Some people argue that the law is essential to Christian living because it helps us know the way in which we should live. Some believe that without the law to direct us, how would we know what is good from bad? How will we know what God desires from us? How will we live a moral life? How will we know the way God wants us to walk?
The Apostle Thomas had a very similar thought. At the last supper Jesus said:
‘You know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas replied ‘Lord, we don’t even know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’
Thomas had a very sincere question. He was basically asking Jesus just how exactly they would ever be able to know the way if didn’t have any map or written directions?
What was Jesus’ response to Thomas? Did He say “you know the way because you have been instructed by the law?” Or did He say “you know the way because you have the Ten Commandments to guide you?” If not, then what did He say? Jesus answered:
“I am the way”
As Christians, we know the way to live, because we are led by, and are living in, ‘the way’ Himself! The Holy Spirit is not just a nice idea, He is real! One thing is for certain: When we do our part, He does His! Our part is to look to Christ for our justification before God, and the Holy Spirit’s part is to bring about the transformational life.
You can’t go the wrong way by putting all your confidence in Jesus and the fullness of His grace, because He is the way! It is when we try to find the way by following a written code that we actually lose our way, because our focus is no longer on our glorious saviour, but our own failed attempt at legalistic righteousness.
Christ loves righteousness, and Christ loves to see his beloved living in God’s ways. Christ also knows that this will only come to pass if we can look to Him alone. Complete dependence on the Spirit of Christ to lead us is what brings about a transformed life! The Apostle Paul also testifies to this wonderful truth:
For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Anything that is loving and moral and good is from God, and we can rest assured that these good qualities will bear fruit in our lives by the power of the Spirit without ever seeking direction or help from the Law.
Why can we say with confidence, as Paul did, that Christ is the end of the Law for all who believe? Because now that we see Jesus; we see the power of His life, and understand that His powerful life is now living in us!
The law was never the Saviour of wicked mankind; it was given to mankind that we might find the saviour. Now that we have found Him, let us believe him when he says ‘I am the way’ and follow without looking back to the law.
Living in the New Covenant of God’s grace and being led by the Spirit isn’t a licence for immorality, it is freedom to let Christ transform your life without fear of condemnation that comes from the law, praise God.
So traditional to accept the Nicene 3rd person Jesus who was made up by frightened paid clergy types.
So traditional too is the belief that some commodity called grace will naturally transform us into keeping a legal code of social order.
If Jesus said he was the way did he mean look at me and my lifestyle. I have been transformed by a mystery that is in the universe, not the beliefs/ beliefs of a local ethnic cultural religion.
Jesus’ ( the real Jesus) was a mystic par excellence, confirmed by the Sufi understanding). A mystic knows a mysterious presence in the universe and finds human religion irritating.
I cannot accept grace as merely mediated by a divinized figure in only one particular cultural tradition.
It is consonant with the the disease of spiritual apartheid.
Yes, grace is the way.
Isn’t it weird how a religion that’s based on God’s grace can easily become a tool of legalism and Self denial.
Is the inherent dualism of us v them the main reason for this?
Thankfully within the Divine as described by Yeshua no such dualism exists, but only all inclusive Love.
i LOOOOOOOVED reading this mick!! good job!!
Its a glorious thought that the law has no power to condemn us.
Amen Brad
We only have grace to empower us! What a wonderful New Covenant we have been given!
Another AMEN!
amen again. the law was given to bring man to a realization that they needed a Saviour. Via the Law man has the mis-conception that they can earn the right standing before God, but as the Bible says, now that the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus has come, a righteousness far greater and more glorious than that of the Law.
If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! – 2 Cor 3:19
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. – Romans 3: 21-24
amen ! and amen !
amen!