Tag Archives: law

The Awesome Story of the Redeemer Who COULD, For the People Who Couldn’t

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Redemption is defined as, “the action of regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment.” We might think of redemption about stuff in a pawn shop, but not necessarily in terms involving people. It might come up if someone is kidnapped, but otherwise we probably don’t walk around thinking we need to be bought back. The fact is, however, that everyone needs redemption.

The Ancient Act of Redemption

In order for someone to be redeemed, they need a redeemer. In ancient times, a military prisoner needed someone to buy them back from slavery. It was such a common occurrence in Biblical days that everyone would have understood it. The story of redemption follows logic and makes perfect sense. Captives needed redemption, and there was a process about how to get it. But these days, unless they’re in a hostage situation, people don’t always relate to the fact that mankind needs a redeemer.

Maybe we are just fine without one, but the Bible says this about that: “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might be the redeemer of them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5 ASV)

You’ve Quit Preaching and Gone to Meddling

Here’s how it relates to us: We were condemned under the law and estranged from God because Adam and Eve questioned God’s plan and chose to follow their own will. No matter how much the Father loved us and wanted our good, He could not tolerate the presence of sin; when mankind became sinful, it separated them from a Holy God.

Under the logic of the law, all men lived under the law’s curse because of Adam and Eve’s choice. In effect, mankind was thrown out of the family because of sin, and could not be allowed back in until the sin problem was taken care of. Our will got us thrown out of HIS will…

No Other Options

So why couldn’t God just snap his fingers and provide restoration? I’m sure He would have if it were that easy, but redemption from sin is apparently a cosmic issue. It’s a life-or-death matter which impacted all of creation. A Holy Creator could not tolerate sin, and there was a price to be paid for it. A death penalty was required, and mankind would pay. Not just anyone could rectify Adam and Eve’s fatal choice. Cosmic, irrevocable death had dire, irreversible consequences. Only a redeemer uniquely positioned to fulfill God’s law on our behalf could change our status.

Unique Qualifications

After The Fall, if there was to be redeemer, he would need to meet some very unique qualifications. Since Adam and Eve accepted the curse, he would need to be descended from them in order to reject it on their behalf. He would have to live a sinless life in a sinful world. Because sin was transmitted in the process of procreation and birth, he had to be born of a virgin and the circumstances of his birth would have to be supernatural. He couldn’t be tainted by the carnal, sinful nature that invariably wanted nothing more than to break the law.

Since the law was broken, he needed to be not only subject to the law but free from its penalty. He would need to suffer death at the hands of the law, since the only sentence for sin is death—but he had to live in such a way that he did not deserve that sentence.

Very Unique Qualifications…

A Redeemer would have to have not only the humility to live under the law, but the authority to countermand it. He would need to represent the Father as the righteous judge, and he would need to be an advocate for those who were standing trial. Such a Redeemer would have to be uniquely qualified to mediate a settlement between Heaven and earth. He had to be connected to Adam as part of the fallen human family. However, he also needed to be intimately connected in the Father’s family, since he was arranging the adoption of those who would be redeemed…

No Man Could Do It

Unfortunately, no man who had ever lived had satisfied the criteria for being a redeemer, so all men who ever lived were affected by the curse of sin. Paul puts it this way (Romans 5:18): “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”

The Redeemer had to be a sinless man, a man who satisfied the law, and who was not subject to the penalty for sin. In first-century Judea, there WAS such a man. Jesus was that one redeemer, and you can join God’s family, not by being “good enough”, but by being adopted.

When you consider the facts, it’s a logical progression that requires faith to accept; but if you evaluate the Redeemer’s qualifications and decide to accept his payment for your penalty, then there’s Great News! You’re back in the will!

One Consequence, One Redeemer

Mankind exercised his will, and ate an apple, or took a pill,
Or chased a thrill, said “I’m King of the Hill!”,
Ate more than his fill, made another kill,
Or stole from the till–you know the drill–
And ran up one hellacious bill…

The Lord said, “Man, what you’ve done today
Is left the family and gone astray,
And for that sin, you have to pay.”
And mankind said, “There’s just no way”.
So the Lord looked down, and He didn’t think twice,
He sent a redeemer to pay the price.
It couldn’t be just anyone, so He chose to send his only Son,
Uniquely suited to be the one to ensure redemption’s job was done.

The requirements had big shoes to fill,
Like a cross on top of a deadly hill;
But he carried that cross and He paid your bill,
And destroyed the sin that could only kill:
Great News! You’re adopted, and back in the will!

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

Really, God’s Standards Set the Bar: How Do We Compare to Them, America?

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A couple of years ago, Louisiana made the news by requiring that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every classroom in their schools. It is a standard that will undoubtedly be challenged in a court of law (somewhat ironic since it concerns the law, and someone will be trying to use the law to challenge a display and reminder about the law…). Texas just passed a law authorizing the reading of the Bible in public schools, and people are protesting. It seems we are constantly reconciling Scripture with the law in our public life.

The Old Testament had a lot to say about the Law. There were standards handed down to men which provided moral guidance and direction. The Ten Commandments may seem like common sense, but if you consider the times when they were written, they actually flew in the face of not just common practice, but also human nature itself. The whole idea of having a relationship with God calls mankind to higher standards, to greater love, based on God’s perfect character. If you read through the commandments, they are far more what we aspire to be than they are common sense. They encourage us to treat one another better, to BE better…

When I attended my granddaughter’s track meet last Spring, I watched her compete in the triple jump. Just behind her event, the pole vaulters were also jumping, and I watched the meet officials “set the bar”. Each time they moved it a bit higher, creating standards that were a bit more difficult to meet.

