| Author | Message | ||
| Gatororeo7 (Gatororeo7) |
In the simplest of terms, law and grace is the issue of God's acceptance. On what basis is a person made acceptable to God? There are only three possible answers. According to the law, man is responsible to make himself acceptable to God through obedience to the la. According to grace, God gives man a standing of total acceptance as a gift through His Son, Jesus Christ. And finally, in an attempt to mix law and grace, man says that God's grace enables him to work for his acceptance. Whatever answer we choose affects not only how we approach the Christian life, but our very understanding of God's love as well. Many of us believe that we are made acceptable by the grace of God, yet we experience fear, guilt, and condemnation. That indicates we have not let go of the law. For some reason, we still think we can make ourselves acceptable to God, so we persist in bringing the law into our Christian life. In order to let go of the law, we need to understand its stringency. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at life under the law. The Law's Standard Is Perfection James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 1. How much of the law must be broken in order to be guilty of breaking all of it? Just one point. 2. How much of the law must be kept in order to obey it? The whole thing. 3. Will anything less than 100 percent obedience do when it comes to the law? No. 4. Since the law's standard is perfection, does it offer any hope to those trying to live up to the law? Why or why not? No, because breaking one point of the law is as bad as breaking the whole thing. 5. What kinds of feelings will failure to keep the entire law produce in a person's life? Condemnation. Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 1. In this verse, who does Jesus say we should measure ourselves against? The Father. 2. How perfect is the heavenly Father? Absolutely perfect. 3. According to this standard, how many of us measure up? None. 4. If you are trying to gain God's acceptance through keeping the law and the law's standard is perfection, what would you probably conclude about your acceptance before God? That we aren't accepted by God because we fail to meet the standard of perfection. 5. What would you conclude about the love of God? That God's love is reserved for those who exhibit perfection. Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 1. According to this verse, what is a person under who relies on observing the law? A curse. 2. To avoid being under a curse, how much of the law does a person have to do? Everything. 3. Is it possible to continue doing everything written in the book of the law every minute of every day for your entire life? No. 4. So, how much hope does the law offer to those who try to live up to it? None whatsoever. 5. Based on this verse, what is the only thing a person can expect from the law? A curse. 6. Since condemnation and guilt are what people experience through trying to keep the law to gain God's acceptance, what would they likely conclude about God's love for them? That God doesnt love us unless we comply perfectly to the law. The Law Amplified by Christ Matthew 5:27-29 "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." 1. In this passage, what does the law say concerning adultery? Do not commit adultery. 2. How does Jesus define adultery? Anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has committed adultery. 3. Where does Jesus say the act of adultery began? In the heart. 4. Does Jesus make a distinction between outward obedience and the attitude of the heart? Yes. 5. What did Jesus say we should do if our eye causes us to sin? Gourde it out anc throw it away. 6. If we actually did gourge out our eyes, how many of us would be able to read and answer this question? None. Matthew 5:21, 22 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell." 1. What does the law say about murder? Do not murder. 2. If anyone does murder, what will they be subject to? Judgment. 3. According to Jesus, what does it take for a person to be subject to judgment? Be angry. 4. What do you think Jesus is saying about murder and being angry at your brother? They both subject one to judgment. 5. Have you ever been angry at someone? According to this passage, what are you guilty of? Murder. 6. Jesus also says in these verses that anyone who calls another a "fool" is in danger of the fire of hell. How difficult is it to keep the law under these conditions? Very difficult. 7. After looking at these verses, would you say there is any hope for a living a perfect life under the law? None whatsoever. Matthew 23:25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence." 1. What does Jesus call the teachers of the law and the Pharisees? Hypocrites. 2. Why does He call them hypocrites? Because they only clean up their outsides. 3. On the outside they appear clean, but on the inside they are full of what? Greed and self-indulgence. Matthew 23:27, 28 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." 1. Once again, Jesus calls the teachers of the law and the Pharisees hypocrites. What does He compare them to in this passage? Whitewashed tombs. 2. What is a whitewashed tomb like on the outside? Beautiful. 3. What are the tombs full of on the inside? Dead men's bones and everything unclean. 4. How did the teachers of the law and the Pharisees appear to people on the outside? As righteous. 5. What did Jesus say they were full of on the inside? Hypocrisy and wickedness. 6. Even if it were possible to keep the law in our actions, can we keep the law in our hearts? Not a bit. In His teaching ministry Jesus Christ amplified the law. he went beyond the written law to the spirit and meaning behind it. In so doing, He hammered home the message that if you want to be accepted by God based on your own merits, the standard is perfection both inwardly and outwardly. The Law Stirs Up Sin 1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 1. According to this verse, what is the "sting of death"? Sin. 2. What is the power of sin? The law. 3. When a person is living under the law, what power will he be living under? Sin. Since the law's standard is perfection and the power of sin is the law, is it any wonder that so many well meaning Christians simply give up and say, "Christianity doesn't work"? Colossians 2:20-23 Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. 