UNDERSTANDING the LAW and GRACE thing

Galatians 5:1,4,6

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

...What is important is faith expressing itself in love...

Most times people find it hard to keep to instructions because they do not understand the why. Think about it, most times it is when you have completed that wrong thing that you are now embarrassed or disappointed at the outcome. Some quickly get themselves together seek forgiveness and help to recover, others breakdown and give up utterly while yet some just give themselves to become slaves of that evil.

So what is the hope of man?

Paul says it this way:

Romans 7:21-24

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.

I love God’s law with all my heart.

But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

I usually ask, what of great men like Joseph, Joshua, Daniel(and his three friends), and some others, were they faultless for this ones were born under the law?

You observe something common to them.

This same thing Christ taught too.

So we come to the answer to Paul's question:

Romans 7:24

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

He answered it in the next verse:

Romans 7:25

Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

He further went on to say:

Romans 8:1-2

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Christ Jesus is the answer, how?

Jesus said:

Matthew 5:17-20

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.

So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

“But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Many read this and think that it means we continue all the old practices, special days etc. No. They are fulfilled in Christ Jesus. All were to announce the arrival of the Son, so it is no longer an outside external worship but an internal one.

Listen:

John 4:21-24

Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The truth was that even the so called law custodians did not understand the interpretation of the law, in Matthew 5, Christ gave a glimpse of it.

So what exactly was the law:

Matthew 22:36-40

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Now you see what was common in those great men I mentioned earlier: they had love for God, then they loved their neighbours.

So if these is not in you and you are trying to keep this law or that law, you fall under the category of a hypocrite.

Listen:

James 2:10

For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.

Just like those who picked up stones to bring judgment on the adulterous woman, but when they search light was beamed on them, they walked out in shame.

It is a heart thing, it is a spirit thing. While you do the outward show to let people believe you love God, the Lord is looking into your heart to see what is there.

Matthew 15:8

‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

So to understand the law and grace thing, you need to understand love, in love is obedience and true fulfilment of the law.

That is why God said concerning David:

1 Samuel 13:14b

for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. 

May God give us more understanding.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher