Christ Our Confidence

Jesus ushered in a new covenant through His shed blood which is far better.  The first covenant depended largely on man's ability to live according to the Law, but grace and truth came through Jesus.  Circumcision was required to submit to the first, but see what Paul (a man circumcised according to the Law) said in 1 Corinthians 7:19:  "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters."

Hold on, some might wonder:  circumcision is a commandment of God.  Is Paul talking out of both sides of his mouth?  Not at all!  God wrote with His finger commands upon tablets of stone, but He promised to one day write His laws upon hearts.  After trusting in Jesus Paul continued to keep the Law of Moses so he would retain credibility amongst the Jews to win them for Christ.  But God did not provide salvation through faith in Jesus for Gentiles to live as Jews.  The lack of Law does not make us lawless, for the commands written on the hearts of those born again by grace through faith are communicated by the indwelling Holy Spirit and supported by the united Body of Christ, the church - and these directives are more demanding than that of Law.  Glory to God for His wisdom, for the Holy Spirit enables us to live in the way which pleases God.

When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said to love the LORD with all the heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself.  Walking in love towards God and man fulfils the requirements of law - and then some.  1 John 3:18-24 says, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹ And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. ²⁰ For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. ²¹ Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. ²² And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. ²³ And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. ²⁴ Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us."

The confidence of a Christian is not in what we have done, but in Jesus Christ, in who He is and all He has accomplished.  The active love God places in our hearts for Him and others is strong evidence we are changed and have a real relationship with Him.  Believing in Jesus and walking in obedience to Him will always keep us on the right path, for He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Paul stated in his flesh dwelt no good thing, and this was not humble hyperbole but simply the facts.  Instead of priding himself in his circumcised flesh, Paul humbled himself before God to trust Jesus as LORD and Saviour.  Keeping Christ's commands showed Paul had a new nature and discovered a relationship with God not possible under Mosaic Law - a relationship offered freely today to all who believe in Jesus.