.

[John Weaver] Let's suppose that you, from this moment on, became absolutely perfect. That you never sinned again. You never sinned internally or externally. From this moment on, you were absolutely perfect, and you rendered to the law of God your personal, your perfect, and your perpetual obedience. My question is this, what are you going to do with all those sins that you committed before you got perfect? It's impossible to get the law that which it demands.

[John Weaver] That's why the Apostle Paul, not only in the book of Romans, but also in the book of Galatians, says very Clearly, that by the law no flesh shall be justified. So there are these passages then that renounce the law as a means of justification. We're not justified by the works of the law. We're justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Then secondly, there are those passages which point to the death-dealing nature of sin in relationship to the law. For instance, in Galatians 3 and verse 13, he says it like this. Listen carefully. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Now, many times in the Scripture, the Apostle Paul talks about being delivered from the law, but he's talking about being delivered from the curse of the law. We who have been saved by Jesus Christ are no longer under the curse. That's why he said in Galatians 2 and verse 19, for I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God.

[John Weaver] So here's the way you kind of explain that. Let's suppose here is a man that is a murderer. And he's sentenced to be electrocuted in the electric chair. But before he can be electrocuted in the electric chair, he dies of a heart attack. Now what can the law do to a dead man? Nothing. Nothing. And you see, we died in Christ. We're dead in him. So the curse of the law has nothing to do with us. So there are those passages then that deal with the curse of the law. And then, of course, there are those passages that deal with the ceremonial law as well, like Ephesians 2 and verse 15.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just show you something. The law has not been done away with. Are you listening? Not even the ceremonial law. Hang on. You say, wait a minute, Brother Weaver, listen to me. The ceremonial law is bound to be done away with because I don't go to a high priest and I don't bring a sacrifice and I don't go to a temple. Oh, well, let me point something out. If you don't go to an altar and if you don't go to a high priest, And if you don't have a sacrifice and if you don't have a temple, then you're not converted. You're not saved.

[John Weaver] What am I talking about? Listen, the ceremonial law has not been abrogated. It has been fulfilled, so where you had the type and the emblem and the shadow, you now have the substance. You now have the reality. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 5 and verse 7, for even Christ, our Passover, is sacrifice for us. The Bible says in Hebrews 13 and verse 10, we have an altar where those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. The Bible tells us very clearly in Hebrews chapter 4 that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest and in Revelation 22, He is our Temple. I still come to a high priest. I still come with a sacrifice. I still come to an altar. And I still come to the temple. But Jesus Christ is all of those things. He's the reality. He's the substance. He's the fulfillment of it. The judicial law has not been done away with.

[John Weaver] God still demands the death penalty for kidnapping and rape and murder. You say, oh, but Brother Weaver, our government doesn't execute anybody who does that. Well, our government may not, but God's still God. He can do whatever he wants to do. And of course, God's moral law has not been done away with either.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just point this out. This is very, very important. You see, if God's law has been done away with. Let me ask you this question. Let me set it up for you. One of my men came to me some years ago. And he said, Pastor, I met a preacher down the road and he called his name. He said I was talking to him and he told me the law of God had been done away with. I said, really? He said, yeah.

[John Weaver] I said, well, he doesn't believe that. Well, he kind of bowed up a little bit. He said, well, he said it. I said, well, I didn't say he didn't say it. I said, he doesn't believe it. Well, he said, I don't know whether he believes it or not, but I know he said it. I said, well, I can prove to you he doesn't believe it. He said, how's that? I said, well, you go back and you ask for clarification. You ask him, has the law been done away with? And he says, yes. You asked him, well, if that's the case, would it be all right if I spend the night with your wife? I said, now, if he's any kind of a man, you better get ready to duck because he's going to be swinging at you. But don't you listen to me now. Listen carefully. If the law has been done away with, what's wrong with adultery? What's wrong with theft? What's wrong with fornication? What's wrong with murder?

[John Weaver] You said, Brother Weaver, Those things are all sin. Oh. How do you know that they are sin? Do you know the Bible says in Romans 3 and verse 20, for by the deeds of the law there shall be no flesh be justified, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. You know what he said in 1 John 3 and verse 4? Listen to this. Whosoever transgresseth the law committed sin. For sin is the transgression of the law. You can't sin without transgressing God's law. Sin is the transgression of the law. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Romans 7.

[John Weaver] I want you to see how clear the Apostle Paul makes this. Look in Romans 7 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Look in Romans 7 and verse 7. The Apostle Paul asks this question. Verse 7, what shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. There it is. Don't even let that enter into your mind. God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law. Watch. For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the law sin was dead. Now watch, for I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died." Now what did Paul mean when he said, I was alive once without the law? Don't you remember his pedigree there in Philippians chapter 3? How he was the Pharisee of the Pharisee and he said it's touching the law what? Blameless, you mean to tell me the Apostle Paul before his conversion was blameless?

[John Weaver] No, he wasn't blameless. But you remember, he was a Pharisee and the Pharisees believed that as long as you had done nothing externally. Then it wasn't sinful. So Paul said, I was touching the law blameless. I was a Pharisee. But all of a sudden the commandment came. He said, I saw the spirituality. I saw the application of God's law and sin revived and I died. That's how he knew he was a sinner. You cannot even know what sin is apart from God's law. You do away with God's law, you've done away with sin.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you something else. You do away with God's law. You do away with salvation. Not only from the fact that Jesus Christ kept that law personally, perfectly and perpetually, but you remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 3 and verse 24. Listen. For the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. The law was our schoolmaster. How could the law be our schoolmaster? How could the law bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith? You have to remember that a schoolmaster is someone who teaches.

[John Weaver] If you were alive and went to one of those old one room schoolhouses, usually the teacher had something on the board like this, lying three lashes, stealing five lashes, fighting seven lashes. You got caught fighting. You didn't get sent to the principal's office. You were brought up in front of the class. Usually your shirt was taken off and you bent over and he took the rod up over the board and he gave you those seven lashes good and hard. That was the law. The schoolmaster taught. The schoolmaster administered discipline, chastisement. You know what the law teaches us? The law teaches us a number of things. Number one, it teaches us that we're sinners. I just got that out. We cannot even know what sin is except by God's law. It teaches us that we're sinners. Secondly, it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves because we cannot give to the law that which it demands. We can't give it that personal, perfect and perpetual obedience. So it not only teaches us that we're sinners. It also teaches us that we can't save ourselves.

[John Weaver] It teaches us that there's a vast chasm between an infinitely holy God and a wicked, sinful man. It also teaches us, since that chasm is so great, that if we ever get to a holy God, it must be on the merits of another. The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ. So without the law, you have no sin. Without the law, you have no salvation. Someone says, but wait.

[John Weaver] And this has been very popular in the last number of years. Don't you know that love has replaced the law? No, I don't know that. Well, the Bible says in Romans 7 and verse 12 that the law is holy, just and good. Why in the world would God replace something that was holy, just and good? You know what love is? Listen carefully. Love is not feeling. Love is not emotionalism. Love is not sentimentality. It's not.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm thankful that we can have emotions and affections, but that's not love. Romans 13, verse 10 tells us love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the fulfilling of all. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles very quickly to First John, Chapter 2. First John, Chapter 2. I want you to see this. First John, Chapter 2. And notice if you would. I'm sorry. First John, Chapter 5 in verse 2. That's what I want. First John 5 in verse 2. Watch what he says. First John 5, verse 2. John writes, By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. Whoa. We know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. Now, how do I know that I love Sam?

[John Weaver] Has anyone in this room seen me hug his neck? Fall on him and weeping, saying, I love you, I love you, I love you. No. You haven't seen me do that. Well, how do you know I love him? Now, listen to me. Suppose I went up to him after service. And I throw my arms around his neck and I'm crying and I say, oh, Brother Sam, I love you. I love you. I love you. And everybody's looking. Oh, look how Brother Weaver loved Brother Sam. Isn't that wonderful? Well, what you don't see is while I'm hugging him and telling him that I love him, I have my hand in his pocket stealing a hundred dollar bill from him.

[John Weaver] Joyce said it's not there, she's already checked. Now watch this. What if I'm crying all over him and very emotional, telling him how much I love him, but I'm stealing from him? Do I love him? Not according to the Bible, love is the fulfilling of the law. Now, I want you to watch this just a minute. You see, as long as I honor him and his wife and his children and his property, as long as I act toward him the way God commands me, I love him. I'm never going to do anything to hurt him. I'm never going to do anything to hurt his family. I'm going to do everything I can to help him. That's biblical love.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse 3. Watch it now. Verse John 5, verse 3. For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous. What's the love of God? The love of God is keeping His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous. Now, look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2 and verse 3. 1 John 2 and verse 3 says it like this. Hereby we do know that we know Him and we keep His commandments. How do I know that I know Him?

[John Weaver] Because He enables me, He empowers me to obey Him. He enables me to bring my life into conformity to His Word. What did our Lord say in Luke 6 and verse 46? Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you? So He says very clearly in 1 John 2 and verse 3, and hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. I'll have a look at verse 4. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar.

[John Weaver] And the truth is not in him. Wow. Where does that leave most church members today? You know what our Lord said in John 14? You can quote these. What did our Lord say? If you love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he is that loveth me. Verse 24, he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." Isn't that amazing? So love has not replaced the law. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And you cannot love until you obey God's Word towards your fellow man and towards your brother and sister in Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Romans 3 and let me show you something else. Look in Romans 3. Remember, this is the passage where Paul starts his argument of justification by faith alone. And I want you to see what he says in verse 31. Notice, if you would, Romans 3, verse 31, Paul has started his argument of justification by faith alone, and he says, Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law. Do you realize any gospel that negates and nullifies the law is not the true gospel of Jesus Christ? Because justification by faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ establishes the law. You know, there's an interesting verse in Matthew 23 and verse 23. I want you to look at that verse. Because Jesus Christ is speaking about the law and he says something very unique, something that most of us have never, ever caught on to. Look in Matthew 23 and verse 23, he says, one of you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of men and anise and cumin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law.

[John Weaver] Here are the weightier matters, judgment, mercy and faith. These ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone. Isn't that amazing? He said faith is one of the weightier matters of the law, just like judgment is. So our Lord says, don't even begin to think, don't even let this enter into your mind that I've come to destroy the law of prophets. I've not come to destroy, but to fulfill, to put into full force as continuous.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Matthew chapter five. And I'm not going to preach this long on all my other points. That's just the first point, OK? But look, if you would please, on verse 18 at the second truth. And that is a solemn affirmation, not only a divine prohibition, but a solemn affirmation. He says in verse 18, for verily I stand to you till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.

[John Weaver] Now, God is an immutable God. His Word is immutable. Just as God is unchangeable, His Word is unchangeable. The Bible says in Psalm 119, verse 89, Forever, O Lord, is Thy Word settled in the heavens. You know what God's law is? God's law is an expression of His will. He says, This is how I will for you to live. This is how I will for you to act.

[John Weaver] This is my will for you. And it is an eternal law. It is an abiding law because God is eternal and His word is eternal. And since God abides, so does His word.

[John Weaver] Now, notice, he said in verse 18, For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jod or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Do you know what a jod is? Or jod? Some of you have Bibles, don't do it right now, but if you have a Bible that has Psalm 119 divided acrostically, because Psalm 119 isn't acrostic, if you look up above verse 73, you will see a Jod or Jot. The Jod or Jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

[John Weaver] Now, if you'll watch me, I'm going to make one of those letters with my finger, OK? All right, you didn't see it. Number one, you weren't looking. Number two, it's too small. The Jod is kind of like our comma, only smaller. It is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Jesus Christ said it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet to pass away.

[John Weaver] Of the law, until all be fulfilled. So the Jod or Jod is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. What about a tittle? The title is not even a letter. If I wrote the word little in English, watch this, L I T T L E.

[John Weaver] Now, if I made my I a little big and my T's a little big, How do you know which one is the I? How do you know which ones are the Ts? Oh, I'll correct that. I'll go back and put a little dot over that I, and I'll put a little cross over the Ts so you can see it's L-I-T-T-L-E. See that little dot and that little cross over the T? Those are not letters. Those are just small distinguishing marks between letters. So a tittle is just a small distinguishing mark between two Hebrew letters. Jesus Christ said it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than one jot or one tittle to pass from the wall till all be fulfilled. Now, I don't know about you.

[John Weaver] That sounds pretty abiding to me. It sounds to me like it's still valid. All you have to do is read Romans 7, read 2 Corinthians 3, and you'll find out that God's Word and God's Law is still in full effect. So here is a solemn affirmation. Our Lord says it is here. Notice thirdly, if you would please, in verse 19, a necessary conclusion. He said, Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

[John Weaver] Now, this is exactly what the Pharisees were doing. They were teaching the people to violate God's law in order to keep their traditions. Do you realize the same thing is happening today? Let me tell you something. You go to the average Baptist church. The average Baptist church. And it's probably true of all the other churches as well. But you go to the average Baptist church. And as long as you're there Sunday morning and Sunday night and Wednesday night. And as long as you tithe.

