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Law Vs. GraceThe Apostle Paul wrote 2 Corinthians less then a year after his first letter, because many of the things he wrote were taken out of context or twisted by others. Today as we consider Chapter 3, Paul begins to deal with those who are legalistic. He reminds the church that they did not come to Christ by the letter, or the law, but by the Spirit/ by grace. Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Grace, God's unmerited favor, but some in Corinth were thinking about going back to a system of rules and laws. Even today, legalism is alive and well in the church. There are those who are legalistic about old testament laws, or place traditions equal to grace. Holy days of obligation, circumcision, dietary laws, sacraments, Paul dealt with all those same issues in the first century. Col 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Heb 10:1 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. The old Testament laws were a shadow, a picture, of the truth that is found in Jesus. So we are not under judgment in regard to Sabbath days. Why? Because, Jesus Christ is our Sabbath day rest, “come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you (Sabot) rest.” We should not be judged by what we eat or drink. Because “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” So Paul dealt with those who were legalistic, he called them “Judizers”, they crept into the church and tried to take those who were free, back under the law. John 8:36 (Jesus said) So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Notice with me how Paul masterfully shows them the differences between the letter and the Spirit, or law and Grace and our responses to the difference. READ THE TEXT 2 CORINTHIANS 3:1-18 LAW VS GRACE. He starts with letters of recommendation, and says, that a real disciple needs no written letter to show how spiritual they are, for like Jesus said. It is by their fruit you will know them. “You yourselves are our letter, read by everyone. Look at what God has done and who we give the glory to, and it is oblivious that the Holy Spirit is doing this work. Letters of recommendation, leads right into the letter of the law. The connection is the Holy Spirit, it is the Spirit that causes men and women to worship God. It is the Spirit that proves ministry is from God. So the rest of the chapter Paul contrasts the law verse the Grace. The Law, he calls “the letter” and Grace “the Spirit”, because the law was written on stone tablets and the Grace, is written on the hearts of men and women of faith. Wherever you find the genuine, you will find somebody promoting a counterfeit, bankers can be fooled by phony money, art critics have been fooled by fake "masterpieces." So it was with the Gospel, no sooner did the Gospel begin to spread among the Gentiles than a counterfeit "gospel" appeared, with a mixture of Law and Grace. The Judizers who promoted it said: “that salvation was by faith in Christ plus the keeping of the Law.” They also taught that believers are perfected by faith and by obeying the Law of Moses. The "gospel of legalism" has always been popular, because human nature enjoys achieving religious goals. The legalists motto is “I got my salvation the old fashion way.... I earned it.” Working for salvation is easer to measure than true righteousness, because it is simply by faith in Jesus Christ. So Paul refutes those teachings by showing the superiority of the ministry of Grace over the law. He contrasts the ministry of the Old Covenant (the Law) with the ministry of the New Covenant (Grace). Gal 1:6-7I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all... A different gospel, law and grace mixed is a counterfeit "gospel" and it appeared quickly on the scene and thrives even today. Three things Paul says.
