This is a non-political, on partisan education piece...simply
theological study.
You keep facing them...those people that push the law as the way to
pleasing the Lord. They say, "Well, yea, Jesus freed us from the law,
but the law shows us the desire of the Lord." That makes
sense...right? Well, for the most part it contains truth but isn't
all truth. Consider.
Adam and Eve were created (by Creationist accounts) in around 4
thousand BC. After Adam came great men of God such as Enoch (taken by
God while alive), Noah (only person's family saved from the flood),
and Abraham(called a friend of God), as well as many others that were
close in heart to the Lord. However, it was not until about 1500 BC
that God gave Israel the law. Now, here's the question. If the law
were God's ideal for a relationship with the Lord, why would he wait
2500 years and many generations of blessed individuals to give the
law. Further, if the law were God's ideal, why would he ONLY have
given it to Israel when they were acting rebellious and worshiping
other Gods.
When Jesus was asked what you must do to be saved, he said to love the
Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. This was
almost a direct quote from the book containing the law...
Deuteronomy 6:5
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy might."
Jesus said that all the law and prophets hang on this love He
commanded.
Now, many people try to make it seem that Christianity is weakened
down Judaism. I don't see it that way. For 2500 years, Judaism had
no laws, only covenent with the Lord. God only gave the laws to a
rebellious Israel. Then, Jesus took us back to original Judaism (love
for the Lord). How is it that 1500 years of law is supposed to excel
above the 2500 years of no law before it?
In truth, we see that the law is only needed for law breakers. Those
that seek to please the Lord do not need laws to show them how far
they can get away from God's way. They seek the Lord's pleasure in
order to do it.
God's ideal has always been a relationship with His people founded on
love and grace. This was God's way in Eden, when God walked with
Adam. This was God's way with Enoch and Noah and Abraham. God saved
His people from Egypt when they were without law and still sinful. It
was grace and love even then.
Jesus Christ retored true Judaism unto His people and extended it to
all that would believe, a personal relationship with God based on the
Love of God.
http://beingone.20m.com/providence.html
(30 Days of Providence)
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