Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. - Matthew 5:17
The moral law was God’s foundational code. Jesus fulfilled that law by His perfect righteousness. He obeyed every commandment, met every requirement, and lived up to every standard.
But most important, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament by being its fulfillment. He did not simply teach it fully and exemplify it fully—He was it fully. He did not come simply to teach righteousness and to model righteousness; He came as divine righteousness. What He said and what He did reflected who He is.
God’s judicial law was given to provide unique identity for Israel as a nation that belonged to Jehovah. The laws relating to agriculture, settlement of disputes, diet, cleanliness, dress, and such things were special standards by which His chosen people were to live before the Lord and apart from the world. This judicial law Jesus fulfilled on the cross.
Jesus’ crucifixion marked Israel’s ultimate apostasy in the final rejection of her Messiah and the interruption of God’s dealing with that people as a nation. With that, the judicial law passed away because Israel no longer served as His chosen nation.
Praise God, He will someday redeem and restore Israel (Rom. 9–11), but in the meanwhile the church is His chosen body of people on earth (1 Peter 2:9–10). All the redeemed—those who receive the work of the cross—are His chosen ones.
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com .
My Thoughts: As we look to this day and age, believers should set themselves apart from the mainstream by reflecting God's and Christ's righteousness, in wanting to live in the ways ordained from the bible, Old and New Testament, in the way the Israelites were originally ordained . To do that, we must surrender our lives to Christ and try to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Then, life is a process of sanctification, growing in Christian maturity, to live in God's will and by His plans.
As we fill our lives with Him, our lives will naturally mature, not by our efforts but His, to be fruitful as God righteousness begins to transform us. When done perfectly, it would set us apart, as holy and attractive to others who desire love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (referring to the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23) But, it does mean relinquishing our will and desires of things which are not holy, not because of law but to enable the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and transform us.
We are now part of His chosen ones. Can we set ourselves apart and fill ourselves with Him, reflecting the glory of the Lord? If we truly did, others would be drawn to the fruits in our lives.
God bless you and keep you and let His light shine upon you and give you peace, Janine
Friday, March 30, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Reasons for Gladness
by letters@gty.org (Grace to You)
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Matthew 5:12
Jesus provides us with two reasons for our rejoicing and being glad when we are persecuted for His sake.
First, He says, “Your reward in heaven is great.” Whatever we do for the Lord now, including suffering for Him—especially suffering for Him—reaps eternal divi-dends.
But God’s dividends aren’t ordinary dividends. They are not only “eternal” but also “great.” We often hear, and perhaps are tempted to think, that it is unspiritual and crass to serve God for the sake of rewards. But that is one of the motives God Himself gives for serving Him. We first of all serve and obey Christ because we love Him, just as on earth He obeyed the Father because He loved Him. But it was also because of “the joy set before Him” that Christ Himself “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2). It is neither selfish nor unspiritual to do the Lord’s work for a motive that He Himself gives and has followed.
Second, we are to rejoice because the world “persecuted the prophets who were before” us in the same way that it persecutes us. Persecution is a mark of our faithfulness just as it was a mark of the prophets’ faithfulness. When we suffer for Christ’s sake, we know beyond a doubt that we belong to God because we are experiencing the same reaction from the world that the prophets experienced. So realize that if you are persecuted, you belong in the line of that great company of righteous servants.
Ask Yourself
What’s your immediate reaction to the idea that we labor for the “reward” of God’s blessing? God knows our hearts. He has given us desires to register our growth and progress in the faith. As long as the reward we seek is more of Jesus and to see Him glorified, should we be averse to wanting return on our faithful investment?
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Matthew 5:12
Jesus provides us with two reasons for our rejoicing and being glad when we are persecuted for His sake.
First, He says, “Your reward in heaven is great.” Whatever we do for the Lord now, including suffering for Him—especially suffering for Him—reaps eternal divi-dends.
But God’s dividends aren’t ordinary dividends. They are not only “eternal” but also “great.” We often hear, and perhaps are tempted to think, that it is unspiritual and crass to serve God for the sake of rewards. But that is one of the motives God Himself gives for serving Him. We first of all serve and obey Christ because we love Him, just as on earth He obeyed the Father because He loved Him. But it was also because of “the joy set before Him” that Christ Himself “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb. 12:2). It is neither selfish nor unspiritual to do the Lord’s work for a motive that He Himself gives and has followed.
Second, we are to rejoice because the world “persecuted the prophets who were before” us in the same way that it persecutes us. Persecution is a mark of our faithfulness just as it was a mark of the prophets’ faithfulness. When we suffer for Christ’s sake, we know beyond a doubt that we belong to God because we are experiencing the same reaction from the world that the prophets experienced. So realize that if you are persecuted, you belong in the line of that great company of righteous servants.
