abigya
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How will we know the way without the law?
By mick on January 20th, 2010
Some people argue that the law is essential to Christian living because it helps us know the way in which we should live. Some believe that without the law to direct us, how would we know what is good from bad? How will we know what God desires from us? How will we live a moral life? How will we know the way God wants us to walk?
The Apostle Thomas had a very similar thought. At the last supper Jesus said:
‘You know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas replied ‘Lord, we don’t even know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’
Thomas had a very sincere question. He was basically asking Jesus just how exactly they would ever be able to know the way if didn’t have any map or written directions?
What was Jesus’ response to Thomas? Did He say “you know the way because you have been instructed by the law?” Or did He say “you know the way because you have the Ten Commandments to guide you?” If not, then what did He say? Jesus answered:
“I am the way”
As Christians, we know the way to live, because we are led by, and are living in, ‘the way’ Himself! The Holy Spirit is not just a nice idea, He is real! One thing is for certain: When we do our part, He does His! Our part is to look to Christ for our justification before God, and the Holy Spirit’s part is to bring about the transformational life.
You can’t go the wrong way by putting all your confidence in Jesus and the fullness of His grace, because He is the way! It is when we try to find the way by following a written code that we actually lose our way, because our focus is no longer on our glorious saviour, but our own failed attempt at legalistic righteousness.
Christ loves righteousness, and Christ loves to see his beloved living in God’s ways. Christ also knows that this will only come to pass if we can look to Him alone. Complete dependence on the Spirit of Christ to lead us is what brings about a transformed life! The Apostle Paul also testifies to this wonderful truth:
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Anything that is loving and moral and good is from God, and we can rest assured that these good qualities will bear fruit in our lives by the power of the Spirit without ever seeking direction or help from the Law.
Why can we say with confidence, as Paul did, that Christ is the end of the Law for all who believe? Because now that we see Jesus; we see the power of His life, and understand that His powerful life is now living in us!
The law was never the Saviour of wicked mankind; it was given to mankind that we might find the saviour. Now that we have found Him, let us believe him when he says ‘I am the way’ and follow without looking back to the law.
Living in the New Covenant of God’s grace and being led by the Spirit isn’t a licence for immorality, it is freedom to let Christ transform your life without fear of condemnation that comes from the law, praise God.
By mick on January 20th, 2010
Some people argue that the law is essential to Christian living because it helps us know the way in which we should live. Some believe that without the law to direct us, how would we know what is good from bad? How will we know what God desires from us? How will we live a moral life? How will we know the way God wants us to walk?
The Apostle Thomas had a very similar thought. At the last supper Jesus said:
‘You know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas replied ‘Lord, we don’t even know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’
Thomas had a very sincere question. He was basically asking Jesus just how exactly they would ever be able to know the way if didn’t have any map or written directions?
What was Jesus’ response to Thomas? Did He say “you know the way because you have been instructed by the law?” Or did He say “you know the way because you have the Ten Commandments to guide you?” If not, then what did He say? Jesus answered:
“I am the way”
As Christians, we know the way to live, because we are led by, and are living in, ‘the way’ Himself! The Holy Spirit is not just a nice idea, He is real! One thing is for certain: When we do our part, He does His! Our part is to look to Christ for our justification before God, and the Holy Spirit’s part is to bring about the transformational life.
You can’t go the wrong way by putting all your confidence in Jesus and the fullness of His grace, because He is the way! It is when we try to find the way by following a written code that we actually lose our way, because our focus is no longer on our glorious saviour, but our own failed attempt at legalistic righteousness.
Christ loves righteousness, and Christ loves to see his beloved living in God’s ways. Christ also knows that this will only come to pass if we can look to Him alone. Complete dependence on the Spirit of Christ to lead us is what brings about a transformed life! The Apostle Paul also testifies to this wonderful truth:
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Anything that is loving and moral and good is from God, and we can rest assured that these good qualities will bear fruit in our lives by the power of the Spirit without ever seeking direction or help from the Law.
Why can we say with confidence, as Paul did, that Christ is the end of the Law for all who believe? Because now that we see Jesus; we see the power of His life, and understand that His powerful life is now living in us!
The law was never the Saviour of wicked mankind; it was given to mankind that we might find the saviour. Now that we have found Him, let us believe him when he says ‘I am the way’ and follow without looking back to the law.
Living in the New Covenant of God’s grace and being led by the Spirit isn’t a licence for immorality, it is freedom to let Christ transform your life without fear of condemnation that comes from the law, praise God.
