What was wrong with these sacrifices?
They didn't work!
The…sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
Hebrews 9:9
These sacrifices only made people outwardly acceptable to God.
They could not clean a person's heart.
The gifts and sacrifices being offered were…only a matter of food and drink and…ceremonial washings––external [physical] regulations.
Hebrews 9:10
Shinkaiyaku
These sacrifices could not actually purify people of their sins.
The Law…can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship…, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 10:1, 4
Animal sacrifices, or any other religious ceremonies, have no power to make us clean in God's eyes.
How do we know that an animal sacrifice cannot remove people's sins?
If it could, would they not have stopped being offered?
Hebrews 10:2
What a brilliant question!
If the sacrifices were effective, they would have stopped being offered!
The worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
Hebrews 10:2
Neither these sacrifices, nor the High Priest, nor the Tabernacle, nor The Law fulfilled their ultimate purpose.
These were used for about 1500 years by the Israelites.
But these cannot clean the evil in a person's heart.
They all fall short of the goal of bringing us freely into Creator God's presence.
They cannot bring us face to face with Creator God.
No one will be declared righteous [clean and good] by observing the Law; rather through the Law we become conscious of sin.
Romans 3:20
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:323
Then what was the purpose of the sacrifices?
These sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.
Hebrews 10:3
These sacrifices keep reminding us that we need to be forgiven.
They remind us that we are full of sin – that we are unacceptable to God.
Of course, it is very important for us to know this.
But, doesn't this information fall disappointingly short of what we hope for?
This information tells us that we have a terrible problem,
but it does nothing to solve our problem.
These sacrifices just keep reminding us that Option #1 is a failure:
• We can't keep The Law. We can't "do what is right". We can't "master" sin.
• We can't come freely into Creator God's presence.
• Even a High Priest can't get us into God's presence.
• Even an animal sacrifice can't get us into God's presence.
No matter what we do, we are without hope.
What are the 2 problems with these sacrifices?
The gifts and sacrifices being offered were…only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings––external [physical] regulations applying until the time of the new order [Option #2].
Hebrews 9:10
1. The sacrifices and ceremonies are only temporary.
. . . applying until the time of the new order [Option #2].
Hebrews 9:10
So, Option #1 was not meant to last forever.
It failed because we failed.
So we need a completely new solution.
2. These sacrifices are only external religious ceremonies.
. . . external [physical] regulations
Hebrews 9:10
The blood of bulls and goats…sprinkled on those who are ceremonial unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.
Hebrews 9:13
They only clean the outside of a person – they can't clean a person's heart or conscience.
They cannot change us.
What good are outward religious rituals that cannot change a person's heart?
[Jesus said:] "Woe to you, Teachers of the Law and Pharisees [you religious leaders], you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. …First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean."
Matthew 23:25-26
The religious leaders of Jesus' day were very religious.
They were very serious about following Option #1 outwardly.
They were very strict about their outward behavior.
But, what good are outward religious ceremonies if one's heart remains distant and hard against Creator God?
SO, WHY ARE WE DISCUSSING THESE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES IN SUCH DETAIL?
Because people all over the world rely on many religious ceremonies . . .
• To get power over the spirits of evil that influence and invade their lives.
• To try to persuade God to give them what they want or need.
• To make up for their sins.
• To try to gain eternal life.
What can the whole world learn from the religious ceremonies given to Israel?
1. Creator God gave very exact requirements for his religious ceremonies.
Just any religious ceremony or ritual was not acceptable to God.
For example:
The Lord said to Moses, "…If any of you…presents a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord…you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf. Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. "
Leviticus 22:17-22
Even the incense had to be made a certain way.
The Lord said to Moses, "Take fragrant spices––gum resin, onycha and galbanum––and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, and make a fragrant blend of incense. It is…sacred. …Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord.
Exodus 30:34-35, 37
And no other incense could be offered to Creator God.
Aaron [the High Priest] must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning…[and] at twilight…before the Lord. …Do not offer on this altar any other incense.
Exodus 30:7-9
What happened if someone did not follow God's precise instructions?
Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu [were priests and] took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and…they died before the Lord.
Leviticus 10:1-2
Why would Creator God do that?
Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke of when he said: 'Among those who approach me I will show myself holy.'"
Leviticus 10:1-3
No humans, not even priests, can choose on their own how they will approach Creator God.
The Creator of the universe, alone, chooses how people may come into his presence.
The Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Deuteronomy 4:24
2. So we may only come to God in the way that he chooses.
What does this say about all other religious ceremonies or religious practices around the world?
What do you think?
Do you really think that any other religious practices are acceptable to Creator God?
3. Even the religious practices given by Creator God, himself, failed to bring the Israelites freely into God's presence.
Then how can other religious ceremonies or sacrifices bring us face-to-face with the Creator of the Universe?
Even more than that, how can praying to an idol bring us into the presence of Creator God?
We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one…,the Father, from whom all things came.
Romans 8:4, 6
Then, who are people making offerings to when they make an offering to an idol?
But the sacrifices of pagans [or people who do not know Creator God] are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.
1 Corinthians 10:20
Behind idols are evil spirits – or demons.
This means that no other god in the world can help us.
Ignorant are those…who pray to gods that cannot save.
Isaiah 45:20
In fact, praying to other gods has exactly the opposite result of what we hope for –
it brings Creator God's anger down upon us.
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men. …For…they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1:18, 21-23
Why does worshiping other gods and idols bring Creator God's anger down on us?
What may be known about [Creator] God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities––his eternal power and divine nature––have been clearly seen, being understood from what he has made, so that men are without excuse.
Romans 1:19-20
Although they knew [Creator] God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.
Romans 1:21
Their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Romans 1:21-23
They exchanged the truth of [Creator] God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator––who is forever praised.
Romans 1:25
What god can compete with Creator God?
"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" say the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?
Isaiah 40:25-26
[Creator God declares:] "Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior."
Isaiah 43:10-11
How can we be sure that other religious systems fail?
We know this in the same way we know that the sacrifices and ceremonies ordered by Creator God, himself, cannot permanently forgive our sins and giving us eternal life.
If it could, would they not have stopped being offered?
Hebrews 10:2
Question:
Once something has been fixed, do we keep fixing it?
Who keeps on repairing something that is no longer broken?
We only retry something again and again if it continually fails to work!
How do we know that other religious systems, sacrifices, ceremonies or rituals are ineffective?
The worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
Hebrews 10:2
If it works, you don't need to do it again and again.
If a doctor cures you of your illness, you don't keep going back to the doctor to get it cured.
People repeat the same religious ceremonies again and again, because they unconsciously know that nothing has been permanently fixed.
They are unconsciously acknowledging that these ceremonies are ineffective.
They know that the ceremony didn't change them in any permanent way.
They instinctively know that they are still in danger of eternal judgment.
Remember, Option #1 was supposed to bring us eternal life:
[The] commandment…was intended to bring life.
Romans 7:9
[Creator God said,] “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 18:5
Manga Vol. 1, page
Instead, Option #1 just reminds us of our problem:
The Law…can never, by the same sacrifices repeatedly endlessly…make perfect those who draw near to worship. …But those sacrifices are a…reminder of sin.
Hebrews 10:1, 3
And, worse than that, Option #1 brings the exact opposite of what we hope for.
I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
Romans 7:10
An Obvious Question:
Do you really think that any culture can come up with a better and more effective religious system than what was given by Creator God?
BUT, HOW COULD CREATOR GOD'S LAW BRING DEATH?
Because, I myself am the problem!
Those who are in the Flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:8
(New American Standard Bible)
What does it mean to "be in the Flesh"?
Flesh ≠ our physical bodies.
Flesh has a special meaning in the Bible:
Flesh = the sinful nature we were all born with.
Flesh = everything in us that makes us rebel against God and that makes us sin.
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Psalm 51:5
Psalm 51:7 (Japanese Interconfessional Bible)
Before I did anything good or bad, my heart was already pointing in the wrong direction.
I was born "in the Flesh."
Is this really true?
Maybe you think: Little babies are so cute and innocent!
How could little babies be born with a sinful nature.
Yes, they are cute!
But they have a big problem:
Have you ever watched a 2-year-old refuse to obey his parents?
Have you ever seen a 2-year-old throw a tantrum when he couldn't do what he wanted?
Where does that rebellion come from?
Where does all that self-centered behavior come from?
Did the child's parents teach him to behave badly?
Parents teach little children, “Do what is right. Don’t do what is bad.”
But little children purposely do the opposite.
This bad behavior wells up from the child's heart.
It was in his heart from the very beginning.
Now that he is 2 years old, he is old enough to express it –
and it comes gushing out.
