What does it mean that Christ is the end of the law (Romans 10:4)?

Apart from preconceived opinions the force of this scripture is readily perceived. It means exactly what it says, as may be easily gathered from the context, that Christ is the end, or termination, of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth; that is, He has for ever done away with it as a means of righteousness before God. It is quite true that the word "end" has sometimes the significance of "object," or the end in view, as for example in James: "Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord" — the end of the Lord in His dealings with His servant, bringing out the fact that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. But the word is used in the former sense in Romans; inasmuch as the contrast drawn in the preceding verses is between God's righteousness, to which the Jew would not submit, and human righteousness, which he was vainly seeking to work out through the law. And then, after the statement that Christ had set aside the law as the means of righteousness, the apostle proceeds to show that righteousness which is on the principle of faith has superseded the principle of law which is expressed in the words, "The man which doeth those things shall live by them." It need scarcely be added, that no one ever succeeded in obtaining righteousness by works (Rom. 3:19-20), for by the law came the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 7:7.) It was the perfect standard of God's requirement from man in the flesh, but the application of it only served to bring out the evil of man's heart. (Rom. 5:20.) It should also be understood, that even if a perfect human righteousness could be obtained it would not now avail. The glory of God is now the absolute standard (Rom. 3:23), and nothing short of God's righteousness is sufficient to meet it. Hence the apostle says in another place that God hath made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made (become) the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21.) What unspeakable grace therefore that we become the possessors of the righteousness of God, not by works, but by faith! Who would not then desire, with the apostle, to "be found in Him [Christ], not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Phil. 3:9.)

Apart from preconceived opinions the force of this scripture is readily perceived. It means exactly what it says, as may be easily gathered from the context, that Christ is the end, or termination, of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth; that is, He has for ever done away with it as a means of righteousness before God. It is quite true that the word "end" has sometimes the significance of "object," or the end in view, as for example in James: "Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord" - the end of the Lord in His dealings with His servant, bringing out the fact that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. But the word is used in the former sense in Romans; inasmuch as the contrast drawn in the preceding verses is between God's righteousness, to which the Jew would not submit, and human righteousness, which he was vainly seeking to work out through the law. And then, after the statement that Christ had set aside the law as the means of righteousness, the apostle proceeds to show that righteousness which is on the principle of faith has superseded the principle of law which is expressed in the words, "The man which doeth those things shall live by them." It need scarcely be added, that no one ever succeeded in obtaining righteousness by works (Rom. 3:19-20), for by the law came the knowledge of sin. (Rom. 7:7.) It was the perfect standard of God's requirement from man in the flesh, but the application of it only served to bring out the evil of man's heart. (Rom. 5:20.) It should also be understood, that even if a perfect human righteousness could be obtained it would not now avail. The glory of God is now the absolute standard (Rom. 3:23), and nothing short of God's righteousness is sufficient to meet it. Hence the apostle says in another place that God hath made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made (become) the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21.) What unspeakable grace therefore that we become the possessors of the righteousness of God, not by works, but by faith! Who would not then desire, with the apostle, to "be found in Him [Christ], not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." (Phil. 3:9.)

Verse 4 has given rise to very various opinions. One which has prevailed from ancient times and perhaps still more among moderns, is that Christ is the accomplishment of the law. But there seems no ground whatever to confound τέλος with πλήρωμα. Others again take it in the sense of "object" or "aim." But the simplest meaning as decided by the context appears to be "termination," though we know it is also used for "issue" or "result." And in this meaning the representatives of the most various systems coincide: Augustine and Luther on the one hand; Meyer, De Wette, etc., on the other. "Christ is [the] end of law for righteousness to every one that believes." The Christ of God is made unto us righteousness. "By law is knowledge of sin." Righteousness cannot be had thus; only the believer is justified. Yet so sure is this result, that it belongs to every believer.

The matter is briefly summed up for us in the closing verses. Israel stumbled at that stumbling-stone, which was Christ. Further they misused the law, treating it as a ladder by which they might climb into righteousness, instead of a plumb-line by which all their supposed righteousness might be tested. Israel had missed righteousness by law, and Gentiles had reached righteousness by faith.

THIS LEADS THE Apostle, in the early part of chapter 10 to contrast the righteousness of the law with that of faith, and once more he expresses his fervent love and desire towards his people. His prayer for them was for their salvation. Very clear proof this, that they were not saved. Religion they had, zeal they had, the law they had, but they were not saved. Wrongly assuming that they were to establish their own righteousness by law-keeping they went about to do it, and miserably failed. And the very zeal with which they went about it blinded them to the fact that Christ was the end of the law, and that God's righteousness was available for them in Him.