Ask Yourself
What’s your immediate reaction to the idea that we labor for the “reward” of God’s blessing? God knows our hearts. He has given us desires to register our growth and progress in the faith. As long as the reward we seek is more of Jesus and to see Him glorified, should we be averse to wanting return on our faithful investment?
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Beauty In Waiting
by
As winter comes to an end, I think about the bulbs we put into the earth months ago. Holes dug, bulbs lovingly placed, covered with soil. Put to rest until spring. If we plant them at any other time, they would not grow. There would be no blooms. They need all that time in the ground, in the dark. Resting. Waiting.
But only for a time.
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… Ecclesiastes 3:1At times I feel that twinge of impatience about something, but I try to remember there is a time for everything.Practice patience.
Sometimes I begin to feel overwhelmed, but I remind myself that this is just a busy time, a busy season. It will pass.
At times I focus on concerns about this and that. Questioning and wondering, but I remind myself I do not need to worry. He knows.
Soon there will be blooms. The time will come for these little bulbs to burst out of the soil and shine. God reminds me that there is a time for everything. This is His answer to my concerns and impatience and questioning.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11There is beauty in the waiting. Like those bulbs waiting patiently until it is their time to shine. He is working in me… in ways I can not see or fully understand. In the quiet and dark times, things are happening. Growing is happening. Changes are happening. Even if we do not see them.
In time, at the right time, in His time, we will see. This gives me comfort and so much hope! I do not have to see to know. I do not have to seek immediate gratification because things are coming.
In His time for me, I will see.
He has a time for us. Perfect timing. We just need to wait and trust. He will bring us what is best for us in its time. With this hope, I have no reason to hurry. I can take time for the life moments that are all important. The little moments that can be rushed by all too easily. With this hope, I understand. Whether it be a season of waiting or a season of blooming, He makes it all beautiful.
I feel I am in a season of waiting and that is ok. I trust there is a reason. Do you find yourself in a time of waiting or time of blooming? With His help, are you finding the patience in your season?
By Jennifer, StudioJRU
The Way to Holiness
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. - Matthew 5:8Throughout the history of the church, many have thought the best way to achieve spiritual purity and holiness is by living apart from the normal cares and distractions of the world and devoting oneself entirely to meditation and prayer. The problem with sin, however, is not primarily the world around us but the worldliness within us, which we cannot escape by living in isolation from other people.
But God always provides for what He demands, and He has provided ways for us to live purely. First, we must realize that we are unable to live a single holy moment without the Lord’s guidance and power. “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?” (Prov. 20:9). The obvious answer is, “No one.” Cleansing begins with recognition of weakness, which in turn reaches out for the strength of God.
Second, we must stay in God’s Word. It is impossible to stay in God’s will apart from His Word. Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).
Third, it is essential to be controlled by and walking in the will and way of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
Fourth, we must pray. We cannot stay in God’s will or understand and obey His Word unless we stay near Him. With David we cry, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps. 51:10).
Begin to pursue the right ways to develop holiness in your life.
Ask Yourself
How is impurity showing itself most visibly in your heart—or perhaps disguising itself most subtly? Realize afresh that holy living is impossible outside of a living, active relationship with Christ and the ongoing enablement of the Holy Spirit. Commit yourself to surrendering all to follow Him in righteousness.
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com .
Additional Resources
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Purity Is More than Sincerity
by
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. - Matthew 5:8Purity of heart is much more than sincerity. A motive can be sincere yet can easily lead to worthless and sinful things. The pagan priests who opposed Elijah demonstrated great sincerity when they lacerated their bodies to induce Baal to send fire down to consume their sacrifices (1 Kings 18:28). But their sincerity did not produce the desired results, and it did not enable them to see the error of their paganism because their sincere trust was in that very paganism.
Even genuinely good deeds that do not come from a genuinely good heart are of no spiritual value. A person may be extremely religious and constantly engaged in doing good things, yet he or she cannot please God unless their heart is right with Him.
The ultimate standard for purity of heart is perfection of heart. Later in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). One hundred percent purity is God’s standard for the heart, which makes God Himself the standard.
You can’t be pleasing to God until you are pure as He is pure—until you are holy as He is holy and perfect as He is perfect. Only purity of heart through Jesus Christ will reconcile people to God. What standard of purity are you following?
Ask Yourself
To what extent is your measure of purity defined by culture or others’ opinions or anything other than the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ? Check yourself in this, for if staying a few shades cleaner than current society makes you feel pure by comparison, your standards will do nothing but slip over time.
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com .
Additional Resources
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