Legalism v. Grace

In his letter to the young Christian churches in Galatia, Rabbi Shaul (aka the apostle, Paul) writes these words: "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Gal 5:1). What he is doing in that sentence is comparing God's grace with man's legalism - legalism that makes the attaining of certain standards, legitimate in themselves, necessary for salvation.

But nothing needs to be added, because nothing can be added! Allow me to illustrate. The winner of a marathon doesn't run an additional 500 yards "just to be sure" or just "to show what a good runner I am". When the finishing line has been crossed, nothing more is required.

When the Lord Jesus hung on the cross, He cried out in a loud - and strong! - voice, the one word: "Tetelestai" which means "Finished"! He had completed the work for which the Father had sent Him to this planet, "tabernacled" in the very human flesh that He had created. The veil of the Temple was torn in two - from top to bottom; as if Father God had reached down and ripped it. The way was now open for sinful men and women - and that includes you and me! - to enter the presence of Almighty God. 

But more! By His giving of Himself as the perfect, spotless, unblemished, Lamb of God, He paid the penalty for your sin, and for mine. Forgiveness is there for the claiming - full and free! I cannot add to my salvation by anything that I do. Paul again: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:8-10). I am saved for good works, but not by them!

The hymn writer,  ‎Augustus Toplady, put it so beautifully:

"Not the labours of my hands can fulfil Thy law's demands. 

Could my zeal no respite know; could my tears forever flow;o

All for sin could not atone - Thou must save, and Thou alone."

I have no need to strive - "'Tis done, the great transaction's done; I am my Lord's and He is mine"! (Philip Doddridge).

The Law says "You still need to do this, and that." 

God's grace says "Tetelestai" (It is) "Finished"

"Only by grace can we enter;

Only by grace can we stand.

Not by our human endeavour,

But by the blood of the Lamb.

Into Your presence You call us,

You call us to come.

Into Your presence You draw us,

And now, by Your grace, we come." (Graham Kendrick).

Meditation

It was while my elder daughter was a student at the, then, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, that I first came across the beautiful piece of music by the French composer Massenet, that is named "Meditation". Indeed, it caused a wee bit of friction between my daughter and me when she asked me to purchase a copy of the score while I was in Glasgow. She merely asked if I could obtain a copy of the "Massenet" (probably because the Meditation is his best-known piece). However, what my non-professional ear heard was a request for a copy of "the Mass in A"!!! "By whom?", I asked. "Massenet!", came the reply. "Yes, I heard that. But who is the composer?" "Dad, Massenet is the name of the composer!" The conversation was actually a little longer than that - but left one somewhat chastened father!!!

However, the meditation referred to at the top, is the mental exercise of giving deep and focused thought to something. Today is known, in the English-speaking world, as "Good Friday", and is the day on which disciples of Jesus especially recall His death on the cross at Calvary, just outside the old city of Jerusalem.

People often ask the understandable question: "Why did Jesus die?" The New Testament writers don't go into a lot of detail about the crucifixion,. They had no need to do so. It was an all-too-common occurrence in the Roman Empire! In his record of the event, Mark simply writes: "And they crucified Him ..." (15:24). But why was He crucified in the first place? This was One Who had never committed any crime; Who had gone about doing good; Who was loved by children (who seem to have an instinct about adults who may be trusted!). Why would He suffer and die in such an agonising fashion?

Jesus did not die as a frustrated "super-star, in spite of the name of a well-known musical from last century. He did not die as an exemplary hero for some cause. Indeed, the death of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ (Messiah) was not even, primarily, an act of love! His death was, primarily, a sacrifice for sin. There was love, deep love, in it. It was His love for you, and for me, that held Him to that cross. But, first and foremost, it was a sacrifice.

