The men who have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.
Jeremiah 34:18 NIV
I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 39:18 NIV
Today, we read from Jeremiah contrasting realities of the old covenant, Mosaic law, and of the new covenant, Christ's shed blood for forgiveness of sin and resurrection to overcome death.
We have earlier this year read the rules of Mosaic Law. We learned how leadership developed interpretations of that law given by God; and, as a result, following the law became very complex. In Old Testament times, there was departure from God's plan and God allowed laws to be written that were complex and the people could not live with them.
Jesus pointed this out during his ministry by healing on the Sabbath. On the Sabbath, Jesus told the lame man to walk and pick up his mat. The pharisees became angrier with Jesus in view of this Sabbath day healing.
God's law, just like the Sabbath, was given for mankind's benefit. Jesus pointed this out in Mark 2:27 NIV when He said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Looking at the contrast between the old covenant, where the law ruled and the new covenant; where grace abounds, one can be thankful; for law does not forgive sin, it merely is a mirror that illuminates and points out sin. Under the light of grace, through Jesus' work and with the Holy Spirit, we can see sin and we can, through faith in Christ's work find true forgiveness of sin. Our salvation does not hinge on our works, but rather on what was done for us.
For what reasons are you motivated to take actions?
How do you realize that you are saved by grace through faith apart from works?
How do works matter?
Pray that you are motivated by the Spirit to take action in response to what has been done by Jesus for you.
In Christ,
David P
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