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Today's Bible verse shows the sharp contrast between living by
the old covenant of law versus living by the new covenant of grace.
- God's perfect law is a "ministry
of condemnation," which compels people to draw upon human
sufficiency.
- God's glorious grace is a "ministry of righteousness," which
allows people to draw upon God's sufficiency.
If you should attempt to live by the law, then you would put yourself
in the sad position of walking in condemnation.
Moreover, you soon would discover yourself to be putting other
people -- your friends and family --- under condemnation. This is inevitable, since the law is a "ministry
of condemnation."
Living by the law puts the emphasis on YOU, and your personal performance. The law demands that you live according
to a perfect standard. "You shall be holy." (Leviticus 19:2)
- The only power that the law offers you is your own human ability.
The problem is, the Bible correctly states that your natural ability is flawed by unrighteousness. "We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are like filthy rags." (Isaiah
64:6)
- This means that, in the flesh, you are categorically incapable
of producing a righteous life. "It is the Spirit
who gives life; the flesh profits nothing." (John 6:63)
- Consequently, if you should try to live by law, you would have
a sense of futility and condemnation.
On the other hand, when you live by grace, you GROW in righteousness.
When you minister the message of grace to others, they also will grow in righteousness.
- Godliness results from ministering the new covenant of grace,
because it is a "ministry of righteousness."
- The message of grace proclaims that righteousness is available
by faith. "But now the righteousness of God apart
from the law is revealed . . . even the righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and
on all who believe." (Romans
3:21-22)
Does this mean that you, as a Christian, have a *license* to disregard
and disobey God's holy commandments? Absolutely not! Jesus said:
"If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14.15)
- You don't need to obey the law IN ORDER to be a member of God's
family. Your ARE saved, and shall forever be God's own beloved child. "God
sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,
crying out, 'Abba, Father!' " (Galatians
4.4b-6)
- However, since you ARE in God's family, your Father fully expects
you to behave accordingly. "For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2.10)
When you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, HIS righteousness
was *credited* to your account -- forever.
In addition to this initial gift of righteousness (imputed, or
credited to your account in heaven), God's grace also provides you with ongoing practical righteousness for your
daily life on earth: "That the righteous requirement
of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:4)
To better understand how this works, picture a parent who is helping an infant son or daughter learn to walk.
- A loving parent will not shout curses at the child each time he
falls -- this would be *law* talking.
- No, a loving parent will praise the child for each successful
step, dust off the child's bottom when he falls, help him get back up, hug him, wipe away the tears, and encourage
him to try-try-try-again!
IT IS THE SAME with your Christian walk. Yes, you will stumble
and fall from time to time. But your heavenly *Dad* is right there beside you -- not to yell at you for falling,
but to help you get back up and keep trying.
Don't just sit there and cry. Grab hold of Father's hand and get
on with the rest of your life!
Blessed be the God and Father
Of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
Who comforts us in all our tribulation,
That we may be able to comfort those
Who are in any trouble,
With the comfort with which we ourselves are Comforted by God.
(2 Corinthians 1.3-4)
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