Romans 10:4; Matt 5:17.

            This text asserts a fact of unspeakable importance to guilty man. It teaches the full scheme of Divine redemption for him as a rebel against God, and under the condemnation of His law. Sometimes to understand our present we have to go back in the past. Understanding comes to man in this lost condition, with the intelligence, that there is a Saviour provided for him by the love of God, in whose power and work, all his necessities may find an adequate and everlasting supply. It proclaims that all fullness dwells in Him; and that the demands of the law upon man is answered and removed, by the perfect and the everlasting sacrifice of righteousness which He has fulfilled, Heb. 9:26, and which He offers salvation by the acceptance of all who would believe in Him, and obey the terms of the Gospel.

            The Holy Spirit employs the law as His instrument, to convince the sinner of his condemnation in sin, and to guide him to the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only city of refuge and security for his soul. The Holy Spirit there displays to him the sufficiency and fullness of this Saviour, who has perfected an obedience which meets all the requirements of law, and which is freely offered, and fully applied by His power, to every believing soul. Christ is Himself the righteousness of the law for man. And the man, who has received Him, is in possession of a righteousness, which releases him forever from condemnation, as long as he abides in Christ. Christ in no instance has led anyone to believe that a soul cannot fall from the Grace freely given by God. But, that this grace entitles him to a glorious and everlasting reward.

            His actual work, finished in the days of His sufferings, is now offered to the Father in the glories of His exalted state, this is the whole foundation of hope for man, and the entire ground upon which he may appear in peace before the throne of God. This is the treasure, which is offered in the Gospel and the simple object for trust and confidence that Christ indeed fulfilled the law and the prophets. May our blessed God who applies this finished work enable us to understand and embrace it.

            “Christ is the end of the law.” The accomplishment or perfection of the law: the end to which its promulgation was directed, and the result, which its operation by the power of the Spirit attains. To him, in its communication to man, it was designed to lead, and in him all its demands and purposes have been fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Through centuries of the publication to guilty Israel, the law was travelling forward to reach God’s manifestation in the fullness of the time. And in Him, it finds the actual fulfillment of all its purposes, so that it is satisfied and well pleasing in Him, and gives place to His gracious and holy dominion forever. Having in its dispensation to a fallen world, which brought the redeemed of Christ to Him when Christ ascended far above the Heavens Eph. 4:8-10. The law had no further work to do; its war was accomplished, and its journey completed. Having the instrument of the Holy Spirit, brought the sinners soul to Christ, and witnessed the acceptance of him there, through the Grace of God, it has attained its perfect and completed end, and rejoices in the glory which it has received from this almighty Victor over death, and to whom brought life, 2 Tim. 1:10. Christ, is the end, to which, the law as a dispensation was designed to lead. For all the plans and works of God was finished before the creation of the world, Heb. 4:3.

            The scheme of redemption was not designed to open a way for transgressors to write, or re-write his own terms of salvation. It invited none. But it faithfully and solemnly warned against any change in God’s plan but to gain acceptance by fulfilling the Gospel’s requirements. By exhibiting the perfect obedience, which was required by acceptable obedience, and displaying the intelligence that man cannot accomplish his own salvation; but to look to Him who is able to redeem, in Him only is the haven of rest.

            The rites and ceremonies, which were applied to this law was designed to lead to Christ.

Every sacrifice offered with fire, from the time of Abel, pointed to Christ, and was but an unmeaning rite except as the conscience of the offender acknowledged guilt, and his faith rested upon the one great sacrifice divinely provided and divinely promised. That sacrifice Christ freely interposed His life, for that of mankind. The construction of the Tabernacle and the Temple, the continual worship which was celebrated in them, and all the ordinances which made up this whole system was designed to lead the mind to Christ, in whom all righteousness should be fulfilled, all promises, and all prophecy. When redemption became reality. When Christ would by His sacrifice pay to Satan the ransom price, to redeem those departed spirits held by him, and to deliver them to the Father Heb. 2:14-15. These were all shadows of better things to come. They made nothing perfect in themselves. They were like guideposts upon a journey, fulfilling their office, by directing faith to Him in whom the traveler should find actual salvation, redemption, and eternal peace. As they are viewed in this connection, they are beautifully intelligible, and highly instructive. If they are separated from this key of explanation, they are but a yoke which none are able to bear. Christ is the end, in which they were all to meet and be perfected.

            Christ is the end, in whom all the demands of justice is accomplished. So that the law sees in Him its real and entire perfection. He has fulfilled all the shadows and ceremonies, which were appointed to lead to Him. He has finished the purposes, which they designated, and has set them aside forever. That which is perfect has come, and that which was in part has been done away. Behold, all old things have passed away, new things has come, 2 Cor. 5:17.

