The Fullness Of Time

Part II
God Sent Forth His Son

It is impossible to understand properly the purpose, function, and duration of the Mosaic law apart from considering it in relation to God's decisive activity in sending forth His Son. The Mosaic covenant will inevitably be misconstrued if viewed apart from its historical function, namely, to prepare the way for the messenger of the covenant.

The issues of the purpose of the law and the duration of the law should be considered together because once the purpose of the law is clearly discerned, in relationship to the advent of Christ, it becomes clear that the law as a covenant was intended to last for a limited period of time. For example, there has been considerable discussion concerning the meaning of "telos" in Rom 10:4--"For Christ is the end (telos) of the law for righteousness. . . ." Usually, one of two positions is adopted concerning the sense in which Paul uses the word "end." Some have argued that he uses it in the sense of "goal," i.e., Christ is the one to whom the law points and in whom it is fulfilled. Others have taken the position that he uses it to indicate that the law has come to an end. The truth is that if the law's purpose was to point forward to Christ for righteousness, then, since He has come as its fulfillment, the law, having been fulfilled in Him, no longer has any reason for existence. Thus, Christ would be both the "goal" and the "end" of the law for righteousness.

Rather than speaking of the purpose of the law, as though there were only one, perhaps we should speak of the purposes for which God gave the law to Israel. There is certainly a sense in which the law was intended as a barrier between Israel and the pagan nations that surrounded her. Israel was not to be like the other nations that God had cast out before her (Lev 20:22-26). The ceremonial aspects of the law were clearly intended typically to foreshadow the redemptive work of Christ as the great priest and all-sufficient sacrifice of His people. Paul even states in his first epistle to Timothy that the law was made for unrighteous men, presumably as a restraint on their sinful passions (1 Tim 1:8-10). In this passage, Paul shows that there is both a right and a wrong use of the law, he writes, "the law is good if a man uses it lawfully." The correct or lawful use of the law is found in the theology of Galatians. In Gal 3:19 Paul asks the question, "Why then the law?" He then proceeds to answer in such a way as to indicate the absolute superiority of the new covenant to the old. The law was intended to be temporary (3:19;24); the gospel is everlasting. The law functioned to bring about an uneasy confinement (3:22-23); the gospel grants liberty to the sons of God. The law was preparatory and would pass away as soon as its function was fulfilled. The believer under the new covenant is no longer under a "schoolmaster."

In this section we will consider the purpose of the law from four perspectives. We will first consider the law's purpose as it relates to the covenants of promise. We will then consider the purpose of the law in relation to "transgressions." We will consider Israel's condition under the law. And finally, we will consider the purpose of Israel's confinement under the law as it relates to the Gentile's enjoyment of God's promised blessings. The purpose of each of these chapters will be to show the preparatory function of the Mosaic covenant and the climactic change that occurred when "God sent forth His Son." In the course of this investigation, one chapter will be devoted to the doctrine of the believer's union with Christ as it relates to the fulfillment of the law and the Gentile's enjoyment of God's covenant blessings.