"For powerless being the Law in that it was weak through the flesh, God of himself, His son, having sent in the likeness of flesh, of sin, and for sin, judged sin in the flesh, that the requirement of the Law should be fulfilled in us, not according to the flesh, walking but according to the Spirit."1
Under the new covenant, God's righteous requirement is met, His mercy triumphs His judgement.2 This is an amazing and profound statement. The righteous requirement of the Law was met in Jesus Christ, who came in the form of human nature, of flesh and sin. He lived an indestructible life, one without sin, and he condemned or judged sin in the flesh. This word that is usually translated as condemn is katakrinó properly, judge down, i.e. issue a penalty (exactly condemn). The law was weak (from asthenḗs, without vigor or strength, living in a state of weakness.) Jesus came down to issue a penalty, to make a judgement against sin, so that the righteous requirement of the law could be met.
Under the old covenant, people who came before God unclean died, if they did not adhere to the Law passed down to Moses, adhere to the requirements to come before God. When the people complained, God sent poisonous snakes among them. His righteous requirement superseded his love but even then God told Moses to lift up a serpent on a staff so that those who had faith and obeyed the commandment to look into this for salvation would be saved. Jesus was lifted up like the serpent, a way was provided, God's Grace superseded His righteous requirement of the Law. We believe in Jesus, who like the serpent Moses lifted up, when we look unto Him, this brings salvation, thus God provided a way for His righteous requirement of the Law to be met. We know and understand this love experientially when we believe. But what we do not fully grasp is that God brought in a new covenant, making the old obsolete, that the requirement of the Law should be fulfilled. Now we understand more fully, God loved us so much He laid down His life for us, he laid aside His requirements.
Love is a greater motivator of hearts than fear. But let's be clear, Jesus the Word of God, fulfilled this, there is no other way to receive His Spirit nor His Grace. His righteous requirement was met through Jesus. God seeing that the Law was powerless because of the flesh gave His Son, in this weakness, in the likeness of flesh, of sin, and for sin. And now His mercy triumphs His judgement. Jesus said if someone offends you, repents, and asks for forgiveness, then we are to forgive them each time, 70 times 7, Under God's Grace He forgives 70 times 7, Grace upon Grace, Abundant Grace, Infinite Grace. Because of this great love for us, His Grace was lavished upon us. He seals us with His Spirit when we believe, so that the requirement of the Law should be fulfilled in us, not according to the flesh, walking, but according to the Spirit.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."7
My Story
We have a born again spirit, a new nature, no longer a nature of sin, we are no longer slaves but sons, in which we cry Abba Father! But sin still exists in our members, we must walk not to human nature, nor the nature of the Law, but according to the Spirit, this fulfills the righteous requirement of the law. We understand God's love for us, God so loved us that He sent His son to die for us, Jesus took on sin and became an atonement for sin. If in Jesus the full godhead existed then God took on all sin. If Jesus is God and He took on sin then God could not separate himself from Jesus, He could not turn His back on himself, no, God took on sin. But according to the righteous requirement of the Law man would have died, the judgment of a holy God against sin. God could not be in the presence of sin, how could he then take on sin? God's righteous requirement was met through the Law, if the Law was not adhered to, man died.
The fear of God in regards to His righteous requirements, was that of God on his holy mountain, burning with fire, if so much as an animal came in contact with His holiness it would have to die, "And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.” But we are no longer required to come to God this way, but "you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant"6 No longer am I to fear God in this way. God changed his requirements and issued a new covenant, a new contractual agreement with new requirements, "For by Grace are you saved through faith, it is not of yourselves but a gift from God, not out of works so no one can boast."7 We come with confidence before His throne of Grace, just as I am.
The fear of God in regards to His righteous requirements, was that of God on his holy mountain, burning with fire, if so much as an animal came in contact with His holiness it would have to die, "And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.” But we are no longer required to come to God this way, but "you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant"6 No longer am I to fear God in this way. God changed his requirements and issued a new covenant, a new contractual agreement with new requirements, "For by Grace are you saved through faith, it is not of yourselves but a gift from God, not out of works so no one can boast."7 We come with confidence before His throne of Grace, just as I am.
Under the old covenant, people who came before God unclean died, if they did not adhere to the Law passed down to Moses, adhere to the requirements to come before God. When the people complained, God sent poisonous snakes among them. His righteous requirement superseded his love but even then God told Moses to lift up a serpent on a staff so that those who had faith and obeyed the commandment to look into this for salvation would be saved. Jesus was lifted up like the serpent, a way was provided, God's Grace superseded His righteous requirement of the Law. We believe in Jesus, who like the serpent Moses lifted up, when we look unto Him, this brings salvation, thus God provided a way for His righteous requirement of the Law to be met. We know and understand this love experientially when we believe. But what we do not fully grasp is that God brought in a new covenant, making the old obsolete, that the requirement of the Law should be fulfilled. Now we understand more fully, God loved us so much He laid down His life for us, he laid aside His requirements.
God loved greatly, He changed His requirement, when we walk according to the Spirit the requirement is fulfilled, this is Amazing Grace. Jesus said there was no greater love than someone laying down their life for another, this is how we know we love one another, we lay down our wants, desires, requirements... our life for another. It doesn't mean the requirements are not there but instead of judgement we give grace. It is through this trust of Him and his unconditional love, that I come to believe in my identity as his child and when I realize how much He loves me and how good my heavenly Father is, I want to be like him.
Love is a greater motivator of hearts than fear. But let's be clear, Jesus the Word of God, fulfilled this, there is no other way to receive His Spirit nor His Grace. His righteous requirement was met through Jesus. God seeing that the Law was powerless because of the flesh gave His Son, in this weakness, in the likeness of flesh, of sin, and for sin. And now His mercy triumphs His judgement. Jesus said if someone offends you, repents, and asks for forgiveness, then we are to forgive them each time, 70 times 7, Under God's Grace He forgives 70 times 7, Grace upon Grace, Abundant Grace, Infinite Grace. Because of this great love for us, His Grace was lavished upon us. He seals us with His Spirit when we believe, so that the requirement of the Law should be fulfilled in us, not according to the flesh, walking, but according to the Spirit.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."7