The Old-Testament called, the letter, the law, and it is the ministry of death. The law exposed sin, the wrath of God, and the curse of God. The law showed us God above us, God beyond our reach. Paul tells us the letter, brings death, it kills. The ten commandments are part of the law, so they condemn us, show us how far we are from God, and bring death. Death to those who ignore them, because they represent God’s perfect law. And they bring death to those who try to keep them, because they can not do it. No one will get to God by keeping the law! You say, ok Rich I know that, but what does that have to do with me? Today if you were to conduct a survey of the average person on the street and ask them. “How do you get to heaven?” I guarantee you there will be only three basic answers. First, and 90% of people will say I hope to get to heaven because I have done some good things. Second group will are those who don’t want to think about it or just don’t care. Third group the minority, will say “I will get to heaven by faith in Jesus Christ. Most people believe that if they are good enough they will go to heaven when they die. Because after all, they were better then most people. But God does not judge on a curve. He does not compare us against one another, rather all will be judged by the perfect law of God. And oh how we all fall short of perfection, that is why we need Christ. He became perfect for us. So in Corinth as today, some people are still trying to work their way to heaven. “I go to church, I pay my tithes, I've been baptized, I’m better then so in so.” Paul tell us that is not Grace, that is not even the Gospel. Rom 7:14-16 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am un-spiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. When faced with the law, Paul understands it is beyond the “thou shall not-s,” and recognizes that he is guilty and so are we. I can not keep the law, but so many try. They think that God will bless or curse them based on their performance. If I give enough money, if I do enough for the church, then God will bless me. All that is, is law! The Law says perform, its say, do, it says, pay what you owe. So what good is the law? 1 Tim 1:8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. The law is good: 1. To condemn us before God. 2. To show us we are sinners. 3. To show us the perfection of God. So we can turn to Jesus Christ by faith, and be free from the bondage that the law gives. TURN TO GALATIANS 3:11-14 The early church was always fighting legalism. Just as our human nature thinks, “you must earn what you get”, so people often make rules and create new laws. Like do not smoke, anyone who smokes will not get to heaven. Reality is smoking has gotten a lot of people to heaven a little quicker. Or rules like do not drink alcohol, anyone who touches alcohol is a sinner and far from the kingdom. Or laws like fulfill your holy-days of obligation, dress this way, do your penance, do not dance, do not go to movies. All new law- that seem to be spiritual. But if anyone thinks he is closer to God by doing these things they are sadly mistaken. Of course I find it interesting that once a person begins to commune with the Lord, they may very well find themselves doing many of these things. But not on the basis of performance, or “because it’s the law” but because of Grace and work of the Spirit. a. LAW IS CAST IN STONE. We see the law/ the letter was cast in stone. Moses went up on the mountain and received the commandments that were written on stone tablets. This alone should show us how the law kills. SHOW THE ROCK AND THE SPONGE The law is like a rock, it is hard, and when someone throws it around whoever it hits gets hurt, maybe seriously. But living by Grace we do not throw the law at people and tell them to “perform”, not the old law and not new law. We use the law properly, to be a schoolmaster, to show them how far we all are from God and how much we need a savior. We use the law as the divine moral code, the basis of our society. But not as a way to get to God - because when you throw this law around people get hurt. Again, the irony of it all is that when a man / a woman truly commits their life to Christ, by faith, they will end up keeping the commandments, and many of the things that people say a “real Christian” must do. But they will not do it our of fear, or performance but in response to the grace of God / the working of the Spirit. See Grace is not like this rock, it is like this sponge, it is soft, it doesn't hurt. And grace soaks up a lot of stuff -- like our sin, our rebellion from God. Both law and grace are amazing and wonderful. The law was glorious it came with great glory. Think about Moses on the mountain, the thunder, the smoke, the fire, the people are in fear, Moses in awe, that’s pretty glorious. The law came with glory, but that glory needed to be covered, it could not be looked upon, Moses had to put a vale around his face. Why? Paul tells us here, the glory was fading away! It was powerless to save, it only condemned. Even though the glory of the law was seen in the face of Moses, still he had to cover his face because the glory was fading away. He didn't want the people to get discouraged, because the old covenant that was destined for something more permanent. Gal 3:11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." First we see that the letter kills. 