Help on Romans 10:4 -

[reform1509]

First of all, thank you in advance for your insight and expertise. Any constructive comments are very much appreciated. I am still somewhat new to this, so I appreciate your help. Blessings.

Here is my question...

I am preparing notes for a sermon on Romans 10.4, showing how Christ’s work is both the termination and the fulfilment of the law.

Can you give me some insight on how this verse shows the end of all the symbols and ceremonies of the old order, and note parallel verses?

 

[Cymro]

Off the cuff whilst I wait for my flight, does not the text mean something else?
I think that it does not mean the end of the law but rather Christ the is objective of the
law. Or, Christ is the object to which the law points. The law is a schoolmaster to bring to Christ.

 

[reform1509]

What are your notes thus far?

Hi Josh,
Here is what I wrote thus far...

The word "law" in verse 4 is general. It is not necessarily talking about Mosaic law, it is simply talking about the idea of law. That is, saving myself by keeping commandments, keeping laws, religious rules etc.
This is good news! Can you imagine being that person in Israel who has been burden down with all the rules and regulations imposed by the Pharisees? The religious leaders just piled rules and regulations up until the burden were absolutely unbearable?
And you go through life with this unbearable weight of legal requirements that you have to perform. Further, you have to live with guilt of not living up to it, trying your best to do more good deeds than bad deeds so you can get into heaven and not be sent to hell. Can you imagine how discouraging and demoralizing that would be?
And in the midst of this struggle, along comes Jesus Christ and you hear the gospel of grace which says you can't make it that way, forget what the Pharisees told you, put your faith in Jesus Christ, believe in Him that He died for you and rose again, receive Him as your Savior and instantaneously God will grant to you in Him the righteousness you could never get on your own. What good news!
That's why Galatians 5:1 reminds us for freedom Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. That's over! We've been made free from trying to seek self-righteousness.
Additionally, Colossians 2:14 states that all the record of what we were guilty of was nailed to the cross of Christ. What an amazing thought! All the guilt and shame was nailed to the cross of Christ and He died for us and gives us perfect righteousness.
In Romans chapter 3:20-22 we clearly see the way of salvation. Romans 3:20 states, "By the deeds of the law," that is by the quest for law righteousness, "no flesh is made just." Nobody gets right with God that way. The law only gives us the knowledge of sin. The law just shows us how sinful we are. "But now," verse 21 says, "the righteousness of God is apart from the law manifest." It's apart from works. It is the righteousness of God, verse 22, which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. That is truly a different kind of righteousness!
At the end of verse 4 we read that, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that...that does what?...believes," that's all. It’s all about faith!

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

I recommend excellent Williamson's treatment of section XIX of the WCF if you have it.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

The key word in this passage is "righteousness." Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, meaning not that the law no longer applies, only that it is no longer a means for attaining righteousness.