FULFILL by Elder G. T. Wilson

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 7, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 39.

"FULFILL."

By Elder G. T. Wilson

BY ELDER G. T. WILSON.

Let Scripture Explain Itself.

THERE are some people who are very desirous, it seems, to make it appear that when Christ said, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill," the word "fulfill" means to abolish, to bring to an end. Well, let us see if this is the sense in which the word "fulfill" is used in other places, and then we can determine whether it should be so understood here in Matt. 5:17. And right here it may be well to say that those who claim that the law of God (the ten commandments) is abolished, have very little idea as to the absurdity of their position, or of the fact that they by it ignore the very gospel.

First, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation; but salvation from what? The only true answer to this question must be, Salvation from sin. But what is sin? The answer of the Scripture is, "Sin is the transgression of the law." 1 John 3:4. "All unrighteousness is sin." 1 John 5:17. Then the gospel is to save men from sin, from unrighteousness, from transgression of the law. But how do we obtain a knowledge of what sin is? God's word answers: "By the law is the knowledge of sin;" "I had not known sin, but by the law." Rom. 3:20; 7:7. Do we not want the gospel to continue its blessed work? It was said by the angel to Mary when our Saviour was born, "Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." This precious Saviour "was bruised" on the cross "for our transgressions." Was it not truly said, "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might

be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Cor. 5:21.

To Jesus alone do we look for salvation from sin, and his righteousness is the only righteousness which will meet the demands of the broken law of God. Thus only can we be robed in Christ's righteousness, live by his power, sing of his salvation, and magnify his holy name all the day.

But how about the word "fulfill"?

That fulfill does not mean abolish can be clearly seen by reading a few other texts where the word is used. By substituting the word "abolish" for the word "fulfill" in a few of these texts, anyone can see how absurd it would be to say that Christ's fulfilling the law abolished it. The Saviour's words to John when he asked him to baptize him, help to illustrate the use of the word "fulfill." John at first refused to do it, but Jesus said, "Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." Did Christ's fulfilling all righteousness abolish it, or bring it to an end?—No, indeed! For his righteousness still avails for us. In James 2:8 we read, "If ye fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well." Who wants the word "fulfill" to mean "abolish" here? It is evidently used in the sense of "do," carry out in the life, perform its requirements. This can only be fulfilled by those who give their hearts to the Saviour and accept of his righteousness to meet the demands of the law which man has broken. Then only can man fulfill the royal law, and love his neighbor as himself. It is the Spirit of Christ which fills the believer's heart with holy love, and enables him to love both his Maker and his fellow creature. Rom. 5:5. The cross of Calvary is God's testimony to the holy and unchangeable character of his righteous law which man had broken, and the spotless life of Him who acted as man's Substitute, bearing his sin on the cruel cross until the hiding of his Father's face caused the dying Son of God to cry out in his utter loneliness and gloom, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" All this was that we might taste the cup of salvation, yea, drink and live forever. Christ died for our sins, to uphold his Father's law. Rom. 3:31.

Every part of the law of God was a law of spiritual life in Christ, and when we are redeemed from its condemnation, we receive the Holy Spirit, and it at once begins to lead us to fulfill the law in our lives, while we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, not on the law. Led by the Spirit, we are not under condemnation of the law; but its righteousness is fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. Rom. 8:3, 4.

All the righteous law of God is fulfilled by us when we love our neighbor as ourselves, because he who loves God will love his brother also. See Gal. 5:14; 1 John 4:19-21. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal. 6:2. Surely this does not mean "abolish" the law of Christ. "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Gal. 5:16. "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8:7. The purity of heaven is repulsive to the carnal heart, which fulfills the desires of the flesh and of the mind unrenewed by divine grace; so we are not at all surprised when we see people whose wills are not submitted to the will of God trying every way they can to put far from them that holy law, which represents to us the righteous character of God, for it condemns the carnal-minded man, and shows him he is lost without a Saviour, who alone can deliver him from the bondage of his own sins. It is very necessary that we submit to God, and then all that he requires will be a pleasure for us to fulfill. James 4:7.

How beautiful and harmonious the above texts appear when we let them stand as they are intended to mean, to do, to perform, to fulfill, to carry out! Prophecy may be fulfilled but once, and thereafter become a matter of past history; so may it be with the types and shadows of the law of sacrifices and ceremonial rites of the temple service, but God's holy law, which points out what sin is, and forms the golden rod with which he measures men's characters, does not end by being done once. Rev. 22:14.

It was fulfilled in the life of Christ, and is to be fulfilled in everyone in whom Christ dwells by his Holy Spirit at the present time. Rom. 8:1-4.

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven."

Napier, New Zealand.