Scripture: For when there is a change in the priesthood there is necessarily a change in the law as well. Hebrews 7:12
Observation: Jesus is now our high priest, our intermediary between us and God. The law has been replaced. Jesus could not be a high priest under the old system. A new priest requires a new law. So we are no longer governed by the Mosaic law (Gal. 3:24).
Application: I can either come to God through Jesus, or I am on my own, judged by the law. I have no other high priest. Every time I pray "in Jesus' name" I am affirming Jesus as my one and only high priest and I am declaring my freedom from the law.
Prayer: Jesus, you know my tendency towards the law in my life. Let me celebrate You as my high priest forever every time I pray in Your name. Help me remember this is not a tacked on ending to my prayer, but a declaration of freedom. In Jesus' name, I am free.
Download Human Retrovirology PDF Free
5 years ago
Posts
4 comments:
I absolutely don't get the Christian aversion to the Torah; it's treated like some horrible burden that we should be thankful is gone (I disagree on the whole replacement thing, by the way). Can it really be so bad when David, a man after God's own heart, said stuff like this about it:
17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.
19 I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed with longing After Your ordinances at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, Who wander from Your commandments.
22 Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I observe Your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors.
Justin, I am not sure where that aversion comes from. I certainly do not hate the law--I love it. It was the tutor that brought me to Christ. But I am thankful that now that Jesus Christ has come, we are no longer governed by the OT law (Rom. 6:14-15; Gal. 3:24-25; 5:1; 6:2; 2 Cor. 3:7-11). We now relate to God through a new high priest--Jesus. The law was good--it was our tutor to bring us to Christ (Gal 3:24). But now that we have Christ the law is no longer over us.
Hi Thomas,
Great post. Something I have been confused about for some time, however, is this: while the Mosaic law has been fulfilled, we are expected to follow certain parts of it, such as "do not murder", "do not steal", etc. Is that where the New Testament, as a whole, comes in, in which various guidelines are spread throughout the gospel and epistles?
I know that Jesus says the entire law if fulfilled in "Love God and love your neighbor." Some commands are obvious from this, like don't murder, don't steal. Other sins, however, seem less obvious. I think most Christians realize homosexuality does go against the Greatest Commandment, but non-believers or newer Christians may not see this.
So, I guess my question is, did Jesus do away with parts of the law, or did he do away with all of it and it's like we started over from scratch, and the New Testament now provides all the guidelines?
Another related question, are we expected to still keep the Sabbath?
Sorry for such a long winded comment, these are just things I've been wondering for some time.
Chance, great questions. As I see it, the Sermon on the Mount is an interpretation of law. A guy I like put it this way: "The standard of life for Christians is the will of God in the context of his Grace, given in our Lord Jesus Christ, revealed in the entire Word of God written." (Romans 12:1-2, John 5:39, II Timothy 3:16-17). I would say we are delivered from the law as a means of salvation, as a means of salvation from our ongoing sin, and from the moral and ceremonial aspects of the law. But as you point out, love God and love your neighbor is a perfect summary (said Jesus himself) of our duty in life. Some things I see in the OT may not be mandated any longer (like Sabbath) but have such wise application. So I do not follow the Sabbath as a rule or law, but as a wise way of living life. And I don't know anyone who follows the sabbath as strictly as they did in the OT.
Post a Comment