This is one aspect that has raised so many questions; it is imperative that we handle this, as a topic of its own. Without understanding this; the Bible will seem like a Book full of contradictions; being that each Era has a peculiar definition of words.
1. Before the Law:
The Bible clearly defines this period:
"Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, the former destructive, the Latter saving]." (Romans 5:14 AMP).
It lasted from Adam till Moses(when the Law came). In this Era; there was no law given, everything was done as it seemed right in people eyes.
"You shall not at all do as we are doing here today-every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes-" (Deuteronomy 12:8 NKJV).
Showing us that righteousness was based on morality. Bible captures the definition of sin in this era as:
"Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17 NKJV).
2. Under the Law:
God gave the Laws to the Israelites; they were supposed to observe/obey all the Laws without faulting in anyone.
"'Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." (Exodus 19:5-6 NKJV).
They needed to obey all the Laws before they could become a Special Treasure, Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation; failure to obey all the laws and they won't be!
Of course, they couldn't obey and failed to become what God had planned out for them.
1John 3:4 captures what sin was defined as Under the law.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (KJV).
Therefore for a man to be said to be righteous under the law, he needed to observe all the law.
"For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles {and} offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it." (James 2:10 AMP).
Also, man related with God by the Name "Yahweh"
I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as Elshaddai--'God Almighty'--but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. Exodus 6:3(NLT)
3. Under Grace:
Jesus Christ declared His mission for the Law;
"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17).
"The Law and the Prophets" is referring to the Canonical writings which were available when He came(what we know today as the Old Testament). He clearly states "I have come to fulfill them"
What does it mean to fulfill them?
Isaiah 55:11 shows us
"So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them. " (TM).
That verse shows us how God's Word operates; after being sent:
i. It must accomplish its assignment
ii. After completing its assignment(being fulfilled) it must return to God.
That's exactly what Jesus did to the Law and the Prophets(what we call the Old Testament).
Question: How did Jesus Fulfill the Law and the Prophets?
When Jesus was crucified on the Cross; something significant happened.
"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold,the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split," (Matthew 27: 50-51 NKJV).
The veil of the temple being torn shows us; that which was in the Holy of holies, which made the Law powerful and active left, and 'of course' returned to God. The dreaded place which only one man(the High Priest) could access just once a year; became an ordinary place, with no power.
Hallelujah!
Truly, the Law was fulfilled:
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Romans 10:4 NKJV).
Under Grace, we don't live by the Law, the Law was an outside force, trying to make men to work/act in a certain way. Under grace, we have been changed from the inside and are supposed to reflect the change on the outside.
The obedience of Christ is credited to us;
"For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of one man many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19 NET).
Because Christ obeyed God; we have been declared "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that we may proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1Peter 2:9 NKJV).
All we need to do is; believe and confess, to enjoy the benefits of being under grace.
"And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak," (2 Corinthians 4:13 NKJV).
Everything we do should be based on faith in what Christ has done for us; not trying to satisfy the dictates of the Law and Prophets(the Old Testament); by doing so, we would be trying to establish our righteous.
This should be our desire:
"and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith." (Philippians 3:9 NIV).
We no longer see relate with God as "Elshaddai" like before the Law,
Neither do we relate with Him as "Yahweh" like under the Law.
He is our Father.
"I have written to you who are God's children because you know the Father...." 1John 2:14 NLT
Truly, we are children of God and have God as our Father.
God Bless You!