2. THE LETTER VEILS. No one will ever come to God by the law. No one will ever see God by keeping the commandments. All their efforts will be self centered goodness. They brought her to the feet of someone they wanted to prove an impostor. They brought her under the letter of the law. We “caught in the very act...the letter of the law says, that we should stone such a woman, what do you say Jesus?” Their hearts were veiled, they can not see grace, because they are coming in the law. They believed that keeping the law made them closer to God. They judged this woman, not with God’s eyes, or here repentance but by their own actions that they believed were better then hers. Of course Jesus answer to them is classic, “He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.” One by one they leave from the oldest to the youngest. Maybe some of them left because they saw their own sins, but I think most of them left because they didn’t see their own sin. In their minds they thought “what will the people think if I cast a stone.” Their pride ruled, because the Law veils. Anyone who believes they are made right with God by keeping outward rules, will never understand the power of Grace. Jesus asked that woman, “who condemns you?” “No man” she replies, then Jesus shows her Grace, “Go and sin no more”. The letter kills and the letter veils. 3. THE SPIRIT BRINGS FREEDOM V17 2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom / kjv = liberty. The law was glorious when it came to Moses, thunder, and smoke. But the gospel that brings grace, is more glorious. For the people remained far away from the mountain, but our savior is called “Emmanuel, God with us.” How much more glorious to see God living with us, abiding in us, the Spirit brings life. Those who are Born Again, have the Spirit and they have freedom: Freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial law, freedom from performance. Freedom of access to God, and freedom of speech in prayer. Matthew Henry said: “The heart that is free in the Spirit is enlarged, to run in the ways of God's commandments.” The law is done away, the Spirit, remains and we are free to keep the commands of God. What is this freedom of the Spirit? 1st. GRACE FREEDOM FROM CONDEMNATION. Rom 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. There are two laws, the law of sin and death, / the letter that condemns. And the law of the Spirit of life, that sets us free. Free to serve God, free to worship God, free from condemnation. The law is harsh, hard if you throw it around, it hurts. Grace the Spirit gives freedom/ liberty if we toss grace around, no one is hurt, rather they are cleansed. Freedom from condemnation. 2nd FREEDOM FROM SIN. The law whether you mean the Old Testament or new law imposed by a church, holds you in slavery to sin. But the Spirit gives freedom, and forgiveness of sin. Freedom not to sin. Where Law say “Thou shall not!” The Spirit says, “you don’t have to.” I am free in the Grace of God, by faith in Jesus, I do not need to partake of whatever is of sin. It has no hold on me, I am empowered to overcome sin. Rom 6:14 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. I love that scripture, because I have another master, the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit gives freedom form condemnation, freedom from sin. 3. FREEDOM FROM RULES. Many churches have rules that say “a member of our church, can not do these things/ you must do these things.” Don’t drink alcohol for instance and the member is condemned by that rule. If they drink a glass of wine, they are in bondage to that law, they look around to see who will see them. They feel guilty. But the Spirit say, freedom. If God has revealed that wine is ok for you, than it's ok. But if you feel that it is wrong for you, than you are free not to partake and there is no condemnation, there is no guilt, no burden, because the Spirit has led you. This is how I personally feel, I am free not to drink alcohol, and I am not offended by someone who does. Jack Daniels joke! I never feel any bondage or like I am missing something. Because by the Spirit I am free from rules. And I am free to obey what the Lord shows me. The letter kills, the Spirit gives freedom - from condemnation, - from sin, - from rules, and: 4. FREEDOM THAT TRANSFORMS 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!The Spirit gives freedom that transforms. Freedom that transforms us into the image of Christ. The evidence like Paul spoke the Corinthians is the fruit . Gal 5:22-23 ...The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.This is not law, it's not burdensome, it's performance based. Rather, by trusting in Christ, by living by the Holy Spirit, free from the law, suddenly there is less of me, and more of the Spirit and these attributes begin to shine in my life. Look at V18. 2 Cor 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.Your KJV say, we go from glory to glory -transformed by the Spirit, transformed into his likeness, growing in ever increasing glory – or from glory to glory. Every experience in life, every encounter along the way to heaven should cause us to grow in the Grace of the Lord. When I go through a tough time, by the Spirit I know that God is helping me to grow. When I'm doing well, I can use that time to grow in my faith, to take steps of faith and to seek an even deeper relationship with God. Paul says: “We reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed.” What do I reflect? My own issues or God's glory? Law or the Grace? I would like close with some thoughts on the contrast between law and grace. Law is rules, Grace is GRACE God’s, Riches, At Christ’s Expense.
SING, INVITE, PRAYER , BENEDICTION. Series: 2 Corinthians -Through the Bible |
(C) High Sierra Fellowship 2008 |