Jesus "...gave Himself for our sins ..." (Gal.1:4). He Who knew no sin, became sin for you, and for me. Paul writes to the Corinthian believers: "For our sake He [the Father] made Him [the Son] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him [the Son] we might become the righteousness of God." (II Cor 5:21). It is not too many years since I came across that verse and, in spite of having read it countless times before, something of the horror of it suddenly hit me. For a brief moment of human time, the spotless, sinless, Son; the Second Persona of the Trinity; Himself God; became sin! Sin - that upon which Almighty God cannot bear to look. Sin - the very opposite of the Holiness and perfection of the Father . Sin - that vile, filthy, rejection that spits in the face of the Father Who loves with an everlasting love (Is.54:8). Sin - in all of its blackness, its obnoxiousness, its evil, its nastiness, and any other similar description. He became sin - for us!

I realised, on the day when that verse first "hit" me - as it had never done before - that it was at that moment, in time, that Jesus experienced what He did not experience in all of eternity: the Father turning away from Him. That was when He uttered those words, known as "the cry of dereliction" - "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matt 27:46). It was, surely, at that moment that Jesus experienced separation from the Father. How that happened, in the unity of the Godhead, I do not know. But it would have been, for Him, much, much worse than all of the physical pain and agony that He had already endured. And it was for you, and for me.

On this "Good Friday", take time to think deeply on this truth. Take to heart those words uttered by John the Baptiser: "Behold, the Lamb of God , Who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), and rejoice that He did it for you!

The way of the cross.

While speaking with a friend, earlier this week, he made the point that too many in the church today don't preach the Gospel of salvation.  "All that I hear", he stated, "is that we should 'love one another' and be nice, kind, people.  That," he said,"is not the Gospel."!

He certainly had a point!  We may learn a number of things about the Gospel of salvation by observing the actions of the two who were crucified with Jesus.   For example, it is possible to want salvation, and yet not experience it.  Luke provides the record: "One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, 'Are you not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!'" (Luke 23:39).  

Paul assures us, in his letter to the infant church in Rome, that "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Rom 10:13). Why, then, was this particular man lost?  We may see three reasons:

1. he was thinking only about physical deliverance;

2. his plea was not genuine.  Luke informs us that he "railed" at the Lord Jesus. That's a word that may be defined as "reviled or scolded in harsh, insolent, or abusive language."  Some other translations use terms such as "scoffed" (NLT); "hurled insults" (NIV); "spoke insultingly" (Darby).

3. he didn't want salvation by the way of the cross.  He cried out: "Save Yourself and us!'".  What he didn't realise was that if the Lord Jesus had come down from the cross, He could not have rescued others!  

Again, writing to the Roman believers, Paul assures them that "... God shows His love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8; emphasis added).  The anonymous writer of the Letter to Hebrew disciples of Jesus tells us that "... without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins." (Heb 9:22; emphasis added).

Yet, in spite of these clear instructions in the written Word of God, many appear not to want anything to do with the message of the needed sacrificial work of the Christ. They call it a "bloody" Gospel - and it is!  They would rather talk about Jesus' life, teachings, and example.  Now, it is true that the Saviour's life is important; His teachings are an absolute storehouse of wisdom and truth; His example is worthy of being followed by all.  However, it is not only through His life, but also His death and resurrection, that salvation and forgiveness can be offered to a guilty world.

The other malefactor came as we all must come - in humility and faith.  Luke continues the record: "But the other rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.'  And he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'" (Luke 23:40-42).  What a difference in attitude!  And he received a response from the Saviour: "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:42).

If you wish to reach heaven, you cannot avoid the way of the cross.  It's the place where, as Graham Kendrick reminds us in one of his songs, "wrath and mercy meet" - where the sins of the world, and the love of Almighty God, met in the redemptive encounter.  It is only "... the blood of Jesus, His Son ...", John reminds us, that "... cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7).

Have you been "washed in the blood of the Lamb?"  Have you come by the way of the cross?!

GOOD Friday?

It is, at first sight, a strange way by which to refer to the day that commemorates someone dying the particularly cruel death by crucifixion.  Why would anyone refer to such a day as "Good"?

The answer to that question is, of course, to be found in the identity of the One Who hung on that particular cross, on that specific day.  This was no common criminal - even 'though He died a criminal's death.  This One was Jesus of Nazareth - not only, as the inscription proclaiming His 'crime' proclaimed, "King of the Jews" but, in fact, the Saviour of mankind.  

