The Command to Wear Tzitzit

Traditional Christianity has believed that the Torah is no longer applicable to us since Yeshua fulfilled the law. Yet, how is the following fulfilled in the sense that Yeshua did this or that so that we don't have to?

Numbers 15:37-41 (KJV)
³⁷ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
³⁸ Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
³⁹ And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
⁴⁰ That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
⁴¹ I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

In this passage in verse 38, the people of Israel (Traditionally, this has been interpreted to be a command only for men.) were commanded to make fringes on the borders (corners) of their garments. The Hebrew for fringes is "tzitzit." Then there was to be a ribbon of blue (wool) inserted into the fringes. Notice, that this was to be done throughout their generations. (This is another way of saying "forever.")

Yeshua did wear tzitzit. He was faithful to observe all the Lord's commands. The wearing of tzitzit has been fulfilled by Yeshua. Does this mean that we, as believers, don't have to? Aren't we to fulfill the law, as well?

Verse 39 tells us the reason for wearing the tzitzit. It was so that when the people saw them they would remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them. The end of the verse gives us a clue as to why this command was necessary, "(so) that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring." Right before this command is the account of the stoning of the Sabbath breaker.

God had compassion on His people. He gave them a visual aid that would help them to remember and observe His commandments. He cared for their physical safety as well as the condition of their souls. Do we no longer need to be reminded of God's commands? Are we so much more spiritual than the Israelites that we would never go off on our own way and stray from the Lord? We are naive if we think so. And we are foolish to ignore God's gracious command to wear tzitzit, thinking that the need has been done away with by Yeshua's fulfilling the law.

Verse 40 restates why the tzitzit are needed. Added is that by wearing the tzitzit and thereby remembering and doing the commandments we will be holy unto our God, set apart and ready for service to Him.

The benefit of wearing tzitzit is obvious. If we are believers and are committed to Him in relationship, do we dare ignore His commands? If we do, we have already gone our own way and are not following the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.