[John Weaver] They pretty much don't care how you live. If you want to commit adultery. If you want to steal or cheat or defraud someone in business, if you want to be a corrupt, ungodly businessman, that's fine. You know what we've done, we have substituted man's laws for God's laws. I never will forget when Alice and I were first converted. We were members of an independent fundamental Bible believing Baptist church. And one of the rules that we were told that you should not do, is you don't go to the movies. Well, we still don't go to the movies. I mean, I don't care anything about them, but we were told by, we couldn't figure, why would we not go to the movies? Well, the answer is, you're supporting corrupt Hollywood when you go to the movies. You know, I got to noticing something.

[John Weaver] Those people who were so dead set against going to the movies, When those movies came on their TV sets, they sat at home and watched them. Are you listening to me? You know what the biblical principle is? The biblical principle is this, where David said, I will set no evil thing before my eyes. If it's wrong to watch it downtown in a movie theater, it's wrong to watch it on your TV at home. If it's corrupt down there, it's corrupt in your home as well. You have to come to a biblical principle. It's not that you're trying to please man. If you're trying to please the Lord and God's law is far broader and covers far more than man's law could ever cover.

[John Weaver] But that's exactly what we're doing. We're teaching people today to disobey God and obey our traditions and obey our commandments rather than obeying God's law. I never will forget. one particular church that I preached in. I was not a pastor there, but I just preached there. They ran the pastor off after I left. They ran him off. And it was over one of their traditions. He spoke out against their tradition. And one woman, one woman stood up and said, In church, we don't care what the pastor says. This is our church and we'll do what we want to do. What was she doing? She was teaching her children and everybody else to violate God's law and keep your tradition. Our Lord says, if you teach men to break one of these, you're going to be leased. If you teach men to keep them, you're going to be greatest. But I want you to look at verse 20. And I want to tie this together for you. Verse 20 is a serious warning. Here's what he said.

[John Weaver] Matthew 5, verse 20. For I say to you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Now, you've got to remember, the Pharisees were legalistic. The Pharisees had their own traditions, The Pharisees would keep the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Everything they had was external and not internal. Are you listening? Do you realize today that most pastors would give their right arm to have a church full of Pharisees?

[John Weaver] Now, when you stop and think about that, listen. If you had a church full of Pharisees, you never had to ask people to move forward. They'd all be on the front pew. They'd always be on time. They would always be tithing. They would always be volunteering because they wanted everyone to see what they were doing. But our Lord said, unless your righteousness exceeds their righteousness, You shall know why I said in the kingdom of heaven, you know, one of the thing that concerns me is this.

[John Weaver] I've seen plenty of professing Christians. They can't even measure up to the Pharisees. Which tells me. They're professors without being real possessors.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to see what our Lord does. I want you to see. How he rectifies. The misinterpretations and the misapplications of the Pharisees. Because he's already given this. Teaching in Matthew 5, verse 17, when he says, do not even begin to think that I've come to destroy the law of prophets, I'm not coming to destroy, but to put into full force as continuous. He says it's easier for heaven and earth to pass than it is for one child or one tittle to pass from the law until all be fulfilled. Then he says, accept your righteousness and exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. You shall know wiser in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew chapter five is a refutation of pharisaical legalism and a reestablishment of biblical law. Let me show you what I'm talking about. If you'll skip down to verse twenty one. After he gets out of his mouth, accept your righteousness, exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.

[John Weaver] Now watch what he says in verse 21. You've heard that was said by them of old time. That is all the scribes, all the old teachers. Here's what they say. Look in verse 22. But I say unto you. Here's what they were teaching, but they were wrong. I'm telling you what the law really says. Look, if you would, in verse twenty seven, Matthew five, verse twenty seven, you've heard it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you. That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, have committed adultery with her already in his heart. Here's what they say. Here's how they misinterpreted. Here's how they misapplied. Now, I'm telling you, there is a spiritual application of God's law.

[John Weaver] It's not just externally said it's internal. Oh, look, if you would, in verse 31, it had been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, verse 32, but I say unto you, here's what they talk. But now I'm telling you what God's law really says. Look at verse 33. Again, you've heard that it had been said by them of old time. Watch verse 34. But I say unto you. Look in verse 38. You've heard that it had been said. Watch verse 39. But I say unto you. So all he's doing is showing how the scribes and the Pharisees and these people have misinterpreted God's law down through the ages.

[John Weaver] And that's a sermon in itself in verses 37, 38 there. But they've done that now, God says. But I'm telling you what the truth really is and how the law really applies. Skip down to verse 43. You've heard it had been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. Verse 44, But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.

[John Weaver] Now, look what he's saying. Here is what they said. Here is the truth.

[John Weaver] Now, here is my question. Why do you think our Lord went through this great exercise of showing the misinterpretation and the misapplication of his law by the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders. And then showing you the correct interpretation and how that law is to really be applied. Here is is watch carefully, verse 45. That you may be the children of your father who is in heaven. Let me just stop right here, you know, I could probably pick out the Ashwood children. I could pick out Sam's children, in fact, used to when I was much younger, when I would go to a church for the first time, I would sit up on the platform and I would look out in the congregation and I would say to myself, now that woman is married to that man. For that man and that woman are married.

[John Weaver] Those kids that are sitting over there, they belong to these people over here. And I would mentally try to place families in my mind. And, you know, I was right about ninety nine times out of 100. You know how I knew? Because. Believe it or not. Sooner or later, husbands and wives not only think alike and act alike, sometimes they begin to look alike.

[John Weaver] Now, thank God Alice doesn't have a beard yet. But you know, children look just like their parents and they act like their parents. They walk like their parents, talk like their parents. We used to at our church in the old days, we played the oldie with game, not the newlywed game, the oldie with game. When we'd have a little family night. Pretty soon, the church people ask Alice and I not to play. Because we always won. And I tell her I can catch her before she ever does something, I say, sweetheart, I can read you like a book. And she'll say the same thing to me.

[John Weaver] We have both hit our hands going to a radio, either to turn it on or turn it off. The only point I'm trying to make is this. If your children or your children, they look like you, they act like you, they walk and talk like you, and our Lord Jesus said this, I'm straightening all of this out. I'm telling you the wicked false misinterpretation, misapplication of my wall by these Pharisees. And I'm giving you the correct interpretation. Why? That you may be the children of your father who is in heaven. I expect you, he said, to walk like him and to act like him and to talk like him. Be perfect as your father in heaven. It's perfect. Let me make just a couple of applications.

[John Weaver] The first one is this. The totality of Scripture is our rule for faith and practice. The totality of Scripture. When people say, but Brother Weaver, that's in the Old Testament. How many Bibles do we have? We only have one Bible. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, when Paul said, All scriptures given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished in every good work. He was talking primarily of the Old Testament scriptures at that time, for the New Testament had not been completed. All scriptures given by inspiration of God. We only have one Bible. We have one God. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament.

[John Weaver] No part has been done away with, much less whole books and whole sections. The immutability of God's law teaches us that the issue is either God's law or man's law. William Penn said it like this. Men must be governed by God. Or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants. If you cannot follow God's law in your life. Inevitably, invariably. There will be a tyrant that will arise And make you follow his law. Christ places his seal of approval upon the law of God.

[John Weaver] We should love it and respect it. And obey it. Just out of love for Jesus Christ. This is his way. This is his word. This is his will. And we're walking it. God. has not abrogated his law, we're still answerable, accountable and responsible. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word, your truth, your goodness, your love. And oh, Father, help us not to sin against thee, but to bring our lives in conformity to your word.

[John Weaver] We do not desire to be covetous, or idolaters, or adulterers, or feminine, or whoremongers. Lord, we want to be holy and obedient and godly. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we ask, Amen.

The Abiding of the Law and the Prophets

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1212132353461
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Who is Israel?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-12-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 131: Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	80

Formatted Transcript

Opening

All right, it's good to see each one of you here tonight, and I'm glad to be here, and I trust that you are as well. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Matthew, chapter five. Kind of want to pick up where Brother Sam left off last night and maybe even continue another thought here. Notice, if you would, Matthew, chapter five. I want to bring a message which I have entitled "The Abiding Validity of the Law." Notice, if you would, Matthew chapter five, verses 17 through 20. Our Lord says it like this:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 5:17-20

"Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all be fulfilled. 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. For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Now the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ was entirely different from the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees.

Introduction: Christ's Authority vs. Pharisaical Traditions

Jesus taught with authority, opposing the traditions of the elders, which led to accusations that He was destroying the law. He clarifies His purpose in Matthew 5:17-20.

Scripture Reading — Mark 7; Matthew 15

The Bible tells us in Matthew 7 verse 29 that he taught them as one having authority. Jesus Christ was absolutely totally against the tradition of the elders who were the religious leaders of that day. And since he was against their traditions, they just simply supposed him to be a charlatan and a deceiver going about to destroy the very foundations of piety. Well, certainly he was going about to destroy foundations, but not the foundations of piety. He was destroying a legalistic, pharisaical foundation, and certainly he was going to establish the law of God. If you read Mark 7 and Matthew chapter 15, he says, "Woe unto you." He said, "Why is it that you with your traditions violate the law of God?" And then he said, "In vain you worship me, serving and doing the commandments of men rather than of God." Well, certainly Jesus Christ was against all of those traditions. So either there was an open accusation or subtle insinuation that somehow Jesus Christ and his teachings were contrary to the law of God. Therefore, Matthew chapter 5, he kind of sets the record straight. So let me just tell you, first of all, what Christ is not doing in this passage. First of all, Christ is not pitting the law of God against grace. Do not think for one instance it is law versus grace. You're going to find grace in the Old Testament. In fact, the Bible says, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." And the truth of the matter is this: anyone that has ever been saved, Old Testament, New Testament, or past time, anyone that has ever been saved has been saved by grace. There's no other salvation. But then you also find law, of course, in the New Testament. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the first commandment with promise."

What Christ Is Not Doing

Christ is not pitting law against grace, nor establishing a higher standard than God's law, which is already holy, just, and good.

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:12

Ephesians chapter six. So it's not law versus grace. Secondly, I want to point out that Christ is not establishing or even trying to establish some higher standard than God's law. The Bible tells us in Romans 7 verse 12 that the law is holy, just, and good. And then, of course, we find in Matthew 5, which you will see before we close today, that Christ is enforcing God's law and establishing it as His standard. You're going to find that oftentimes when our Lord preached, when our Lord witnessed, He used the law of God as well. So let me give you the four points I want to cover tonight. First of all, I want you to see in verse 17 a divine prohibition. When he said, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Secondly, a solemn affirmation in verse 18. Thirdly, a necessary conclusion in verse 19. And then finally, a serious warning in verse 20. So let's begin with verse 17, where our Lord says, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets."

Divine Prohibition (Verse 17)

Jesus commands not to even think He came to destroy the law or the prophets. 'Destroy' means to annul or abrogate; instead, He came to fulfill—to fill up and put into full force.

"I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." So here, then, is divine prohibition. Literally, our Lord is saying this: Do not even begin to think. Do not let this enter into your mind that somehow, some way I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. He says, no, that is not so. In fact, it is a clear command. We find in the New Testament oftentimes the Apostle Paul wrote something like this, "God forbid," and it is exactly the same phrase when he said, "think not," you could read that, "God forbid that it should enter into your mind." So our Lord says, don't even begin to think this. Don't even let it enter into your mind. He said, I have not come to destroy. Now, the word "destroy" here literally means to annul. It means to abrogate, to make invalid, to repeal, or to set aside, or dismantle by taking something apart piece by piece. So our Lord says, don't even begin to think that I've come to do that. And then he says in verse 17, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets."

Do you realize that usually this phrase refers, at that particular time, to the entirety of the scriptural writings? In fact, the Bible tells us, in the book of Luke chapter 24, when our Lord was walking with those two men on the Emmaus road,

Scripture Reading — Luke 24:27

"beginning at Moses and the prophets, He expounded all things concerning Himself."

So here then is a phrase that refers to the totality of Scripture. But notice He says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Literally, when he comes down in verse 18, he says this, I'll deal with it later. But he says, "For verily, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." So he's emphasizing here, particularly the law. Now, when you and I think about the law normally, most people want to make distinctions in the law, and they make it simply like this. There is the ceremonial law, which, of course, referred to all those rules and regulations concerning the worship of God as they were in the tabernacle and later in the temple.

And then there were the judicial laws, which described the ordinances for government and the punishment of offenders. And then thirdly, there was what we would call the moral law, which, of course, we refer then to the Ten Commandments. However, sometimes I don't really like that division. I use it and I explain it. But when you stop and think and we're saying, well, here are God's Ten Commandments, we say that's the moral law. Well, were not the ceremonial laws moral as well? Are not the judicial laws moral? Well, of course. All of God's law is moral. And so God is simply saying here, do not even begin to think, don't even let it enter into your mind that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. And then he says, "I've not come to destroy, but to fulfill."