1. According to this passae, what have we died to? The basic principles of this world. 2. When you submit to the world's rules, what are you saying you belong to? The world. 3. As children of God, do we belong to the world? No. 4. To whom do we belong? To Christ. 5. What are some of the rules that Paul mentions? Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch! 6. What do these rules have a false appearance of? Wisdom. 7. What are they based on? Human commands and teachings. 8. Do they have any value in restraining sensual indulgence? No. 9. Then, does it make sense to submit to rules that do not work? No. 10. In Christ, we are totally loved, accepted, and forgiven, perfect in God's sight, and free of condemnation. In light of this, does it make sense for Christians to try to live up to the law when the law's sole purpose is to condemn men? No. 11. What would you conclude about the love of God if all you experienced as a Christian was condemnation? I wouldnt think much of it at all. The law is a tough taskmaster. Its standard is perfection. it requires 100 percent obedience. The law has no mercy. If you stumble in just one point, you are guilty of breaking it all. On top of this, the very law that demands perfection is what stirs up sin in our lives. Living under the law is a no-win situation. There is no hope. No wonder so many Christians experience fear, guilt, frustration, failure, and the inability to love God or others! When you are condemned by the law every day, your experience will be leak. But don't fault the law. God's purpose for the law was and is so we could see our need for Christ. If you are experiencing guilt and condemnation through trying to keep the law, the law is doing its job. | ||
| Gatororeo7 (Gatororeo7) |
Before I go on to the next part, I wanna post something I posted on another board where this whole idea that the Law cannot produce righteousness is being attacked. I have shown from Scripture what the Law can and cannot do. It CAN show us what sin is. It CAN lead us to Christ. It CANNOT save me. It CANNOT make me acceptable to God. Take the time to read what I've posted above. In the above post I have shown that the law stirs up sin within us. That means no matter how much I try to keep the Law, all its gonna do is produce in me what I dont want - sin. If I'm supposed to keep the law, then I have to come to grips with a few things, all of which I have already explained in previous posts. --I have to realize that the Law cannot save me, forgive my sins, make me righteous, or make me acceptable to God. If I want any of those things, I have to find a different avenue. --I have to realize that the Law condemns me for failure. If I fail at just one pojnt, no matter how minor, I'm guilty of breaking the whole thing. In addition I am cursed if I dont do everything written in the Law. --I have to realize that the Law measures inward and outward performance. I can keep the Law outwardly all I want, but I have to realize that if I so much as get angry, I've broken the Law. --I have to realize God's standard under the Law. "Be perfect as your Father is perfect." If the Father is perfect then He won't accept any less than 100% perfection out of me under the Law. --I also have to realize that under the Law, the penalty for violating it is death. Animal blood is no good the Bible says. Christ blood paid my sins, but if I'm still required to keep the Law, then the death penalty still applies. Christ died for sins 2000 years ago and He's not coming back to do so again. Therefore, if Christ isn't coming back to die for sins, and animal sacrifice isnt enough, then I left with no choice but to die for my own imperfection. Following through with all the points I gave above, if God's standard is perfection and anything less than 100% at any time places me under death, then the moment I fall under 100%, I'm doomed to die for my own sin. So either I keep the Law 100%, or I die. But the Law produces sin within me. If I sin, I've violated the Law and gone under the 100% line. And if I go under the 100% line I'm doomed to die. THAT is why there is nothing but hopelessness under the Law. Does that give me a license to sin? We all sin pretty well without one. Does that make it okay to kill, steal, an cheat on my wife? Of course not. Romans says that because I am in Christ sin is no longer my master. Christ is now my master. Christ said the greatest commandment was to love, and Paul stated that love fulfills the law. In other words, love takes care of every point under the Law, as if you kept every one of them. In additon, Christ completed the requirements of the Law for us. Read Romans 8:1-4. It says that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. I'll repeat, NO PENALTY for those in Christ who violate the Law. Why? Because life has conquered death. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law (1Cor 15:56). In order for us to be free of sin, we had to be free from its source of power, the Law. Also, it says that Christ fulfilled the requirements of the Law for us. The requirement was perfection, 100%. Remember, anything less than 100% means a curse and death, and if we are still required to keep the Law this side of the Cross then Christ's blood nor animal blood will do - you have to die yourself. The Bible in Romans 8 says Christ did it for us, the whole perfection thing. If He hadn't, then Paul would have had no reason to proclaim no condemnation for those in Christ. Instead, he would have admonished us on its importance, explaining how we will die for our violations of the Law. He didn't and the way the Bible reads stands true. |
