The Passing Away of the Law - A Brief Summary

A Brief Scriptural Summary:

Only the children of Israel came to be under the Law Covenant through Moses, and it was binding only to the children of Israel, those who became proselytes to Israel, and any foreign person residing in the land of Israel. All others were never bound to the Law Covenant made with Israel. -- Exodus 12:43,45; 19:5,6; Deuteronomy 4:4; 7:6; 14:21; 26:18; Psalm 147:19; Isaiah 63:19; Amos 3:2; Romans 2:12,14; 3:1,2.

The Jew who accepts Christ is no longer bound by the Law, since he is reckoned as dead to the law through Jesus; for all other Jews the Law is still binding and these remain under its curse as long as each lives.  -- Luke 16:14-31; Romans 7:1-6; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 3:14.

Being loosed from bondage to the Law Covenant does not release one from God's eternal law upon which the Law Covenant is based. -- Matthew 22:37-30; Romans 13:10; Galatians 5:14; Colossians 2:16,17; Hebrews 7:11-28; 8:4,5,13; 10:1; James 2:8.

For those under the Law Covenant, that covenant has not passed away; those still under the law are still bound to that law to this day, and are still under its curse. Once, however, every Jew has either died physically, or has become reckoned as dead through Christ, the old Law Covenant will vanish. Jesus indicated that the present heavens and earth must pass away before the Law covenant vanishes. -- Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17; Hebrews 8:13; 2 Peter 3:10.

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God's Comprehensive Law

They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are your works, Jehovah God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations. -- Revelation 15:3 -- RLIV

(1) JEHOVAH'S wisdom, love and justice decide on what is best, and that decision is His will or law. But, strictly speaking, only so much of God's will as He expresses to His creatures is law to them. Hence, while His laws never conflict, they may be more or less fully and differently expressed on one occasion than on another. Thus, while the law was given to Adam not to eat of a forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:16,17), we are not under any such law. And to Noah a command was given to build an ark (Genesis 6:14-7:1), we today are not given such a command.

(2) All of God's intelligent creatures are under instruction, being taught those laws which his infinite love, wisdom and justice have enacted for the well-being of all. Though created perfect, each in his plane of being, yet they all lack that scope of knowledge and wisdom which belongs in full measure to the divine nature only. They all lack experience; hence, in giving them instruction in the wisdom and propriety of his laws, it has pleased Jehovah to make an illustration which would manifest and practically exemplify his own nature and demonstrate to his creatures the wisdom and righteousness of his laws.

(3) It is evident that the spirit of his law is not to take advantage of some transgressive slip, occasioned by lack of experience on the part of his creatures, but that he intends it to apply to the thoughts and intents of the hearts. That this is the real intent of God, we shall see illustrated by his dealings with those who have from lack of knowledge become sinners.

(4) His law in full, as we now see it in the light of his Word, is, "You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind," and "your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37,38) Jesus stated: "The whole law and the prophets hangs on these two commandments." God had given to Israel a covenant, often called the "Law Covenant", and the penalty attached to the slightest deviation from that law is, "The soul who sins, he will die." (Ezekiel 18:4) As applied in the final judgment, this principle would mean that no being will be permitted to continue to live, who, when fully informed of God's righteous will, and enabled to obey it, refuses to conform to Jehovah's will. All such will be cut off from life. Nevertheless, the same principle of law existed before God made his covenant with the children of Israel, for Adam was to either prove or fail to prove his love for his Creator by his obedience or disobedience.

(5) To fully exemplify this law, God caused man to be used as an illustration before this extreme penalty was placed upon the angels. So man was placed under the extreme penalty of his law -- death. God knew that through inexperience man would violate that law and come under its penalty; but he purposed to make an illustration to all his creatures of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and its sure consequences, while at the same time his love and wisdom so marked out the plan, that mankind, the illustration, might not suffer loss, but be blessed by the lesson as learned. -- Romans 7:13; Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 29:18,19; Jeremiah 16:61-63.

(6) Nor should we forget that God's dealing with man was perfectly just. He had a right to demand perfect obedience from a perfect creature; and the fact that he at first did not inflict death upon the angels was a favor toward them; even as toward man he has displayed his favor also, though in a different manner -- through a ransom, and Savior, and restitution, and future trial for life, more favorable than the first, because of the knowledge of sin and its effects, meanwhile acquired by experience. (See our publication: Mankind's Course to the Day of Judgment) This was a masterly stroke of wise economy on God's part; for had the death penalty been pronounced on the angels who sinned, a redeemer of their own kind would have been necessary for their recovery; and not only one, but many -- one redeemer for each transgressor; for they were legion and were individually on trial; and the requirement of God's law is, Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life.

