RELAX
September 10, 2020 2023-06-29 17:52RELAX
So how do we find this balance between recognizing the importance of the law without thinking that we have to as Christians somehow Judaize ourselves, or keep every single little letter of the law? The key concept is that we as believers are in Christ. Take a look at Matthew 5:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18, TNIV)
“At the end of the day we have to sit back and relax and realize we are in Christ and therefore we are righteous in regards to the law.”
The Law Holds
So as long as you look around and say, “Well the earth hasn’t disappeared,” then the law still holds. The other thing I would point you to is in Romans 8:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful humanity to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in human flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4, TNIV)
Righteousness Transferred
Jesus makes it very clear: “The law holds. The law has not passed away. I didn’t come to abolish it; I came to fulfill it.” And the miracle is that by virtue of being in Christ, Christ’s righteousness in regard to the law is transferred to us.
This is an amazing thing and really it should give us permission to relax. Just relax. Some of us are so concerned about if we should be keeping the festivals, or how do to keep the Sabbath, or how to do this, or how to do that. To some extent we can let our own consciences guide us on those things, but at the end of the day we have to sit back and relax and realize we are in Christ and therefore we are righteous in regards to the law.