Let me tell you what Beza said on this passage when he talks about destroying. He said this: "Christ came not to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world, but to fulfill that indeed which was shadowed by the figures of the law, by delivering men through grace from the curse of the law, and moreover to teach the true use of obedience to the law, and to engrave in our hearts the force of obedience." And then Matthew Henry said it like this: "The gospel is the time of reformation, not the repeal of the law, but the amendment of it, that is, from its fair sale of corruptions, and therefore, it's reestablishment." So obviously, Christ did not come to destroy the law. Now, to destroy the law or the prophets—I want you to stop and think about this. When most people read this passage, they think the word "destroy" just simply means to violate. No. What would you do if you destroyed the prophets? If you destroyed the prophets, you would deny their validity.

You would repudiate their inspiration. You would annul their authority so that it had absolutely no binding influence upon anyone. So to destroy the law is not just simply to transgress the law. It's not just simply to violate the law. It is literally to abrogate it, to set it aside, to make it repealed. And our Lord said, no, I never came to do that. I never came to dismantle it or abrogate it or set it aside. Rather, he said, I came to fulfill it.

Now I want you to stop and think. The word "fulfill" basically has three meanings. First of all, it means to fill and to make full. Secondly, to set forth fully and to cause to abound. And thirdly, to fill up, to keep full, and to put into full force as continuous. So our Lord is saying this: Do not even begin to think that I have come to disannul or abrogate or repeal the law or the prophets. I've not come to do that. I have come to fill it and to put it into full force as continuous.

How Christ Fulfilled the Law

Christ fulfilled the law by enunciating it in His teachings, exemplifying it through His perfect obedience, empowering it in believers, and executing it on the reprobate.

Now, let me just stop for a moment and tell you how Jesus Christ fulfilled the law. If you take this in its widest scope, you're going to find that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law by enunciating the law in his teachings. And I'm going to show you this in Matthew 5 before I close. I'm going to show you how Jesus Christ corrected all of the false interpretations and the misapplications of the law by the scribes and by the Pharisees. So Jesus Christ in his teachings, as he enunciated the doctrine of God's law, he certainly clearly set it forth in His teachings. Secondly, Jesus Christ exemplified the law in His life. Do you realize the law demands three things from every individual? We'll see this in just a little bit. But the law demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. Jesus Christ is the only one who ever gave to the law that which it demanded.

I usually like to ask this question, I want you to think about it. Which would you say is more important? The circumcision of Jesus Christ? Or the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Most people say, well, it's the crucifixion because he died for our sins. But had he not fulfilled the law, the crucifixion would have been useless for us. So Jesus Christ now, watch it, he's enunciated the law in his teachings, he's exemplified the law in his life because he rendered to that law a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, but also he now empowers that law in his people because now he gives us a heart to obey him. He regenerates us. He converts us. He sanctifies us.

He calls us unto himself. And let me point out also that this law is still in effect because it's going to be executed in the reprobates. Hey, do you know what the Bible says? Let me just read to you from Galatians chapter 3 and verse 10. I want you to think about this. The Bible says this:

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:10

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

Now, listen, as many, he says, as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. Have you ever stopped to think about this? If the law has been done away with, what is God going to use to judge the wicked?

How will He execute His wrath upon them? If the law has been disannulled and repealed and abrogated, how in the world can the wicked be judged and punished? Now, let me show you the absolute importance of how our Lord fulfilled the law. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Matthew five, but go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians, chapter five. And look, if you would please, at verse twenty one. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 21. I want you to see this is to me one of the most beautiful passages in the entire New Testament. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and look if you would at verse 21. In this passage.

The Necessity of Christ's Active Obedience

Forgiveness alone is insufficient for salvation; Christ's perfect righteousness imputed to believers is required, demonstrating the law's ongoing validity.

The Bible tells us this: "For he that is God the Father, for he hath made him that is God the Son to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Now, I want you to watch this. I told you that Jesus Christ is the only individual that ever gave to the law that which it demanded: a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience. Let me ask you a question before I show you this. Let's just suppose that the only thing that Jesus Christ has done for you, the only thing is, He just died on the cross to forgive you of your sins. That's it, he did nothing else. Now, let me ask you a question. If Christ only died on the cross just so that you could have forgiveness of sins, would that be sufficient to get you into the presence of God? Hang on. The answer is no. It might keep you out of hell, but it wouldn't necessarily get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in the presence of God, you need more than forgiveness. You need absolute, perfect righteousness. Now, what did Jesus Christ do? The Bible says, "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." So Jesus Christ was made under the law, and he came and gave to that law a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience.

Now, let me show you. Let's suppose this tube of chapstick happens to be our sins. And let's say this pocket knife happens to be the absolute perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. What we've just read in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21 is really the doctrine of imputation. Now, the word imputation just simply means to impute. It means to charge to one's account. It's like when the wife goes to the store and she doesn't have any money and she sees that new dress and she wants it and she says, "Impute this to my husband's account." You know, or impute this MasterCard or this Visa card. It just means to charge to one's account. So what did God do in the act of imputation? Now, watch this. He took our sins and imputed them to his son, Jesus Christ, who is our surety, our sacrifice, and our substitute. And He placed upon Him our sins and He suffered in our stead. But then He had already worked out an absolute perfect obedience, and then He took that obedience of Christ and He imputed it now to us.

So now we not only have forgiveness of sins, we now have in Jesus Christ an absolute perfect righteousness. So it's very obvious the law has not been done away with. I asked one individual one time. I said, "Let me ask you, is salvation by the law?" They said no. I said, "Well, that's true and it's not true. It is true. It is not by the law for us. Our law keeping cannot save us. It cannot help save us. But it is true that salvation is by the law, because Jesus Christ kept that law, and He kept that law perfectly." So our Lord, in Matthew chapter 5, is confirming the fact that the law is still in full effect as continuous.

Explaining Negative Passages About the Law

Passages that seem negative about the law renounce it as a means of justification, address the curse of the law, or refer to the ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.

You say, "But wait a minute now, Brother Weaver, as I read my Bible, there seems to be passages that would contradict that." Well, I understand that, but let me give you a couple of points. The first one is this. Number one, you cannot interpret one passage so as to make it contradict another passage. You cannot take a passage of Scripture and interpret it so as one to contradict another clear passage. If you do that, your interpretation is wrong because Scripture does not contradict Scripture. Moreover, you cannot pit Scripture against Scripture. I've had people say, "Well now, this is my favorite Scripture."

And they'll totally ignore everything else, you know. Well, you know, I have people ask me all the time, "What's your favorite passage?" I like it all. You know, I know that there are passages that I think a lot of and I love and I preach from. All of it is true and all of it is accurate, and I love it all. But you can't just take this portion and say, "Well, I like this, but I don't like that." No, you cannot pit Scripture against Scripture. Thirdly, let me point this out. All of those passages in the New Testament that appear to speak negatively of the law can be explained in one of three ways. And if you study them in their context, you're going to find that one of these three ways will answer every one of those negative passages. First of all, there are those passages that renounce the law as a means of justification.

For instance, in the book of Romans, chapter 6, and notice if you would, verse 14, for instance. In this passage, the Apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:14

"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but under grace."

Now let me tell you something, we are not under the law as a standard for justification. To understand Romans chapter 6, you must understand that Paul's argument for justification by faith begins in Romans chapter 3 and it does not end until the end of Romans chapter 8. And all he is saying here is we're not under the standard of the law for justification. Our works do not save us. Our works cannot help save us. The Bible says very plainly that no man is justified by the law. This is evident. Let me just show you how utterly, totally, and completely impossible it is to be justified by the law. For instance, Galatians 2 and verse 16 says this: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Now, let me just show you.

Let's suppose that you, from this moment on, became absolutely perfect. That you never sinned again. You never sinned internally or externally. From this moment on, you were absolutely perfect, and you rendered to the law of God your personal, your perfect, and your perpetual obedience. My question is this: what are you going to do with all those sins that you committed before you got perfect? It's impossible to give the law that which it demands. That's why the Apostle Paul, not only in the book of Romans, but also in the book of Galatians, says very clearly, that by the law no flesh shall be justified. So there are these passages then that renounce the law as a means of justification. We're not justified by the works of the law. We're justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Then secondly, there are those passages which point to the death-dealing nature of sin in relationship to the law. For instance, in Galatians 3 and verse 13, he says it like this. Listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:13

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree."

Now, many times in the Scripture, the Apostle Paul talks about being delivered from the law, but he's talking about being delivered from the curse of the law. We who have been saved by Jesus Christ are no longer under the curse. That's why he said in Galatians 2 and verse 19, "For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God."

So here's the way you kind of explain that. Let's suppose here is a man that is a murderer. And he's sentenced to be electrocuted in the electric chair. But before he can be electrocuted in the electric chair, he dies of a heart attack. Now what can the law do to a dead man? Nothing. Nothing. And you see, we died in Christ. We're dead in him. So the curse of the law has nothing to do with us. So there are those passages then that deal with the curse of the law. And then, of course, there are those passages that deal with the ceremonial law as well, like Ephesians 2 and verse 15.

Now, let me just show you something. The law has not been done away with. Are you listening? Not even the ceremonial law. Hang on. You say, "Wait a minute, Brother Weaver, listen to me. The ceremonial law is bound to be done away with because I don't go to a high priest and I don't bring a sacrifice and I don't go to a temple." Oh, well, let me point something out. If you don't go to an altar and if you don't go to a high priest, and if you don't have a sacrifice and if you don't have a temple, then you're not converted. You're not saved.

The Law Defines Sin and Leads to Christ

Without the law, there is no knowledge of sin; the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Abolishing the law abolishes sin and salvation.

You said, "Brother Weaver, those things are all sin." Oh. How do you know that they are sin? Do you know the Bible says in Romans 3 and verse 20,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:20

"For by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

You know what he said in 1 John 3 and verse 4? Listen to this. "Whosoever transgresseth the law committeth sin. For sin is the transgression of the law." You can't sin without transgressing God's law. Sin is the transgression of the law. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Romans 7.

I want you to see how clear the Apostle Paul makes this. Look in Romans 7 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Look in Romans 7 and verse 7. The Apostle Paul asks this question. Verse 7,

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid."

There it is. Don't even let that enter into your mind. God forbid.

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law."

Watch.

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the law sin was dead."

Now watch,

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died."

Now what did Paul mean when he said, "I was alive once without the law"? Don't you remember his pedigree there in Philippians chapter 3? How he was the Pharisee of the Pharisees and he said, "touching the law, blameless." You mean to tell me the Apostle Paul before his conversion was blameless?

No, he wasn't blameless. But you remember, he was a Pharisee and the Pharisees believed that as long as you had done nothing externally, then it wasn't sinful. So Paul said, "I was touching the law blameless." I was a Pharisee. But all of a sudden the commandment came. He said, "I saw the spirituality. I saw the application of God's law and sin revived and I died." That's how he knew he was a sinner. You cannot even know what sin is apart from God's law. You do away with God's law, you've done away with sin.

Let me tell you something else. You do away with God's law, you do away with salvation. Not only from the fact that Jesus Christ kept that law personally, perfectly, and perpetually, but you remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 3 and verse 24. Listen.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:24

"For the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith."

The law was our schoolmaster. How could the law be our schoolmaster? How could the law bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith? You have to remember that a schoolmaster is someone who teaches.

If you were alive and went to one of those old one-room schoolhouses, usually the teacher had something on the board like this: lying, three lashes; stealing, five lashes; fighting, seven lashes. You got caught fighting. You didn't get sent to the principal's office. You were brought up in front of the class. Usually your shirt was taken off and you bent over and he took the rod up over the board and he gave you those seven lashes good and hard. That was the law. The schoolmaster taught. The schoolmaster administered discipline, chastisement. You know what the law teaches us? The law teaches us a number of things. Number one, it teaches us that we're sinners. I just got that out. We cannot even know what sin is except by God's law. It teaches us that we're sinners. Secondly, it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves because we cannot give to the law that which it demands. We can't give it that personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience. So it not only teaches us that we're sinners, it also teaches us that we can't save ourselves.

It teaches us that there's a vast chasm between an infinitely holy God and a wicked, sinful man. It also teaches us, since that chasm is so great, that if we ever get to a holy God, it must be on the merits of another. The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ. So without the law, you have no sin. Without the law, you have no salvation. Someone says, "But wait."

Love Fulfills the Law

Love is not mere emotion but obedience to God's commandments. 1 John 5:2-3 shows that love for God and others is demonstrated by keeping His commandments.

And this has been very popular in the last number of years. "Don't you know that love has replaced the law?" No, I don't know that. Well, the Bible says in Romans 7 and verse 12 that the law is holy, just, and good. Why in the world would God replace something that was holy, just, and good? You know what love is? Listen carefully. Love is not feeling. Love is not emotionalism. Love is not sentimentality. It's not.