(7) Let us briefly view the exhibition of God's character as displayed in his dealing toward mankind whom he made a spectacle to angels. (1 Corinthians 4:9) In so doing, let us guard against the common error which would judge God's actions exactly as our own. Let us remember that justice, love, wisdom and power, as commonly displayed by the fallen race, in dealing with each other, and by human parents with their children, are far from perfect. In our first parents those qualities were perfect: they were in the image of Jehovah; but in our experience, in consequence of the fall, these qualities are constantly at war with each other. Sometimes love has a victory over justice, and sometimes justice has a victory over love.

(8) But with Jehovah there can be no conflict; and neither ever gains a victory or ascendancy over the other. Both are perfect, and work only in perfect harmony.

(9) Before man was created, the Justice, Wisdom, Love and Power of God held conference on the subject, and devised the plan which has since then been developing. The plan was suggested by Wisdom and concurred in by the other attributes; the arrangement and execution of it being left in Wisdom's hands.

(10) Wisdom designed to have the largest returns from the experience of man, and the most valuable illustration of God's character to all his creatures, on every plane of being. Accordingly Wisdom said, Let the man come under the control of Justice, Love and Power, separately, that the force and operation of each may be the more forcibly illustrated. Let Justice first have complete control, let men be dealt with by the strict law, "You must not" --. "In the day that you eat...dying you will die." And it was so.

(11) Man, inexperienced and unused to self-control and liberty, violated the law, and experienced the full weight of Justice, as Wisdom had foreseen and prepared for.

(12) The lesson under Justice has been long and severe, but the lesson must be thorough, so that it shall never need repeating. Men and angels must learn that Justice is relentless, irrevocable and unalterable. Then, too, before it could be realized that the remedy for man lay only in Jehovah and nowhere else, an opportunity was offered for the trial of other methods for man's recovery. First, the angels were given rulership (during the age before the flood), and made a miserable failure; for, while man became more and more corrupt himself, his evil influence led to the fall of some of those who attempted his assistance -- "those angels who did not keep their first estate." -- Jude 6

(13) With the deluge that order of affairs passed away. Then, under the Law Covenant, given to one selected nation, another and different opportunity was presented, to prove to man that even if God should cancel all enmity, or resentment, and receive the world into covenant relations, they would require a Restorer, so that they could continue in harmony with God, even after being forgiven. Hence sacrifices and offerings for sin were instituted, and God treated that nation as though original sin and guilt had been removed, and then placed them under laws to prove to them, to us and to all, their inability (as degenerate creatures) to keep his law without a restitution to perfection -- to his likeness. -- See How God's Son Condemned Sin in the Flesh.

(14) Meanwhile Love stood ready to manifest itself at the moment Wisdom should give the word. Love would have done so at once, but for two reasons: First, it could not oppose or interfere with the action of Justice in condemning man and delivering him over for the execution of the prescribed penalty. Second: though Love might have acknowledged Justice and approved its action by promptly providing a ransom (an equivalent price), Wisdom objected and did not permit this course at that time, because it saw best to make the lesson complete and thorough.

(15) Hence for over four thousand years Love was not permitted to manifest itself, and might only speak in shadowy sacrifices and ceremonies, and more or less obscure promises. But, finally, when the right time had come, "in due time," "in the fulness of time," Wisdom gave the word, and Love began to manifest itself for man's relief. The first act was to produce a perfect and sinless man to be a suitable "ransom for all:" one not under the Adamic curse -- who would lay down his life for the race, and whose sacrifice would meet all the requirements of Justice, and therefore be acceptable as a ransom and propitiation for man's sins. And Love's great exhibition was seen in the gift of the grandest and greatest and first of all God's creation, who stooped and became man, to redeem men: and "they called his name Jesus."

(16) "Ah!" says one who judges by his own feelings, "Now comes Love's victory over Justice. We shall see that God is more loving than severe." But not so; God is not more loving than severely just: he is perfect in both respects. It will be indeed a victory for Love, but not over Justice. It will be much grander than that. It will prove a victory for both Justice and Love; for it will be gained by Love's paying the price demanded by Justice--a ransom, "an equivalent price." -- 1 Timothy 2:4-6.

