Fulfilling God's Law

Verse of the day: Rom 3:31 Do we then make the Law void through faith? Let it not be! But we establish the Law.

For us, the born again believer, we know that our salvation comes from putting our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation, as even our works of righteousness are like filthy rags to God (Is 64:6). We know that our works, in and of themselves, do not gain us any great favor with God, even as Christians, if done without faith as their basis (Heb 11:6). However, even though our eternal life is not earned by anything we have done, this does not make God's Law "null and void" in our lives. On the contrary, when we read, and study, the Law, it actually helps us to have a greater appreciation for God's salvation, and His amazing grace! It is the Law that brings us to the realization of how much we truly need the Lord in our life. It is the Law that brings us to the place where we realize how much we needed a Savior in order to get to Heaven. Salvation has not made the Law of no use. Does that mean that we have to set up a bunch of religious rules to follow in our lives, based on the Old Testament Law? No. Why? Because if we are truly saved, and are obediently living for Jesus, then we will, by virtue of obeying His commands, fulfill the Law. Galatians 5:14 tells us that when we love our neighbor, we fulfill the law. In Mark 12:29-31, the Lord tells us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. When we do this, we are careful to obey the Word of God in respect to how we live for Him, and how we should treat others (as Jesus treated others). In doing so, we will do our best to avoid doing those things toward others that the Law instructed man not to do to each other, as outlined in the Old Testament. The bottom line is that all Scripture is profitable, not just the New Testament. So, even though we do not live by the Law, in loving God, and loving others (in our actions toward them), we fulfill God's Law.