How much better it is to have God's righteousness than our own, for ours at the best would be only human. Every one that believes has Christ for righteousness, as verse 4 tells us. And Christ is "the end of the law." The word end is used here, we believe, just as it is in 2 Corinthians 3:13, signifying the object in view. The law was really given in view of Christ. It paved the way for Him. If only Israel had been able to steadfastly look to the end of the law they would have seen Christ. It is quite true of course that Christ being come, all thought of righteousness being reached by law came to a conclusion. But that is not the primary meaning of verse 4.

Verse 4 is then a strong declaration that the coming of Christ marked a decided change in the dispensational ways of God. “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Can language be more plain? Jews at least knew that if they received Christ they were giving up their confidence in attaining righteousness by works of law — a lesson which many professed Christians have not themselves learned, be it sadly observed. The matter then was a choice between law and Christ. It was one or the other, with no mixture of the two. The righteousness which the law demanded is perfectly seen in Christ, but in none other. The law only demanded righteousness: Christ brought righteousness. How proper then that He should be “the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

108 But to return to God's ways with Israel: chapter 10. The apostle now declares, not merely the privileges of Israel, but his earnest desire that they might be saved; they have zeal towards God, but not the knowledge of His ways. Their fall lay in this: they sought to establish their own righteousness by works, and did not submit to the righteousness of God. How strange, yet how fitting a word! If we are to go up, as responsible, to judgment, it must be by our works. We are judged according to them. But we are sinners, and there is no possibility of our standing on this ground; yet this our pride will not admit; it will hope to bring it about, if it does not possess it. Grace provides righteousness for us. We have it not for God, He has it for us, and gratuitously in Christ; and we have to own that we cannot in any way make good our own case with God, and must submit to His righteousness. This, neither the Jew, nor man in any age, by his own spirit will do. He will blame it as a way of sin, as if he really cared for holiness; but finds he must come down, and confession come in.

Now the apostle shows that the ruin of Israel was supposed in their own law. The law gave the intelligible principle - "do and live"; but after having done that, and shown ruin and judgment on failure, it speaks of the return of the heart to God, when under the effects of the judgment, and when the plainly revealed ground of legal righteousness was over (Deut. 30). And the apostle then introduces Christ, as the true object, when once this was the case; the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. Just as all hope of righteousness by doing was over in the case put in Deuteronomy, so in every heart, when honestly given up, as it must be by everyone that knows himself, instead of judgment, we have in grace, on the part of God, Christ for righteousness, and the law done with, an end to it; while its judgment was sanctioned, righteousness introduced by grace, on another ground, and as to this, an end of the law. And in fact, Christ is the end of the law, and another ground of relationship with God. So it is believing on, and confessing Him, the Lord Jesus, and we are saved. But then this lets in everyone that does so, and the national relationship drops. "Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed." And now, as before, we had "no difference," in that all have sinned, now we have "no difference," in that the same Lord is rich unto all that call upon Him. Sin had levelled all alike before God. Grace raises up all alike through faith. And so it is written, "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved," and so, a Gentile, if he call.

"Christ is the end of the law FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." We wished to obtain an article at a local tradesman's place of business, but we found that the usual door to his shop had been boarded up. On these boards, however, there was a notice in which we read: "This door closed. Entrance round the corner." We did not waste our time in making vain attempts to force our way through that old door, but, following the plain directions, we entered by the new way, and obtained what we wanted. Men need righteousness if they are to be at peace with God, and if this righteousness could have been obtained through the law, then the law would have stood as the way of blessing; but no sinful foot ever trod that road, and so none were, nor could be, justified by the deeds of the law. Now God has closed that way for ever; He has superseded it by Christ, and through Him the worst of men may obtain the blessing without works.

