Requirements Fullfilled

I am reading a book which I will review for you at a later time.  It is an excellent book.  It discusses the very issue I want to address in this post today.  It took what I already knew and phrased it in a different way.  It caused me to have an “ah-ha” moment.  It changed my thinking from being in the terms of the law to being in terms of the covenant.

The Temptation of Adam 1551-52 Oil on canvas, 150 x 220 cm Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice

Often people focus on the law and how Christ was the fulfillment of the law, being the only one able to fully and completely keep the law.  We could discuss all of the reasons that the law was given or why we needed Christ to be our perfect sacrifice but what I would like to look at goes a bit deeper.  It goes beyond the law because to most when they consider the law they often do not think of the law beginning in the garden of Eden.  They do not think of the very first law.  They do not think in terms of covenant.

The real reason we needed Christ was not just because we cannot keep the law but because Adam, the physical father of mankind, broke covenant with God.

Christ not only fullfilled the law but he also fullfilled the requirements of the covenant of works (or covenant with creation).  This is the covenant made with Adam in the garden.

Man broke covenant with the Father (God) and so God (Christ) came as a man not just to fullfill the law but to uphold our end of the covenant. What amazing and merciful grace that is!