Now, I'm thankful that we can have emotions and affections, but that's not love. Romans 13, verse 10 tells us love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the fulfilling of all. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles very quickly to 1 John, chapter 2. 1 John, chapter 2. I want you to see this. 1 John, chapter 2. And notice if you would—I'm sorry. 1 John, chapter 5 in verse 2. That's what I want. 1 John 5 in verse 2. Watch what he says. 1 John 5, verse 2. John writes, "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments." Whoa. We know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. Now, how do I know that I love Sam?

Has anyone in this room seen me hug his neck? Fall on him and weeping, saying, "I love you, I love you, I love you"? No. You haven't seen me do that. Well, how do you know I love him? Now, listen to me. Suppose I went up to him after service. And I throw my arms around his neck and I'm crying and I say, "Oh, Brother Sam, I love you. I love you. I love you." And everybody's looking. "Oh, look how Brother Weaver loved Brother Sam. Isn't that wonderful?" Well, what you don't see is while I'm hugging him and telling him that I love him, I have my hand in his pocket stealing a hundred dollar bill from him.

Joyce said it's not there, she's already checked. Now watch this. What if I'm crying all over him and very emotional, telling him how much I love him, but I'm stealing from him? Do I love him? Not according to the Bible, love is the fulfilling of the law. Now, I want you to watch this just a minute. You see, as long as I honor him and his wife and his children and his property, as long as I act toward him the way God commands me, I love him. I'm never going to do anything to hurt him. I'm never going to do anything to hurt his family. I'm going to do everything I can to help him. That's biblical love.

Now look in verse 3. Watch it now. 1 John 5, verse 3. "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous." What's the love of God? The love of God is keeping His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous. Now, look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2 and verse 3. 1 John 2 and verse 3 says it like this: "Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments." How do I know that I know Him?

Because He enables me, He empowers me to obey Him. He enables me to bring my life into conformity to His Word. What did our Lord say in Luke 6 and verse 46? "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you?" So He says very clearly in 1 John 2 and verse 3, "And hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments." I'll have a look at verse 4. "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar." "And the truth is not in him." Wow. Where does that leave most church members today? You know what our Lord said in John 14? You can quote these. What did our Lord say? "If you love me, keep my commandments." "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he is that loveth me." Verse 24, "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." Isn't that amazing? So love has not replaced the law. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And you cannot love until you obey God's Word towards your fellow man and towards your brother and sister in Christ.

Solemn Affirmation (Verse 18)

Jesus affirms the law's permanence: not the smallest letter or stroke will pass until all is fulfilled, underscoring its abiding validity.

Now, God is an immutable God. His Word is immutable. Just as God is unchangeable, His Word is unchangeable. The Bible says in Psalm 119, verse 89, "Forever, O Lord, is Thy Word settled in the heavens." You know what God's law is? God's law is an expression of His will. He says, "This is how I will for you to live. This is how I will for you to act."

"This is my will for you." And it is an eternal law. It is an abiding law because God is eternal and His word is eternal. And since God abides, so does His word. Now, notice, he said in verse 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." Do you know what a jot is? Or jod? Some of you have Bibles, don't do it right now, but if you have a Bible that has Psalm 119 divided acrostically, because Psalm 119 is an acrostic, if you look up above verse 73, you will see a Jod or Jot. The Jod or Jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.

Now, if you'll watch me, I'm going to make one of those letters with my finger, OK? All right, you didn't see it. Number one, you weren't looking. Number two, it's too small. The Jod is kind of like our comma, only smaller. It is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Jesus Christ said it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet to pass away.

Of the law, until all be fulfilled. So the Jod or Jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. What about a tittle? The tittle is not even a letter. If I wrote the word "little" in English, watch this, L I T T L E.

Now, if I made my I a little big and my T's a little big, how do you know which one is the I? How do you know which ones are the Ts? Oh, I'll correct that. I'll go back and put a little dot over that I, and I'll put a little cross over the Ts so you can see it's L-I-T-T-L-E. See that little dot and that little cross over the T? Those are not letters. Those are just small distinguishing marks between letters. So a tittle is just a small distinguishing mark between two Hebrew letters. Jesus Christ said it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than one jot or one tittle to pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Now, I don't know about you.

That sounds pretty abiding to me. It sounds to me like it's still valid. All you have to do is read Romans 7, read 2 Corinthians 3, and you'll find out that God's Word and God's Law is still in full effect. So here is a solemn affirmation. Our Lord says it is here. Notice thirdly, if you would please, in verse 19, a necessary conclusion. He said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Necessary Conclusion (Verse 19)

Those who break and teach others to break the least commandments will be least in the kingdom; those who do and teach them will be great.

Now, this is exactly what the Pharisees were doing. They were teaching the people to violate God's law in order to keep their traditions. Do you realize the same thing is happening today? Let me tell you something. You go to the average Baptist church. The average Baptist church. And it's probably true of all the other churches as well. But you go to the average Baptist church. And as long as you're there Sunday morning and Sunday night and Wednesday night. And as long as you tithe.

Serious Warning (Verse 20)

Righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, who focused on externals. Christ corrects their misinterpretations, calling for internal obedience.

Matthew 5, verse 20. "For I say to you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now, you've got to remember, the Pharisees were legalistic. The Pharisees had their own traditions. The Pharisees would keep the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Everything they had was external and not internal. Are you listening? Do you realize today that most pastors would give their right arm to have a church full of Pharisees?

Now, when you stop and think about that, listen. If you had a church full of Pharisees, you never had to ask people to move forward. They'd all be on the front pew. They'd always be on time. They would always be tithing. They would always be volunteering because they wanted everyone to see what they were doing. But our Lord said, unless your righteousness exceeds their righteousness, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. You know, one of the things that concerns me is this.

I've seen plenty of professing Christians. They can't even measure up to the Pharisees. Which tells me they're professors without being real possessors. Now, I want you to see what our Lord does. I want you to see how He rectifies the misinterpretations and the misapplications of the Pharisees. Because He's already given this teaching in Matthew 5, verse 17, when He says, "Do not even begin to think that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets, I'm not coming to destroy, but to put into full force as continuous." He says it's easier for heaven and earth to pass than it is for one jot or one tittle to pass from the law until all be fulfilled. Then He says, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew chapter five is a refutation of pharisaical legalism and a reestablishment of biblical law. Let me show you what I'm talking about. If you'll skip down to verse twenty one. After He gets out of His mouth, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven."

Now watch what He says in verse 21. "You've heard that it was said by them of old time." That is all the scribes, all the old teachers. Here's what they say. Look in verse 22. "But I say unto you." Here's what they were teaching, but they were wrong. I'm telling you what the law really says. Look, if you would, in verse twenty seven, Matthew five, verse twenty seven, "You've heard it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Here's what they say. Here's how they misinterpreted. Here's how they misapplied. Now, I'm telling you, there is a spiritual application of God's law.

It's not just externally said, it's internal. Oh, look, if you would, in verse 31, "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife," verse 32, "But I say unto you." Here's what they taught. But now I'm telling you what God's law really says. Look at verse 33. "Again, you've heard that it hath been said by them of old time." Watch verse 34. "But I say unto you." Look in verse 38. "You've heard that it hath been said." Watch verse 39. "But I say unto you." So all He's doing is showing how the scribes and the Pharisees and these people have misinterpreted God's law down through the ages.

And that's a sermon in itself in verses 37, 38 there. But they've done that now, God says. But I'm telling you what the truth really is and how the law really applies. Skip down to verse 43. "You've heard it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy." Verse 44, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."

Now, look what He's saying. Here is what they said. Here is the truth.

Application: Walk as Children of the Father

Christ's correction of the law's misinterpretation aims to make believers children of their heavenly Father, reflecting His character in obedience.

Now, here is my question. Why do you think our Lord went through this great exercise of showing the misinterpretation and the misapplication of His law by the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders, and then showing you the correct interpretation and how that law is to really be applied? Here is—watch carefully, verse 45. "That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven." Let me just stop right here. You know, I could probably pick out the Ashwood children. I could pick out Sam's children, in fact, used to when I was much younger, when I would go to a church for the first time, I would sit up on the platform and I would look out in the congregation and I would say to myself, "Now that woman is married to that man. For that man and that woman are married."

Those kids that are sitting over there, they belong to these people over here. And I would mentally try to place families in my mind. And, you know, I was right about ninety-nine times out of 100. You know how I knew? Because, believe it or not, sooner or later, husbands and wives not only think alike and act alike, sometimes they begin to look alike.

Now, thank God Alice doesn't have a beard yet. But you know, children look just like their parents and they act like their parents. They walk like their parents, talk like their parents. We used to at our church in the old days, we played the oldie-wed game, not the newlywed game, the oldie-wed game. When we'd have a little family night. Pretty soon, the church people asked Alice and I not to play. Because we always won. And I tell her I can catch her before she ever does something, I say, "Sweetheart, I can read you like a book." And she'll say the same thing to me.

We have both hit our hands going to a radio, either to turn it on or turn it off. The only point I'm trying to make is this. If your children—or your children, they look like you, they act like you, they walk and talk like you, and our Lord Jesus said this, "I'm straightening all of this out. I'm telling you the wicked false misinterpretation, misapplication of my law by these Pharisees. And I'm giving you the correct interpretation. Why? That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven." I expect you, He said, to walk like Him and to act like Him and to talk like Him. "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." Let me make just a couple of applications.

The first one is this. The totality of Scripture is our rule for faith and practice. The totality of Scripture. When people say, "But Brother Weaver, that's in the Old Testament." How many Bibles do we have? We only have one Bible. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, when Paul said, "All scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished in every good work." He was talking primarily of the Old Testament scriptures at that time, for the New Testament had not been completed. All scripture given by inspiration of God. We only have one Bible. We have one God. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Abiding Validity of God's Law

Summary: The law has not been abolished but fulfilled by Christ and remains in full force as the standard of righteousness.

Evidence: Christ says He came not to destroy but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17), and not one jot or tittle will pass from the law (Matthew 5:18).

Christ's Fulfillment of the Law

Summary: Jesus fulfilled the law through His teaching, perfect obedience, and by empowering believers to obey, not by annulling it.

Evidence: Weaver explains that Christ enunciated the law, exemplified it, and now empowers it in His people.

The Law and the Gospel Are Not Opposed

Summary: Grace and law are not in conflict; salvation has always been by grace, and the law is established by faith.

Evidence: Noah found grace in the Old Testament; Romans 3:31 says faith establishes the law.

The Law Defines Sin

Summary: Sin is transgression of the law; without the law, there is no knowledge of sin.

Evidence: Romans 3:20, 7:7; 1 John 3:4 are cited to show the law reveals sin.

Love as Obedience to the Law

Summary: Biblical love is not emotion but keeping God's commandments; love fulfills the law.

Evidence: 1 John 5:2-3; Romans 13:10; John 14:15,21,24 are referenced.

The Necessity of Imputed Righteousness

Summary: Forgiveness alone is insufficient; believers need Christ's perfect righteousness imputed to them to enter God's presence.

Evidence: 2 Corinthians 5:21 and the illustration of imputation show Christ's active obedience is credited to believers.

The Law as Schoolmaster to Christ

Summary: The law teaches us our sinfulness and inability to save ourselves, driving us to Christ for justification.

Evidence: Galatians 3:24 is explained: the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Righteousness Exceeding the Pharisees

Summary: True righteousness must surpass external legalism; Christ corrects misinterpretations to reveal the law's spiritual demands.

Evidence: Matthew 5:20-48 shows Christ contrasting Pharisaical teaching with the true intent of the law.

Key Arguments

Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it

Summary: The Greek word for 'destroy' means to annul or abrogate; 'fulfill' means to fill up and put into full force. Christ's mission was to establish the law, not repeal it.

Evidence: Matthew 5:17 is analyzed: 'Think not' is a strong prohibition; 'destroy' and 'fulfill' are defined.

The law remains the standard for sin and judgment

Summary: If the law were abolished, there would be no standard to judge the wicked or define sin. Sin is transgression of the law.

Evidence: Romans 3:20, 7:7; 1 John 3:4; Galatians 3:10 are used to argue the law's ongoing role.

Salvation requires Christ's active obedience, not just His death

Summary: Forgiveness alone cannot bring us into God's presence; we need perfect righteousness. Christ's law-keeping is imputed to believers.

Evidence: 2 Corinthians 5:21 and the imputation illustration demonstrate the necessity of Christ's righteousness.

Passages that seem negative about the law are misunderstood

Summary: Such passages either renounce the law for justification, refer to the curse of the law, or address the ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.

Evidence: Romans 6:14, Galatians 3:13, and Ephesians 2:15 are explained in context.

Love is defined by obedience to God's commandments

Summary: Love is not sentimentality but keeping God's law. 1 John 5:2-3 equates love with commandment-keeping.

