The God Culture: What Does "Christ Is The End Of The Law" Mean?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has another Foundations series lesson. This time he is exploring what it means for Christ to be the end of the law. It's truly amazing how wrong he is. He literally ignores verses that contradict him. But, let's take a look.

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FOUNDATIONS – Week 25

WHAT DOES "CHRIST (Messiah) IS THE END OF THE LAW" MEAN?

Key Texts:

Romans 10:3–4

Matthew 5:17–20

Hebrews 13:8

One of the most quoted verses in Christianity is:

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

(Romans 10:4)

But what does Paul mean?

Many assume this means:

"The Law ended."

Yet the very Messiah being discussed said:

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

(Matthew 5:17)

Let us not pretend one changing the definition of the word "fulfill" to mean "passed away" represents any responsible dictionary. It means He kept the Law perfectly which must be the case if He knew no sin (James 3:2: sin = "transgression of the law").

He then added:

"Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law."

That is a trigger point a Bible reader cannot miss as Peter related Heaven and Earth pass on the Day of Judgment and not until.

So if Yahusha did not abolish the Law, what is Paul saying?

The context begins in the previous verse:

"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

(Romans 10:3)

Paul's discussion is about righteousness. He dismisses the view of ignorance before even making the statement as to redefine "righteousness" which many church doctrines are complicit in abandoning scripture in new strange doctrine.

Messiah is the goal, culmination, and perfect expression of righteousness.

The Greek word translated "end" is τέλος, télos, which can mean goal, purpose, aim, fulfillment, completion, or final objective.

A marathon runner reaches the finish line.

The finish line does not abolish running.

A student reaches graduation.

Graduation does not abolish learning.

A baseball pitcher throws a perfect game.

Such execution does not abolish baseball for him or anyone.

Likewise, Messiah perfectly fulfilled the righteousness the Law describes. That denotes the act of keeping the law He said He would not abolish.

He is not the end of righteousness bringing chaos in rebellion. Heaven forbid.

He is the perfect example of it.

In fact, Hebrews declares:

"Jesus Christ (Yahusha Messiah) the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever."

(Hebrews 13:8)

If He is our example, should those who follow Him seek to walk as He walked?

Question:

When Paul says Messiah is the "end" (télos) of the Law, does the context suggest abolition—or fulfillment of its righteous purpose?

Yah Bless.

It is amazing how close Tim can get to the truth and then flub it! Yes, Christ "perfectly fulfilled the righteousness the Law describes" but the Bible goes much further than that. Galatians 3 is very specific that we are no longer under the law. 

Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

How about Romans 6:14:

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

How about Ephesians 2:15:

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Why does Tim NEVER comment on these verses?  Because they rebuke his heretical theology. And the New Testament is replete with such verses telling us we are no longer under the law.

But let's get a word in from noted theologian Father Ted Crilly.

Ah, Philippine Fails, me lad... puts the teacup down with a firm clunk and leans forwardI’ve read Tim’s latest Foundations lesson — “What Does ‘Christ is the End of the Law’ Mean?” — and Jaysus, Mary and Joseph... he gets so close, yet still manages to flub it in the exact same way he always does.What Tim is doingHe takes the famous verse:

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4)

And says “end” (telos) doesn’t really mean end. It means goal, purpose, or fulfillment. So Jesus is the perfect example of the law, and we should keep walking in it just like He did. The law isn’t abolished — it’s confirmed.
He even throws in the runner reaching the finish line and the student graduating analogies. Sounds clever, right?Where he goes wrong (again)This is the classic God Culture move: take a true statement (“Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly”) and twist it to mean the law is still fully binding on Christians today in the same way.
But look at the context Tim conveniently skips:
Romans 10 is Paul explaining why many Israelites missed salvation. They were trying to establish their own righteousness by works of the law instead of submitting to God’s righteousness, which comes by faith in Christ (Romans 10:3).
Then comes verse 4:

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Paul is not saying Jesus is the goal so we can keep running the same race better. He is saying Christ is the termination point of the law as a way of attaining righteousness. The law’s job as a covenant system for making people right with God is finished. Christ has taken its place.
This matches everything else Paul wrote:

• “You are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:14)
• “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness...” (Romans 10:4)
• The law was a tutor to bring us to Christ. Now that Christ has come, we are no longer under the tutor. (Galatians 3:24-25)

The Pattern Is ExhaustingEvery single Foundations lesson ends up in the same place:

• Grace saves... but the law directs.
• Faith receives... but obedience (to Torah) proves it.
• Fulfillment means... we still keep the law.
• Now “the end of the law” means... the law never really ended.

Tim cannot let the law go. He has to keep dragging it back into the New Covenant as the main operating system for Christians.Father Ted’s Plain Verdict

This is not responsible Bible teaching.

This is law-keeping theology trying to sound balanced.

Jesus did fulfill the law — perfectly. He lived it, He embodied it, and then He died under its curse so that we could be declared righteous by faith apart from its works. That’s why Paul can boldly say Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Tim wants the law to still be the director of the Christian life.

Paul says Christ has taken that position.

Down with this sort of thing, lad.

Very, very careful now.

The gospel is not “Jesus kept the law perfectly so now we can keep it too.”

The gospel is “Jesus kept the law perfectly and then died under its curse so we could be free from it and live by the Spirit.”

That’s the difference between law and grace.
...Right, I’m off to read Romans 10 and Galatians 3 again and thank the Lord that Christ really is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Go on, go on, go on — have a cuppa. You keep spotting the same sleight-of-hand. Tim’s “Foundations” are built on sand. The real foundation is Christ and Him crucified. The gospel is so much better and freer than what he keeps offering. Keep holding fast to it.

