ZEBULON BAPTIST CHURCH

CHRIST JESUS CAME TO FULFILL
Matt. 5:17

Tom Harding


Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil–Matt. 5:17.

Clearly, the Lord Jesus Christ is setting before us the reason of His coming into this world as the sinner's Substitute and as Jehovah's Messiah. He came to fulfill, which means: to finish, furnish, satisfy, execute, accomplish and complete all things written of Him in the law of Moses and all the prophets. "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me" (Luke 24:44). The Lord Jesus came to fulfill and furnish all the predictions of the prophets (Acts 10:43). Moreover, He came to fulfill and satisfy all the types of the ceremonial law becoming the great and only sacrifice for sin (Isa. 53:4-6; 1Peter 3:18). In addition, He came to fulfill and accomplish the demands of the moral law, by yielding perfect obedience to it (Rom 5:19). The Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, living perfectly as our representative and dying effectually as our Substitute for sin is our very justifying righteousness before God's just throne (2Cor. 5:21; Rom. 10:1-4; Gal. 3:10-13). In all things Christ Jesus magnified, satisfied and honored the law of God for us in all its precepts and penalties (Isa. 42:21).

Furthermore, we read that He came to call sinners to repentance, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Matt.9:13). He came to save the lost, "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost" (Matt.18:11). He came to give His life a ransom, "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:28).

He came to give eternal life to His sheep, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).

I can only think of one thing the scripture says the Lord Jesus came to destroy, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14; Gen. 3:15).

"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1John 3:8).

Now, this is every believer's hope, thank God the Lord Jesus Christ came and fulfilled all things for us (Psa. 57:2; Col. 2:9-10; Rom.10:1-4).


Tom Harding, Pastor
Zebulon Baptist Church
Pikeville, Ky.



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