We don't call it "the terrible twos" for nothing!
We are all born "in the Flesh."
But . . .
Flesh ≠ my physical body.
This is very important:
The Flesh is not referring to my physical body.
My physical body is a good gift from God.
My body is a good tool that Creator God gave me.
He wants me to use it to do good things.
But, I can also use this good tool to do bad things.
So, the Bible says:
Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather…offer the parts of your body to him [God] as instruments of righteousness.
Romans 6:13
God wants me to use my physical body to please him.
So, my Flesh is not the same as my physical body.
But, why can't my Flesh please God?
Because . . .
Nothing good lives in…my Flesh.
Romans 7:18
Nothing good lives in this Sinful Nature that I was born with.
My Flesh is filled with evil thoughts and desires that lead to evil words and actions.
Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man "unclean".
Matthew 15:19-20
For when we were in the Flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
Romans 7:5 (New American Standard Bible)
My Flesh is filled with sinful passions.
How does the Law arouse my desire to sin?
Sin took the opportunity provided by…[the] commandment.
Romans 7:8
The Law says: "Don't do X."
So Sin says: "Then, that is exactly what I want to do."
Illustration:
A mother says to her 2-year-old child: "Do not touch that."
So the child looks defiantly into his mother's eyes, reaches out his hand, and deliberately touches it.
The little child's . . .
. . . sinful passions…were aroused by the Law.
Romans 7:5 (New American Standard Bible)
Mom said, "No!"
So the child did it.
So, what I am is the problem. I myself am the problem.
[My] sinful passions…bear…fruit for death.
Romans 7:5 (New American Standard Bible)
Second, what is in me is the problem:
Sin [is] living in me.
Romans 7:17
It is Sin in me that does it.
Romans 7:20
How does Sin, that is living in me, use the Law to put me to death?
1. The Law…said, "Do not covet."
Romans 7:7
I would not have known what sin was except through the Law. …I would not have known what coveting really was if the Law had not said, "Do not covet."
Romans 7:7
But now I know what sin is? I know exactly what rebellion against God is.
This gives Sin a chance!
God's Law gave Sin, which lives in me, a clear opportunity to rebel against God.
2. Sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire.
Romans 7:8
God's Law says: Do not covet.
So Sin says: If coveting is sin, then I will covet. I will covet as much as possible.
And what was the result?
3. When the commandment came, Sin sprang to life and I died.
Romans 7:9
Sin…through the commandment put me to death.
Romans 7:11
Does that mean that God's Law is evil?
Is the Law sin?
Romans 7:7
Certainly not!
Romans 7:7
The commandment is holy, righteous and good.
Romans 7:12
But if God's good Law leads to death, what purpose is it?
It has a very important purpose:
I would not have known what sin was except through the Law.
Romans 7:7
Through the Law…sin might be recognized as sin.
Romans 7:7, 13
And The Law does even more than that.
It shows me how completely sinful I am.
Sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of [sin]. …So that through the commandment sin might be utterly sinful.
Romans 7:8, 13
The Law shows me that I have a huge problem.
I don't just have a little problem that needs a little cleaning up.
I'm not basically a good person that needs to be a little more careful about what I do.
The Law entices Sin that lives within me to do more and more evil.
So, the Law shows me how completely hopeless my situation is.
I am controlled by Sin.
I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to Sin.
Romans 7:14
I don't just do bad things once in awhile.
I am Sin's slave.
In fact, I am a child of Satan.
He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
1 John 3:8
The children of the devil are…anyone who does not do what is right.
1 John 3:10
You followed the ways of…the spirit [Satan] who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Ephesians 2:2
The Law shows me that, on my own, I am completely without hope.
You were dead in your…sins.
Ephesians 2:1
I have no spiritual life within me.
We were by nature objects of [God's] wrath.
Ephesians 2:3
My natural condition is to be under Creator God's anger.
I do not have one good thing in me that I can offer Creator God.
Nothing good lives in…my Flesh.
Romans 7:18
I have a massive problem.
Illustration:
It is as though stage 4 cancer has spread through my whole body.
I need a miracle to survive.
I need a miracle to:
Defeat Satan
Defeat Sin.
Defeat death.
OPTION #1 COMPLETELY FAILED TO DELIVER ME FROM SATAN – AND FROM SIN
Option #1 did the exact opposite of what it was intended to do!
The very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.
Roman 7:10
How could this be possible?
For Sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment…put me to death.
Roman 7:10-11
So, I am totally desperate.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24
Why did Option #1 fail?
If there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant [Option #1], no place would have been sought for another [Option #2].
Hebrews 8:7
There was something seriously wrong with this First Covenant [Option #1].
What is a covenant?
Covenant =
• An agreement between 2 people (or 2 groups)
• Promises between people
• A contract
This First Covenant (Option #1) is between Creator God and people.
The Lord said… "(a) Keep my…laws, for (b) the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord."
This First Covenant (Option #1) was built on a relationship –
a relationship between Creator God and man (and particularly Israel).
The Lord…said [to Moses], "…Tell the people of Israel: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings [out of slavery] and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'"
Exodus 19:5-6
Creator God wanted a very personal relationship with Israel and with us.
Then, why did Option #1 fail?
It is our fault!
Option #1 failed because we failed.
God found fault with the people and said: "... they did not remain faithful to my covenant [Option #1]."
Hebrews 8:8-9
We have not kept our side of the agreement with Creator God.
Because of us, Option #1 failed:
So, the possibility of gaining eternal life by doing good failed.
The possibility of gaining eternal life by keeping God's Law failed.
We cannot keep our side of the agreement with Creator God.
So we are eternally doomed – and it is totally our fault.
IN FACT, ALL 4 PARTS OF OPTION #1 FAILED.
1. The Law, itself, failed – because we couldn't keep it.
The Law failed because we failed.
We couldn't keep Creator God's Law.
So . . .
The very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. . . .
Roman 7:10
. . . because we broke the Law, and . . .
The wages of sin is death.
Romans 6:23
2. The Sacrifices failed – because they couldn't erase people's sins.
[The] sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.
Hebrews 9:9
These sacrifices could not actually purify people of their sins.
The same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, [cannot] make perfect those who draw near to worship…, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Hebrews 10:1, 4
How do we know that an animal sacrifice cannot remove people's sins?
If it could, would they not have stopped being offered?
Hebrews 10:2
The worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
Hebrews 10:2
3. The High Priest failed – because he couldn't bring us directly into God's presence.
The Law appoints as high priests men who are weak.
Hebrews 7:28
The High Priest can't even save himself !
He himself rarely went into God's presence.
The High Priest entered the inner room [of the Tabernacle]…only once a year.
Hebrews 9:7
He was weak because of his own sin.
The High Priest entered the inner room…never without blood, which he offered for himself.
Hebrews 9:7
He is to slaughter the bull for his own sin offering.
Leviticus 16:11
His work on our behalf was ineffective.
Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
Hebrews 10:11
He was weak because he died.
There have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.
Hebrews 7:23
He was defeated by sin and death just as we are.
Can a dead priest give you eternal life?
Can you be saved by any priest or religious leader who sins and dies just like you do?
4. The Tabernacle failed – it was not a place where anyone could meet Creator God face-to-face.
The way into the Most Holy Place [in heaven] had not been disclosed [made known] as long as the first Tabernacle [on earth] was still standing.
Hebrews 9:8
No building on earth can take us directly into the presence of Creator God who is in heaven.
THE LAW with (1) its rules, (2) its sacrifices, (3) its High Priest, (4) its Tabernacle was completely unable to deliver us from the power of Satan.
All 4 fell far short of the goal of bringing us freely into Creator God's presence.
The Law was powerless to do it in that it was weakened by the Flesh.
Romans 8:3
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24
If Option #1, set up by Creator God himself, cannot bring us directly into God's presence . . .
how can it be done by any priest or religious ceremony or sacrifice or building on this earth?
WE NEED A POWER THAT IS FAR GREATER THAN OPTION #1
We need:
1. A King powerful enough to destroy Satan and his Kingdom of Darkness.
2. A Victor powerful enough to defeat death itself.
3. A Person who can bring us out from under God's anger – and bring us under God's grace.
4. A Savior able to permanently clean us of all our sins.
5. A Son of Creator God able to give us a new identity . . .
. . . the right to become children of God.
John 1:12
6. A High Priest who can plead for us in heaven before Creator God.
7. A Spirit able to give us the power to please Creator God in what we think and say and do.
AMAZINGLY, THE LAW ITSELF POINTS TO THIS SOLUTION – which is Option #2.
What does the Law point to?
The Law was put in charge to lead us to [Jesus] Christ.
Galatians 3:24
Christ is the end of the Law.
