The Law & Grace

 

The Law & Grace

2 Corinthians 3:4-6

 

And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

 

Before the law men were living in darkness from the time when Adam disobeyed God. He ate the fruit from the forbidden Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is how death entered the world through Adam’s sin. God spoke to Adam and gave him instructions about the Garden of Eden the dos and don’ts in simple terms. He laid out His commandments to Adam and told him what the consequence would be if he disobeyed. Genesis 2:15-17 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. God’s commandments are His divine laws. We are His creations and must follow His rules because He is Deity.

Fast forward the Law was given to men through Moses. God spoke to Moses and gave him the Ten Commandments written on stone for the children of Israel to obey Him. During Moses time the Law became 613 laws. The Lord’s plan was to separate His chosen people to Himself and make them a holy nation. They would be the example to the people who didn’t know God and who could learn from Israel who He was the One true God. Exodus 19:3-6 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel. 

Sin is against God’s holiness and divine order. We know that Satan is the father of all lies and is crafty and cunning, he’s the chief leader of evil and wickedness. He tempted Eve and Adam in the garden of Eden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Law was introduced to reveal God’s divine laws and to reveal sin. The Law was like having a tutor. Galatians 3:24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  However, the people were unable to follow the law because sin had been their master and their bodies were too weak to live according to the law. Therefore, the punishment for disobeying the law was death. The sacrificial ceremonial law was for the forgiveness of their transgressions and iniquities against God’s law. The priest would kill a spotless animal in place of the person who sinned. The blood of the animal would represent the person’s life who sinned and was spared in exchanged for the animal’s life.

Today, we have been given grace because God sent His Son, Jesus to die in our place for our sins. We are sinner’s and have fallen short of the glory of God. We were dead in our sins and trespasses when Jesus hung on the cross for our transgressions and iniquities. He is the propitiation for our sins and took our punishment which is eternal death and gave up His life to pay our sin debt, give us grace, salvation, and His righteousness. Romans 5:6-9 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Ephesians 2:4-9 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:11-13 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

This is God’s plan to reveal to the Jew and Gentile that Christ is working out His divine plan to remove the hostility between the two men and form them into the new man in Christ Jesus upon His return. Ephesians 2:14-16 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. There is equal footing at the cross for all people to be saved if they will repent and come to Jesus while they still have warm blood in their bodies. There is no one who is without sin, but Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  Romans 3:23-26 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

God so loved us that He revealed the hidden mystery to Paul to preach to the Gentiles the gospel of Christ. Colossians 1:26-27 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. The blood of the Lamb was slain for all to come to repentance and have life in Christ. Indeed, this is the good news of the gospel that Jesus loves everyone. This may not be exciting news for many, because they are still bound to the law and works. Jesus finished the work at the cross and fulfilled the law. Hebrews 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:26-28 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. Matthew 5:17-18 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

There is no one who can thwart God’s plan not even Satan. God revealed to us how to overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimonies in Christ. We must study, meditate, and pray the Word of God aloud and declare the victories over our lives, bodies, minds, families, legacies, and for the body of Christ. We are living testimonies to the hope and glory to come in Christ Jesus.

His grace is abundant and sufficient to deliver us. The Holy Spirit is dwelling within us working out God’s will in our lives. We are sealed to Him until the day of redemption. He is our helper, comforter, teacher, and guide. Our lives are in Christ because we believe in Jesus and our faith puts us in Christ. The Holy Spirit is helping us to become new creations in Christ. We must rejoice in knowing that we are a part of God’s divine plan of grace, salvation, and eternal life in Christ.

Our creator has reconciled us to Christ. His blood was the life that was exchanged for our lives. We are under the blood of the new covenant and are justified by our faith in Christ. Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

The Spirit of God is revealing to us how to walk in the Spirit. We must desire to grow intimately with God through His Word. The Word is our living water of hope where the well never runs dry. The power is in the Word, and we must drink and be filled and eat our daily bread, so we will abide in Christ and not eat from a stranger. We must yield our will and submit to the Holy Spirit, so that we will not fulfill the desires of our flesh. Let us remember, that we follow the Messiah, our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ. Our obedience and faith in Him will keep us in the will of the Lord. There’s no need to looking back at the past, we must keep walking in holiness and running our race. God’s grace is much greater than sin and the law. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Eternal

God is the first and the last

When the Word of God was spoken

Out of His Spirit He gave birth

The word was commanded to perform

Creating the beginning with His art

The earth was filled with elements

Master of all time and the things to come

He created the animals to run free

As He breathed breath into man’s nostrils

Life was born out of His glory

Hoping to fill His loneliness from the start

The heart of God was shared with greatness

His love for you will always be eternal

The truth of God will be fulfilled

For He is His Word and the last to be revealed

ã2004 “Naima’s Inspirational Melodies”