How does Romans 3:31 connect with Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5:17-18? Romans 3:31 in Context “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.” • Paul has just declared that sinners are justified “apart from works of the Law” (Romans 3:28). • Lest anyone think grace cancels God’s Law, Paul insists faith actually “upholds” it—keeps it standing, honors its authority. Matthew 5:17-18 in Context “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” • Jesus rejects any rumor that His mission is to scrap Scripture. • “Fulfill” (Greek plēroō) means to fill up, bring to complete expression—never to discard. Common Thread: Upholding and Fulfilling the Law • Both passages answer the same objection: “If salvation is by faith in Christ, what happens to God’s Law?” • Jesus: The Law continues until “everything is accomplished.” • Paul: Faith does not “nullify” the Law; it “upholds” it. • The Law’s moral demands stand; its ceremonial shadows reach their goal in Jesus (Colossians 2:16-17; Hebrews 10:1). How Faith in Christ “Upholds” the Law 1. The Law’s penalty is satisfied in Jesus • “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). • Justice is not relaxed; it is fully met (Isaiah 53:5-6). 2. The Law’s righteous requirement is fulfilled in believers • “The righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). • Through the indwelling Spirit, what the Law commands, grace empowers. 3. The Law is written on new hearts • “I will put My law within them and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). • Faith unites us to the New Covenant where obedience flows from inside-out transformation, not external compulsion. 4. The Law’s tutor role leads to Christ • “The Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). • Faith confirms the Law’s purpose by taking us to the very Savior it points toward. Practical Implications for Today • Relish God’s Law as a faithful revelation of His character—never a ladder for earning salvation. • Depend on the Spirit to live out the Law’s moral core: love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 13:8-10). • Honor the whole counsel of Scripture—Genesis to Revelation—as trustworthy and enduring. • Proclaim a gospel that magnifies both grace and holiness: Christ forgives and transforms. |
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