Romans 10:4
WHAT IS THE LAW? MORE THAN JUST COMMANDS
How does the Law point to God's solution?
1. The Law tells me that I am hopeless – that Option #1 is hopeless – that I need another solution.
The Law was powerless…in that it was weakened by the Flesh.
Romans 8:3
The Law can tell me what to do.
But the Law cannot change me.
It cannot give my evil Flesh the power to do what is right.
Rather, through the Law we become conscious of sin.
Romans 3:20De
Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written…in the Law.
Galatians 3:10
The Law proves that my efforts to "master" sin and "do what is right" are completely futile.
2. But the Law also predicts the coming of God's solution.
Do you remember God's warning to Satan at the very beginning of the Bible – right after he tempted Adam and Eve to sin?
The Lord God said to [Satan who was in the form of] the serpent, "Because you have done this, …I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."
Genesis 3:14-15 [Christian Standard Bible]
Who will strike Satan's head?
It is the Messiah.
Messiah = the one chosen by Creator God to bring salvation to the whole earth.
The Messiah is Jesus Christ.
This hint of hope was on about page 3 of the 1000+ page Bible.
But, in God's great plan, it would not happen for 1000s of years.
Then, 700 years before Jesus Christ was born, the Law of God says this about him:
He was pieced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we were healed. We all…have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity [sin] of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6
So, from the very beginning, God's final solution for our sins has been Jesus Christ.
He would be sacrificed for our sins.
And, from the beginning, Gentiles (non-Israelites) are included.
Again, 700 years before the birth of Jesus:
The Lord says [to Jesus Christ the Messiah]…"It is too small a thing for you to restore…Israel. …I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
Isaiah 49:5-6
So . . .
Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.
Romans 10:11
So, you also are included!
Everyone is included!
And the Law tells me how to participate in God's solution.
The righteous [the good person] will live by faith.
Habakkuk 2:4
This is how we participate in Option #2 – by faith.
Believing Creator God and his Son Jesus Christ is how we participate in God's ultimate solution for our deliverance.
Do you remember Abraham?
He lived about 2000 B.C.
He became the father of Israel.
This was about 600 years before God gave his detailed Law to Moses – the very detailed version of Option #1.
SO GOD PRESENTS OPTION #2 FOR OVERCOMING SIN:
While Option #1 was still in operation, God set in motion a long process that could actually save the whole world.
This was a very specific plan, starting about 2000 BC.
Starting in one specific place on earth, God chose one man Abraham, to become the father of one nation Israel, from which (2000 years later) would come one savior Jesus Christ.
[God said:] “I will make you [Abraham] into a great nation and I will bless you; …and you will be a blessing. …And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:2-3
Manga Vol. 1, page
How would God bless all people through Abraham?
Jesus Christ [was]… the son [descendant] of Abraham.
Matthew 1:1
About AD 1, God would send the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to this earth to be born in the country of Israel.
God would bless the whole world through Jesus Christ.
But Abraham, who was about 80 years old, had a big problem:
Abra[ha]m said, "O Sovereign Lord, ...You have given me no children." ...Then the word of the Lord came to him: "...A son coming from your own body will be your heir." He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars. ...So shall your offspring be."
Genesis 15:2-5
Manga Vol. 1, page
Then comes one of the most important statements in the Old Testament!
Abra[ha]m believed the Lord, and he [God] credited it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:6
This is Option #2:
Abraham believed God, and God gave him a gift.
This gift was righteousness.
This gift only came to him because he believed God.
He did not earn it by working hard to be good or by trying hard to obey God's Law (Option #1).
So Abraham was saved by Option #2 – not by Option #1.
This righteousness from God allowed him to receive eternal life.
What is "righteousness"?
Righteousness = being clean, pure and good in God's eyes – as though we are without sin!
[The Bible] speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness [Option #2] apart from works [Option #1]: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
Romans 4:6-8
Is the gift of righteousness only for Abraham?
The words "it was credited to him [Abraham]" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness––for us who believe in him [God] who raised Jesus...from the dead.
Romans 4:23-24
So we too are made righteous by believing God [Option #2], not by trying hard to be a good person [Option #1].
And this gift of righteousness only comes to us through the Messiah:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son [Jesus the Messiah], that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
The Son of God became a human being (100% God & 100% human) in order to bring us back to God.
So, the Law tells me 2 very important things:
• Someone will come who will take all my sins – and take my punishment.
