The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1943-12-16
CHRIST THE FULFILLMENT OF
THE Law

LESSON TEXT-Hebrews 1919; Romans
1O:4-1O
GOLDEN TEXT-God hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son.-He-
brews 1:1,2.
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 it 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 Rible-but 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 a little more of
what His coming into the world
meant. He was
l. Gods Last Word (Heb. 1:1-3).
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 a pointing for
ward to the One who should come.
Abraham was called out to found
the nation Gen. 12), and Jacob the
family or tribe (Gen. 49), in
which He should come He was
to be a prophet like Moses (Deut.
18) and of the kingly house Of Da-
vid (II Sam. y. All the offerings
of Leviticus spoke of His priestIy
service. Isaiah saw Him as both the
reigning and the suffering Messiah
lisa. 53).
All this was incomplete until He
came; and when He did, He re-
vealed all the glory of God. He made
the perfect and final sacrifice for sin,
and sat down (His work was fin
ished) at Gods right hand (the place
of poWer).
Let US be clear about this: in
Christ Gods revelation is perfect
and complete. We need look for
nothing more. The claims Of those
who appear with a ''neW light" or
some mysterious hidden power ars
so obviously untrue that we ought
not to be at all interested
But not only is Christ Gods final
Word, He is
ii. Gods Best Word Heb. 1:4-9).
The prophets and their messages
thrill our souls and move us to
more earnest living. But the Christ
is our very life as well as our Re
deemer.
The angels are Gods messengers
mighty and magnificent beings, SUI
perior in their way to man Cps.
$50. The early church made too
much of angels (as do some groups
today, but Professionalism Of our day
has made too little of them. They
are great and powerful beings who
minister on our behalf and who are
honored in the loyal service they do
for God.
But when they stand beside the
Son of God, it becomes evident that
He holds a place of Incompatible
glory and majesty. He is the high
est revelation of God, the best Word
that God could have spoken to needy
and sinful humanity.
We do well to think of who Christ
is and what He has done Just in
this passage from Hebrews we find
that He is the express image of all
of Gods glory; He is the upholder
of all creation; He has the place Of
honor and power at Gods right
hand; He is the only begotten of the
Father; His throne has been estab-
lished forever, and SO on.
How well nigh unbelievable that
this glorious One is also our Sa-
viour. This is stated in verse 3, but
is developed in our next point.
III. Gods Saving Word (Rom 10:
4-10).
If sinful man were only permitted
to look on His glory it would be a
great privilege, but it would not
help him in his desire for holiness
and eternal Joy. There was a great
gulf fixed" between sinful man and
a holy God until the Son of glory be-
came the Goldman, when the eternal
Word became flesh and dWelt
among us" duke 2:14.
Christ as our Saviour is the lend
of the law" to the believer ". A.,
not in the sense that He terminates
the law by setting it aside, but by
completing or fulfilling all Of its re-
quirements.
Just so the Christian is set free
from the law, not in order that he
may disobey it, but that he may
keep it in the power and grace which
Christ gives him. The Ten Com
mandmentS are the law of life for
the Christian because he loves the
Lord Jesus Christ and wants to obey
Him. We do the things which the
Decalogue require not to be saved
thereby, but because we thereby
honor the name of our Saviour.
The unbelever, struggling under
the burden of sin, says, How can
I come to know Him?" and we find
the answer in verses $40. 1t is 'by
faith"