Arkansas State press., 1943-12-17
CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF
THE LAW

CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF
THE LAW
LESSON TExT-Hebrews i;l'9; Ro.
mans lo:Si0.
GOLDEN TEXT-God hath In
ohese last days spoken unto US by his
Son. Hebrews Ii. q
The center Of all Christian think
ing is the fact that God has revealed
Himself to man. This revelation Is
found in the Bible. for il is the Word
Of God. That is why the command
ments which we have studied IN re-
cent weeks speak to us with such
authority. They are not the express
sion of human opinion of how we
should live. They are Gods com.
mand which we are to obey.
The great and final revelation OF
God and His love was not the writ
ten Word--the Bible-hut the Living
Word--His Son The coming Of
Christ is our lesson for next week,
on Christmas Sunday. But this week
we want to learn little more OF
what His coming into the world
meant. He was
I. Gods Last Word tHeb. l:i-9.
Through the ages God had been
speaking through the prophets, con-
stantly revealing Himself as a God
Of power. justice. holiness, truth and
mercy.
In different ways and at various
times ". y He spoke through them.
but always there was pointing for
ward to the One who should come.
Abraham was called out to found
the nation Gen l2), and Jacob the
family or tribe Gen. 4O, In
which He should come. He was
to be a prophet like Moses tDeut.
l8) and Of the kingly house of Da-
vid III Sam. n. All the offerings
Of Leviticus spoke Of His priestly
service. Isaiah saw Him as both the
reizning and the suffering Messiah
lisa. So.
All this was incomplete until He
came; and when He did. He re-
vealed all the glory Of God. He made
perfect and final sacrifice for sin,
and sat down ellis work was fin
ished) at Gods right hand tthe place
n power.
Let u be clear about this. In
Christ Gods revelation. Is 00 81
and complete. we ne
nothine more. The claims 81 thOsu
Who appear with a new light" or
some mysterious hidden power are
% obviously untrue that we ought
not b q al interested.
But rot only 10 Christ Gods Anal
Word. He L.
n. 0eA's Best Word (Heb. l.4-V.
The prophets and their messages
thrill our souls and move US to
more earnest living. But the Christ
II our very life as well as our Re
deemeI.
Ths angels are Gods messengers
mighty and magnificent beings, su
perios n their way to man Cps
$50. The early church made too
much 81 angels las do some groups
today, but Professionalism Of our day
has made too little Of them. The,
are great and powerful beings wht
minister q our behalf and who are
honoreA in he loyal service they d.
for 0od.
Hut vhn they stand beside the
Son q 0ed. II becomes evident tina
He helds Q place Of Incompatible
glory md majesty. He IL the high
est revelation Of God. the best Wore
that Ced could have spoken to need,
and sinful humanity.
We Do vsll to think Of who Chris
b and what He has done. Just ii
this passage from Hebrews we finc
that He y the express image Of n
Of Gods glory; He Is the uphoidel
Of al creation; He has the place o.
honor and power at Gods righ
hand; He 10 the only begotten of the
Father; His throne has been estab
lished forever, and SO on.
How well nigh unbelievable tha
this glorious One Is also our Sa
viour. This Is stated In verse 8. but
Is developed In our next point
III. Gsd's Saving Word tRom. 10:
&lO.
IL sinful man were only permitted
to look on His glory 1t would be Z
great privilege, but II would moi
help him In his desire for holiness
and eternal Joy. There was a great
gulf fxed" between sinful man anc
holy God until the Son Of Glory be.
came the Goldman. when the eterna
Word became flesh and dwell
among US" duke 2:lD.
Christ ~ our Saviour is the "enc
Of the law to the believer ". A
no. IN the sense that He terminates
the law by setting 1t aside. but b,
completing or fulfilling all of Its re
quirements.
Just 80 the Christian Is set free
from the law. not In order that h'
may dlsobey 1t, but that he MAJ
keep 1t In the power and grace which
Christ gives him. The Ten Com
mandments are the law Of life FOL
the Christian because he loves tn,
Lord Jesus Christ and wants TO obey
Him. We do the things which The
nnraInrlIe require not to be saVcC