I wanted to follow up on yesterday’s “Hosanna” post.
Barb commented that love should be what draws us to the cross. I have to say that I agree; however, I believe, and the Bible teaches, that the Law is what makes known sin (Romans 7:7). Only then, can one understand the magnitude of the gift, born of love, that God provided.
To quote Ray Comfort, in his book School of Biblical Evangelism (pgs 13-14):
The Bible says in Psalm 19:7, “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.” Scripture makes it very clear that it is the Law that actually converts the soul. To illustrate the function of God’s Law, let’s look for a moment at civil law. Imagine if I said to you, “I’ve got some good news for you: someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf.” You’d probably react by saying, “What are you talking about? That’s not good news-it doesn’t make sense. I don’t have a $25,000 speeding fine.” My good news wouldn’t be good news to you; it would seem foolishness. But more than that, it would be offensive to you, because I’m insinuating you’ve broken the law when you don’t think you have.
However, if I put it this way, it may make more sense: “While you were out today, the law clocked you going 55 miles an hour through an area set aside for a blind children’s convention. There were ten clear warning signs stating that fifteen miles an hour was the maximum speed, but you went straight through at 55 miles an hour. What you did was extremely dangerous; there’s a $25,000 fine. The law was about to take its course, when someone you don’t even know stepped in and paid the fine for you. You are very fortunate.”
Can you see that telling you precisely what you’ve done wrong first actually enables the good news to make sense? If I don’t clearly bring understanding that you’ve violated the law, then the good news will seem foolishness and offensive. But once you understand that you’ve broken the law, then that good news will become good news indeed.
Several years ago, I became convicted that perhaps my conversion, as well as that of my children (they “asked Jesus into their hearts” at a young age) was false. How could my children, at the tender age of five or six, truly comprehend the nature of sin? Sure, they knew when they’d misbehaved, but to understand it according to God’s Word…that’s a totally different kind of knowledge.
Only God knows their hearts, and I pray constantly for them as well as others I come into contact with.
I desperately want people to understand the nature of the grace that God bestowed upon us when Jesus took our place on the cross. To do that, they must be convicted of their sin. We are not good people. We have sin in our hearts from the moment we’re born. You don’t have to teach children to misbehave. They do it naturally. You don’t have to teach people how to sin. We do it naturally. Sin has a consequence. The Jews knew this…way before Jesus fulfilled the prophecy. God demanded payment…even back then. They brought forth their sacrifices to atone for their sins. Even back then, before the death of the Savior, blood had to be exacted as payment.
The sacrificial slaughter of animals was a precursor to the One who would ultimately stand in place of all of mankind. The Jews looked forward to the Savior that WAS to come, and we look backward to the Savior who DID come.
An amazing gift, born of love, but given because of the Law that will be used as the measuring stick. We are all guilty. We will ALL be held accountable
I am so glad I don’t have to pay the price.
Hosanna!
Filed under: Christian | Tagged: way of the master |
AuburnChick's Adventures 
You expressed it so beautifully, Auburnchick.
I remember how shocked I was when I first learned that the Law had the power to save, just as the Gospel did. Previously I’d thought of the Law as the stick that beats us, and the Gospel as the balm that heals and saves us.
But, as you stated so well: The Law can save us if we could only keep it.
Oh…yeah…that’s the rub. We fail.
And yet the Law still saves us in one or more of it’s three uses.
Depending on our hearts it can be used: 1) as a restraint from doing what we know is wrong (think of it as a curb)
2) To show us how off-base and out of whack we are which convicts us (A mirror to see our true sinful selves); or 3) to show us God’s character and guide us to holy living. (Rule).
So, I think we’re saying the same thing, aren’t we? God’s word has the power to save. Different hearts need different words to split them open and draw them to Him?
What a wise and wondrous God, to provide all we need. Let me join you.
HOSANNA!