Evidence: 1 John 5:2-3; John 14:15,21,24; Romans 13:10 are cited.

The law is a schoolmaster leading to Christ

Summary: The law teaches our sinfulness and inability, driving us to faith in Christ for justification.

Evidence: Galatians 3:24 is explained with the illustration of a schoolmaster's discipline.

Christ's teaching corrects Pharisaical misinterpretations

Summary: In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus contrasts 'you have heard' with 'but I say unto you' to restore the law's true spiritual intent.

Evidence: The repeated pattern in Matthew 5:21-44 is highlighted.

The totality of Scripture is the rule for faith and practice

Summary: All Scripture, including the Old Testament, is profitable and authoritative; no part has been done away with.

Evidence: 2 Timothy 3:16 is referenced, noting it primarily referred to the Old Testament.

Scripture References

Matthew 5:17-20

Context: The primary text of the sermon, where Jesus affirms He came to fulfill the law, not destroy it.

Matthew 7:29

Context: Jesus taught with authority, unlike the scribes.

Mark 7; Matthew 15

Context: Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for nullifying God's law with their traditions.

Ephesians 6:1-3

Context: Example of law in the New Testament: the commandment to honor parents.

Romans 7:12

Context: The law is holy, just, and good.

Luke 24:27

Context: Jesus expounded the Scriptures beginning with Moses and the prophets.

Galatians 3:10

Context: Those under the works of the law are under a curse; used to show the law's ongoing role in judgment.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Context: Christ was made sin for us so we might become the righteousness of God; illustrates imputation.

Galatians 4:4-5

Context: Christ was made under the law to redeem those under the law.

Romans 6:14

Context: We are not under law but under grace; explained as not under law for justification.

Galatians 2:16

Context: No one is justified by works of the law but by faith in Christ.

Galatians 3:13

Context: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law.

Galatians 2:19

Context: Through the law Paul died to the law to live to God.

Ephesians 2:15

Context: Reference to the ceremonial law being fulfilled.

1 Corinthians 5:7

Context: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.

Hebrews 13:10

Context: We have an altar; Christ is the fulfillment of the ceremonial law.

Romans 3:20

Context: By the law is the knowledge of sin.

1 John 3:4

Context: Sin is the transgression of the law.

Romans 7:7-9

Context: Paul explains he would not have known sin except through the law.

Galatians 3:24

Context: The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Historical References

Beza's commentary on Matthew 5:17

Context: Beza said Christ came not to bring a new way of righteousness but to fulfill what was shadowed by the law.

Matthew Henry's commentary

Context: Henry stated the gospel is the reformation, not repeal, of the law.

William Penn quote

Context: Men must be governed by God or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants.

Important Quotes

Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Significance: The central verse of the sermon, establishing Christ's purpose to fulfill rather than abolish the law.

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

Significance: Emphasizes the permanence and abiding validity of God's law.

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.

Significance: Highlights the importance of obeying and teaching God's commandments.

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

Significance: Warns that external righteousness is insufficient; true righteousness must be internal and exceed legalism.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law.

Significance: Shows that justification by faith does not nullify but establishes the law.

For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous.

Significance: Defines love as obedience to God's commandments, not mere emotion.

Men must be governed by God, or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants.

Significance: A historical quote used to illustrate the necessity of God's law over man's law.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean that Christ came to 'fulfill' the law rather than 'destroy' it, and how does this affect our view of the Old Testament?

Context: Based on the explanation of Matthew 5:17 and the definition of 'fulfill' as putting into full force.

How does the law function as a 'schoolmaster' to bring us to Christ, and have you experienced this in your own life?

Context: From the discussion of Galatians 3:24 and the law's role in revealing sin.

In what ways do modern churches substitute man-made traditions for God's law, similar to the Pharisees?

Context: From the application about teaching men to break God's commandments for traditions.

How does the imputation of Christ's righteousness give us assurance of salvation beyond mere forgiveness?

Context: From the illustration of 2 Corinthians 5:21 and the necessity of perfect righteousness.

What is the relationship between love and law according to 1 John 5:2-3, and how does this challenge common notions of love?

Context: From the argument that love is defined by commandment-keeping, not feelings.

Why is it impossible to be justified by the law, and how does this drive us to faith in Christ?

Context: From the explanation of Galatians 2:16 and the impossibility of perfect obedience.

How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:21-48 correct externalistic interpretations of the law, and what does this mean for our thought life?

Context: From the contrast between 'you have heard' and 'but I say unto you' regarding anger, lust, etc.

What does it mean to 'exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,' and how is this possible?

Context: From the warning in Matthew 5:20 and the need for internal, Christ-imputed righteousness.

Applications

Embrace the whole Bible as authoritative

Summary: Believers should accept the totality of Scripture, including the Old Testament law, as profitable for doctrine and practice.

Evidence: 2 Timothy 3:16 is cited; Weaver argues no part of Scripture has been done away with.

Use the law to recognize sin and need for Christ

Summary: The law reveals our sinfulness and inability, driving us to rely on Christ's righteousness for salvation.

Evidence: Romans 7:7-9 and Galatians 3:24 are explained as showing the law's convicting and guiding role.

Obey God's commandments as an expression of love

Summary: Love for God and others is demonstrated by keeping His commandments, not by emotional displays.

Evidence: 1 John 5:2-3 and the illustration of stealing while professing love show that obedience defines love.

Reject man-made traditions that nullify God's law

Summary: Churches and individuals must not substitute human rules for God's commandments, as the Pharisees did.

Evidence: The example of movie-watching rules versus biblical principles illustrates the danger of traditions.

Pursue internal righteousness, not just external compliance

Summary: True righteousness exceeds Pharisaical legalism by addressing the heart, as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:21-48.

Evidence: Christ's corrections of misinterpretations show the law's spiritual application to thoughts and motives.

Rest in Christ's imputed righteousness for acceptance with God

Summary: Believers can have assurance because Christ's perfect law-keeping is credited to them, not just His death.

Evidence: 2 Corinthians 5:21 and the imputation illustration emphasize the necessity of Christ's active obedience.

Teach and model obedience to God's law

Summary: Those who do and teach God's commandments will be called great in the kingdom; we should instruct others accordingly.

Evidence: Matthew 5:19 is applied to the responsibility of teaching and living out God's law.

Walk as children of the Father by reflecting His character

Summary: Christ's teaching aims to make believers resemble their heavenly Father in holiness and obedience.

Evidence: Matthew 5:45 and the illustration of family resemblance show the goal of godly living.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:31:52Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:00:01Z

