2/06/2010

Law Transformation: Are the kingdom commands of Jesus effecting the law in your heart?

The Mosaic Law was given by God through the messenger Moses. In it's wholeness it was provisional...given to serve a purpose for a time.  It served God's purpose.  It played a role in holding a natural nation together till the promised seed should come.  It demonstrated the weakness of man's  personal, and his institutional abilities.  The nation has failed to demonstrate the righteousness of God...until the man Christ Jesus.

Several elements of Israel's Mosaic law were common to the nations previous to Moses, and are still found among the nations to this day.  Many upstanding citizens of the world have heartfelt laws concerning murder, adultery, the keeping of vows, equitable punishments for specific crimes, dealing with friends and foes with treatment appropriate to each. But Jesus, with his kingdom commands, writes a transformative law upon the disciples heart that changes everything (Matt 5:21-48).  Murder is wrong, sure, but what about being angry with your brother or saying demeaning things about him and others. Hmm, how does that strike my worldly attitude? Am I hiding behind my religion so that I can maintain my worldliness? Jesus says put your religious, and even sacrificial, deeds on hold until you have addressed the transformation needed here! I can't murder, or be angry, or even be demeaning, if I am being a peace keeper, or being pure in heart, or being merciful, or being meek, or while mourning my own, as well as my people's failure, or while being poor in spirit. So Jesus' kingdom commands are meant to transform my law against murder. 

3 comments:

  1. Loving your blog Jeff. Amen!

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  2. PS I've added you to my blogroll. God bless you.

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  3. thanks Nick.
    I was happy to run across your blog. I appreciate and relate to so much of what you are saying and pressing through. May God bless you as well.

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