Acts 13:33–37
“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’ As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath…”
We cannot be justified by law, but only by faith, because law can only reveal our sin. Book of James says that law is like a mirror that we can use to see dirty spots on our face. Seeing the dirty spot alone, however, won’t cleanse our filthiness, and that’s how the law works too. Let’s not be misled to believe that more laws will make us more holy, or more control will make people have better conscience; in fact, having more laws just means having more mirrors, but it won’t help us to become cleaner.
In our faith, we never rely on following the law to become justified. What really makes us commit sin is not outward behavior, but rather our heart inside. That’s why Jesus said that when we judge and curse people in our hearts, it’s same as if we commit murder. Law can only regulate our outward behavior, but it won’t change our hearts, and that’s precisely why we need the gospel. God prepared salvation for us because we cannot be justified by our good behavior, and we need His righteousness to be manifested in our life. According to the law, we must accept God’s judgment without any exception, but through the salvation of Jesus, the authority and bondage of law on us have been broken, and through redemption by precious blood of Jesus He has given us His blessings.
God has made the sin-free savior take on all the penalties for our trespasses on our behalf. It’s like if we were on trial and we were supposed to be convicted, but someone told the judge that he’s willing to take on all the penalties imposed on us on our behalf. Suddenly, we have received freedom and no longer owe any debt of sin. In the same way, Jesus has already taken on all the debt of sin on the cross on our behalf. All we need to do is to believe and accept. The Bible also says that the Lord is knocking on the door of our hearts. We must note that this passage was not written for non-believers, but rather it was written to the Laodician church. To the believers, God always has all kinds of grace for us to receive, and He’s knocking on the doors on our hearts. All we have to do is to open our hearts to receive Him!
Pray with Pastor Tong
Lord, I thank you because you are willing to give us all kinds of blessing. May the Lord help us to be freed from the bondage of law and to come to you with a simple faith, so that we may receive all the blessings that you have prepared for us. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!
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