Clean Transcript

The Abiding of the Law and the Prophets

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, it's good to see each one of you here tonight, and I'm glad to be here, and I trust that you are as well. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Matthew, chapter five. Kind of want to pick up where Brother Sam left off last night and maybe even continue another thought here. Notice, if you would, Matthew, chapter five. I want to bring a message which I have entitled "The Abiding Validity of the Law." Notice, if you would, Matthew chapter five, verses 17 through 20.
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Our Lord says it like this: "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all be fulfilled. 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. For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ was entirely different from the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees.
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The Bible tells us in Matthew 7 verse 29 that he taught them as one having authority. Jesus Christ was absolutely totally against the tradition of the elders who were the religious leaders of that day. And since he was against their traditions, they just simply supposed him to be a charlatan and a deceiver going about to destroy the very foundations of piety. Well, certainly he was going about to destroy foundations, but not the foundations of piety. He was destroying a legalistic, pharisaical foundation, and certainly he was going to establish the law of God. If you read Mark 7 and Matthew chapter 15, he says, "Woe unto you." He said, "Why is it that you with your traditions violate the law of God?"
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And then he said, "In vain you worship me, serving and doing the commandments of men rather than of God." Well, certainly Jesus Christ was against all of those traditions. So either there was an open accusation or subtle insinuation that somehow Jesus Christ and his teachings were contrary to the law of God. Therefore, Matthew chapter 5, he kind of sets the record straight. So let me just tell you, first of all, what Christ is not doing in this passage. First of all, Christ is not pitting the law of God against grace. Do not think for one instance it is law versus grace. You're going to find grace in the Old Testament. In fact, the Bible says, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." And the truth of the matter is this: anyone that has ever been saved, Old Testament, New Testament, or past time, anyone that has ever been saved has been saved by grace. There's no other salvation. But then you also find law, of course, in the New Testament. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the first commandment with promise."
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Ephesians chapter six. So it's not law versus grace.
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Secondly, I want to point out that Christ is not establishing or even trying to establish some higher standard than God's law. The Bible tells us in Romans 7 verse 12 that the law is holy, just, and good. And then, of course, we find in Matthew 5, which you will see before we close today, that Christ is enforcing God's law and establishing it as His standard. You're going to find that oftentimes when our Lord preached, when our Lord witnessed, He used the law of God as well. So let me give you the four points I want to cover tonight. First of all, I want you to see in verse 17 a divine prohibition. When he said, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Secondly, a solemn affirmation in verse 18. Thirdly, a necessary conclusion in verse 19. And then finally, a serious warning in verse 20. So let's begin with verse 17, where our Lord says, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets."
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"I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." So here, then, is divine prohibition. Literally, our Lord is saying this: Do not even begin to think. Do not let this enter into your mind that somehow, some way I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. He says, no, that is not so. In fact, it is a clear command. We find in the New Testament oftentimes the Apostle Paul wrote something like this, "God forbid," and it is exactly the same phrase when he said, "think not," you could read that, "God forbid that it should enter into your mind." So our Lord says, don't even begin to think this. Don't even let it enter into your mind. He said, I have not come to destroy. Now, the word "destroy" here literally means to annul. It means to abrogate, to make invalid, to repeal, or to set aside, or dismantle by taking something apart piece by piece. So our Lord says, don't even begin to think that I've come to do that. And then he says in verse 17, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets."
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Do you realize that usually this phrase refers, at that particular time, to the entirety of the scriptural writings? In fact, the Bible tells us, in the book of Luke chapter 24, when our Lord was walking with those two men on the Emmaus road, "beginning at Moses and the prophets, He expounded all things concerning Himself." So here then is a phrase that refers to the totality of Scripture. But notice He says, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets, I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Literally, when he comes down in verse 18, he says this, I'll deal with it later. But he says, "For verily, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled." So he's emphasizing here, particularly the law. Now, when you and I think about the law normally, most people want to make distinctions in the law, and they make it simply like this. There is the ceremonial law, which, of course, referred to all those rules and regulations concerning the worship of God as they were in the tabernacle and later in the temple.
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And then there were the judicial laws, which described the ordinances for government and the punishment of offenders. And then thirdly, there was what we would call the moral law, which, of course, we refer then to the Ten Commandments. However, sometimes I don't really like that division. I use it and I explain it. But when you stop and think and we're saying, well, here are God's Ten Commandments, we say that's the moral law. Well, were not the ceremonial laws moral as well? Are not the judicial laws moral? Well, of course. All of God's law is moral. And so God is simply saying here, do not even begin to think, don't even let it enter into your mind that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. And then he says, "I've not come to destroy, but to fulfill."
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Let me tell you what Beza said on this passage when he talks about destroying. He said this: "Christ came not to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world, but to fulfill that indeed which was shadowed by the figures of the law, by delivering men through grace from the curse of the law, and moreover to teach the true use of obedience to the law, and to engrave in our hearts the force of obedience."
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And then Matthew Henry said it like this: "The gospel is the time of reformation, not the repeal of the law, but the amendment of it, that is, from its fair sale of corruptions, and therefore, it's reestablishment." So obviously, Christ did not come to destroy the law. Now, to destroy the law or the prophets—I want you to stop and think about this. When most people read this passage, they think the word "destroy" just simply means to violate. No. What would you do if you destroyed the prophets? If you destroyed the prophets, you would deny their validity.
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You would repudiate their inspiration. You would annul their authority so that it had absolutely no binding influence upon anyone. So to destroy the law is not just simply to transgress the law. It's not just simply to violate the law. It is literally to abrogate it, to set it aside, to make it repealed. And our Lord said, no, I never came to do that. I never came to dismantle it or abrogate it or set it aside. Rather, he said, I came to fulfill it.
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Now I want you to stop and think. The word "fulfill" basically has three meanings. First of all, it means to fill and to make full.
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Secondly, to set forth fully and to cause to abound. And thirdly, to fill up, to keep full, and to put into full force as continuous. So our Lord is saying this: Do not even begin to think that I have come to disannul or abrogate or repeal the law or the prophets. I've not come to do that. I have come to fill it and to put it into full force as continuous.
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Now, let me just stop for a moment and tell you how Jesus Christ fulfilled the law. If you take this in its widest scope, you're going to find that Jesus Christ fulfilled the law by enunciating the law in his teachings. And I'm going to show you this in Matthew 5 before I close. I'm going to show you how Jesus Christ corrected all of the false interpretations and the misapplications of the law by the scribes and by the Pharisees. So Jesus Christ in his teachings, as he enunciated the doctrine of God's law, he certainly clearly set it forth in His teachings. Secondly, Jesus Christ exemplified the law in His life. Do you realize the law demands three things from every individual? We'll see this in just a little bit. But the law demands a personal obedience, a perfect obedience, and a perpetual obedience. Jesus Christ is the only one who ever gave to the law that which it demanded.
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I usually like to ask this question, I want you to think about it. Which would you say is more important? The circumcision of Jesus Christ? Or the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Most people say, well, it's the crucifixion because he died for our sins. But had he not fulfilled the law, the crucifixion would have been useless for us. So Jesus Christ now, watch it, he's enunciated the law in his teachings, he's exemplified the law in his life because he rendered to that law a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience, but also he now empowers that law in his people because now he gives us a heart to obey him. He regenerates us. He converts us. He sanctifies us.
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He calls us unto himself. And let me point out also that this law is still in effect because it's going to be executed in the reprobates. Hey, do you know what the Bible says? Let me just read to you from Galatians chapter 3 and verse 10. I want you to think about this. The Bible says this: "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Now, listen, as many, he says, as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. Have you ever stopped to think about this? If the law has been done away with, what is God going to use to judge the wicked?
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How will He execute His wrath upon them? If the law has been disannulled and repealed and abrogated, how in the world can the wicked be judged and punished?
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Now, let me show you the absolute importance of how our Lord fulfilled the law. I want you to turn in your Bibles, hold Matthew five, but go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians, chapter five. And look, if you would please, at verse twenty one. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 21. I want you to see this is to me one of the most beautiful passages in the entire New Testament. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and look if you would at verse 21. In this passage.
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The Bible tells us this: "For he that is God the Father, for he hath made him that is God the Son to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
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Now, I want you to watch this. I told you that Jesus Christ is the only individual that ever gave to the law that which it demanded: a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience. Let me ask you a question before I show you this. Let's just suppose that the only thing that Jesus Christ has done for you, the only thing is, He just died on the cross to forgive you of your sins.
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That's it, he did nothing else. Now, let me ask you a question. If Christ only died on the cross just so that you could have forgiveness of sins, would that be sufficient to get you into the presence of God? Hang on. The answer is no. It might keep you out of hell, but it wouldn't necessarily get you in the presence of God. Why? Because to get in the presence of God, you need more than forgiveness. You need absolute, perfect righteousness. Now, what did Jesus Christ do? The Bible says, "But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." So Jesus Christ was made under the law, and he came and gave to that law a personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience.
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Now, let me show you. Let's suppose this tube of chapstick happens to be our sins. And let's say this pocket knife happens to be the absolute perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. What we've just read in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21 is really the doctrine of imputation. Now, the word imputation just simply means to impute. It means to charge to one's account. It's like when the wife goes to the store and she doesn't have any money and she sees that new dress and she wants it and she says, "Impute this to my husband's account." You know, or impute this MasterCard or this Visa card. It just means to charge to one's account. So what did God do in the act of imputation? Now, watch this. He took our sins and imputed them to his son, Jesus Christ, who is our surety, our sacrifice, and our substitute. And He placed upon Him our sins and He suffered in our stead. But then He had already worked out an absolute perfect obedience, and then He took that obedience of Christ and He imputed it now to us.
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So now we not only have forgiveness of sins, we now have in Jesus Christ an absolute perfect righteousness. So it's very obvious the law has not been done away with. I asked one individual one time. I said, "Let me ask you, is salvation by the law?" They said no. I said, "Well, that's true and it's not true. It is true. It is not by the law for us. Our law keeping cannot save us. It cannot help save us. But it is true that salvation is by the law, because Jesus Christ kept that law, and He kept that law perfectly." So our Lord, in Matthew chapter 5, is confirming the fact that the law is still in full effect as continuous.
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You say, "But wait a minute now, Brother Weaver, as I read my Bible, there seems to be passages that would contradict that." Well, I understand that, but let me give you a couple of points. The first one is this. Number one, you cannot interpret one passage so as to make it contradict another passage. You cannot take a passage of Scripture and interpret it so as one to contradict another clear passage. If you do that, your interpretation is wrong because Scripture does not contradict Scripture. Moreover, you cannot pit Scripture against Scripture. I've had people say, "Well now, this is my favorite Scripture."
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And they'll totally ignore everything else, you know. Well, you know, I have people ask me all the time, "What's your favorite passage?" I like it all. You know, I know that there are passages that I think a lot of and I love and I preach from. All of it is true and all of it is accurate, and I love it all. But you can't just take this portion and say, "Well, I like this, but I don't like that."
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No, you cannot pit Scripture against Scripture. Thirdly, let me point this out. All of those passages in the New Testament that appear to speak negatively of the law can be explained in one of three ways. And if you study them in their context, you're going to find that one of these three ways will answer every one of those negative passages. First of all, there are those passages that renounce the law as a means of justification.
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For instance, in the book of Romans, chapter 6, and notice if you would, verse 14, for instance. In this passage, the Apostle Paul says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but under grace."
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Now let me tell you something, we are not under the law as a standard for justification. To understand Romans chapter 6, you must understand that Paul's argument for justification by faith begins in Romans chapter 3 and it does not end until the end of Romans chapter 8. And all he is saying here is we're not under the standard of the law for justification. Our works do not save us. Our works cannot help save us. The Bible says very plainly that no man is justified by the law. This is evident. Let me just show you how utterly, totally, and completely impossible it is to be justified by the law. For instance, Galatians 2 and verse 16 says this: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Now, let me just show you.
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Let's suppose that you, from this moment on, became absolutely perfect. That you never sinned again. You never sinned internally or externally. From this moment on, you were absolutely perfect, and you rendered to the law of God your personal, your perfect, and your perpetual obedience. My question is this: what are you going to do with all those sins that you committed before you got perfect? It's impossible to give the law that which it demands.
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That's why the Apostle Paul, not only in the book of Romans, but also in the book of Galatians, says very clearly, that by the law no flesh shall be justified. So there are these passages then that renounce the law as a means of justification. We're not justified by the works of the law. We're justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Then secondly, there are those passages which point to the death-dealing nature of sin in relationship to the law. For instance, in Galatians 3 and verse 13, he says it like this. Listen carefully. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree." Now, many times in the Scripture, the Apostle Paul talks about being delivered from the law, but he's talking about being delivered from the curse of the law. We who have been saved by Jesus Christ are no longer under the curse. That's why he said in Galatians 2 and verse 19, "For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God."
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So here's the way you kind of explain that. Let's suppose here is a man that is a murderer. And he's sentenced to be electrocuted in the electric chair. But before he can be electrocuted in the electric chair, he dies of a heart attack. Now what can the law do to a dead man? Nothing. Nothing. And you see, we died in Christ. We're dead in him. So the curse of the law has nothing to do with us. So there are those passages then that deal with the curse of the law. And then, of course, there are those passages that deal with the ceremonial law as well, like Ephesians 2 and verse 15.
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Now, let me just show you something. The law has not been done away with. Are you listening? Not even the ceremonial law. Hang on. You say, "Wait a minute, Brother Weaver, listen to me. The ceremonial law is bound to be done away with because I don't go to a high priest and I don't bring a sacrifice and I don't go to a temple." Oh, well, let me point something out. If you don't go to an altar and if you don't go to a high priest, and if you don't have a sacrifice and if you don't have a temple, then you're not converted. You're not saved.
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What am I talking about? Listen, the ceremonial law has not been abrogated. It has been fulfilled, so where you had the type and the emblem and the shadow, you now have the substance. You now have the reality. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 5 and verse 7, "For even Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed for us." The Bible says in Hebrews 13 and verse 10, "We have an altar where those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat." The Bible tells us very clearly in Hebrews chapter 4 that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest and in Revelation 22, He is our Temple. I still come to a high priest. I still come with a sacrifice. I still come to an altar. And I still come to the temple. But Jesus Christ is all of those things. He's the reality. He's the substance. He's the fulfillment of it. The judicial law has not been done away with.
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God still demands the death penalty for kidnapping and rape and murder. You say, "Oh, but Brother Weaver, our government doesn't execute anybody who does that." Well, our government may not, but God's still God. He can do whatever he wants to do. And of course, God's moral law has not been done away with either.
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Now, let me just point this out. This is very, very important. You see, if God's law has been done away with—let me ask you this question. Let me set it up for you. One of my men came to me some years ago. And he said, "Pastor, I met a preacher down the road"—and he called his name. He said, "I was talking to him and he told me the law of God had been done away with." I said, "Really?" He said, "Yeah."
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I said, "Well, he doesn't believe that." Well, he kind of bowed up a little bit. He said, "Well, he said it." I said, "Well, I didn't say he didn't say it. I said, he doesn't believe it." Well, he said, "I don't know whether he believes it or not, but I know he said it." I said, "Well, I can prove to you he doesn't believe it." He said, "How's that?" I said, "Well, you go back and you ask for clarification. You ask him, 'Has the law been done away with?' And he says, 'Yes.' You ask him, 'Well, if that's the case, would it be all right if I spend the night with your wife?'" I said, "Now, if he's any kind of a man, you better get ready to duck because he's going to be swinging at you. But don't you listen to me now. Listen carefully. If the law has been done away with, what's wrong with adultery? What's wrong with theft? What's wrong with fornication? What's wrong with murder?"
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You said, "Brother Weaver, those things are all sin." Oh. How do you know that they are sin? Do you know the Bible says in Romans 3 and verse 20, "For by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified, for by the law is the knowledge of sin." You know what he said in 1 John 3 and verse 4? Listen to this. "Whosoever transgresseth the law committeth sin. For sin is the transgression of the law." You can't sin without transgressing God's law. Sin is the transgression of the law. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to Romans 7.
