In his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul said Christ is the end of the law. The Greek word for end is telos. It means the finish, the place where a thing arrives and stops. Being right with God no longer runs through keeping the old rules. It comes through trusting Jesus.
Paul's letter to Rome
Paul was a strict religious man who first hunted down the followers of Jesus. Then he became one of them. He traveled from city to city and sent letters to the small groups of Christians who met in homes. One of those letters went to the believers in Rome.
In chapter 10 he talks about his own people. He prays for them. He says they have a zeal for God. But they were trying to make themselves right with God by keeping every rule. Then he says this.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Romans 10:4 · King James Version
The word for end
The Greek word for end is τέλος (telos). It means the end, the point where a thing is finished.
For hundreds of years, people had lived with a running list. Offerings to make. Rules to keep. Guilt that came back every year at the same feast. Many believed God sat with a book open, keeping score.
Paul says that list has reached its end. In another letter, to the believers in Colossae, he says the paper that held our debts was wiped clean and nailed to the cross. The letter to the Hebrews says the blood of bulls and goats could never take sins away.
What it means
God is not keeping a ledger on you. He does not hand out a harder life as payment for a bad year. The old account is closed. What is left is a Father who loves you, shown to us in the face of Jesus.
If you have spent years trying to earn your way back to God, there is nothing left to earn.
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Read the whole chapter: Romans 10
1Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
5For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
6But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
7Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
8But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
19But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.
20But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
21But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
King James Version