Hebrews 10:15-18
The superiority of the new covenant is seen in that the laws of the covenant are written on our hearts and not on tablets of stone... although my heart certainly resembles stone at times. I think this means that we are no longer dependent on legal experts and priests to interpret the laws for us. The Holy Spirit is at work in each of us to interpret the laws of the new covenant. We have the Word, the Spirit and the Church and in this new covenant, each member of the Church has as much to contribute to my understanding as anyone else. While there are those who are certainly wiser and more studied, the Spirit is the real "legal expert" and as the Spirit has been given in equal measure to each of us, just as God had apportioned, there is no way that I can discount the contribution of anyone.
The key to the covenant is the forgiveness of sins. I love the simplicity of the final statement of this paragraph: "and where these (sins) have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary." I think I still find this hard to believe. I know, of course, that I don't have to find an unblemished sheep or a spotless ox and burn it on an altar but I am still making sacrifices for my sin in other ways - I'm trying to earn my salvation. What I'm really saying by doing this is that Christ's sacrifice is insufficient. The truth is that it is more than sufficient. Instead of de-valuing the sacrifice of Christ, I want to accept it totally and completely.
Showing posts with label Christ's work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ's work. Show all posts
Monday, December 21, 2009
Friday, July 27, 2007
mastering death
Romans 6:8-10
Observe:
Repeated (key) words: die (in its various forms), live (in its various forms).
There is a word picture that involves death and slavery in the sense that the dead slave is no longer bound by obedience to his master. Paul compares the physical death and resurrection of Christ to the spiritual/moral death and resurrection of the believer.
Interpret:
Paul is arguing in this whole section (chapter 5 onward) that we live by faith. Here, he argues that we identify (by faith) with the death and resurrection of Christ which allows us to escape the mastery of sin and live the life that God expects us to. The other benefit is that Christ's death broke the "judicial link" (from the study notes) between sin and death, moving Christ beyond the reign of sin. As we identify with Christ's death and resurrection we also move beyond the reign of sin and escape death.
Apply:
I live by faith. All of this (life, escaping the judgement, etc.) is only possible through Christ. It is only possible to live the life God expects me to by identifying myself with Christ. It's like Korey and I talked about this morning: it's a miracle when I don't sin in the sense that it is truly only by the power/work of the Holy Spirit in me that I don't give in to my sinful desires. This raises the question: if I don't want to sin, do I work hard at not sinning or do I work hard at surrendering to the Holy Spirit? The answer is pretty obvious. Just as I can only be saved (or as Paul puts it, justified) by faith in the work of Christ on the cross, I can only live the life God desires by faith in the work of Christ in me.
Observe:
Repeated (key) words: die (in its various forms), live (in its various forms).
There is a word picture that involves death and slavery in the sense that the dead slave is no longer bound by obedience to his master. Paul compares the physical death and resurrection of Christ to the spiritual/moral death and resurrection of the believer.
Interpret:
Paul is arguing in this whole section (chapter 5 onward) that we live by faith. Here, he argues that we identify (by faith) with the death and resurrection of Christ which allows us to escape the mastery of sin and live the life that God expects us to. The other benefit is that Christ's death broke the "judicial link" (from the study notes) between sin and death, moving Christ beyond the reign of sin. As we identify with Christ's death and resurrection we also move beyond the reign of sin and escape death.
Apply:
I live by faith. All of this (life, escaping the judgement, etc.) is only possible through Christ. It is only possible to live the life God expects me to by identifying myself with Christ. It's like Korey and I talked about this morning: it's a miracle when I don't sin in the sense that it is truly only by the power/work of the Holy Spirit in me that I don't give in to my sinful desires. This raises the question: if I don't want to sin, do I work hard at not sinning or do I work hard at surrendering to the Holy Spirit? The answer is pretty obvious. Just as I can only be saved (or as Paul puts it, justified) by faith in the work of Christ on the cross, I can only live the life God desires by faith in the work of Christ in me.
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