Romans Chapter 3 cont'd.
However, a new day has dawned and the righteousness of God is revealed that transcends the Mosaic legal system. The scriptures themselves, written by Moses and the prophets, point us to this very truth. Now this divine righteousness is available to all people who really believe in the Messiah, Jesus, and put their trust in who he is and what he has done for them. For there is no real difference between people- all have sinned and fall far short of God's standard of perfection. Justification (God reconciling us to himself) is a free gift of God's grace purchased by Jesus Christ; whom God has clearly presented as the only righteous one and therefore, the only worthy blood sacrifice for the sins of all people of all times, which God has patiently endured. Sacrificing his own Son was the only possible way that God could impart his righteousness to people and still be true to both his justice and his mercy.
God's ingenious salvation strategy undermines all the arrogant self-righteousness of religious people because it is not based on the principle of trying, but trusting. We therefore conclude that people are made right with God, not on the basis of religious works, but on the basis of putting their confidence in Jesus the Messiah. God isn't only the God of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. And if he is the same and only true God for all, then he must save all by the same means- believing.
So do we nullify the value of the Mosaic law because of this? No way! In fact, its very focus is confirmed.
Comments:
Imagine that the whole human race had been living perpetually in the nighttime. There would be nights that were darker than others and when the full moon would shine on a clear night, people would think how bright it was outside. The moon would be esteemed as the brightest source of natural light in the world. Then imagine that a time came in the course of history when something unprecedented occurred. One "day", while people were minding their own business, on the edge of the horizon a powerful and brilliant glow appeared. Everyone's attention would be drawn to the eastern sky. And...over several minutes it intensified until suddenly the people of the earth witnessed, for the first time in their long history, a piercing ray of the sun. They would probably assume that the end of the world was at hand. Then a brilliant and massive disk of light that emitted a penetrating warmth rose into the heavens. As it rose, it became even too bright to gaze upon and its radiant heat intensified. The "days" of the past, were now paling in comparison to this "DAY" that had suddenly dawned upon the earth. The moon, still visible in the sky, was fading from sight. Over time, as the people learned more about this amazing sun and its rhythms, they realized that the moon was just a dead stone and it's only light was a reflection of the great and powerful light of the sun.
This is the word picture that comes to my mind as I think about the Big God Story of the Scriptures and ponder the history of God's dealings with humanity in the Old Testament in light of what He did in Christ by inaugurating the New Covenant in his blood. All that God did in human history pointed forward to the appearance on earth's stage of Jesus of Nazareth--the Christ. The Old Covenant was written on dead stones that did not change the stony human heart within the soul of God's fallen image bearers. It's light only reflected the Light of the One to come. But the New Covenant was based in a Person who is a the source of true light that is too brilliant to gaze into. He provides a warmth that goes deep into all of human life and existence. He made a way for God's own nature and righteousness to be "birthed" into the soul of a person that changes the very chemistry of her/his nature. He lovingly chose to do this on the basis of his own goodness, justice and grace rather than the insufficient religious performance of any broken human being. Those who would receive this grand miracle would not be qualified by their race, religious background, level of education or social status. All that the heavenly Father would require them to do is trust the One He sent and agree in the depth of their hearts that he is the only begotten Son of God who has been given to be the Savior of the world.
And...far from being anti-Jewish...for people of every race and nation to be invited to "receive" Jesus as the promised Messiah...the Father's free gift to all humanity...is the fulfillment of what the Hebrew prophets heard from God, anticipated and foretold. God's promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and a blessing to every family on the earth finds its consummation in all that Jesus was and is about.
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