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I want you to see how clear the Apostle Paul makes this. Look in Romans 7 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Look in Romans 7 and verse 7. The Apostle Paul asks this question. Verse 7, "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid." There it is. Don't even let that enter into your mind. God forbid. "Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law." Watch. "For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the law sin was dead." Now watch, "For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died." Now what did Paul mean when he said, "I was alive once without the law"? Don't you remember his pedigree there in Philippians chapter 3? How he was the Pharisee of the Pharisees and he said, "touching the law, blameless." You mean to tell me the Apostle Paul before his conversion was blameless?
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No, he wasn't blameless. But you remember, he was a Pharisee and the Pharisees believed that as long as you had done nothing externally, then it wasn't sinful. So Paul said, "I was touching the law blameless." I was a Pharisee. But all of a sudden the commandment came. He said, "I saw the spirituality. I saw the application of God's law and sin revived and I died." That's how he knew he was a sinner. You cannot even know what sin is apart from God's law. You do away with God's law, you've done away with sin.
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Let me tell you something else. You do away with God's law, you do away with salvation. Not only from the fact that Jesus Christ kept that law personally, perfectly, and perpetually, but you remember what the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 3 and verse 24. Listen. "For the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith." The law was our schoolmaster. How could the law be our schoolmaster? How could the law bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith? You have to remember that a schoolmaster is someone who teaches.
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If you were alive and went to one of those old one-room schoolhouses, usually the teacher had something on the board like this: lying, three lashes; stealing, five lashes; fighting, seven lashes. You got caught fighting. You didn't get sent to the principal's office. You were brought up in front of the class. Usually your shirt was taken off and you bent over and he took the rod up over the board and he gave you those seven lashes good and hard. That was the law. The schoolmaster taught. The schoolmaster administered discipline, chastisement. You know what the law teaches us? The law teaches us a number of things. Number one, it teaches us that we're sinners. I just got that out. We cannot even know what sin is except by God's law. It teaches us that we're sinners. Secondly, it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves because we cannot give to the law that which it demands. We can't give it that personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience. So it not only teaches us that we're sinners, it also teaches us that we can't save ourselves.
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It teaches us that there's a vast chasm between an infinitely holy God and a wicked, sinful man. It also teaches us, since that chasm is so great, that if we ever get to a holy God, it must be on the merits of another. The law is our schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ. So without the law, you have no sin. Without the law, you have no salvation. Someone says, "But wait."
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And this has been very popular in the last number of years. "Don't you know that love has replaced the law?" No, I don't know that. Well, the Bible says in Romans 7 and verse 12 that the law is holy, just, and good. Why in the world would God replace something that was holy, just, and good? You know what love is? Listen carefully. Love is not feeling. Love is not emotionalism. Love is not sentimentality. It's not.
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Now, I'm thankful that we can have emotions and affections, but that's not love. Romans 13, verse 10 tells us love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the fulfilling of all. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles very quickly to 1 John, chapter 2. 1 John, chapter 2. I want you to see this. 1 John, chapter 2. And notice if you would—I'm sorry. 1 John, chapter 5 in verse 2. That's what I want. 1 John 5 in verse 2. Watch what he says. 1 John 5, verse 2. John writes, "By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments." Whoa. We know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. Now, how do I know that I love Sam?
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Has anyone in this room seen me hug his neck? Fall on him and weeping, saying, "I love you, I love you, I love you"? No. You haven't seen me do that. Well, how do you know I love him? Now, listen to me. Suppose I went up to him after service. And I throw my arms around his neck and I'm crying and I say, "Oh, Brother Sam, I love you. I love you. I love you." And everybody's looking. "Oh, look how Brother Weaver loved Brother Sam. Isn't that wonderful?" Well, what you don't see is while I'm hugging him and telling him that I love him, I have my hand in his pocket stealing a hundred dollar bill from him.
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Joyce said it's not there, she's already checked. Now watch this. What if I'm crying all over him and very emotional, telling him how much I love him, but I'm stealing from him? Do I love him? Not according to the Bible, love is the fulfilling of the law. Now, I want you to watch this just a minute. You see, as long as I honor him and his wife and his children and his property, as long as I act toward him the way God commands me, I love him. I'm never going to do anything to hurt him. I'm never going to do anything to hurt his family. I'm going to do everything I can to help him. That's biblical love.
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Now look in verse 3. Watch it now. 1 John 5, verse 3. "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous." What's the love of God? The love of God is keeping His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous. Now, look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2 and verse 3. 1 John 2 and verse 3 says it like this: "Hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments." How do I know that I know Him?
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Because He enables me, He empowers me to obey Him. He enables me to bring my life into conformity to His Word. What did our Lord say in Luke 6 and verse 46? "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you?" So He says very clearly in 1 John 2 and verse 3, "And hereby we do know that we know Him if we keep His commandments." I'll have a look at verse 4. "He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar."
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"And the truth is not in him." Wow. Where does that leave most church members today? You know what our Lord said in John 14? You can quote these. What did our Lord say? "If you love me, keep my commandments." "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he is that loveth me." Verse 24, "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings." Isn't that amazing? So love has not replaced the law. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And you cannot love until you obey God's Word towards your fellow man and towards your brother and sister in Christ.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Romans 3 and let me show you something else. Look in Romans 3. Remember, this is the passage where Paul starts his argument of justification by faith alone. And I want you to see what he says in verse 31. Notice, if you would, Romans 3, verse 31, Paul has started his argument of justification by faith alone, and he says, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law." Do you realize any gospel that negates and nullifies the law is not the true gospel of Jesus Christ? Because justification by faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ establishes the law. You know, there's an interesting verse in Matthew 23 and verse 23. I want you to look at that verse. Because Jesus Christ is speaking about the law and he says something very unique, something that most of us have never, ever caught on to. Look in Matthew 23 and verse 23, he says, "Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law."
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Here are the weightier matters: judgment, mercy, and faith. These ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone. Isn't that amazing? He said faith is one of the weightier matters of the law, just like judgment is. So our Lord says, don't even begin to think, don't even let this enter into your mind that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets. I've not come to destroy, but to fulfill, to put into full force as continuous.
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Now, I want you to go back to Matthew chapter five. And I'm not going to preach this long on all my other points. That's just the first point, OK? But look, if you would please, on verse 18 at the second truth. And that is a solemn affirmation, not only a divine prohibition, but a solemn affirmation. He says in verse 18, "For verily I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled."
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Now, God is an immutable God. His Word is immutable. Just as God is unchangeable, His Word is unchangeable. The Bible says in Psalm 119, verse 89, "Forever, O Lord, is Thy Word settled in the heavens." You know what God's law is? God's law is an expression of His will. He says, "This is how I will for you to live. This is how I will for you to act."
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"This is my will for you." And it is an eternal law. It is an abiding law because God is eternal and His word is eternal. And since God abides, so does His word.
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Now, notice, he said in verse 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." Do you know what a jot is? Or jod? Some of you have Bibles, don't do it right now, but if you have a Bible that has Psalm 119 divided acrostically, because Psalm 119 is an acrostic, if you look up above verse 73, you will see a Jod or Jot. The Jod or Jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet.
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Now, if you'll watch me, I'm going to make one of those letters with my finger, OK? All right, you didn't see it. Number one, you weren't looking. Number two, it's too small. The Jod is kind of like our comma, only smaller. It is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Jesus Christ said it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet to pass away.
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Of the law, until all be fulfilled. So the Jod or Jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. What about a tittle? The tittle is not even a letter. If I wrote the word "little" in English, watch this, L I T T L E.
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Now, if I made my I a little big and my T's a little big, how do you know which one is the I? How do you know which ones are the Ts? Oh, I'll correct that. I'll go back and put a little dot over that I, and I'll put a little cross over the Ts so you can see it's L-I-T-T-L-E. See that little dot and that little cross over the T? Those are not letters. Those are just small distinguishing marks between letters. So a tittle is just a small distinguishing mark between two Hebrew letters. Jesus Christ said it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than one jot or one tittle to pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Now, I don't know about you.
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That sounds pretty abiding to me. It sounds to me like it's still valid. All you have to do is read Romans 7, read 2 Corinthians 3, and you'll find out that God's Word and God's Law is still in full effect. So here is a solemn affirmation. Our Lord says it is here. Notice thirdly, if you would please, in verse 19, a necessary conclusion. He said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
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Now, this is exactly what the Pharisees were doing. They were teaching the people to violate God's law in order to keep their traditions. Do you realize the same thing is happening today? Let me tell you something. You go to the average Baptist church. The average Baptist church. And it's probably true of all the other churches as well. But you go to the average Baptist church. And as long as you're there Sunday morning and Sunday night and Wednesday night. And as long as you tithe.
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They pretty much don't care how you live. If you want to commit adultery. If you want to steal or cheat or defraud someone in business, if you want to be a corrupt, ungodly businessman, that's fine. You know what we've done, we have substituted man's laws for God's laws. I never will forget when Alice and I were first converted. We were members of an independent fundamental Bible believing Baptist church. And one of the rules that we were told that you should not do, is you don't go to the movies. Well, we still don't go to the movies. I mean, I don't care anything about them, but we were told—we couldn't figure, why would we not go to the movies? Well, the answer is, you're supporting corrupt Hollywood when you go to the movies. You know, I got to noticing something.
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Those people who were so dead set against going to the movies, when those movies came on their TV sets, they sat at home and watched them. Are you listening to me? You know what the biblical principle is? The biblical principle is this, where David said, "I will set no evil thing before my eyes." If it's wrong to watch it downtown in a movie theater, it's wrong to watch it on your TV at home. If it's corrupt down there, it's corrupt in your home as well. You have to come to a biblical principle. It's not that you're trying to please man. If you're trying to please the Lord and God's law is far broader and covers far more than man's law could ever cover.
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But that's exactly what we're doing. We're teaching people today to disobey God and obey our traditions and obey our commandments rather than obeying God's law. I never will forget one particular church that I preached in. I was not a pastor there, but I just preached there. They ran the pastor off after I left. They ran him off. And it was over one of their traditions. He spoke out against their tradition. And one woman, one woman stood up and said, in church, "We don't care what the pastor says. This is our church and we'll do what we want to do." What was she doing? She was teaching her children and everybody else to violate God's law and keep your tradition. Our Lord says, if you teach men to break one of these, you're going to be least. If you teach men to keep them, you're going to be greatest. But I want you to look at verse 20. And I want to tie this together for you. Verse 20 is a serious warning. Here's what he said.
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Matthew 5, verse 20. "For I say to you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." Now, you've got to remember, the Pharisees were legalistic. The Pharisees had their own traditions. The Pharisees would keep the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Everything they had was external and not internal. Are you listening? Do you realize today that most pastors would give their right arm to have a church full of Pharisees?
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Now, when you stop and think about that, listen. If you had a church full of Pharisees, you never had to ask people to move forward. They'd all be on the front pew. They'd always be on time. They would always be tithing. They would always be volunteering because they wanted everyone to see what they were doing. But our Lord said, unless your righteousness exceeds their righteousness, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. You know, one of the things that concerns me is this.
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I've seen plenty of professing Christians. They can't even measure up to the Pharisees. Which tells me they're professors without being real possessors.
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Now, I want you to see what our Lord does. I want you to see how He rectifies the misinterpretations and the misapplications of the Pharisees. Because He's already given this teaching in Matthew 5, verse 17, when He says, "Do not even begin to think that I've come to destroy the law or the prophets, I'm not coming to destroy, but to put into full force as continuous." He says it's easier for heaven and earth to pass than it is for one jot or one tittle to pass from the law until all be fulfilled. Then He says, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew chapter five is a refutation of pharisaical legalism and a reestablishment of biblical law. Let me show you what I'm talking about. If you'll skip down to verse twenty one. After He gets out of His mouth, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven."
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Now watch what He says in verse 21. "You've heard that it was said by them of old time." That is all the scribes, all the old teachers. Here's what they say. Look in verse 22. "But I say unto you." Here's what they were teaching, but they were wrong. I'm telling you what the law really says. Look, if you would, in verse twenty seven, Matthew five, verse twenty seven, "You've heard it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Here's what they say. Here's how they misinterpreted. Here's how they misapplied. Now, I'm telling you, there is a spiritual application of God's law.
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It's not just externally said, it's internal. Oh, look, if you would, in verse 31, "It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife," verse 32, "But I say unto you." Here's what they taught. But now I'm telling you what God's law really says. Look at verse 33. "Again, you've heard that it hath been said by them of old time." Watch verse 34. "But I say unto you." Look in verse 38. "You've heard that it hath been said." Watch verse 39. "But I say unto you." So all He's doing is showing how the scribes and the Pharisees and these people have misinterpreted God's law down through the ages.
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And that's a sermon in itself in verses 37, 38 there. But they've done that now, God says. But I'm telling you what the truth really is and how the law really applies. Skip down to verse 43. "You've heard it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy." Verse 44, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."
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Now, look what He's saying. Here is what they said. Here is the truth.
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Now, here is my question. Why do you think our Lord went through this great exercise of showing the misinterpretation and the misapplication of His law by the scribes and the Pharisees and the elders, and then showing you the correct interpretation and how that law is to really be applied? Here is—watch carefully, verse 45. "That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven." Let me just stop right here. You know, I could probably pick out the Ashwood children. I could pick out Sam's children, in fact, used to when I was much younger, when I would go to a church for the first time, I would sit up on the platform and I would look out in the congregation and I would say to myself, "Now that woman is married to that man. For that man and that woman are married."
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Those kids that are sitting over there, they belong to these people over here. And I would mentally try to place families in my mind. And, you know, I was right about ninety-nine times out of 100. You know how I knew? Because, believe it or not, sooner or later, husbands and wives not only think alike and act alike, sometimes they begin to look alike.
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Now, thank God Alice doesn't have a beard yet. But you know, children look just like their parents and they act like their parents. They walk like their parents, talk like their parents. We used to at our church in the old days, we played the oldie-wed game, not the newlywed game, the oldie-wed game. When we'd have a little family night. Pretty soon, the church people asked Alice and I not to play. Because we always won. And I tell her I can catch her before she ever does something, I say, "Sweetheart, I can read you like a book." And she'll say the same thing to me.
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We have both hit our hands going to a radio, either to turn it on or turn it off. The only point I'm trying to make is this. If your children—or your children, they look like you, they act like you, they walk and talk like you, and our Lord Jesus said this, "I'm straightening all of this out. I'm telling you the wicked false misinterpretation, misapplication of my law by these Pharisees. And I'm giving you the correct interpretation. Why? That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven." I expect you, He said, to walk like Him and to act like Him and to talk like Him. "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect." Let me make just a couple of applications.
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The first one is this. The totality of Scripture is our rule for faith and practice. The totality of Scripture. When people say, "But Brother Weaver, that's in the Old Testament." How many Bibles do we have? We only have one Bible. 2 Timothy 3, verse 16, when Paul said, "All scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for doctrine, for correction, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be perfect, thoroughly furnished in every good work." He was talking primarily of the Old Testament scriptures at that time, for the New Testament had not been completed. All scripture given by inspiration of God. We only have one Bible. We have one God. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament.
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No part has been done away with, much less whole books and whole sections. The immutability of God's law teaches us that the issue is either God's law or man's law. William Penn said it like this: "Men must be governed by God, or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants." If you cannot follow God's law in your life, inevitably, invariably, there will be a tyrant that will arise and make you follow his law. Christ places His seal of approval upon the law of God.
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We should love it and respect it and obey it just out of love for Jesus Christ. This is His way. This is His word. This is His will. And we're walking it. God has not abrogated His law, we're still answerable, accountable, and responsible. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to you this day. We thank you for your word, your truth, your goodness, your love. And oh, Father, help us not to sin against thee, but to bring our lives in conformity to your word.
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We do not desire to be covetous, or idolaters, or adulterers, or effeminate, or whoremongers. Lord, we want to be holy and obedient and godly. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we ask, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:31:52Z

