At 22, Maria still lived with her demanding father, Mr. Law. Every morning, Mr. Law would give Maria a list of don’ts and to do’s. Every evening, Mr. Law would come home and point out where Maria had failed. No matter how hard she tried, Maria could not meet her father’s perfect standard, and every evening Mr. Law made it quite clear she had failed again. Crushed daily by her father’s burden, Maria’s spirit sank. His constant criticisms left Maria feeling guilty, ashamed and beaten down. Still, Maria woke every day to try again.

Then one day, Mr. Law came home to find everything in perfect order, sparkling clean and Maria singing and dancing around the house.

“What has happened to you Maria? Why are you so happy and why is everything in perfect order like it has never been before? You have gone above and beyond, completing all of your tasks and more. Have my threats and fear of punishment finally gotten through to you?"

“No father, Mr. Grace has asked me to marry him, and he is coming over tonight. He loves me with all his heart, and I love him with all mine. It is my heart’s desire that everything be perfect for him."

Motivated by love, Maria freely and joyously did what the law could never make her do.  If you have ever been in love, you know how Maria felt and why her chores were now with little or no effort.

Once we realize how much our Heavenly Father loves us, His love will fulfill the law through us. We will fulfill the law out of love being free from the fear of punishment. We are dead to Mr. Law and now married to Mr. Grace.

Released from the Law when we died, crucified with Jesus, and born again.

Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. Rom 7:1-6 ESV

Love is the only thing that fulfills the law. We walk by the Spirit, not the letter.

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom 13:8-10

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Gal 5:14

Many more New Covenant Bible Studies HERE. Jesus poured out His blood for the New Covenant of grace and truth, replacing the Old Covenant law of Moses. Believers are exclusively under the New Covenant, the last will and testament of Jesus that began after the cross.

And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Luke 22:20

New Covenant Bible Studies