Keeping the Law without Fulfilling the Law

[robert derrick]

The conclusion of the law debate is simple:

1. The law is now of Christ by the apostles, and no more of Moses.

2. The law is now fulfilled inwardly first, and not outwardly only.

3. The law is good, and it is better to keep the law than not, but no man is saved by doing so.

4. The law is spiritual, and so can only be fulfilled by doing it inwardly first.

With the coming of Jesus Christ, Israel must now be born of the God of Israel and be filled with the Spirit of the law, that we may fulfill the law of Christ inwardly first, and not outwardly only, beginning with the first great commandment of the law to love God with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength.

With Jesus Christ in the heart, all Israel of God now becomes as Abel, Noah, Job, Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, etc...who love the law of Christ to do it righteously with a pure heart, and so fulfill the righteousness of the law by the Spirit of the Lawgiver inwardly and outwardly.

I hate and vain thoughts and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

All members of the body of Christ are now become sons of God and are made as the righteous saints of old, who can all prophecy, instruct, exhort, and live as God created man to do in the beginning, to live righteously with pure hearts for His good pleasure.

While only keeping the law outwardly justifies no man, the outward transgressors of the law aren't even in the race for everlasting life.

 

[robert derrick]

For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

The publican, harlot, thieving, idolatrous, etc... transgressors of the law are not the heroes of Christianity, as they are made out to be by deniers of the law, but rather are the unrighteous Jesus comes to save, when the righteous after the law do not receive Him within their hearts.

Pharisees today are not justified by outward keeping of the law of Christ only, and riotous transgressors are not saved at all.

Jesus comes to His own first, that we may first believe and obey Him inwardly, and not only outwardly after the law, but He also comes to the heathen that they may believe and obey Him inwardly and outwardly according to the goodness and the spirit of the law of Christ.

Keeping the law of God outwardly is good and not evil, but neither is it fulfilling the righteousness and spirit of the law.

Transgressing the law is doing evil and not good.