The Law of Grace

Read Matthew 5:17-20 

At first glance there seems to be two responses to this passage: 1. Strive toward the impossible goal of perfection in our own broken humanness or 2. Throw up our hands in total despair at the impossibility of ever perfectly following the Law in our own strength. Neither option seems optimal. In searching our own hearts and memories, each of us knows the many times we have failed, have come up short, have ended up right back where we had resolved we would never go again. 

Fortunately, the Lord in His wisdom, love, mercy, and grace knew that left on our own, we were utterly hopeless. 

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  (Ephesians 2:4-10)

Praise God—for this is our hope! The impossible task of fulfilling the Law to completion was never meant to be shouldered by us. We cannot and will not ever rescue ourselves from our sin. No one can ever BE good enough or DO good enough. It is only through our faith in Christ that we are saved, and even our very faith is a freely given gift from a merciful and kind God. May we live in the freedom from perfection and performance, knowing that Christ has done it all out of his great love for us and offer Him our days out of gratitude and gratefulness. To Him to be the glory and the honor and the praise forever and ever. Amen. 

FOR REFLECTION:

• What does it mean to you personally that Jesus came to fulfill the law? 
• How can  you rest from striving for perfection and instead move forward in confidence of God’s grace? 

by Joanna Pawlisch