            The predictions and illustrations, which the types and patterns of the Old Testament gave, of the circumstances, character, and work of the Redeemer of men, have been fully realized. He is the Great High Priest, the only sacrifice, the true paschal lamb, who has by the offering of Himself once for all, perfected forever them that are sanctified, Heb. 9:26. He has done the will of God in a body, which was prepared for Him; and having offered Himself to God to obtain eternal redemption for us, He has fulfilled the law, and there is nothing left for Him to fulfill. The law required a spotless righteousness, an obedience which should be in the minutest point unblameable and Jesus was made under the law, for the attainment of this object, and has rendered an actual obedience to every part of the law’s demands. And while He thus perfectly fulfilled the law, so that it had no claim upon Him in the way of any penalty for sin, He yet gave Himself to be dealt with and punished as a criminal. He received the full punishment for transgression, and died an accursed death under the condemnation of the violated law. He did no violence, neither was deceit found in His mouth, yet it pleased God to bruise Him, to burden Him with grief, and to cut Him off, out of the land of the living. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquity’s and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. By His infinite dignity and power, He was able to bear them, and to so triumph in His suffering. He won the victory for us, He

Conquered death for us all, therefore, sin must be done away, vanished and killed, the old man of sin, God must destroy at Baptism, Romans chapter six.

            The purpose for which Christ thus became the completion of the law. Christ is the end of the law, Rom. 10:4 “ Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believes.” Now I ask the audience this question. Do you believe what Christ said was TRUE? Take time to be sure of your answer. Now if you want to show your faith and belief in Christ, raise your hands. 90 per cent has raised your hands among which are preachers. Now you do not have to answer the following question in any fashion. If you believe this, then why do you still teach that all prophecy has not been fulfilled?

            Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. This was the only possible purpose for such a subjection. The single term righteousness comprises the whole circle of the law’s demands; and the whole desire of a sinner wants. The law could ask for nothing but a righteousness, which should be a full satisfaction of its penalties, and a perfect conformity to its principles. When this perfect submission, conformity, and endurance was found, the law was satisfied, and could make no further demands. It asked from man spotless obedience, this is found in Romans Chapter Six.

            Whenever the Saviour came, who was to be the sinners substitute, He must furnish this atonement, without which there could no remission, in order to bring in a righteousness for man.

The relation in which the transgressor stood to the law, made a Priest and sacrifice indispensable to the righteousness, which He must have. And when that Priest and sacrifice appeared, there was an entire imputation of the sinner’s guilt and responsibility to Him. He assumed the burden. He finished the purpose for which it was assumed. In this endurance of the sinner’s penalty, he made a satisfaction to the law, and thus far brought in a righteousness for man. A righteousness which sinful man might successfully pleas, for the pardon of his guilt, and the deliverance of his soul from bondage and punishment. But the Saviour came not, merely to release man from the bondage of sin and punishment; He was also to bestow upon him, an inheritance of life eternal; and in addition to this a spirit of adoption as sons of God, Rom. 8:15. This was to be a free gift to man, through the abounding Grace of God. But it must rest upon the perfect obedience and belief, which the law required, for life could not be obtained in any other way. The precepts of the law must be fulfilled for man, as well as the penalties. Without fulfillment man would have no salvation at all. For Jesus said, “ I did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” The demands of the Gospel of God was to fulfill the law and prophets.

            To accomplish this law Jesus was made under the law, taught under the law, and died under the law. And according to Matt. 5:17, the law and prophets would be fulfilled within the time frame of that generation in which Jesus lived. Everything which He did and suffered as man, contributed to make up and finish this work of obedience, which the case of man required. His labors, instructions, and miracles; His pains of body, and agony and darkness of mind; His acts of obedience, and His experience of deprivations and sorrow; were all united to perfect Him who was Jehovah, the righteousness of man; and to render Him able to save unto the uttermost, all who would come unto God with a contrite heart, and through Christ. In His work of voluntary mediation, there is a completed righteousness, a treasure of merit, infinitely honorable to God, and altogether sufficient for man. We stand complete when we stand in Him with faith that He said what He wanted to say, and meant what He said, and no earthly man can change these instructions. God, Himself, would not even try to change what he has already decreed.

While the Father beheld with joy, the glorious undertaking, of His Son Jesus Christ, in which God Himself was engaged, saying, “This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus said to the Samaritans, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.” God expects nothing less from His adopted sons, John 4:34. And again Jesus said, “ For this is the will of My Father, that every one who beholds the Son, and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” As righteous sheep sent out into the world, would that we could say, I have been saved to do the Fathers will.

