{"id":576,"date":"2021-01-20T12:54:50","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T12:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/176.32.230.18\/swordmagazine.net\/?p=576"},"modified":"2021-05-11T15:27:35","modified_gmt":"2021-05-11T14:27:35","slug":"he-aint-heavy-hes-my-saviour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/?p=576","title":{"rendered":"Editorial – He ain\u2019t heavy … He’s my Saviour"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re under the cosh, get under the Cross!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask anyone about the Ten Commandments and the phrase that most readily springs to mind is \u201cThou shalt not\u2026\u201d. Perhaps their unspoken idea should be called \u2018The Ten Burdens\u2019. Yet, if we take time to think rather than just feel about God\u2019s list of prohibitions, the \u2018burdens\u2019 view makes no sense. Jesus perfectly obeyed and fulfilled the Law of God and this was His \u2018delight\u2019. If God\u2019s Grace was going to render the law pointless, why would he take pleasure in keeping it? We sing Burdens are lifted at Calvary \u2013 and so they are. Hallelujah! So was Calvary God\u2019s apology for Sinai? Did He repent of giving the Law \u2013 or are Moses and Jesus on the same team?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones defined true preaching as \u2018logic on fire\u2019. God\u2019s Word is the most joined-up thinking in the universe. All of it either points to Calvary or flows from it in glorious consequence until the Last Adam heads up one new humanity (Ephesians 2:15) and even creation itself is redeemed from the effects of sin (Romans 8:21). Far from being full of contradictions as its critics love to claim, its powerful logic unfolds flawlessly from Genesis to Revelation. Let us see if what we know about God can help us end the (wholly imagined) conflict between the \u2018Old\u2019 and \u2018New\u2019 Testaments, law and grace, Moses and Jesus, Sinai and Calvary<\/em> \u2013 and let\u2019s trust God for the fire\u2026 As a death-row prisoner in Rome, Paul the apostle said, \u201call scripture is Godbreathed and profitable\u2026<\/em>\u201d, referring to the Hebrew scriptures \u2013 our \u2018Old Testament\u2019 \u2013 of which he had expert knowledge. One of the subsequent proofs of this is that the \u2018New Testament\u2019 is generously sprinkled with quotes from and references to the Old Testament. In the Gospels alone, Jesus Himself quoted from all sections of the Hebrew scriptures over 80 times \u2013 even when he was dying on the cross. The church, Paul said, is \u201cbuilt on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets<\/em>\u201d (not just the apostles). No comfort here for those who set the Old and New, law and grace against each other !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last time we meet Moses in the Bible is in the New Testament, not the Old. It\u2019s just days before Jesus\u2019 arrest and crucifixion when \u2013 to the jaw-dropping astonishment of Peter, James and John \u2013 Jesus\u2019 appearance shines with indescribable heavenly glory while Moses and Elijah, converse with Him \u201cabout His departure\u201d. So Moses the Law Giver finally made it into the Promised Land to strengthen the Saviour for His coming ordeal! How great is Our God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moses \u2013 justified by faith!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The core of our glorious Gospel message is that righteousness is not a human achievement but the gift of God. In fact, our righteousness is not just a thing, it\u2019s a Person \u2013 Name of Jesus! Our scholarly Paul can\u2019t even explain this righteousness which, he says is \u2018apart from the Law\u2019, without insisting that both the Law and the prophets testify to this miracle of grace. Here\u2019s how he puts it: \u201c\u2026now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it\u201d<\/em> (Romans 3:21). He\u2019s implying here that Moses wrote about justification by faith! How could this be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John the apostle said, “The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ<\/em>” (Jn 1:17). He is not implying here that grace and truth are opposed to the Law \u2013 because all have their source in the God of grace. ‘Law’ also was a gift of grace, a mentor, not a means, of righteousness, until Messiah \u2013 the ultimate Teacher \u2013 should appear (Galatians 3:24). “By the law comes knowledge of sin”. The Law had the power to illuminate reality, but not to change it; to educate, but not to redeem; to expose the slavery of sin but not to free its slaves; to reveal righteousness, but not to impart it. The Law has always been the ally of the Grace that was to be revealed in Jesus Christ. Let\u2019s be clear about what\u2019s unfolding here: when John said \u201cThe law came through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ\u201d, he was not praising grace and truth and denigrating the law, he was explaining that God\u2019s Son had personally delivered the final part of God\u2019s unfolding plan of which the law was the earlier part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So how did Moses write about justification by faith \u2013 and how could he write about the Justifier? Moses is universally recognised as the inspired writer of the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures. Everything we know about Abraham, we learn from Moses. When Paul wanted to teach the church about justification by faith he had to draw from Moses’ writings to show that Abraham’s faith “was credited to him as righteousness”<\/em> \u2013 430 years before the Law was given!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an old dictum that \u201cthe \u2018New\u2019 is in the \u2018Old\u2019 concealed, the \u2018Old\u2019 is in the \u2018New\u2019 revealed.