The question arises, why was the law given, if we cannot gain righteousness by it? The answer to that question is here. “We know that whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God ” (chap. 3:19). That was good advice that a Christian woman, of whom our dear friend Ed White used to tell us, who gave to her loquacious husband, who was always talking of his goodness and wondering why he could not get the peace that she had. Said she, “Do you not know that it's not manners for two to talk at once, hold your voice man and listen to God.” It was good advice, for faith does not come by talking, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Then shut your guilty mouth, ye self-righteous sinners; bow your heads in repentance and submission to God, and by so doing acknowledge the truth, that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, ” Make the general statement particular and personal, and own like the prodigal, “ I have sinned .” Then say no more but hear what God will say to you, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” What a blessed and most satisfying statement is that, it answers the deepest questions of the heart and the most poignant need of the soul. Since you are a sinner, you need forgiveness. Where will you find it? Not in the law, but in Christ. If you are to be at peace with God you need righteousness. Where will you find it? Not in the law but in Christ. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. The law pointed with a thousand fingers to Christ; its many voices proclaimed, Christ is coming. The ordinances, the sacrifices, the ritual of Tabernacle and Temple all spoke of Him; they were the shadows of the coming Saviour, and faith in those distant days perceived their meaning and rejoiced in anticipation of His day. Now He has come, and the shadows have served their purpose and disappeared, Christ has come, He is the hope of weary sinful men. O ye who are burdened with guilt and defiled by sin, to you He says, “Come unto Me.” Christ is your hope, Christ and His blood!

The question arises, why was the law given, if we cannot gain righteousness by it? The answer to that question is here. "We know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God" (chap. 3:19). That was good advice that a Christian woman, of whom our dear friend Ed White used to tell us, who gave to her loquacious husband, who was always talking of his goodness and wondering why he could not get the peace that she had. Said she, "Do you not know that it's not manners for two to talk at once, hold your voice man and listen to God." It was good advice, for faith does not come by talking, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Then shut your guilty mouth, ye self-righteous sinners; bow your heads in repentance and submission to God, and by so doing acknowledge the truth, that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, " Make the general statement particular and personal, and own like the prodigal, "I have sinned." Then say no more but hear what God will say to you, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes." What a blessed and most satisfying statement is that, it answers the deepest questions of the heart and the most poignant need of the soul. Since you are a sinner, you need forgiveness. Where will you find it? Not in the law, but in Christ. If you are to be at peace with God you need righteousness. Where will you find it? Not in the law but in Christ. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. The law pointed with a thousand fingers to Christ; its many voices proclaimed, Christ is coming. The ordinances, the sacrifices, the ritual of Tabernacle and Temple all spoke of Him; they were the shadows of the coming Saviour, and faith in those distant days perceived their meaning and rejoiced in anticipation of His day. Now He has come, and the shadows have served their purpose and disappeared, Christ has come, He is the hope of weary sinful men. O ye who are burdened with guilt and defiled by sin, to you He says, "Come to Me." Christ is your hope, Christ and His blood!

Israel's Mistake. — Israel sought for righteousness is the testimony of the apostle, whose heart's desire and prayer to God was for them that they might be saved. Wholly wrong were they in the way that they sought for it, as the prayer for their salvation indicated. Who wants salvation from the wrath to come, who can commend himself to God by his own righteousness? The apostle's view, then, of their condition, and the way to have it met, was wholly at variance with the light in which they regarded the matter. Both were in earnest — the apostle for them, and they for themselves. He prayed for them. They went about to establish their own righteousness. Zeal for God they certainly had, but not according to knowledge. Earnestness of purpose, too, characterised them. Busily engaged they were in attempting to establish their own righteousness. Here, then, an important question for them and for us was openly raised, and, as we see, definitely settled. Will zeal for God in itself commend any sinful creature to Him? Will earnestness of purpose be sufficient to draw down on the individual the approbation of Heaven? Earnestness without subjection to God's Word will not help those to whom that Word has come. Zeal without knowledge! That characterised the Jew. How was it shown? Let the apostle speak. For who was more qualified to treat of this than one whose former state those words fitly described? "They being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own (righteousness here is generally omitted), have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God?" (10:3). Self was at the bottom, combined with ignorance of man's ruin by the fall. Hence they did not submit themselves to the righteousness of God. They would not let God show His righteousness in justifying such ungodly creatures. They were not willing to be illustrations in display of that righteousness.

The Argument Clinched. — Now it was no question of Paul's opinion, or of that of his opponents. The matter was definitely settled by the coming and vicarious death of the Lord Jesus Christ. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes" (4), words which might well be written in letters of gold, words which should be deeply graven on every heart. Christ, the anointed one, made such as risen and ascended, is the end of the law for righteousness. Could men have acquired righteousness by law-keeping, why should Christ have died? There is a force, a suitability in the term Christ here, because, as we have remarked, it speaks of Him as risen and ascended. As such He was made Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). We cannot speak of Him as Christ to us without acknowledging His death on the cross.