The original promise was to become a nation of priests...
Exodus 19:5-6
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
What are priests meant to do?
Acts 13:47
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth
How?
Zechariah 8:23
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Who is a Jew?
Romans 2:27-29 [brackets mine]
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature [i.e. gentiles], if it fulfil the law, judge thee [i.e. natural Jews], who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress [i.e. break] the law?
28 For [i.e. because] he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God
1) Note that the uncircumcised can fulfill the law just like the Messiah did, as far as Paul says in the passage above.
2) Those who fulfill the law, are Jews (inside).
3) They will judge even the natural Jew who breaks the law.
But what does "fulfill the law" mean? Does it mean to destroy or abolish it?
Matthew 5:17
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
Romans 13:10
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Love your neighbor enough not to...
- covet their spouse, property, position
- lie to them or about them
- commit adultery or sexual perversion
- kill them or hate them
- steal from or defraud them
...and love the Almighty enough to...
- always honor your parents & leaders
- keep the Sabbath day holy
- never take His name in vain
- never idolize anything created
- never have any other gods in His face
Do we love our neighbors enough?
Do we love the Almighty enough?
After being justified, we weigh our hearts against the standard to gauge our level of love, showing us where we're strong in love and where we're weak and in need of more help through fasting and prayer and confession, as we train to walk in the righteousness we've been given at conversion; to do better and better each day, until we are like the Messiah. Until we are complete.
Notice, at no point was mentioned any death (neither death of the believer who stumbles in sin or sacrifice of an animal for sin) because the law was changed from those elements (Hebrews 7:12).
Changed, not ended. Amended. Just like an amendment to The USA Constitution.