The Abiding of the Law and the Prophets

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver expounds Matthew 5:17-20, arguing that Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it, establishing its abiding validity. He refutes the idea that the law is opposed to grace, that Christ introduced a higher standard, or that love replaces the law. Weaver explains how Christ fulfilled the law through His teaching, perfect obedience, and empowerment of believers. He warns that righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, and that the law remains the standard for sin, salvation, and Christian living.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Matthew 5:17-20

"Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law until all be fulfilled. 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. For I say unto you that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Now the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ was entirely different from the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees.

Introduction: Christ's Authority vs. Pharisaical Traditions

Jesus taught with authority, opposing the traditions of the elders, which led to accusations that He was destroying the law. He clarifies His purpose in Matthew 5:17-20.

Scripture Reading — Mark 7; Matthew 15

The Bible tells us in Matthew 7 verse 29 that he taught them as one having authority. Jesus Christ was absolutely totally against the tradition of the elders who were the religious leaders of that day. And since he was against their traditions, they just simply supposed him to be a charlatan and a deceiver going about to destroy the very foundations of piety. Well, certainly he was going about to destroy foundations, but not the foundations of piety. He was destroying a legalistic, pharisaical foundation, and certainly he was going to establish the law of God. If you read Mark 7 and Matthew chapter 15, he says, "Woe unto you." He said, "Why is it that you with your traditions violate the law of God?" And then he said, "In vain you worship me, serving and doing the commandments of men rather than of God." Well, certainly Jesus Christ was against all of those traditions. So either there was an open accusation or subtle insinuation that somehow Jesus Christ and his teachings were contrary to the law of God. Therefore, Matthew chapter 5, he kind of sets the record straight. So let me just tell you, first of all, what Christ is not doing in this passage. First of all, Christ is not pitting the law of God against grace. Do not think for one instance it is law versus grace. You're going to find grace in the Old Testament. In fact, the Bible says, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." And the truth of the matter is this: anyone that has ever been saved, Old Testament, New Testament, or past time, anyone that has ever been saved has been saved by grace. There's no other salvation. But then you also find law, of course, in the New Testament. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is the first commandment with promise."

What Christ Is Not Doing

Christ is not pitting law against grace, nor establishing a higher standard than God's law, which is already holy, just, and good.

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:12

Ephesians chapter six. So it's not law versus grace. Secondly, I want to point out that Christ is not establishing or even trying to establish some higher standard than God's law. The Bible tells us in Romans 7 verse 12 that the law is holy, just, and good. And then, of course, we find in Matthew 5, which you will see before we close today, that Christ is enforcing God's law and establishing it as His standard. You're going to find that oftentimes when our Lord preached, when our Lord witnessed, He used the law of God as well. So let me give you the four points I want to cover tonight. First of all, I want you to see in verse 17 a divine prohibition. When he said, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Secondly, a solemn affirmation in verse 18. Thirdly, a necessary conclusion in verse 19. And then finally, a serious warning in verse 20. So let's begin with verse 17, where our Lord says, "Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets."

Divine Prohibition (Verse 17)

Jesus commands not to even think He came to destroy the law or the prophets. 'Destroy' means to annul or abrogate; instead, He came to fulfill—to fill up and put into full force.

Scripture Reading — Luke 24:27

"beginning at Moses and the prophets, He expounded all things concerning Himself."

How Christ Fulfilled the Law

Christ fulfilled the law by enunciating it in His teachings, exemplifying it through His perfect obedience, empowering it in believers, and executing it on the reprobate.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:10

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all the things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

The Necessity of Christ's Active Obedience

Forgiveness alone is insufficient for salvation; Christ's perfect righteousness imputed to believers is required, demonstrating the law's ongoing validity.

Explaining Negative Passages About the Law

Passages that seem negative about the law renounce it as a means of justification, address the curse of the law, or refer to the ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.

For instance, in the book of Romans, chapter 6, and notice if you would, verse 14, for instance. In this passage, the Apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:14

"For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but under grace."

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:13

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree."

The Law Defines Sin and Leads to Christ

Without the law, there is no knowledge of sin; the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Abolishing the law abolishes sin and salvation.

You said, "Brother Weaver, those things are all sin." Oh. How do you know that they are sin? Do you know the Bible says in Romans 3 and verse 20,

Scripture Reading — Romans 3:20

"For by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

I want you to see how clear the Apostle Paul makes this. Look in Romans 7 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Look in Romans 7 and verse 7. The Apostle Paul asks this question. Verse 7,

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid."

There it is. Don't even let that enter into your mind. God forbid.

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law."

Watch.

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"For I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence, for without the law sin was dead."

Now watch,

Scripture Reading — Romans 7:7-9

"For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died."

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:24

"For the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith."

Love Fulfills the Law

Love is not mere emotion but obedience to God's commandments. 1 John 5:2-3 shows that love for God and others is demonstrated by keeping His commandments.

Solemn Affirmation (Verse 18)

Jesus affirms the law's permanence: not the smallest letter or stroke will pass until all is fulfilled, underscoring its abiding validity.

Necessary Conclusion (Verse 19)

Those who break and teach others to break the least commandments will be least in the kingdom; those who do and teach them will be great.

Serious Warning (Verse 20)

Righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, who focused on externals. Christ corrects their misinterpretations, calling for internal obedience.

Now, look what He's saying. Here is what they said. Here is the truth.

Application: Walk as Children of the Father

Christ's correction of the law's misinterpretation aims to make believers children of their heavenly Father, reflecting His character in obedience.

The Abiding of the Law and the Prophets

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1212132353461
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Who is Israel?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2013-12-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 131: Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	80

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: Christ's Authority vs. Pharisaical Traditions: Jesus taught with authority, opposing the traditions of the elders, which led to accusations that He was destroying the law. He clarifies His purpose in Matthew 5:17-20.
What Christ Is Not Doing: Christ is not pitting law against grace, nor establishing a higher standard than God's law, which is already holy, just, and good.
Divine Prohibition (Verse 17): Jesus commands not to even think He came to destroy the law or the prophets. 'Destroy' means to annul or abrogate; instead, He came to fulfill—to fill up and put into full force.
How Christ Fulfilled the Law: Christ fulfilled the law by enunciating it in His teachings, exemplifying it through His perfect obedience, empowering it in believers, and executing it on the reprobate.
The Necessity of Christ's Active Obedience: Forgiveness alone is insufficient for salvation; Christ's perfect righteousness imputed to believers is required, demonstrating the law's ongoing validity.
Explaining Negative Passages About the Law: Passages that seem negative about the law renounce it as a means of justification, address the curse of the law, or refer to the ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.
The Law Defines Sin and Leads to Christ: Without the law, there is no knowledge of sin; the law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Abolishing the law abolishes sin and salvation.
Love Fulfills the Law: Love is not mere emotion but obedience to God's commandments. 1 John 5:2-3 shows that love for God and others is demonstrated by keeping His commandments.
Solemn Affirmation (Verse 18): Jesus affirms the law's permanence: not the smallest letter or stroke will pass until all is fulfilled, underscoring its abiding validity.
Necessary Conclusion (Verse 19): Those who break and teach others to break the least commandments will be least in the kingdom; those who do and teach them will be great.
Serious Warning (Verse 20): Righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, who focused on externals. Christ corrects their misinterpretations, calling for internal obedience.
Application: Walk as Children of the Father: Christ's correction of the law's misinterpretation aims to make believers children of their heavenly Father, reflecting His character in obedience.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it

The Greek word for 'destroy' means to annul or abrogate; 'fulfill' means to fill up and put into full force. Christ's mission was to establish the law, not repeal it.

Matthew 5:17 is analyzed: 'Think not' is a strong prohibition; 'destroy' and 'fulfill' are defined.

The law remains the standard for sin and judgment

If the law were abolished, there would be no standard to judge the wicked or define sin. Sin is transgression of the law.

Romans 3:20, 7:7; 1 John 3:4; Galatians 3:10 are used to argue the law's ongoing role.

Salvation requires Christ's active obedience, not just His death

Forgiveness alone cannot bring us into God's presence; we need perfect righteousness. Christ's law-keeping is imputed to believers.

2 Corinthians 5:21 and the imputation illustration demonstrate the necessity of Christ's righteousness.

Passages that seem negative about the law are misunderstood

Such passages either renounce the law for justification, refer to the curse of the law, or address the ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.

Romans 6:14, Galatians 3:13, and Ephesians 2:15 are explained in context.

Love is defined by obedience to God's commandments

Love is not sentimentality but keeping God's law. 1 John 5:2-3 equates love with commandment-keeping.

1 John 5:2-3; John 14:15,21,24; Romans 13:10 are cited.

The law is a schoolmaster leading to Christ

The law teaches our sinfulness and inability, driving us to faith in Christ for justification.

Galatians 3:24 is explained with the illustration of a schoolmaster's discipline.

Christ's teaching corrects Pharisaical misinterpretations

In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus contrasts 'you have heard' with 'but I say unto you' to restore the law's true spiritual intent.

The repeated pattern in Matthew 5:21-44 is highlighted.

The totality of Scripture is the rule for faith and practice

All Scripture, including the Old Testament, is profitable and authoritative; no part has been done away with.

2 Timothy 3:16 is referenced, noting it primarily referred to the Old Testament.

Scripture References

Matthew 5:17-20: The primary text of the sermon, where Jesus affirms He came to fulfill the law, not destroy it.
Matthew 7:29: Jesus taught with authority, unlike the scribes.
Mark 7; Matthew 15: Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for nullifying God's law with their traditions.
Ephesians 6:1-3: Example of law in the New Testament: the commandment to honor parents.
Romans 7:12: The law is holy, just, and good.
Luke 24:27: Jesus expounded the Scriptures beginning with Moses and the prophets.
Galatians 3:10: Those under the works of the law are under a curse; used to show the law's ongoing role in judgment.
2 Corinthians 5:21: Christ was made sin for us so we might become the righteousness of God; illustrates imputation.
Galatians 4:4-5: Christ was made under the law to redeem those under the law.
Romans 6:14: We are not under law but under grace; explained as not under law for justification.
Galatians 2:16: No one is justified by works of the law but by faith in Christ.
Galatians 3:13: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law.
Galatians 2:19: Through the law Paul died to the law to live to God.
Ephesians 2:15: Reference to the ceremonial law being fulfilled.
1 Corinthians 5:7: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; ceremonial law fulfilled in Christ.
Hebrews 13:10: We have an altar; Christ is the fulfillment of the ceremonial law.
Romans 3:20: By the law is the knowledge of sin.
1 John 3:4: Sin is the transgression of the law.
Romans 7:7-9: Paul explains he would not have known sin except through the law.
Galatians 3:24: The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Historical References

Beza's commentary on Matthew 5:17: Beza said Christ came not to bring a new way of righteousness but to fulfill what was shadowed by the law.
Matthew Henry's commentary: Henry stated the gospel is the reformation, not repeal, of the law.
William Penn quote: Men must be governed by God or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants.

Important Quotes

Think not that I'm come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

The central verse of the sermon, establishing Christ's purpose to fulfill rather than abolish the law.

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

Emphasizes the permanence and abiding validity of God's law.

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.

Highlights the importance of obeying and teaching God's commandments.

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

Warns that external righteousness is insufficient; true righteousness must be internal and exceed legalism.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law.

Shows that justification by faith does not nullify but establishes the law.

For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not grievous.

Defines love as obedience to God's commandments, not mere emotion.

Men must be governed by God, or they condemn themselves to be ruled by tyrants.

A historical quote used to illustrate the necessity of God's law over man's law.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean that Christ came to 'fulfill' the law rather than 'destroy' it, and how does this affect our view of the Old Testament?

[Context]

Based on the explanation of Matthew 5:17 and the definition of 'fulfill' as putting into full force.

[Question]

How does the law function as a 'schoolmaster' to bring us to Christ, and have you experienced this in your own life?

[Context]

From the discussion of Galatians 3:24 and the law's role in revealing sin.

[Question]

In what ways do modern churches substitute man-made traditions for God's law, similar to the Pharisees?

[Context]

From the application about teaching men to break God's commandments for traditions.

[Question]

How does the imputation of Christ's righteousness give us assurance of salvation beyond mere forgiveness?

[Context]

From the illustration of 2 Corinthians 5:21 and the necessity of perfect righteousness.

[Question]

What is the relationship between love and law according to 1 John 5:2-3, and how does this challenge common notions of love?

[Context]

From the argument that love is defined by commandment-keeping, not feelings.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to be justified by the law, and how does this drive us to faith in Christ?

[Context]

From the explanation of Galatians 2:16 and the impossibility of perfect obedience.

[Question]

How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:21-48 correct externalistic interpretations of the law, and what does this mean for our thought life?

[Context]

From the contrast between 'you have heard' and 'but I say unto you' regarding anger, lust, etc.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees,' and how is this possible?

[Context]

From the warning in Matthew 5:20 and the need for internal, Christ-imputed righteousness.

Applications

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