Put on Christ

"Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the Lord God of Israel. [22] And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel."

Ezra 6:21-22

 

There is no debate that our world is one in severe moral decay.  Some would say that man is basically good:  according to God's law man is completely wicked.  Nothing wholesome or pure comes from a man's heart in his natural condition, being born into the sin of Adam and reaching new depths every day in willful depravity. We need not think long before we can recall something horrible done by other people.  Our own conscience smites us for our faults and we cannot claim perfection for a single day.

 

Last "Bible Night" (our weekly more in-depth family Bible discussion) we discussed the purpose of God's Law.  The Law of God was given so every mouth may be stopped and the whole world be found guilty before God.  The 10 Commandments are like a mirror which reveals our sinful condition, for if we break the Law in one point we are guilty of all.  I posed the question:  "Now that Jesus has fulfilled the Law, are we supposed to try to keep the 10 Commandments?"  "Of course," is the response I would have given at the age of 10 or even 20.  The correct answer is "No."  I received some quizzical looks from my sons.  I explained that the Commandments are good, revealing God's perfect righteousness.  But we are only made guilty because of the Law.  Just because we are incapable of keeping God's Law does not make it invalid.  It is because Christ has ushered in the New Covenant of His blood that has freed us from that Old Covenant of the Law.

 

I always thought growing up that once we are filled with the Holy Spirit it makes sense we should try to keep God's Law through the Holy Spirit's power.  But this falls woefully short of God's will for His followers.  How many times did Jesus say, "It is written...but I say to you..." just in the Beatitudes?  Six times in Matthew chapter 5 alone!  Galatians 3:23-26 explains better than I could:  "But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. [24] Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [25] But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  [26] For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus."  The Law has no power to make us pure or help us become children of God.  The Law can only condemn a man.  It is faith in Christ which justifies.  The Law functions as a schoolmaster or tutor to lead us by the hand to Jesus.  Once we have Christ, we are released from the authority and penalty of the Law.  The time of the Law is over:  the age of grace has begun!

 

Those who are not born again remain under the Law and the penalty of it:  death.  But when we confess our sins and trust in Christ as Savior, we are filled with the Holy Spirit who now guides, teaches, and helps us to do God's will and glorify God.  We have eternal life in heaven freely given by God's grace.  Instead of words written upon tablets of stone, He has given us His law written upon our hearts.  Jesus always did the will of the Father, and it was because He was filled with the Holy Spirit - not because words were written down that Jesus tried hard to follow.  God moved the hearts of the children of the captivity in Babylon to return, build the temple, keep the Passover feast, and separate themselves from the filth of the nations.

 

One danger of the time in which we live is we would use grace as a cloak for our sins.  Some might cite the fact we are no longer under the authority of the Law to do what is unholy.  We now have freedom in Christ not just to do what we want, but to live in a way that pleases God and brings Him glory.  I believe why the church is anemic and powerless over the clinging, pervasive filth of this world today is we have not separated ourselves from it.  We are in the world but too often we live just like the world.  We are disappointed by our sins rather than being disgusted by them.  We trample the blood of Jesus through legalism:  many are more conscious about discerning the Lord's Body in the act of receiving Communion and disregard His sacrifice when outside the confines of a church building and away from other professing Christians.

 

If you do not battle with purity of heart and mind, you are losing the fight without knowing it.  Because we live in a body of flesh and in a world of filth there will always be conflict with our regenerated hearts.  We wage war against the lusts of the flesh through the power of the Spirit, not by following a list of "do's and don'ts."  The result of trusting in God and separating yourself from the filth of the world is found in the Ezra 5 passage:  great joy from God, and strength to do His work.  This separation does not mean isolation.  How can people hear about God and His truth unless we show them through a consecrated life of love for God and man?  As the Word says, Proverbs 18:1 says, "A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment."  Instead of starting your own "perfect" commune or church to change the world according to your ideals, live a changed life through the power of the Holy Spirit right where you are.  Jesus revealed a love foreign to the world which could not be discovered by the Law.  Allow God to make you a model of His grace and love for His glory.  God not only cleanses the inside of the cup, but the outside as well!  Put away the filth of the world by putting on Jesus Christ and allowing Him to live His life through you!