(17) Thus did love of God magnify the justice and law of God, and 'make it honorable,' by acknowledging its claims in the payment of the very penalty demanded -- man's death.

(18) We need scarcely say, that the love of God so long veiled from sight, was manifested in the gift of his Son to be our Redeemer and Savior. The record is: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation [satisfaction or appeasement] for our sins." "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him." -- 1 John 4:9,10

(19) When Love had ransomed man, and was ready to reveal itself by restoring the willing and obedient of mankind to perfection and harmony with God, Wisdom postponed this on the ground that a further development of the plan would ultimately enhance Love's glory, and perfect the work: that an interlude (the Gospel age) must occur in which should be selected some from among the redeemed, some sharers in Christ's sufferings and reproach, who should be counted worthy to share his glory and to be his associates in the execution of Love's triumph in "the restitution of all things spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets." -- Acts 3:21.

(20) Long and faithfully has Love labored; yet all her labor will yet be lost, unless in due time Wisdom shall commission Power to do its special part in the great plan.

(21) Power thus far has stood in the background, doing nothing directly in man's relief, save in the resurrection of our Lord, and in the miracles which shadowed forth its coming work.

(22) Now, we are living in the era when Power begins to act, not in opposition to Justice, but in harmony with Wisdom, Justice and Love. Oh, blessed day! The Lamb that was slain and who redeemed us by his blood is now invested with Power to bless all whom he bought; and he is now about taking unto himself his great power, and shall reign until he has subdued all enemies. -- Revelation 20:6; 1 Corinthians 15:25.

(23) Thus, God has chosen the plan which most fully and grandly exemplifies his unalterable justice, and exhibits the exceeding riches of his grace -- his love; and in the restoration of man ("all who come to the Father by him") from destruction, from death, to perfection and life, will God's power be illustrated far more forcibly than even in man's creation. And as men and angels come to recognize the full fruition of God's plan in the ages to come, will they not with one consent exclaim with our brother and Apostle Paul, as he caught a glimpse of it: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who has known the mind [plan] of Jehovah? or who has been his counselor? ... Because out of him, and through him, and for him are all [these] things. To him be the glory for ever." -- Romans 11:33-36.

---  Based on article from Reprints page 1680 (R1680)
Edited by Ronald R. Day, Sr.

Romans 7:1-4 -- Who Becomes Dead to the Law?

 This study has been moved to:
https://ransomforall.blogspot.com/2022/10/rom7-1.html

Matthew 5:17,18 - The Fulfilling of the Law

This study has been moved to: https://bible-covenants.blogspot.com/2023/06/law-fulfilled.html

Jehovah's Plan of the Ages

 This study has been moved to:

https://rlbibleresources.blogspot.com/2021/02/jehovahs-plan-of-ages.html

Were the Ten Commandments Fulfilled by Jesus?

Matthew 5:17 -  Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. -- World English.

The question is asked: Was it the Law of God, the Ten Commandments (TC), that was fulfilled by the Lord?

The question evidently assumes that the Ten Commandments are the Law of God, but not a part of the Law Covenant. The assumption appears to be that Jesus did not fulfill the Ten Commandments, as they are not part of the Law Covenant. After comparing Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13, 14, and Hebrews 8:6-8, there should be no question on the part of anyone that the Ten Commandments were a part of the Law Covenant which is to be supplanted by the New Covenant sealed with the blood (death) of Christ, its Mediator Jesus the Head and the Church his Body.

Paul spoke of one of the ten commandments as being related to the Law Covenant to which the Jew becomes dead through Jesus. James refers to the ten commandments as part of Law Covenant. -- Romans 7:1; Romans 7:2; Romans 7:3; Romans 7:4; Romans 7:7; Romans 7:11; James 2:9; James 2:10; James 2:11.

Jesus, in order to obey his God, had to fulfill any of the laws of God given to Israel through Moses, including the ten commandments. (Romans 3:19; Romans 7:1) If we are to think that Jesus fulfilled all of the Law but that he did not fulfill the ten commandments, then this would mean that he was not obedient to the commands of God as given in those commandments to Israel. And if he did not fulfill the ten commandments, which would further mean that none of Israel is saved; the apostles, and any son of Israel that was born into this world under those commandments (Galatians 4:4), are all under a curse by those commandments. Likewise, if Jesus did not fulfill those commandments, then he was disobedient to his God and Father, and Jesus himself would also be under a curse by those commandments.