            The Persons for whom all this was done.

            Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, to every one that believes. Faith, --faith in Him, in His promises, and work, and power—is the instrument, and the single instrument, by which sinful men are made partakers, of the righteousness, which He possesses. The condition of fallen man, is universal of this family of sinners, which are born, to be free or in bondage, in every age God has created man with a choice, peace in Heaven, or punishment and condemnation.

For the world in a sinful condition, the Son of God has died. He has provided for a race universally guilty, a remedy universally applicable. He has rendered the salvation of man consistent with the character and government of God. He has become a propitiation for the sins of the whole world He has therefore, a righteousness in His possession, sufficient for all, and offered to all, as a free gift of Grace to them.

            The way of safety is now perfectly laid open; and man is required to believe the record which God have given concerning His Son. There is no difficulty in the sinners path, if he will be persuaded to know and believe the love which God has sent to him; if he will thankfully receive the testimony of Jesus as infallibly true, and trust himself to its fulfillment with undoubting certainty. Christ has become the end of the law for righteousness. Does sinful man believe this fact? Does he devote himself in newness of life?

            Condemnation Comes Through Unbelief.  John 3:18.

            How glorious and consistent is the scheme of redemption and salvation, which is presented in the Gospel. The plans were laid out by, God in the beginning, all His works completed and sealed before the creation of the world, Heb. 4: 3, and no one, not even the Son has authority to change any article, not even one tittle, with faith man is only asked to believe what is written, man does not even have the right, or authority to give his own interpretation of any Scripture, 2 Pet. 1:20-21. If man is to be saved it must come from his acceptance of God’s terms. God’s terms offers simply, Jesus Christ, an Almighty Saviour, all and in all in Himself. His terms takes us just where He finds us, in a state of entire guilt and ruin; condemned by the Holy Law of God to eternal perdition; and utterly incapable of procuring any justification by our own merits. In this condition, it announces to us a Saviour divinely great and glorious, who has assumed our nature, to become a perfect substitute for us, and the atonement for our sins; which man cannot accomplish on his own. Jesus who offers us in Himself, everlasting reconciliation with God. God’s acceptance of this amazing propitiation is solemnly proclaimed. The method in which we are to become interested in it, by a simple faith in Christ, and confidence of ourselves to Him, in believing that His Word is True. When this is accomplished, it discloses with precision and clearness of understanding. The simple demand, which Christ makes is for one to take up his cross and follow Him, and any one who is not willing to follow Him, is not worthy of Him. To follow Him is to imitate Him, He believed every Word from the Father, without question, or change. If man is to imitate Christ, Eph. 5:1, 1 Cor. 11: 1. He must believe Rom. 10: 4, Matt. 5: 17. That He came to fulfill the law and the prophets, the New Testament is but the fulfillment of the old. The simple direction, which He gives to us, is His promise to us that we shall be complete in Him. Thus having believed, we make confession with the mouth to the Lord in whom we have believed, thus having repented, we become a subject, for baptism in water and the Spirit, recognizing that we are to arise a new creature in Christ. God in the regeneration destroys the old man of sin. And now we walk by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

            In procuring this new life in Christ Jesus, we walk in all His commandments and ordinances blameless. What perfect consistency, unity, love, and efficiency, is there in such a system. How highly glorious it is to the blessed God! How precious to guilty man. How important is that simple living faith, faith to believe that what God has promised He will fulfill, what the Holy Spirit has promised he will do, Rom. 8: 26.

            How vastly is the obligation that increases upon the convert, to state this divine system of Grace and truth, plainly, openly and correctly, and to urge upon all men what a wonderful plan God has established for man. How awful is their condition, who cast away this hope, and thus deny and despise the very character of God. For them there remains no more sacrifice for sin.

            This blessed hope in Christ is set before you, make it the priority of your life; you will find an abundant entrance into rest, where your great Redeemer has gone to prepare a place for you, that where He is there you may be also. The reader may see the importance and value of the law of the Gospel as a rule of life are thus magnified and displayed. It is the measure and standard, by which having been made free from the curse, we are to bring forth fruit of righteousness unto Christ. The Apostle Paul is an example of obedience, as well as an example of correct worship

In Acts 20:7-12, we have the story there of Paul delaying his trip in order to have the Lord’s Supper with the saints at Troas. Upon the first day of the week when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began preaching to them. Biblically each week has a first day. The scripture so states on the first day of the week. Not once a year. Not once a month, each Lord’s Day. No greater challenge is set before you than to study, to prove me wrong, or to prove your preacher Biblically Wrong.

Biblically you must obey God 2 Tim. 2: 15, He knows that this is for your good, for your salvation.