Dear Disturbed:
If the first method is true, we are all in serious trouble. In interpreting
Scripture, we must always be careful to put them into their proper historical
perspective and be aware of to whom the Scripture is being addressed. Jesus
said in Matthew 5:17, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or
the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” While Jesus
walked upon the Earth He completely fulfilled the Law by living a sinless life. Look at Hebrews 4:14-15, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we
profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we
are--yet was without sin.”
That was the first
part of His mission given to Him by God the Father. In the second part, He
fulfilled the Prophets by paying the penalty for sin demanded by the Law, which
was the sacrifice of an unblemished lamb. Jesus was that perfect Lamb who
satisfied the demand of the Law.
Hebrews 9:22-28, “In fact, the law requires
that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of
blood there is no forgiveness. It was necessary, then, for the copies of the
heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a
man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven
itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. Nor did he enter heaven to
offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy
Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to
suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once
for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ
was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a
second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting
for him.”
So you see, it was
by the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross whereby we are able to receive the
forgiveness of God. When Jesus spoke these words quoted in Matthew He had not yet gone
to the cross, so the only way to receive forgiveness was by perfectly keeping the
Law or, to offer the proper animal sacrifice in the proper manner through the
high priest. We must not forget that Jesus was addressing the Jews when He made
these statements concerning the forgiveness of God being conditional upon the forgiveness of others. This was literally the Law which Jesus summarized in Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first
and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as
yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
I
wish I could say that I keep these two commandments but I don’t. Please don’t
tell anyone this, but I get angry with people sometimes. I know that I don’t
really love my neighbor as myself because that guy really gets under my skin
and I surely wouldn’t die for him (present neighbors excluded of course). I
know that I should love my neighbor more and I know I should love God more, but
I just can’t seem to get the job done right. It is so frustrating at times. So
where can I go to get forgiveness for my sins?
Thank God that
Jesus went to the cross and paid the penalty for us. Thank God that Jesus rose
from the dead as a promise to us that because of our faith in Him, we will one day be
raised from the dead as well. Yes, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Law and then gave us a
new command found in John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know
that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
So as you can see my friend, the basis for
Christian forgiveness is found in those words of Jesus and also in the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:32, ”Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you.” This means that the motivation for forgiveness of others should always be love and not the fear of punishment.
I sincerely hope that I have answered your question to your
satisfaction. My prayer for you is that God will open your eyes to
His wonderful grace as you continue to search the Scriptures which are "able to make you wise."
May God bless you
always,
Pastor Charles…
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