Of course apart from using it as a piece of fashion jewellery, the world (i.e. those who live as if God does not exist) despises the cross, and the One Who hung on the cross.  As the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, wrote - centuries before the crucifixion of Jesus - "He was despised and rejected by men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not." (53:3).
 
Why did He die?  It was not because He had no choice in the matter.  As God the Son, He was able to ask: "Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26:53).   No, the reason for His death was, quite simply, your sin - and mine!  His death substituted for ours. He was the sacrificial “... Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). This Lamb is none other than God the Son Who, as Paul was later to write, willingly “... emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And, being found in human form, ... humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:7-8).
 
Remarkably, even God the Father “despised” Him as He hung on the cross, for God is holy and sinless and, for our sakes had “ ... made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Cor 5:21).  It is not so many years since I first noticed that 'be' that I have emboldened, and the reality of it suddenly became clear.  Jesus not only “... bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (I Peter 2:24).  He actually became sin - sin in all of its blackness, and vileness, and heinousness, and accursedness.  When I did realise that, I also realised that it was at that moment, in time, that the Father, in His sinless holiness, turned away from the Son.  It was at that moment, in time, that Jesus uttered what is referred to as “the cry of dereliction”: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt.27:46).

The chorus of one of the old Christian hymns - with better theology than some of its modern counterparts! - goes like this:
“So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, 'til my trophies at last I lay down.  Yes, I'll cherish the old rugged cross; and exchange it, one day, for a crown.”

On this Good Friday, do you cherish the cross, and the One Who hung on it?  Do you?!
 

A new home!

Yesterday, 20 years and two days since we moved in, my wife and I left our Motherwell home to move "up the road" to Wishaw.  It's not only a house move, it's a 'downsizing' - and that's the difficult part!  It's not the excess furniture that is the problem - most of it has an alternative home already ear-marked.  It's not the 'when did we last use that?' kitchen utensils and gadgets that are causing difficulty.  It's not even the clothes (although my wife is dropping very strong hints about the number of neck-ties that I possess!).  No, for me, the problem is books!  I am a confessed bibliophile!  I have managed to dispose of most of my non-theological books, but thinning that lot out ... ... ce n'est pas facile, mes amis!

We had looked at a number of flats (apartments), but this one seemed to 'fit the bill' and, with our offer accepted, and a relatively small mortgage (plus personal loans from a couple of friends), we arranged the move - and are happy to report that all went well.  Of course, we could be emptying boxes well into the new year!

In his second letter to the early church at large, the apostle Peter writes: "I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to arouse you by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me." (II Peter 1:13-14; RSV).  The word translated "body" is the appropriate form of the Greek word "skenoma".  That word means 'an encampment'.  Figuratively, it refers to the the tabernacle (tent) in which the presence of YHWH met with the High Priest of the Children of Israel, as they wandered in the wilderness after their miraculous escape from Egypt, and prior to their entry to the Promised Land.  It also refers to the body, as residence of the spirit.  Indeed, the A.V. translates the word as 'tabernacle'.

What Peter knew was that he would not always be in this mortal tabernacle.  He knew that he would soon be leaving it - and going to a new home!  Had not Jesus promised: "In my Father's house are many rooms (mansions); if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3).

The late Jim Reeves used to sing, "This world is not my home; I'm just a'passin' through; my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue."  Paul wrote: "We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." (II Cor 5:8).

So perhaps moving into a new home is a particularly good time to contemplate that final move.  You see, each of us will, whether we realise it or not, make that move - either when we meet with physical death, or when the Lord calls His own to meet Him "in the air". (see I Thess.4:17).  The only question is "Where will your eternal home be?"!

