Exodus 20-24: The Law & the Danger of Living to Keep It
As we study the Ten Commandments and their amplification in the book of the Covenant, it’s good to pause and be reminded that the law was not given to save us, but to show us our need for a Savior. Paul says it well:
“So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:24
The law is like a mirror – revealing we are spiritual dirty and showing our need to be cleaned up. But it’s the kind of cleaning we cannot do for ourselves. We need Jesus. The law leads us to Jesus.
Before we knew Jesus, we were all law breakers. We lived devoted to doing it our way:
- If it feels good do it.
- You have to make your own happiness.
- YOLO – you only live once.
We’ve heard – and even been seduced by– the pop culture’s recipe for finding happiness.
As women of God we can intellectually reject that form of addiction to self and living a life of reckless abandon apart from God. We want to live to please God by obeying His commands. Our danger is not so much in rejecting the law as much as it is in being overly consumed with keeping the law. That is legalism. And it can be just as dangerous to our spiritual health as rejecting the law altogether.
In his book Jesus + Nothing = Everything, Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of Billy Graham, defines legalism this way:
“Legalism happens when what we need to do, not what Jesus has already done, becomes the end game.” Tullian Tchividjian
Tchividjian warns us that our rules can become our substitute savior and keeping those rules our self-salvation project.
The law conveys God’s Holy and righteous requirements.
The law reveals that we are unable to keep those righteous requirements.
The law shows we are need of a Savior.
John Newton, the slave owner turned Christian and writer of Amazing Grace said it well:
“I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” John Newton
That is the Gospel. And without the law, we would not see our need for it.
But our danger is not so much in rejecting the law (as those who are lost and apart from Christ), our danger is being consumed with keeping the law –being seduced to make it our idol. That’s legalism.
We were saved by the gospel. We were saved by grace. And it’s through the gospel and by grace that we can live victorious lives as women of God.
We were saved in Christ alone….and we must live in Christ alone. That’s grace. That’s the gospel.
The woman of God finds hope, not in keeping the rules, but in Christ alone.
You can follow the link below for the complete teaching lecture for this week:
The 3Rs: Rules, Righteousness, and Rest
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/ladies-bible-study-exodus-lesson-14-laura-macfarlan-1-15-15/
