TUESDAY, JUNE 29

Scripture: Romans 3:27-31, Exodus 20:1,14

Romans 3:27-31 states, “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Romans 3 makes it very clear that we establish the law through faith as we obey and walk in the Spirit.  That is since Christ redeemed us from the curse of it and yet when we walk in the Spirit, according to Paul, we actually establish it.  It is interesting that the very first commandment in Exodus 23 was, “You shall have no other God’s before me.”  Or, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and being. He is to be our first love – no other God’s before him.  Verse 14 of Exodus 20 states, “You shall not commit adultery.”  So commandments one and seven both make it very interesting when we come to the resurrected Christ.  They act as markers for the application of “Christ has redeemed us from curse of the law.”  Did Jesus remove all judgment in the New Testament as some claim?  Is it possible that “Christ redeemed us from the curse” means there is forgiveness, and yet God still holds the standard of justice that was established in the Ten Commandments?  So those who refuse to repent incur judgment?  And the answer to that is, absolutely yes!  The New Testament thunders a distinct yes concerning this issue.  If we walk in the Spirit, we establish the law.  In Matthew 5:17 Jesus said He did not come to do away with the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them.  Justice and judgment are still intact in the New Covenant.