DID JESUS ABOLISH THE LAW OR NOT?

Many believers keep hammering on the fact that Jesus said he did not come to abolish the law. Take another look at the scriptures in Leviticus and Deutoronmy especially the ones that forbids practicing mixed farming, you may argue oh but that’s the food law as well as the ceremonial law”. Now take a look at Premiership football On Saturdays. That’s under the big 10 remember the Sabbath day? My friend, do you even know what is the Law?
“Don’t think I have come to destroy the Law” is often quoted without understanding the context and culture of the day.

You must read this verse in context. It was said just after the beatitudes. Blessed are you … and etc. In the beatitudes you are blessed without having to do anything. Accordance to the law in Deut. 28 you can only be blessed if you obey the law. If not you are cursed. So the people presumed that Jesus AT THAT TIME says that the Law was abolished. The Law was not abolished at that time. This is because the Law had not achieved its purpose yet.

Matthew 5:17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is ACHIEVED.

Notice this there is a deadline for the LAW. When the Law’s purpose is ACHIEVED the law will disappear. Jesus came to ACHIEVE that purpose. And that purpose was achieved when He died and rose again and send the Holy Spirit.

There 2 laws: one the Mosiac Law, the other the Law of Christ. You can clearly see this in Romans 8: 2 “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” While I agree with you to say there is 2 laws. However, the 10 commandments is part of the Mosiac law.

You must understand that when Jesus was talking about his commandments he is NOT referring to the 10 commandments. This is how he states it.

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
– John 13

15 “If you love Me, keep[d] My commandments.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” 
– John 14

If notice the flow from the three chapters, you will see the new commandment connected to his going to cross where he will be glorified, the love expressed by him for all to see. Seeing this love would impact them in loving others as he had loved them. 

He told them in John 13 that when that love was manifest it would prove their discipleship. A discipleship that is not under the law but one established under grace. None of the disciples could manifest that love until they saw it when Jesus died. 

What Jesus was saying was in anticipation of what he was ABOUT to command and not what HE HAD commanded. What He wanted was to establish a NEW COMMANDMENT which is this “LOVE one another as I HAVE LOVED you.”

Notice in 2 John 1:5 (New International Version)
5And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.

Note that John says the commandment that he refers IS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING! The commandment he referred to was the NEW commandment that Jesus gave. AS SUCH when Jesus was talking about obeying His commandments HE was referring how you must love another as JESUS loved you. Note: You are not supposed to love me the way you love you. You are supposed to love THE WAY JESUS LOVED ME. You cannot do this without the Spirit. John says it this way “We love BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVE US.”

My dear friends this commandment can only be fulfilled when you know how much Jesus loves you. If you think that Jesus loves us because you obey the 10 commandments and your performance, you have NO idea how terrible we are as sinners and we will never appreciate how much he loves us. You cannot fulfill this commandment. You see loving one another is a FRUIT produced by the Spirit and NOT a WORK produced by you or your flesh.

Please take time to read your bible again without letting religion or tradition interfere. Read this and you will see that the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the 10 commandments are totally in opposites: 2 Cor 3: 7-8 “The Government of Death, its constitution chiseled on stone” (ONLY THE 10 COMMANDMENTS WAS ON STONE TABLETS) tablets, had a dazzling inaugural on Moses’ face as he delivered the tablets was so bright that day (even though it would fade soon enough) that the people of Israel could no more look right at him than stare into the sun. How much more dazzling, then, the Government of Living Spirit?

Vs 9-11 If the Government of Condemnation was impressive, how about this Government of Affirmation? Bright as that old government was, it would look downright dull alongside this new one. If that makeshift arrangement impressed us, how much more this brightly shining government installed for eternity?

Vs 12-15 With that kind of hope to excite us, nothing holds us back. Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil so the children of Israel wouldn’t notice that the glory was fading away—and they didn’t notice. They didn’t notice it then and they don’t notice it now, don’t notice that there’s nothing left behind that veil. Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there.

Vs 16-18 Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

Notice here when the 10 commandments is preached a veil covers you and your hearts became dull but when the commandments are taken away you see God face to face and you become transformed from glory to glory. We do not change by effort or work towards the Law. We are transformed when we see Jesus face to face!