I am so glad that, almost 55 years ago, I committed my life to the Lord Jesus.  I know that I have failed Him often over those decades.  But I also know that He has never failed me and that, as I come to Him, and confess my failings, and shortcomings; my inability to meet even the standards I set for myself, let alone the standard of perfection set by Almighty God; my sinfulness, and sins; "He is faithful and just, and will forgive [my] sins and cleanse [me] from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9).  However, I also know that "If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (I John 1:10).
Do you have that prospect of a home in heaven; of an eternal day in the wonderful, glorious, awesome presence of the Lamb of God?  If you don't, then why don't you consider, right now, His offer of full salvation.  It's an offer that beats all of the 'special offers' that the world offers, especially at this Christmas season.

He said, "Come to Me , all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30), and "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me; and him who comes to Me I will not cast out." (John 6:37).

Will you take Him at His word?  Will you?  You'll never regret it if you do - and you'll have a new home waiting for you, that will be yours throughout eternity!

A second home!

Yesterday (Sunday) was a beautiful day in the south-west of France.  The sun shone; there was a gentle breeze; my wife went swimming in the lake at the site in which we have our static caravan; and I was able to relax!

Of course, all of that was possible simply because we have the static.  Over the past week, I've been working on the sub-structure for the L-shaped verandah (terrasse) and, when that is fully completed - a project that will take some time as it is less expensive to purchase the wood at home, and transport it out here - we will have a very nice second home.

We've been doing some work inside as well and, on this visit, we prepared a proper base, and built a garden shed thereon.  Well, we needed somewhere to store the loungers and, eventually, the barbecue!
We are fully aware of the tremendous blessing it is to have a second home in such a quiet, and beautiful, part of the world.  We realise that not everyone experiences that blessing and that, indeed, many do not have even one proper home to provide shelter for them and their families.  We are grateful that, for us, "The lines have fallen ... in pleasant places;" (Ps 16:6).

We are also aware that, as the late Jim Reeves often sung, "This world is not [our] home"; that, in the words of the old spiritual "[We've] got a home in glory land,".  It's the home that Jesus has promised to all who are His faithful disciples, regardless of what they experience in this mortal life.  He has already said "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:2-3).

You may not have a second home on earth.  The important question is, "Are you assured of that second home in the Father's house?"  It's available, for all who will confess their sins; repent; and accept the salvation that God the Son gained for us at Calvary.   There isn't even a cost involved - He's already paid the price (although, when you give your life over to His control, He has told us that it may then cost us everything that we have; as brothers and sisters in the persecuted church know only too well!).  And don't worry about the sun, for "... the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb." (Rev 21:23) and you'll bask in the warmth of His presence throughout eternity!

That beats anything that this world can offer.

He became sin

 It wasn't so very long ago that I was reading, in my personal 'Quiet Time', in Paul's second letter to the young church in Corinth.  At the end of what we know as chapter 5 (although, of course, Paul didn't write his letters in chapters and verses any more than you or I would!), I read, "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (v.21; RSV).

It was those words "... made Him to be sin ..." that suddenly jumped out at me.  Paul is telling us that, when He hung on the cross, Jesus, the sinless, holy, perfect and without blemish Lamb of God, did not merely take my sin upon Himself, and pay the penalty that I owed.  He says that He became the very essence of sin.  He didn’t just die for my sins; He became all that sin is – all the ugliness, and blackness, and virulence, and bitterness, and maliciousness, and pollution, and poison, that is sin.  Was that what Isaiah saw as he was allowed to look over the horizon of time and get that glimpse of Calvary centuries before the event?  “He had no form or comeliness that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.” (53:2).  No wonder that, for a brief moment of human time, the Father could not even look upon the Son, causing Jesus to cry out, in anguish, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matt.27:46; Mark 15:34)

And He did all of that; He became sin; for you, and for me!  The hymn-writer didn’t quite get the message when he wrote “O help me understand it, help me to take it in; what it meant to Thee, the Holy One, to bear away my sin.” (K.A.M.Kelly).  H.G.Spafford was closer when he wrote “My sin – oh the bliss of this glorious thought – my sin, not in part, but the whole is nailed to His Cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul”

I thought of all of that when I watched the video below - posted on Facebook by my good friend Margaret Ollivier, a GLO missionary in Quimper, France.  I found it to be both beautiful, and powerful.  I trust that you will find it to be the same.