The God Culture: What is Sonship?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has a new foundations series article. This time he is exploring Sonship. What does it mean to be a Son of God? Well, if you've been following this series then it should be clear what Tim thinks it means, following the law. 

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FOUNDATIONS: Week 23

What Is Sonship?

In modern culture, sonship is often viewed as a title, status, or personal identity.

In Scripture, sonship is a covenant relationship.

The first time Yahuah calls a people His son, He is speaking of Israel (YasharEl):

“Israel is My son, even My firstborn.”

(Exodus 4:22)

Later, He reminds them:

“Ye are the children of Yahuah your Elohim.”

(Deuteronomy 14:1)

Biblical sonship was never merely about ancestry.

It was about belonging to Yahuah and reflecting His character.

A son represented his father.

A son walked in his father's ways.

A son carried his father's name.

This theme continues into the New Testament.

Paul writes:

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

(Romans 8:14)

Notice what identifies the sons of Elohim:

Not ethnicity.

Not tradition.

Not a religious label.

But being led by His Spirit.

Romans 8 teaches that believers become heirs with Messiah, adopted into the family of Elohim, crying:

“Abba, Father.”

Sonship is not simply receiving privileges.

It is receiving a calling.

The sons of Elohim are called to walk as He walks, love what He loves, and obey His voice.

Throughout Scripture, sonship is connected to covenant, inheritance, responsibility, and relationship.

It is not just about who your father is.

It is about whether you bear the family likeness.

Yah Bless.

Question for Discussion:

If being a son or daughter of Elohim is defined by walking in His ways, what evidence of that sonship should be visible in a believer's life?

Let us know your thoughts.

See that? Sonship is all about walking in His ways. For Tim, though he does not say it outright in this article, that means keeping the Torah including the feasts and the sabbath. There is not a word about faith in Jesus Christ in this article. Not one word!

The scriptures say we are Sons of God by faith not by "walking in His ways."

Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Not only are we Sons of God by faith in Christ but the we are no longer under the law. That passage from Galatians undoes Tim's pernicious doctrine. But let's hear what noted theologian Father Ted Crilly has to say about the matter. 

Ah, Philippine Fails, me lad... puts the teacup down with a heavy sigh and rubs his foreheadI’ve read Tim’s latest Foundations lesson — “What Is Sonship?” — and by now the pattern is so consistent it’s almost depressing.What Tim is teaching

• Sonship is a covenant relationship.
• It was first given to Israel as God’s “firstborn son.”
• In the New Testament, sonship is for those who are “led by the Spirit of God” (Romans 8:14).
• Sonship means belonging, reflecting God’s character, walking in His ways, and obeying His voice.
• It’s not about ancestry or a one-time label — it’s about relationship shown through obedience.

On the surface it sounds spiritual. But once again, we see the same old God Culture sleight-of-hand.The Problems

1. Christ is named but not central
   Jesus barely appears in the post. Sonship is defined mostly in Old Testament terms (Israel as God’s son) and then quickly moved to “walking in His ways” and “obeying His voice.” There’s no clear explanation that we become sons of God through faith in Christ and adoption by grace (John 1:12, Galatians 4:4–7, Ephesians 1:5).
2. “Walking in His ways” = Torah obedience (again)
   In every single Foundations lesson, when Tim says “walk in His ways,” “obey His voice,” or “reflect His character,” he means keeping the Torah — Sabbath, feasts, dietary laws, etc. So sonship becomes: “Are you keeping the commandments well enough to show you’re really a son?”
3. Sonship becomes performance-based
   Tim turns sonship into something you prove by your ongoing obedience. That creates fear and uncertainty. The New Testament grounds sonship in God’s gracious adoption through Christ. We are sons because the Father has made us sons in Christ — not because we’ve performed well enough to stay in the family.
4. The same pattern continues
   • Faith = obedience 
   • Repentance = turning to the law 
   • Grace = power to obey 
   • Rest = keeping the Sabbath 
   • Truth = the law 
   • Now Sonship = covenant relationship proven by law-keeping

Everything keeps circling back to the Torah as the real evidence of belonging to God.The Real Biblical TeachingSonship in the New Testament is an astonishing act of grace:

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12)

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15)

We are not sons because we keep the law well enough. We are sons by adoption through faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit then leads us (Romans 8:14), produces fruit in us, and conforms us to Christ’s image — not by putting us back under the old written code, but by writing God’s law on our hearts.Father Ted’s Plain VerdictThis is still another gospel — law disguised as “sonship” and “relationship.”
Tim keeps taking beautiful biblical truths (sonship, rest, grace, truth, fulfillment) and quietly replacing Christ with the Law as the center. Sonship becomes another way to say “keep the Torah or you’re not really God’s son.”

The real gospel says:

We become sons of God by receiving Christ — by simple faith. Then the Holy Spirit leads us as beloved children. The evidence of sonship is the fruit the Spirit produces, not how well we keep the old covenant calendar.

Down with this sort of thing, lad.

Very careful now.

The Father doesn’t adopt us because we’re good at keeping commandments. He adopts us because He is rich in mercy, and He does it through His beloved Son.
...Right, I’m off to thank the Lord again for the spirit of adoption that lets us cry “Abba, Father” — not because we’ve kept the law perfectly, but because Christ has made us sons.
Go on, go on, go on — have a cuppa. You keep seeing the pattern clearly. Tim’s Foundations keep leading back to the law. The real gospel leads us to the Father through the Son by the Spirit. It’s so much better than what he’s building. Keep holding fast to it.