Well, of course, we know that rules are actually necessary in everyday life. In the UK, where one drives on the left-hand-side of the road, it would be a very foolish person who insisted on the freedom to drive along one of the motorways on the right-hand-side! Likewise, in a game of, e.g., hockey, there are rules. If 22 people went on to the pitch, and just started hitting a ball (and one another?!) around with wooden sticks, that would not be a game, it would be a disaster! In something less 'physical', such as music, each note - minim, crotchet, quaver, etc. - has a specified length, as do the 'rests'. There are also different keys that use specific notes for the piece of music being played. However, if every musician in an orchestra was allowed to decide for him/herself the length of the notes, and the pitch of each note, what ensued would not be harmonious music, but a terrible, discordant, mess!
So with life. We need rules! These Ten Words are among the most basic that we know, and most law-codes are based upon them, or on something very similar. They make perfectly clear that, as the apostle Paul wrote to some fellow-disciples of Jesus: "... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Rom 3:23). A modern evangelist, Ray Comfort, makes this clear by the simple questions that he asks people with whom he speaks - and he speaks with a lot of people! He makes it perfectly clear that each and every one of us (that includes you - and me!) has sinned against Almighty God.
"Have you ever lied (even once)? Ever stolen (anything)?
Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed
adultery already with her in his heart." Ever looked with lust? If you
have said "Yes" to these three questions, by your own admission, you
are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart; and we've only looked at three of
the Ten Commandments. How will you do on Judgment Day? Will you be innocent or
guilty? You know that you will be guilty, and end up in Hell. That's not God's
will. He provided a way for you to be forgiven. He sent His Son to take your
punishment: 'God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.' Jesus then rose from the dead and defeated
death. God promises everlasting life to all those who confess and forsake their
sins, and trust in Jesus Christ." (from "101
of the World's Funniest One Liners").
So the purpose of The Ten Words is, as Paul further explains, to be our pedagogue unto the Lord, Jesus the Christ. In Roman society, the 'paidagoogos' (pedagogue) was not the
schoolmaster, but the servant who had the care of the children to lead them to
and bring them back from school, and had the care of them out of school hours.
Thus the whole of the Jewish Law did not lead to a living, saving knowledge of Almighty God. Rather, it showed us up for what we are - sinners who deserve nothing other than His wrath, judgement, and eternal punishment! (see Gal. 3:24).
That, of course, as Ray Comfort explains, is why we need Jesus. Not that our lives may be, somehow, 'happier'. Not that we may have better health; more wealth; an easier time. We need Him because we are sinners, and He is our only hope - the only way of salvation. "... there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12).
Have you confessed your sins, and your sinfulness? Have you come to Him for salvation? His arms were outstretched on the cross that He might embrace all of humankind. Will you allow Him to embrace you? Will you?
No comments:
Post a Comment