Jesus Fulfilled The Law And Set Us Free

All who trust in Jesus can live by grace because Jesus set us free when He fulfilled the law. Discover how the Apostle Paul showed us in Galatians what that freedom means.

“Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God.” Galatians 2:18-19

I’ve heard people use the phrase: “I am a law-abiding citizen.” They say that because obedience feels natural. Laws protect order, and rules restrain harm. Without them, society will unravel.

From an early age, we learn that peace depends on a structure identified as a system of rules. Without penalizing lawbreakers, life could easily become very chaotic.

Scripture, however, shows us a deeper way to live. It points to one that moves beyond a fear of punishment into freedom of purpose. Because Jesus fulfilled the law, we can live by grace.

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Many Christians struggle at this very point. They believe in grace, yet they live as though God still measures their worth by rules. To validate their faith, they place themselves in bondage.

Their bondage comes in different forms. They put together spiritual checklists, resulting in self-imposed guilt. They trust Jesus for salvation, but rely on the law for their walk with God.

Paul confronted the tendency to live by the law head-on, using a logical approach. He warned believers not to rebuild what Christ had already torn down. He said, Jesus won’t lead us into sin.

Living by grace does not mean rejecting righteousness. It means refusing to return to a system that condemns life rather than one that gives life.

Living Without Fearing the Law

Modern laws help us understand Paul’s point. Traffic laws tell us the correct side of the road to drive on. They also regulate speed limits and identify intersections where we must stop.

By following the rules, we don’t need to fear the law. Nor do we need to keep a watchful eye on the rearview mirror in panic. We can travel with confidence because obedience removes fear.

Fear arises when we break the law, leading to consequences that follow our disobedience. The law doesn’t reward obedience; it exposes our violations, which in turn demand payment.

The same principle applies spiritually. The law never existed to make people righteous. It existed to reveal their wrongdoing and sin. It diagnoses the problem but doesn’t offer a cure.

When we try to earn God’s approval by rule-keeping, we place ourselves under constant condemnation. Offering no mercy, the law only points out when we fail to keep it.

That reality explains why Paul spoke so strongly. Returning to the law after receiving grace does not produce holiness. It produces frustration, fear, and spiritual exhaustion.

We know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. Galatians 2:16

A Lesson from Our Traveling Days

While traveling as evangelists, we spent a few summers ministering in the Northern New England states. One day, with my wife behind the wheel, our two boys and I were goofing off.

With the windows rolled down, I challenged the boys to make animal sounds so we could guess the animal. Laughter filled the car as the game evolved into all kinds of sounds.

Our older son, Chris, let out a loud, high-pitched noise. My wife, Cindy, immediately slowed down and asked if any of us heard a police siren. Why her sudden concern?

She had exceeded the speed limit and, in that moment, felt bound because of the law’s consequences. When we told her the sound came from Chris imitating a hyena, we all laughed.

Her fear vanished, especially because no law enforcement followed. Yet the moment illustrates an important point. Awareness of a violation produces fear, while obedience maintains peace.

Now consider the Christian life. Because Jesus fulfilled the law, believers no longer live under its condemnation. Fully bearing the law’s penalty, He satisfied every righteous demand of God.

Grace changes how we live. God didn’t free us so we could continue to sin. He set us free so we can live for Him. In other words, the grace of God shifts our motivation.

His Spirit works within us, shaping our desires and strengthening our obedience. When we walk in step with Christ, we no longer need to fear His judgment.

Dying to the Law Because Christ Fulfilled It

So, walk with confidence because obedience pleases God. Not only that, scripture promises to reward faithful living. Paul looked forward to that day of reward with anticipation.

And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8

This crown does not purchase salvation. Grace already secured that gift through the cross. The crown honors a life shaped by grace and lived for Christ’s sake.

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

When Paul said he died to the law, he described a decisive break. He stopped trying to meet its demands as a way of righteousness. He lived for God through faith in Christ.

That same invitation stands before us today. We can stop trying to rebuild systems that Christ has already dismantled. We can step away from fear and move into His freedom.

Obedience matters, and grace supplies both the desire and the power to obey. When that truth settles into our hearts, fear loses its grip. Aren’t you glad that Jesus fulfilled the law?

Life Application

Examine where you may have rebuilt rules God never asked you to carry.
Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where fear replaces freedom in your walk with Christ.
Thank Jesus daily that He fulfilled the law on your behalf.
Practice obedience as a response to grace, not a requirement for acceptance.
Look forward to offering every reward back to Christ in gratitude and worship.

Lord, I look forward to placing my crown of righteousness at your feet, knowing your grace made every step possible. Jesus, thank you that you fulfilled the law and set me free from it.