The requirement of the law fulfilled in Romans 8:4

Abstract

God effects the fulfilment of the requirement of the law through the agency (mission) of Christ. Those ‘in him’ are the point of reference in whose favour the law’s requirement is fulfilled, with the effect that they are no longer obligated to Torah. Being ‘in Christ’ they, nonetheless, are also envisioned as living in a way that corresponds to what Torah would have required of them, had they still been subject to it, but they are now being governed and empowered by the Spirit. Consequently their lives give expression to the ultimate (singular) requirement and intention (δικαίωμα) of Torah. The fulfilment of the requirement of the law refers to the purpose of the law as a whole, and not only of the ‘moral’ aspect, often anachronistically separated from the ‘cultic’ aspect. Ultimately, God who originally gave Torah now effected the fulfilment of its intention − something that had been unrealised before the mission of Christ and the gift of the Spirit due to the incapability of the law.Die vervulling van die wet se vereiste in Romeine 8:4. God bewerk die vervulling van die wet se vereiste (δικαίωμα) deur die bemiddeling van (die sending van) Christus. Dié wat ‘in Christus’ is, is die begunstigdes van die feit dat die vereiste van die wet vervul is, met die gevolg dat hulle nie meer aan die bepalinge van Tora as sodanig onderhewig is nie. Aangesien hulle ‘in Christus’ is, word dit egter voorsien dat hulle steeds sodanig sal leef dat dit ooreenstem met wat Tora in beginsel van hulle sou vereis indien hulle steeds daaraan onderhewig was, maar dat hulle dit nou vanweë die heerskappy en bekragtiging van die Gees uitleef. Gevolglik gee hulle lewens gestalte aan die uiteindelike (enkelvoudige) doel en vereiste (δικαίωμα) van Tora. Die vervulling van die wet se vereiste verwys nie na die vervulling van slegs die ‘morele’ vereistes nie, maar ook na dít wat dikwels op anachronistiese wyse as die ‘seremoniële’ wet afgesonder word. Uiteindelik het God, wat Tora oorspronklik daargestel het, die vervulling van die wet se bedoeling gerealiseer − iets wat vanweë die onvermoë van die wet ongerealiseerd gebly het in die epog voor die koms van Christus en die gawe van die Gees.

An Exegetico-Theological Study of Romans 8:1-8: Toward a Pneumatological-Ecclesiology

“…13:8), as if they were still under it. 40 In this case, it is the believer's participation in the new cosmic reality in Christ that sets the stage for God's activity of fulfilling the requirement of the law of love in him/her.…”