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Introduction

The Mosaic law was given by God to Moses for the Israelites to be guided and instructed in the ways of God. Moses was a revered Prophet of God to the Israelites, so they highly esteemed his laws and ordinances. People who disobeyed the Mosaic laws were killed. The morality of Jesus Christ and His claims were matched against these laws. This piece of writing highlights Jesus´ responses to some of these laws.

Recognition of the Law as Divine

The Son of Man, Christ Jesus, the man who was born under the law (Gal 4:4), recognizes the laws as God-given. He states it plainly that it is easier for the entire universe to disappear than for a single element of the law to disappoint. By this, He indicates that all things whatsoever are written in the Law of Moses that concerns Him must be fulfilled ( Luk 16:17, Luk 24:44). Therefore, He has not come to destroy the law of Moses, but to bring it to reality (Mat 5:17-18).

Jesus and the Sabbath

One area of the Law where Jesus is accused of falling short is the keeping of the Sabbath. He was being accused of several instances in the Scriptures. It is written of Him that:

“And he entered again into the synagogue; there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.  And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other” (Mar 3:1-5).

The Jewish leaders were trying to protect the Law and their Sabbath but they themselves never obeyed it. In his defense statement, Stephen argued that the Pharisees and their fathers who have received the law by the disposition of angels, have not even kept it (Acts 7:533). This is what Jesus rhetorically asked them ” Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?” (Joh 7:19).

When the Pharisees accused Jesus of allowing His disciples to pluck the ears of corn on the Sabbath day, He reminded them that David and his men did unlawful thing by eating bread that was meant to be eaten by only the priest in the temple. And also, on the Sabbath day, the priest do profane the temple but no one accuses them and so they are blameless (Mat 12:3-5).

Jesus argues that if the day of circumcision of their male children falls on the Sabbath day, they do circumcise them (Joh 7:23). And again, Jesus argues that if one of their sheep falls into a pit or gets missing on the day of Sabbath, they would lift it up from the pit or would go and search for it (Mat 12:11). The Apostolic Council in Jerusalem equally contended that the Gentiles should not be bothered with the Mosaic Law because neither they nor their fathers were able to bear it so they should not force it on them (Acts 15:10). If the Jewish leaders who were supposed to enforce the Law, do break the law, then they break the entire law. This conforms to the teachings of the Apostles that if a person breaks one of the laws, s/he has broken the entire Law (Gal 5:3, Jas 2:10). Paul is, therefore, confident to write that by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Rom 3:20, Gal 2:16).

If animal life could be saved on the Sabbath, then if the Sabbath needs to be broken to do good to mankind, it must be done (Mat 12:11-12) because the Sabbath was made for man, but not man for the Sabbath (Mar 2:27).

Conclusion

The divine law of God was given to His people to guide them to walk perfectly before Him, but humans have not been able to fulfill its requirements. All men stumble on it, and so no one is justified by it.

Prayer: Father Lord, one thing we ask of you is to open the eyes of our hearts to understand the purpose of your word as you want it to be understood. In Jesus´ name. AMEN!

Introduction

Today, as always before, apart from the fact that God takes care of all persons, there are certain unusual advantages and privileges or benefits that some people receive by virtue of their faith in Christ Jesus. It is this faith that this edition of our Newsletter is set out to present.

Faith that works

According to James, faith and works are inextricably linked. One´s actions and inactions reveal whether s/he has faith or not. Thus, James contends that:

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (Jams 2:17-22).

As James points out, some actions are required of us before we could receive our blessings from the Lord. Having faith, that, God would do miracles in your life and sitting aloofly or idly, the expected results would not be produced. As cited above, Abraham acted in faith by literally offering his only beloved son, Isaac. Rahab also, knowing well that God would bring deliverance to her and her family, acted by concealing and protecting the servants of God that were sent to spy Jericho (Jams 2:24-25).

It ought to be understood that faith does not completely abrade human rationality. A person of faith needs to assess his or her life to discover and rediscover what should be done in practice. The step of faith that one takes is the work required to materialize the vision or the dream. The job applications made in faith, the short course that was undertaken in faith, the new direction in life that was taken in faith, the positive confessions, the sinful and the wrong actions rejected and abandoned are examples of works that make our faith alive.

Living by Faith:

God has not promised His children a problem-free life. This is why life may be extremely difficult for us as Christians but our only hope to continue living is our faith in Christ Jesus. An unbeliever could resort to all means possible to make life more comfortable for themselves but it is not so for believers. When challenges of life confront us face-to-face, we must remember that our faith would keep us going as it is written, ” The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17, Heb 2:4).

It is read that by faith our ancestors endured hardships and obtained promises, and some women received their dead children raised back to life (Heb 11:33-35). In all things, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:37). When all the available facts and material evidence are against you, by faith, declare to yourself and the situation that you walk by faith but not by sight (2Co 5:7). When all the forces of darkness team up against you, do not panic or fret but declare that you “have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1Joh 4:4).

Conclusion

As believers, faith with an acceptable level of rationality (i.e. works and wisdom) in Christ is the antidote to our hassles in this world. We cannot behave as unbelievers in trying moments, but with the right dose of faith, and the Lord God being our help, success would come ours.

Prayer: May the Prince of Peace and the invincible God increase our faith to endure the difficult times we are in, and to live to please Him all the days of our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. AMEN!!