The Law Set Aside By Jesus

This morning I am reading from Ephesians 2:11-22 NIV:

[11] "Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)--- [12] remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. [13] But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

[14] For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, [15] by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, [16] and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. [17] He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. [18] For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

[19] Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, [20] built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. [21] In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. [22] And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

As one who would be classified a gentile, I so appreciate these verses, as they lay out so clearly the understanding of two things, first our being joined together with the Jews to become a new humanity, in Christ, citizens of God's household. Secondly, that the law has been set aside for us (see verse 15).

These were not givens in the early church, and it was revelation first given to Peter (Acts 10) that opened the door of the Church to the gentiles (everyone not Jewish). The early church struggled mightily with the question of whether the gentiles who joined the church should have to live under the requirements of the law, and this question was at the heart of the disagreement between Paul and Peter described in Galatians 2. Since all the earliest converts were Jews, they weer assuming that the law, and their religious practices were in some way required, and Paul argued multiple times that it was faith through grace that saves us, not some work, or physical act that allows us entry into relationship with the Lord. We all have equal access to the Lord, through Him.

In addition, the covenant of the law and commandments, was set aside by Jesus, as He completely fulfilled its requirements. As such, we are no longer under it. What I find so amazing is how quickly we want to go back to that works based mentality. Paul, was equally surprised by many of the early churches abandonment of the gospel of grace and reclaiming some sort of works, or law based gospel (Gal 1, Eph 2, Phil 3, Col 2). I know its so easy to create this list of things we can't do, which are almost always based on the old covenant of the law and commandments, which were set aside by Jesus. In Roman's 10:4, Paul says that Christ is the end of the Law. Paul speaks about the actual freedom we have in Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8 & 10, Galatians 5, Colossians 2, to name a few.

Now, this clearly doesn't mean we don't have rules for Christian living, as Paul also clearly outlines in his writings. Some who embrace the grace message in the extreme, saying that all that matters is faith, and our actions have no real affect, have obviously thrown out much of the rest of Paul's writings. We must be balanced in our approach, as Paul said, making sure the Gospel that is being preached is unadulterated, and unchanged by human regulations and false doctrine and hollow philosophies.

All relationships have rules for healthy living, and in this our relationship with the Lord is the same. In marriage I don't just think about my own needs, my own desires, and do anything I please without considering the affects of my actions on my sweetheart, so too is our relationship with the Lord guided by concern for someone other than our self. However, we must be clear these rules apply within relationship. For us to tell someone they need to follow these rules to be able enter into relationship, is the exact thing Paul was addressing as the wrong approach.

Let us examine our faith, our relationship with the lord, and see if we are walking in freedom, and loving relationship. The Lord desires us to know His grace, mercy, love and faithfulness. He calls us to a place of personal relationship first. It is from this place of relationship that He draws us forward into a life that is filled more and more with His life, and less and less with the things of this world, and our flesh. Let us learn to introduce people to the person Jesus, NOT the rules for our relationship.