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What SHOULD We do?
What if the Law says we are to make blood sacrifices? How will we comply?
I have heard this asked by some maintaining that the Law is not for us today. Do you feel you should do that?
Christ has made all the sacrifices that are necessary for our redemption. HE was the only true sacrifice for our redemption and all the sacrifices in the Old Testament were mere shadows looking forward.
Nevertheless, the laws of sacrifices have NOT passed away. They, as well as the Commandments have both been satisfied and fulfilled forever in Christ, our Messiah!
So, should we continue to attempt to satisfy what Jehovah has stated is perfectly satisfied? Absolutely not...because although these sacrifices are not necessary, the need for them has been perfectly satisfied!
Jesus made it plain that not one jot or tittle will pass away until all is fulfilled:
"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matthew 5:18)
Some people say that all the Law was fulfilled in Christ. How did He fulfill it?
(By living it Himself!)
How was it fulfilled in Christ?
(By making a way for you and me to live it, too!)
Forgiveness, atonement, and sanctification were only dreams to the people of the Old Testament. Yet now, through Christ, these things are realities to us. He makes it possible for us to fulfill the law by empowering us to resist sin. He gives us insight to sin's inception and forgives when we fall short. Best of all, His atonement keeps us until the day He will make us anew for His Kingdom!
In the Law of Moses there are many obscure and strange instructions, such as the prohibited mixture of textiles in clothing, the wearing of fringes on the four-cornered garment, abstinence from unclean meats, etc. How is the New Testament Believer supposed to comply with theses Laws and yet not "do despite to the Spirit of Grace"?
Some of the requirements (such as making sacrifices) are clearly an affront to the complete sacrifice of Messiah - the last thing we want to do; but, how can we make such distinctions?
Now, it might be easy to draw a line of demarcation by using a theological, doctrinal, denominational, or historical reference point - and some denominations have done just that!
The Seventh Day Adventists coined nomenclature and teaches a difference in the laws, classifying them as "Moral" and "Ceremonial". (Unfortunately, there is only the imagination of Ellen G. White on which to base these titles.)
Some Messianic groups teach that Law is still in force. They say the only reason we don't make sacrifices today is because there is no Temple in Jerusalem in order to perform the sacrifices. I hope this is not the only reason that a modern-day Believer does not kill animals and offer them to the Almighty! I would hope that fear of sacrilege and offence to the Father would prevent such an action. After all, why was the Temple razed to the ground after forty years of waiting for Israel to repent for rejecting the Messiah?
Extremely Out of Balance
We are left with the extremes. We may either go the way of modern "Christian" religion, making claims the Old Testament was done away entirely and saying that we are now under new leadership with the Son replacing His Father as God; or, we may revert back into the Judaism of ancient times with the unsavory prospect that the ministry of Yeshua was ineffectual and the recording of His life was probably less than an accurate historical account.
Ah, but there is a third option! Perhaps we have misunderstood, jumped to conclusions, or hastily developed doctrines of our own. We are picking and choosing, in smorgasbord fashion, Scripture and traditions all the while mixing it with faulty human reasoning.
What does the Bible teach? More importantly, what does Jesus exemplify by His example and teaching? (After all, this is about thinking RED ink, remember?)
One need only read the Bible to see that it is plain Jesus kept the Law - the Old Testament Law - perfectly! Does He expect us to do the same?
Some answer emphatically, "Yes"; but, we should not be so hasty... we must not neglect the WORK and PURPOSE of Jesus in deference to mere legal obedience. Did the Son of YHVH obey the Law - or did He obey His Father?
We must ask ourselves if Jesus did nothing more than merely keep the Law... if the Son of YHVH found His own salvation and worthiness of resurrection in that obedience (thus proving that the keeping the Law is possible) WHY DID HE COME? What did His death and resurrection prove? What did Jesus' life change?
If keeping the Law can save us, the possibility of salvation has always existed. All that would be left would be forgiveness on the Father's part to make salvation an actuality. The Law, forgiveness and mercy, the will of YHVH to save His people, has always existed.
The purpose of Messiah was to reveal a mystery:
"Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God" (Mark: 4:11)
The Apostle Paul spoke of this mystery, too:
"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ..." (Romans 16:25)
"Now ... according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began...Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:" (Ephesians 1:9)
"How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ" (Ephesians 3:3-4)
"And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel..." (Ephesians 6:19)
"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:" (Colossians 1:26)
These Scriptures reveal that a mystery is at the heart of the Gospel message of Paul... but, what was it? More importantly, what IS it?
The ministry of Messiah was to the Jews. They labored under the Law to know the Father. Although they did not know it nor were they able to put it into words, they labored to know the mystery.
Messiah described what would be the end result when we comprehend the mystery, the revelationof his Father:
"I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:25-30)
Would His message, His revelation to Israel (the "mystery" mentioned by Jesus and by Paul) relieve the heavy burden of the Jews to keep the Law?
Before you answer, remember these red words:
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20)
How will He keep the Law intact and yet relieve the burden of keeping it?
(Wow! This is a mystery isn't it?)
Jesus goes on to say, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Not only will Jesus keep the Law in force... He will make it even more stringent, more exacting, and more authoritative!
Yet, keeping the Law will be a relief to live by it. How will He do that? It's a Mystery!
Next week... What Should We NOT Do?
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Check Moon Phase 04-27-6010 (07-9-2010)
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