“…the end of the law…” Romans 10:4
/Paul’s most ardent prayer was for those of Israeli descent to be saved (v.1). He knew all too well the zeal they would bring into the New Covenant of faith (v.2). The Jews missed the essence of the Old Covenant by refusing to submit to the requirements of God’s law, developing their own religious system which was a confederate of the Old Covenant (v.3).
The New Covenant established through Jesus’ suffering and death brought an end to God’s requirements of righteousness through the law (v.4). Just as faith was reckoned as righteousness in the life of Abraham, so faith would be the standard by which all may be deemed righteous upon their profession of that faith. God is more interested in the zeal of one’s beliefs than that of one’s behavior. For the bedrock of belief is the foundation for living rightly.
Recognizing Moses’ summary of how God’s law was to have worked, Paul wrote: “The man who does these things will live by them.” (Leviticus 18:5) In other words, the law was given as a guide for people to develop a faith walk. The first four commandments are all about one’s relationship with God – The Creator and Sustainer of all:
You shall have no other Gods – in other words, there is nothing any human can create or imagine that is able to sustain the creation. Faith is like marriage; it is a sacred bond.
You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it – man, like the angels, was created to worship The Creator. Anything that takes God’s place is an afront to God Himself. In marriage, one is exclusively pledged to another; not even a replica of the other could ever be a substitute for the genuine relationship.
You shall not misuse the name of The Lord – God’s name is the name above any other; to abuse it only weakens the relationship between God and man. In a loving marriage, the name of one’s partner is like music to the ears and is held in high esteem.
You shall remember and keep the Sabbath day holy – the sabbath rest allows one to “defrag and reboot” one’s mind for purer worship to God.
So, we see then, that God values His relationship with mankind so highly, He provided a basis for developing the sacred relationship man was designed and created for – being made in God’s image to bring glory to The Creator. However, history shows God’s chosen rebelled against God many times, rejecting God’s law and the path of faith, and substituting a religion of works which resembled the law. God is more interested in one just looking religious, He desires holiness.
God made a provision for mankind which The Law was unable to accomplish – simple trust in His Son, Jesus and His work of redemption upon the cross. Yes, Jesus ushered in God’s new covenant of faith which would transform one’s mind leading to holy living. Transformation is a lifelong process designed to shape our mind, heart, and character to reflect Jesus Christ, who brought THE END OF THE LAW’s demand for right standing before God.
Thanking God for His love and the provision of His grace given through the cross…