Opposites and Equivalents – Part 3
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5].
Yes, there are many significant differences between the North and South Poles, between the Arctic and the Antarctic. On the spiritual plane an even more significant difference exists, one in which man’s eternal fate is weighed in the balance. We learn of this difference in the Bible verse quoted above.
The subject is “salvation” (cf., “he saved us”). The contrast is between the Covenant of Law and the Covenant of Grace. Law is denoted by the words “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness”. Grace, contrariwise, is brought into the spotlight by the words “but according to his mercy”.
Those two, viz., Law and grace, are polar opposites, dear friends. Both were given by God, but only one is God’s will for sinful man. The Scriptures teach us the same thing:
After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “ Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second [Hebrews 10:8-9].
The point made by the writer to the Hebrews is that God gave the Law to Israel, but He didn’t have any pleasure in the works of the Law.
Someone is nonplused and blurts out, “Huh? That does not compute! Why would God give Israel a legal code which He wasn’t pleased with?”
I heard you say it with my own ears, so don’t try to deny it. When the writer to the Hebrews notes that God wasn’t pleased with the Law, he isn’t denigrating the Law. The Law is good when it is used according to the purpose for which God gave it. The Law is given to sinners to show them they are sinners, not to save them.
And therein lies the crux of the matter. God didn’t want the Israelites to be sinners. Even less did He want them to be sinners and yet be clueless that they were sinners! If the Israelites recognized their sins and were repentant vis-à-vis those sins, then the Law would not have been needed.
But the Israelites weren’t, so they needed the Law to teach them that they were indeed sinners. In this context we recognize what the writer to the Hebrews meant—or rather what the Holy Spirit taught by those words He inspired the writer to pen.
Every time animals were offered on the bronze altar as substitutes for the Israelites, it was one more example of the Israelites’ lack of awareness of their sins. Yes, they did acknowledge their sins by means of offering those animal sacrifices. But no, they didn’t recognize in their hearts that they were sinners.
Oops! We are out of time again. In our next study we will continue vetting this subject. For now let us enter the prayer closet and come apart with Jesus a while.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Yes, there are many significant differences between the North and South Poles, between the Arctic and the Antarctic. On the spiritual plane an even more significant difference exists, one in which man’s eternal fate is weighed in the balance. We learn of this difference in the Bible verse quoted above.
The subject is “salvation” (cf., “he saved us”). The contrast is between the Covenant of Law and the Covenant of Grace. Law is denoted by the words “not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness”. Grace, contrariwise, is brought into the spotlight by the words “but according to his mercy”.
Those two, viz., Law and grace, are polar opposites, dear friends. Both were given by God, but only one is God’s will for sinful man. The Scriptures teach us the same thing:
After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “ Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second [Hebrews 10:8-9].
The point made by the writer to the Hebrews is that God gave the Law to Israel, but He didn’t have any pleasure in the works of the Law.
Someone is nonplused and blurts out, “Huh? That does not compute! Why would God give Israel a legal code which He wasn’t pleased with?”
I heard you say it with my own ears, so don’t try to deny it. When the writer to the Hebrews notes that God wasn’t pleased with the Law, he isn’t denigrating the Law. The Law is good when it is used according to the purpose for which God gave it. The Law is given to sinners to show them they are sinners, not to save them.
And therein lies the crux of the matter. God didn’t want the Israelites to be sinners. Even less did He want them to be sinners and yet be clueless that they were sinners! If the Israelites recognized their sins and were repentant vis-à-vis those sins, then the Law would not have been needed.
But the Israelites weren’t, so they needed the Law to teach them that they were indeed sinners. In this context we recognize what the writer to the Hebrews meant—or rather what the Holy Spirit taught by those words He inspired the writer to pen.
Every time animals were offered on the bronze altar as substitutes for the Israelites, it was one more example of the Israelites’ lack of awareness of their sins. Yes, they did acknowledge their sins by means of offering those animal sacrifices. But no, they didn’t recognize in their hearts that they were sinners.
Oops! We are out of time again. In our next study we will continue vetting this subject. For now let us enter the prayer closet and come apart with Jesus a while.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Leviticus: Volume 3 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
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