• If I believe in him, I will live.
Because of him, I can have peace with God.
The Law actually pointed us to God's solution – Option #2.
God did [it] by sending his own Son.
Romans 8:3
So God did it himself – for us.
What the Law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the Flesh, God did by sending his own Son…to be a sin offering.
It clearly points to the permanent solution that Creator God had planned from the creation of the world!
It pointed to God's way for us to come freely and directly into his presence
It pointed to Option #2.
OPTION #2
How important is Creator God's deliverance of Israel from slavery in Egypt?
It is the greatest symbol/evidence of God's relationship to Israel in the Old Testament.
Deuteronomy 4:32-40 Rachmaninoff – Piano Concerto No. 2, 2nd movement
God's expectation that Israel love and serve him only is based on the fact that he saved them from slavery and brought him into the land that he promised them.
God referred back to it more than anything else in the Old Testament as the basis of his claim on Israel.
WHAT DID GOD DO UNTIL THE MESSIAH CAME?
God gave the Law.
Why?
What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added because of transgressions [sins] until the Seed [the Messiah]…had come.
Something had to be done temporarily about all the sins that people would commit between the promise to Abraham and the coming of the Messiah.
When the Messiah came he would take care of sins permanently.
How did God give the Law?
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain…and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commands I have written for their [Israel’s] instruction.”…And he wrote on the tablets the words of the…Ten Commandments.
Exodus 24:12; 34:1, 28
Manga Vol. 1, page
God gave the Law to Moses for Israel.
The Law told the people what to do to be good.
Was the Law actually intended to save people?
[The] commandment…was intended to bring life.
Romans 7:9
[Creator God said,] “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.”
Leviticus 18:5
Manga Vol. 1, page
If a Law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.
Galatians 3:19
"Mastering" sin and obeying the Law was God’s initial method for man to become righteous. This is Option #1.
But what is God’s standard? How righteous do we have to be?
• Be perfect … as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
God’s standard is 100% perfection.
We must be as righteous as God is.
• [God] will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.
I Corinthians 10:4
God judges our motives!
• [Jesus said:] Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
Matthew 12:36
God judges every one of our words!
After the Israelites left Egypt…they entered the Desert of Sinai, and…camped there…in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord…said, " Exodus 19
God gave us the Law (God's set of rules and rituals) that could give us eternal life.
The Lord said … "Keep my laws and decrees, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord."
Leviticus 18:5
The…commandment…was intended to bring life.
Romans 7:10
"The Law" of Creator God has 3 parts:
1. Rules – that people must live by.
2. A High Priest – who is a go-between between people and God.
3. Animal sacrifices – that are offered to God to cover people's sins.
CAN WE OVERCOME SIN?
I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Psalm 51:5
(Psalm 51:7 in Japanese, New Interconfessional Translation)
But don't we get credit for doing some good things?
Whoever keeps the whole Law [of God] and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
James 2:10
Illustration:
God’s Law is like a priceless vase: If you drop it once, you completely shatter it.
The Law is not like an exam with a passing score of 51%.
The Law is not like a scale that balances the good that we do against the bad.
So, what's the outcome of trying to implement Option #1?
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.
Hebrews 9:7
The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in...[God's] books.
Revelation 20:12
[Jesus said:] "This is how it will be at the end of the age. ...Throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Matthew 13:49-50
First, God gave the general instruction to "master" sin – but we couldn't do it.
Then, God told us to
• Obey his specific Law – but we couldn't do that either.
So, no matter how hard we try, we cannot achieve eternal life by trying to be good.
10
SO OPTION #1 FAILED.
If there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant [Option #1], no place would have been sought for another [Option #2].
Hebrews 8:7
Whose fault is it that Option #1 failed?
God found fault with the people and said: "... they did not remain faithful to my covenant [Option #1]."
Hebrews 8:8-9
Because of us, Option #1 failed:
The possibility of gaining eternal life by doing good failed.
The possibility of gaining eternal life by keeping God's Law failed.
We cannot do it.
So we are eternally doomed – and it is totally our own fault.
So what do we learn from this experience?
All human efforts fail.
All human efforts to re-establish a right relationship with Creator God and escape our slavery to Satan and to sin ends in total failure.
But...
God is love.
I John 4:8
The wages of sin is death [Option #1], but the gift of God is eternal life [Option #2] through Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23 (KJV)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18