<\/em>\u201d Paul asked for prayer that he might boldly \u201cmake known the mystery of the Gospel\u201d (Ephesians 6:19), meaning that what was formerly a mystery to ancient Israel\u2019s prophets has now been fully illuminated by the coming of God\u2019s Son. (Matthew 13:17; 1 Peter 1:10-12) This mystery \/ revelation principle alone is a powerful indicator of the agreement between the two testaments and the writings of prophets and apostles. There\u2019s a point here not to be missed: If you want the whole truth, you need a whole Bible! <\/strong>The Old Testament is \u2018Plan A\u2019 \u2013 and so is the New! God has no \u2018Plan B\u2019. When Jesus and the apostles wanted to 4 prove that what they were saying was from God they quoted their proof from the writings of Moses, the Psalmists and the Prophets. When the Bereans needed to check out that Paul\u2019s new teaching about Jesus and the resurrection was kosher, they searched the Old Testament scriptures for corroboration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powerful evidence that God did not lay \u2018Ten Burdens\u2019 on His people is in the little preamble which introduces the First Commandment. Before he commanded: \u201cyou shall have no other gods before me<\/em>\u201d, God reminded them: \u201cI am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.<\/em>\u201d (Exodus 20:2) Did you notice that this God of amazing grace secured their salvation before He looked for their obedience? He had parted the Red Sea for their full and irreversible escape from slavery and then closed the sea so that the very means of their deliverance literally overwhelmed those who still laid claim to their slave labour. They were rescued, not by meeting God\u2019s moral standards, but by God\u2019s grace and mercy \u2013 the Law would come after their deliverance, not before. My friend Chuck Cohen who, with his wife Karen contributes regularly to this magazine, said recently: \u201cThe root is salvation by His election and His grace. The fruit is repentance \u2013 which lasts until the day one dies. The real formula is \u2018Be saved and repent!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The freedom of obedience!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

God saved His people and then commanded \u201cThou shalt not\u201d<\/em> \u2013 that is, \u2018you need to unlearn everything Egypt taught you<\/em>\u2019. The unlearning would be the next part of the rescue \u2013 not ten burdens but ten words of counsel from their personal Life Coach. Had he not said: \u201cI am YOUR God\u2026\u201d<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nor did God demand blind obedience from an ignorant people whose idolatry might be excusable. His audience had just emerged from a crash education programme which, in short order, had trashed 400 years of ignorance. If ever a people were \u201cwithout excuse\u201d (Romans 1:20), it was those former slaves who, with their own eyes, had witnessed the futility and fakery of Egypt\u2019s multiple gods \u2013 and their servants \u2013 in contrast to the awesome power of Yahweh and the 100% accuracy of His word through Moses. Education removed the burden of ignorance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet again the New Testament flows with this insight and John the apostle declares; \u201cLoving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome<\/strong><\/em>.<\/strong>\u201d (1 John 5:3) If we read on, we discover why obedience is the opposite of a burden: \u201cFor every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God<\/em>.\u201d (1 John 5:4-5) Since we live in a world that is in a constant state of rebellion against God, it is freedom indeed to live in obedience to His commands. \u2018He ain\u2019t heavy \u2013 he\u2019s my Saviour!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now we need to tackle a point of deep misinterpretation \u2013 one which often lies at the root of supposed conflict between law and grace. How are we supposed to understand Paul when he says: \u201cyou are not under law but under grace\u201d (Romans 6:14) \u2013 is he encouraging Christians to ignore God\u2019s law? That can\u2019t possibly be the case because he himself will say in the next chapter: \u201cthe law is holy and the commandment is holy and righteous and good\u201d. (Romans 7:12) Not only so, but love and respect for God\u2019s moral law is central to the New Covenant promised through the prophet Jeremiah \u2013 the same New Covenant, Jesus declared would be inaugurated with the shedding of His blood (Luke 22:20), \u201cFor this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.\u201d (Jeremiah 31:33) Paul means that the Law is no longer the basis of our acceptance before God. As my last editorial noted, \u201cLaw shows the need and grace meets it. In the business of sanctification, the Law gives us light for the walk (Psalm 119:105) and Grace keeps us free of condemnation throughout the walk\u201d. (Romans 8:1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never at any point in His ministry, did Jesus oppose the Law (He had authored it!). His apostle James described it as \u201cthe perfect law that gives freedom\u201d<\/em> (James 1:25 \u2013 NIV)! What He consistently opposed and exposed were the wearisome traditions and regulations which religionists had overlaid on the perfect law: \u201cThe scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses\u2019 seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people\u2019s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. <\/em>(Matthew 23:2-4) Listen to the legalists and you\u2019ll end up with more than \u2018Ten Burdens\u2019!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we Christians are to have a proper respect for the Ten Commandments, it will help to remember that \u201cGod is love\u201d. When He commands \u201cYou shall have no other gods before me<\/em>\u201d, there is no self-interest in the prohibition. God is not enhanced by our exclusive worship, nor is He diminished by our disloyalty. Exclusive worship is for our benefit, not His. He gives this first command because there are no other gods<\/strong>, just DIY fakes behind which hide demonic beings who will use misplaced worship to enslave the former slaves over again! (1 Corinthians 10:20) Try separating amazing grace from the Ten Commandments \u2013 it can\u2019t be done!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re under the cosh, get under the Cross! Ask anyone about the Ten Commandments and the phrase that most readily springs to mind is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,68],"tags":[46],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=576"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":823,"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions\/823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swordmagazine.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}