"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock," Matt. 7:24-25.
That Jesus, He must have really studied His scripture! It almost sounds as if He was there, with Moses and the Hebrews, 1500 years prior when God instructed His people, through Moses, teaching them to listen to these words and to do them. Interestingly, Jesus quoted the book of Deuteronomy more than any other book and even when He didn't quote it directly it is obvious when He has it on His mind. Knowing that Jesus, the Word who became flesh, taught so much from Deuteronomy, really makes me want to learn it and understand it. Once again, this post is not for dumb people. If you are dumb, stop reading now and pray to God for wisdom. Quit leaning on your own understanding. This post is for the wise men, who want to submit and surrender to the instruction and teaching of the Lord. Dumb people need not apply for this post!
What are these words of mine which Jesus talks about? Matthew 5:17-19 gives us some direction, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
You see, Jesus is in no way opposed to the Law. Neither was Paul(correctly understood) for that matter. The Law has its place. It was never given to offer salvation. It is a lamp unto our feet that we may know what sin is. Once we know what sin is, because the law illuminates our sin, we should be mournful over our state of affairs. We should recognize our spirit's poverty and cry out to Jesus, who perfectly fulfilled the Law through His obedience, and if we repent of our sin and trust in Christ for His gracious provision, He will reward our meekness and we will inherit His kingdom.
Yet the Law has purpose for all believers even to this day. It is not to be done away with till Christ's second coming. What good is it today? It is our instruction still to recognize sin and it is our command to follow if we have truly made Jesus lord of our lives. God still hates our sin, even if we are His for all eternity. That has not changed. Jesus taught us that if we love Him we will do His will. What is His will: obedience. Joyful obedience. The kind of obedience that does not even know, necessarily that it is even being obedient. In the parable of the sheep and goats, the sheep did not even remember their good works. Why? They were second nature to them. They knew the word and the will of God and they were so surrendered to the Lord that it was just a matter of spiritual instinct. They learned, lived and loved the commandments and statutes of the Lord. In fact, because of their knowledge of the Law and their intimacy with God, their sin shown even more and drew them closer to Him, repelling all pride, revealing all His glory, driving them to humility. In this state, they knew not how glorious their light shone but shine it did and the Lord was able to say, "Well done good and faithful servant." No doubt they had weathered the storm because their house was built on the rock of these words.
Learn, live and love the Gospel,
God Bless you.
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