It got me to thinking, God has High Standards. Do you ever stop and think about how HIS STANDARDS might apply to everyday life here in the good old USA? We probably have laws that say some of the same stuff, but the Bible certainly doesn’t lower the bar when it comes to how we should live:

“Do not steal. Don’t lie. Do not deceive one another.
Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.
Don’t defraud or rob your neighbor…
Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly…” (Leviticus 19:11-15, NIV)

A Familiar List

Leviticus 19 lists various laws that deal with how we treat one another. This list offers a pretty good plumb-line to set against a culture, and how much that culture reflects the design and character of God.

A godly society would tell the truth, would respect its Creator, would be unselfish and honest with neighbors, and would not oppress those who have special needs. Its justice system would be unbiased, treating all participants fairly and equally. I bet if you took a poll, the vast majority of folks here in America would agree that those standards represent how we should live. So, take a look around.

Just a Quick Evaluation

Here in America, how are we doing on this scorecard? Stealing? Lots of it. Lying and deception? Wow, probably more than at ANY period in our history. Profanity and swearing? Oops. (It’s become common on TV, and has even snuck into widely-seen advertising…) Theft? Double Check. Taking care of less fortunate? Been downtown in any major city lately? Seen any homeless folks? Fair and unbiased justice? Not so much.

So, what do you think our grade is? How is it that our country fails to live up to these standards even though almost everybody would agree that they are the way we should live?

I don’t care whether you are talking about Red America or Blue America, our standards on these issues is apparently pretty low. I’m not sure how YOU look at it, but at a quick glance I’d say we aren’t doing too well with these laws. Maybe TEN commandments was too many. We’d probably do better with five or six. if we were only getting graded on how well we KEPT them… (Reminds me of the Seinfeld car rental episode: we know how to TAKE the commandments, we just don’t know how to KEEP the commandments!) Kinda sad, isn’t it? Freedom is great because it gives us opportunity, but freedom is really scary because it gives us opportunity.

Even the most casual observer would look at us and say, “Wow, the American culture is  not doing very well when held up to God’s standards…” Each of us can compare that list from Leviticus to our society and find room for improvement. But don’t miss the trees for the forest. Focus a bit more, and read that list again. Hold those standards up not to America, but just to YOURSELF. Look at the standards; look in the mirror. Then be honest! (Well the list says to be, right off the top, doesn’t it?). Stop and compare God’s standards not to culture in general, but to yourself. As Joey Tribbiani would say, “How YOU doin’?”

Standards We Should Consider

The law says “Do not steal or practice false dissemination;
It says to treat our fellow man with due consideration.
It tells us not to lie or steal, it says that God is strong and real,
That justice isn’t what we feel, but a Holy God’s creation.
The Bible sets the standards that a Holy God expects;
His character is what the Bible and the law reflects.
Everything that’s written there is true and just and right and fair,
Suggesting that we all should care for those whom it protects.
The law is good for everyone, but just to make it clearer:
It works the best when you decide to read it to the mirror.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

The Law, or Grace? The Ultimate Apologist, Accepted

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The Reason for the Law

According to the dictionary, an apologist is “one who defends or supports something, such as a religion.” Saul of Tarsus zealously pursued righteousness through keeping the law until he fully discovered God’s reason for law and purpose for grace… “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21, NKJV)

A Self-Righteous Man

Saul, a Pharisee from Tarsus, was a man striving to do the right thing. Saul obeyed the statutes to the letter, and he prosecuted blasphemers to its fullest extent. He was a brilliant, passionate man who feared God and wanted to do what pleased Him. He was confronted by Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), and had perhaps one of the most significant conversions to Christianity in history.

A Dramatic Turnaround

His sight was taken from him for three days, and I am sure he came to grips with his own spiritual blindness as he waited for God to tell him what to do next. As a powerful Pharisee, he originally saw the law as a means to earn God’s favor. But as a sightless pilgrim, he grasped the concept of grace, and he came to understand that the law’s purpose was not to save, but only to condemn.

In Romans 3:20 he said “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” In Romans 4:15 he said “the law brings wrath.” Religion that is built upon law will always fail for two reasons:

  1. First, the law exists only to demonstrate that men will fall short of its standards and face the wrath of a righteous God; and

2) Second, all men (not just some) will fall short of its standards.

Zealous FOR, then Zealous Against

The Apostle Paul (as Saul is known to us) knew that the law hates sinners, and he called himself the “chief of sinners”. Paul and all of us sinners were doomed under the law’s rigid standards. When Saul encountered Jesus, he stood before Christ not as a righteous Pharisee or even as a good man, but as a sinner. So it is with all of us. Often one of the biggest obstacles we have in discovering God is our own sense of righteousness.

Don’t ever let doing good take the place of discovering Grace. Paul says that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. He had experience as a righteous Pharisee and as a piteous sinner, and he discovered that grace could change a life forever. If, like me, you are a sinner who has done wicked and dishonest things, who has failed the legal requirements in so many respects, that is amazingly good news! Whatever your sins, whatever you have done to break the law, Grace is greater.

The Convert

Saul of Tarsus, on that night,
When you were blinded by the light,
What did you see? What did you find
That changed your heart and changed your mind?
What caused your ruthless heart to thaw,
To see the hopelessness of law?
Was it the look on Jesus’ face
That turned you towards amazing grace?
Was it in blindness that you found
That Grace could more than sin abound?
Where legalism failed to heal,
Your righteousness from Grace was real!
When you were blinded, you could see
God’s love in perfect clarity,
And wrote so that the mystery
Of Grace–that fell on you—could fall on me.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread