Down to the letter
Today marks the last Sunday of our pulpit series on the Ten Commandments.
Obeying all ten commandments is not the way to salvation. If it were, then nobody could be saved. No man has obeyed all ten to the letter because God looks at the heart more than the external actions.
Consider the following: A person may not have murdered anyone, but if a person breeds anger in his heart toward another, then he is guilty. A person may not have committed adultery, but when he has lusted after pornography, he has already violated the commandment. A person may not be outwardly praying to idols, but when he enthrones in his life any other entity in the place of God, then he is guilty of having other gods but the Lord.
The point is: nobody can obey the Law perfectly. And it's meant to be that way. The Ten Commandments exposes our incapacity to save ourselves; on the other hand, it points us to the Person who can: Jesus Christ.
The point of the Ten Commandments is to lead us to Christ. Only Jesus saves. We're saved not on our own merit—definitely, not—for if the Ten Commandments were an exam, we totally failed it. Not even on a little of our "good" works plus the grace of God. Salvation is solely and exclusively by the grace of God through faith in Him.
The Ten Commandments is a cry to call on God for salvation. When we read it, may our hearts cry out, "Lord, I am too sinful to obey all these commandments perfectly, so help me see my helplessness. Let me not look to my capacity to do good to buy that ticket to heaven. But let me come to You, my hope and my salvation."
Obeying all ten commandments is not the way to salvation. If it were, then nobody could be saved. No man has obeyed all ten to the letter because God looks at the heart more than the external actions.
Consider the following: A person may not have murdered anyone, but if a person breeds anger in his heart toward another, then he is guilty. A person may not have committed adultery, but when he has lusted after pornography, he has already violated the commandment. A person may not be outwardly praying to idols, but when he enthrones in his life any other entity in the place of God, then he is guilty of having other gods but the Lord.
The point is: nobody can obey the Law perfectly. And it's meant to be that way. The Ten Commandments exposes our incapacity to save ourselves; on the other hand, it points us to the Person who can: Jesus Christ.
The point of the Ten Commandments is to lead us to Christ. Only Jesus saves. We're saved not on our own merit—definitely, not—for if the Ten Commandments were an exam, we totally failed it. Not even on a little of our "good" works plus the grace of God. Salvation is solely and exclusively by the grace of God through faith in Him.
The Ten Commandments is a cry to call on God for salvation. When we read it, may our hearts cry out, "Lord, I am too sinful to obey all these commandments perfectly, so help me see my helplessness. Let me not look to my capacity to do good to buy that ticket to heaven. But let me come to You, my hope and my salvation."
Labels: faith
posted on January 17, 2010
1 Comments:
no man... but Christ. ^_^
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