Tagged: NT225-01
The Jews lived by the letter of the Law. They were so intently waiting and watching for the Messiah that they did not recognize Christ. To the Jew, following the Law was the way to eternal life. Paul pointed out that only acceptance of the Messiah grants eternity in Heaven.
Paul explains that the old law is not enough and only Christ’s blood can wash away our sins. No works or sacrifices could earn us God’s acceptance. The law was meant to prepare the Jews for the coming of Christ.
Paul uses the Old Testament as a basis to teaching that the Law was never meant to save anyone but rather to point to the fact that no one could ever live by the standards of the Law 100% of the time thereby failing and falling “short of the glory of God”. He says that the Law required a sacrifice in order to cover their sins but in was faith in God that would make them right before God, not the Law or the sacrifices. He declares that Christ was the complete sacrifice to bring redemption and salvation to the Jews.
By revealing to the Jews the purpose of the law. The purpose of the law was to bring conviction and prove guilt, not for justification. The Jews could never obtain the righteousness of God by works. Paul also reveals that all have sinned, thus only way to be justified for both the Jews and gentiles is through faith in Jesus Christ.
Because the law cannot be satisfied, they were doing the law to be in God’s grace not out of faith, and we know that nobody can by personal means meet God’s standards is through sanctification that we start to change to a lifestyle more incline to God’s will.
Paul also explained that while the law was righteous, it was a tool sin used to create more sin, because it called to our flesh and that natural desire of rebellion we have from Adam.
Paul explains in no uncertain terms that the law’s purpose was to bring people to a saving knowledge of Christ, not to do the actual saving through works. Thus, the Jews need a savior as does the rest of humanity, and that Savior is Jesus Himself!
Paul says the Jews are in the same boat as everyone else , even though they claimed to have a special relationship with God, Paul explains that we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.so Paul says we all need a redeemer, someone to buy us back from sin and death.
In the Book of Romans (Romans 1:16) is the statement, “to the Jews first.” The Jewish people are God’s chosen people. Through the Jewish people, God demonstrated His love and holiness to the world. Through the Jewish people came the Prophets, God’s promises including the Christ.
Although Jews are God’s chosen people, they were chosen not because of their own merit, but to show the world what a relationship with God looks like–and they failed miserably in doing so, even causing the name of God to be blasphemed or profaned among the Gentiles wherever the Jewish people went.
Paul pointed out that the Jews were the same as all people even though they were the “chosen ones”, that no one is righteous and Christ is the one who sets every Christian free from sin through the price he paid on the cross. We need his help as we can’t please God on our own. The OT told of the coming of a Messiah.
The written law in the Old Testament isn’t in conflict with the moral actions of all Christians. When we sin we are at odds with God and we are separated from Him. In lee of sacrificing an animal, Christ has already paid the price of our sins.