On the other hand, if Jesus fulfilled the ten commandments but not the rest of the commandments given to Israel, then Israel is still cursed by those commandments that Jesus did not fulfill, and Jesus himself would also be so cursed. -- Deuteronomy 11:26; Deuteronomy 11:27; Deuteronomy 11:28; Deuteronomy 27:26; Romans 3:19,20; Galatians 3:1; James 2:9; James 2:10; James 2:11.

Either way, if Jesus would not have fulfilled all given through Moses, then Jesus fell short of fulfilling all the commandments of God to Israel, and the ransom sacrifice of Jesus would have been of no effect, since Jesus himself would have been under a curse.

The reality is that Jesus fully obeyed and fulfilled all the commandments, thus providing the means of releasing the Jew from the curse of the Law so that he may become a child of God through Jesus.

Matthew 5:17,18 - The Law is Not Destroyed

 Matthew 5:17 - Don't think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Matthew 5:18 - For most assuredly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.

Many do not realize that these words of Jesus were spoken to and concerning those "under the Law." Some have sought to use the above words to bind Gentiles to the Law Covenant; however, this is not what Jesus was talking about. Jesus also stated: "The law and the prophets were until John." (Luke 16:16) John wrote: "For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.." (John 1:17) And Jesus stated: "Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is put away from a husband commits adultery." Jesus was here speaking the covenant to which the children of Israel are bound. The children of Israel cannot become divorced from the Law, so as to belong to another, without symbolically committing adultery (unfaithfulness). Jesus cannot become the Lord of one who belongs to the Law without also symbolically committing adultery (unfaithfulness). Jesus continues in Luke 16 to describe in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus the separation between the Law Covenant and the Covenant of Grace.

Paul asks: "Don't you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?" -- Romans 7:1.

It is the sons of Israel (not the Gentiles) who are bound to the Law Covenant. That Law Covenant was not given to any other nation but the nation of Israel. The everlasting law covenant with Israel was still upon the Jew in general when Jesus gave his sermon on the mount, and it is still in effect to those still under the law, although it can not give life to anyone due to the sinful flesh. "For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse." -- Galatians 3:10.

The law covenant is never destroyed, but it does "pass away," 'vanish,' (Hebrews 8:11), once all of its subjects have died, either actually or reckonedly. "The law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives." (Romans 7:1) "Now we have been discharged from the law, having died [reckonedly -- Romans 6:11] to that in which we were held." -- Romans 7:6.

The Law Covenant was designed only for man in his sinful state; it was not designed for the righteous, the justified. (1 Timothy 1:9) If one under the law could fully obey that Law, one could have been justified by such obedience, and such a person would have eternal life by the Law. None of Adam's descendants were so justified by means of Law, for, due to the weakness of sinful flesh, no one could be fully obedient to that Law.

Furthermore, the Law Covenant was not given to all mankind, but only to the nation of Israel. --Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Amos 3:2.

Gentiles who are grafted into the ecclesia of Christ (Romans 11:17-24) as the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:15-18) are not grafted into the law covenant, as many assume, for if they were, it would only serve to be a curse for them. (Galatians 3:10) It would further mean that they had not been justified (declared righteous), since it would still account them as sinners. -- 1 Timothy 1:9.

Nevertheless, Jesus, as the seed of promise (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 9:6,7), the promised son of the man, David (Acts 13:23), had already begun to use his authority as the promised son of David to magnify the Law. 

Jesus' purpose was not to destroy the law, but to fulfill and establish the justness of the Law, which, as a human being (Hebrews 2:9) while in days of his flesh (Hebrews 5:7), did by his full obedience to the Law. On the other hand, the covenant with Abraham and his seed had already been confirmed long before the Law Covenant. -- Galatians 3:16,17.

In many cases, however, it is as the "seed of Abraham" that Jesus acts. Jesus, of course, having received a body especially prepared by his God and Father (Hebrews 10:5; John 6:33,51), did not have the condemnation of Adam, as the rest of mankind. (Romans 5:12-19; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22) And yet, he, although not a sinner was born under the law. (Galatian 4:4) How could he, a righteous man, be under the law, when the law was made for sinners? The prophet wrote that "Jehovah has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6) This, of course, was in a reckoned manner, not because Jesus' flesh was actually sinful. Jesus came into the world of mankind in the "likeness" [not actually] of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) only because Jehovah had laid upon him the iniquity of the whole world. He suffered and died as though he were a sinner, although in reality he wasn't. And yet, through his obedience, Jesus condemned sin the flesh (Romans 8:3) and fulfilled the commandments of the Law.

