How Is Jesus the Best Example of Morality?

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

Today’s big question: how is Jesus the best example of morality?

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” These words from the First Amendment protect the church and allow it to flourish. Essentially they ensure that the United States would not establish a state church and would protect the free worship of God in the nation.

Words are important but easily perverted when the original intent is ignored, which is being done by many today. No longer is the focus on the protection and freedom of the practice of religion in society, but there is actual prohibition of Christian practice in the public arena. It truly is amazing, yet not surprising, how a sin-cursed humanity can use words for their own purposes rather than their original intent.

The Jews were doing much the same thing with their moral law. They had the Law but they were using its words for their own purposes. They had perverted justice to something that was individually determinable. They perverted morality because they had not captured the intent of the law.

As part of the most famous sermon in history, Jesus taught His disciples about this matter. He said that He came to fulfill rather than destroy the law. Jesus kept the words of the law but He also lived out the spirit of the law. Our standard is Jesus Christ.

Jesus did not murder. He kept the law. Further than that, He said not to hate a brother. In other words, Jesus told us not even to take the first step toward murder because it is as much a sin as murder itself.

In Christ there is an even deeper standard. Christ died for his enemies. In Him, the standard is not only in what we should not do, but what He has done. Not only is the standard for us not to hate our enemies, but He also commands us to love them. The standard of morality in Christ is unachievable for a sinful human race, but through faith He becomes our perfect substitute.

In Jesus the Law is not perverted as it was by the Jews, nor is it destroyed as if it never existed. In Him, the Law was fulfilled by what He has done for us on the Cross. In Jesus, hate is dead and love is personified. In Jesus there is no lie because He is the truth.

Today’s big idea: Jesus is the standard.

What to pray. seek the Lord to show you His standard clearly through His Word.