Law and Gospel

Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian
. (Galatians 3:23-25)

St. Paul is writing to an early church in Galatia who were being led astray by those who felt strict adherence to the Law of Moses was the only way to be justified before God. To be justified meant to be found innocent before the judge. The problem that the law presents to us is that if at anytime we have broken just one aspect of the Law, we cannot be justified at all. We are all guilty before God.

The Law is our guardian. The guardian spoken of here was a slave to the master of the house whose responsibility was to protect the children and ensure their studies so that one day they may take over the family responsibilities. Therefore, until we are mature in faith, we have the Law to show us right and wrong. And it exposes our guilt. If we are honest and compare our thoughts, words and deeds, to the Law, we fall short and see our guilt as God sees it. But we have a redeemer!

Jesus Christ took our guilt upon Himself once and for all at Calvary! He stood in our place. By His stripes, we are healed! When we get a traffic ticket for breaking a law of the road, we must appear before the judge in traffic court and pay a fine. Jesus has stepped in between us and God the righteous and perfect judge to pay our fine. After all the wages of sin is death! When we know He has done this for us, we have faith that Jesus fulfilled the Law completely and perfectly for you and me!

The Law remains for us a remimder of our guilt. But Christ came that we might not be a slave to the law, but rather that we be a slave to righteousness. As Paul reminds us, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24) Let us feel sorry for our sins (repentance) and trust Christ as we accept His gift of eternal life!

Mystery of the Cross Part 3 Unconditional love - NOT!

Jesus died for us. As St. Paul says, "None is righteous, no, not one...no one does good, not even one." (Romans 3:10b, 12b) And so to that penalty, to appease God's wrath, He gave Himself up for us. There's the rub! There is a condition to God's love. In order for God to be just, all the debts of our crimes must be paid. It is true that we did not ask Jesus to die for us. If we had then we would boast in taking the initiative. No we aren't even that good. Only God, perfect in knowledge knows how to pay our debt. He even knows how and when! So what then are we to make of this love that require a man, born of a woman, to die for us?

As I said earlier, if you get the cross, you get Christianity. If you get the cross, your soul will be convicted and by this supernatural grace, (free, unmerited favor) you cannot help but to live a life for Him who died for us. So ask yourself, Are you a Christian because you say so, or because God says so?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer addressed it this way, Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

Costly grace is the sanctuary of God; it has to be protected from the world, and not thrown to the dogs. It is therefore the living word, the Word of God, which he speaks as it pleases him. Costly grace confronts us as a gracious call to follow Jesus. It comes as a word of forgiveness to the broken spirit and the contrite heart. Grace is costly because it compels a man to submit to the yoke of Christ and follow him; it is grace because Jesus says: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

In the end, we are like one of the two criminals on the cross. One desired Jesus to pull Himself down along with him not acknowedging his guilt. The other knew well his guilt and accepted his penalty only to humbly ask Christ to remember him in paradise. Cheap grace puts us first telling God what to do. Costly grace puts God first as there is no other position to hold!

The Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. This is the Jesus Prayer. It is attributed to Eastern Orthodox mystical tradition. Often times the prayer is said in constant repetition as a way of centering the soul. But this form of prayer should be seen as having meaning as we need to stop our soul and see what Jesus is really doing in our lives. In other words, it is not meant as a mantra but rather as a sincere petition to the living Lord to do actually what the prayer is saying. Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER.

If we think we are in control of our lives, we are lying to ourselves. We are not our lord. If we were, we all would have done a better job. Our problem is we go though life not truly walking as if Jesus is in our neighborhood. And then crap happens. Then we stop and make demands of God telling Him what He needs to do! Who is lord of Whom? An authentic recitation of the Jesus Prayer requires humility from the petitioner: Jesus, You are Lord and God, perfect and holy. I am a sinner, guilty in the sight of my Father in heaven. I place myself before you. I seek your mercy. Remember, there really isn't any laundry list such as, I need that promotion so I can buy a new car. I am lonely please help me find a partner to alleviate my loneliness. Basically the prayer says my heart is open to whatever you know I need. I am at your mercy. You are my Lord!

The Jesus Prayer developed from the biblical tradition of people coming to Jesus, acknowledging his messianic divinity, and asking for mercy. Their character was one of humility. Three passages come to mind:


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+15%3A21-28&version=NKJV&src=embed


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+9%3A27-31&version=NKJV&src=embed


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18%3A35-43&version=NKJV&src=embed

In each of these passages, the petitioner approaches Jesus out of their poverty, not entitlement. They acknowledge Him as the Messiah. They have an authentic understanding of who they are in relationship to Jesus. They ask Him to have mercy. This is their faith.

I will often say the Jesus Prayer on my walks as my thoughts often become runaway thoughts of all the negatives in my life from the 'should of''s' to the hurts and worries that I have no control over. By stopping and not trying for any great argument with God on how I think He should run the world, I acknowledge Him as my Lord and my guilt by stopping my worldly thoughts and beseeching Him for His mercy. By doing this I accept His undeserved kindness (grace). I try not to be perfect and let Him do what He has to do! After all, who beside Jesus knows my needs better!