The fulfilling of the law, however, requires not just the keeping of the law commandments, but also the fulfilling of the typical arrangements provided in the law by the realities that are pictured by those types. Many of these types involve the Church of Christ, and thus, the fulfilling of the law extends beyond Jesus himself. (Colossians 2:17; 8:5; 10:1) Since some of these typical arrangements are not fulfilled until the age to come, then the present heaven and earth must pass away before the law is totally fulfilled. Furthermore, the entire Law is still active upon all who are under that Law. For those under the Law, nothing at all in the Law passes away until after the present heavens and earth pass away. -- Matthew 5:18; Luke 16:17

Nevertheless, Jesus had to be born under the law, and to suffer as though he were disobedient to that law, else he could not have purchased, redeemed any from the curse of the law. -- Galatians 3:13.

Romans 4:13 - For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 4:14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise is made of no effect.

Jesus' inheritance was not of the law covenant (Galatians 3:18; Romans 4:13), although Jesus, being born under the Law (Galatians 4:4), was obligated to keep the Law covenant (Romans 3:19; James 2:10; Romans 7:1), which he did perfectly, else he would have been cursed under the Law just as the Jews in general. (Galatians 3:10)  If he had failed in one small matter (James 2:10), he would not have received the inheritance, since he would be condemned just as everyone else under the law. While his keeping the law perfectly proved him to be the promised one, his inheritance as the promised one was due to his being the seed of Abraham, the seed of David, not due the law covenant itself. Likewise, the believers' inheritance is because -- through faith in Jesus -- they are made the seed of Abraham with Jesus, and it is not attributed to the law covenant, nor is it directly attributable to the new covenant, but we do believe one has be first become a son by appropriating the blood of the new covenant before he can become members of the seed of Abraham. (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 10:29; 12:24) Hebrews 10:29 shows, also, that new creature in Christ must stay under the blood of the new covenant, or else one can be subject a condemnation for which no sacrifice is provided. -- Hebrews 10:26.

And yet we should realize that the new covenant does not have its actual "beginning" until the age to come, when God, by means of that covenant releases the dead from the tomb through application of the blood of Christ. There could be no resurrection of either the just or the unjust without an application of the blood of the new covenant that releases the dead so that they may be raised in the last day, whether to life or judgment. Nevertheless, the believers in this age receive the application of the new covenant through the holy spirit as a token, a down payment, an earnest, of the reality to follow. (2 Corinthians 1:21,22; 5:4,5; Ephesians 1:13,14) They, in effect, taste of powers of the age to come. (Hebrews 6:5) Being transferred thereby into the coming kingdom (Colossians 1:13), they become representatives of that kingdom in the midst of corrupt generation (Philippians 2:15), and servants of a new covenant. -- 2 Corinthians 3:6.

The new covenant, however, is not just for the purpose of releasing the dead from the death condition resulting from Adam, but it is also for the purpose of reconciliation (Romans 5:11; 2 Corinthians 5:19), returning mankind not only to what Adam had before Adam sinned, but also returning mankind to the possibility of perfecting love and faith in the Creator, as Adam could have done. This, of course, does not mean that any released from the condemnation in Adam becomes lawless. Through Christ's obedience to God, including his obedience to the law covenant, as a man, and due to his proving himself unswervingly incorruptible as a man, he brought life and incorruption to light. (1 Corinthians 15:54; 2 Timothy 1:10) A sinless man had not only kept God's law, but had also proven himself to to be *incorruptible* in obedience to his God and Father.

It is true that the until the apostles were enlightened by the holy spirit there was no general understanding of the basis of salvation. God, however, who calls things that are not as though they were (Romans 4:17), could and did bring a reckoning of salvation before the sacrifice of Jesus was made, since God had foreknowledge that the sacrifice was to be given, and thus due to his foreknowledge, that which was not yet was reckoned as being as though it had already happened, just as he counts people as alive in view of the coming resurrection in the last day. -- Luke 20:37,38

Question: Are you saying that we have to abide by OT law?

No; that Law was only with the nation of Israel (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Amos 3:2), and as each member of that nation accepts Jesus or actually dies, that law is no longer in effect for that person, and thus that person is no longer condemned by that law. -- Romans 7:1-4; Galatians 3:10.

Is the New Covenant Active Now?

Most realize that Bible Students are split over whether the new covenant is active now, or if it belongs exclusively to or becomes active in the next age. We believe that the problem is that most do not seem to realize how the New Covenant, if it is not active now, can be active on the new creature so as to result in sanctification (consecration). The terminology most often used among Bible Students would either result in the thought that the new creature is not under the New Covenant, or that if he is under the New Covenant, then the New Covenant must be active now. We believe that trom these two extremes other wrong conclusions are developed.

What we need to realize is that everything pertaining the new creation belongs to the age to come, not this present evil age. Thus, Paul wrote:

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, they have become new. - 2 Corinthians 5:17.

The new creation is related to the passing away of the present evil age, the present heavens and earth, and the time when all things are made new. -- Isaiah 65:17; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; Mark 31:31; Luke 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10,13; Revelation 21:1-5.

That New Heavens and New Earth are not now, but belong to the "age to come."

He will receive one hundred times now in this time, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land, with persecutions; and in the age to come eternal life. -- Mark 10:30.

Who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world [age] to come, eternal life." -- Luke 18:30.

That "age to come" had not yet come when the book of Hebrews was written, and it still has not come:

Concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,  and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come. -- Hebrews 6:4,5.

This last scripture shows that the new creature in this age has tasted "the powers of the age to come." It is in that age to come that the New Covenant becomes active to the world, thus we conclude that those who are chosen out this world become new creatures by means of the power of the age to come, reckoning them as belonging to the day. 

That "age to come" still is not fully with us, since the heathen of the earth are still being deceived by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:3), and the promised blessings of the heathen are not being seen. (Genesis 22:18) It is still true that God is choosing people out of the corrupted world as his sons, who then are no longer of the corrupted world (John 15:19), thus the corrupted world (Romans 5:12; 8:21; 2 Peter 1:4) is still in existence, and has not yet passed away. -- 1 Corinthians 17:31; John 2:17.

Once the present heavens and earth have passed away, the New Covenant becomes operative through Israel. (Jeremiah 31:31) In the meantime, we conclude that those who become new creatures in Christ in this age partake of the blessings of the age to come, having the New Covenant reckoned as applied to them beforehand. 

Therefore, when Jesus told his disciples: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20; see also 1 Corinthians 1125 he was indeed saying that the new covenant was to be applied to his disciples. The "blood of the covenant" (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24) that is applied to the followers of Christ is new covenant. The blood by which the believer is sanctified (consecrated) is the blood of the new covenant (Hebrews 10:29; 12:24; 13:20), by applying the powers of the age to come to those who believe in this age. -- Hebrews 6:4,5.

Did Jesus Fulfill the Talmudic Law?

The Talmudic Law is man's law, not God's law; the Talmudic law developed by what many call "oral" tradition, much of which tradition of man found its way into the Talmuds. Jesus spoke of such laws of men in his words recorded at Matthew 15:3-11; Mark 7:6-13. Jesus certainly had no obligation to keep the traditions of men in order to fulfill God's Law.

The Mosaic Law is God's Law -- all of it. Jesus stated:

Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother;' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.' -- Mark 7:10.

Since this is part of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:12), Jesus was, in effect, attributing this to the Law of Moses.

The law was given through Moses. -- John 1:17.

It is God's Law, and it is also the Law of Moses, since God gave the Law through Moses.

Likewise, the commandments of Jesus are also the commandments of God, since God gives these commandments through Jesus.

The traditions of men, however, are not God's Law; Jesus, for the most part disregarded such commandments of men, since many of them are not in agreement with the Law of God. Jesus could not fulfill both those laws of men and also the Law Covenant, because the Laws of men were not actually in harmony with the Law of God.

Nevertheless, the Law of God in principle exists separate from the Law Covenant itself. God's eternal Law has its basis in "love", and that principle will always be required of man. The Law Covenant is based on that principle; the Law Covenant was given with the promise that if one kept the law, one would live forever. In other words, if anyone kept that law perfectly, he would have been justified by the Law. No one, however, was justified by the Law, since no man could make himself just (straight, as opposed to the corrupt, crooked condition that God has subjected man to through the sin of Adam).

Revelation 1:10 - The Lord's Day and the First Day of the Week