The Law In Moses, Grace And..

If you have your Bibles with you, can you please open them up? We're in the Gospel according to John, chapter 1 still, so we'll be... We'll be reading this morning from verses 1 through 18, so we call it the prologue of John or the introduction of John. I have a confession to make. Last week, about this time, I said that this week we'll be concluding, we'll be finishing the introduction of the gospel of John, but during the week as I was preparing, my preparation took a turn.

And I've decided rather than examining or unpacking two verses this morning, we'll do one. So rather, the original plan was to look at verse 17 and 18, thereby have the introduction done. But this week, God willing, we'll only look at verses 17. We'll leave 18 for another week. It's been an incredible blessing.

This is a very, very rich introduction. I've said this many times, probably weekly, that The theological and Christological truths we find in the introduction here are what underpins the rest of the book and we must have an understanding of what John is saying. The Apostle is saying in the first 18 verses in order for us to truly have a good grasp of what he is saying throughout the Gospel. We will slow down this morning and look at verse 17 together, and I trust and I pray that what we're studying and what we're learning would be treasured in our hearts. And I pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit that those things would change us and make us more like our beloved Savior, Jesus Christ.

So if you have your Bibles open, John chapter 1, verses 1 through 18. We'll read the whole 18 verses just for context. But as I said, we'll be concentrating only on verse 17. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him.

He was not the light but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we have seen his glory, glory as the only son from the father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness about him and cried out, this was he whom I said, he who comes after me ranks before me, but he was before me. For from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God, the only God who is at the Father's side. He has made Him known. Amen. This is the word of the Lord. Now, just a question.

Can you all hear me? Do we need a microphone? I'm pretty sure. Voice is okay? Okay, at the back.

Very good. Okay, so verse 17 is going to be the verse of our discussion this morning. For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Beloved, before us this morning we have the backbone of the Christian faith because the verse that we have before us, verse 17, what we see is the gospel itself.

Or as Paul would say, the gospel of the grace of God. You see, a proper understanding of verse 17 is critical Because what we have in this verse is what we call the law gospel distinction. In other words, this verse helps us answer these questions. What relationship does the law have with the gospel? Does it play a role in our salvation?

That's the law. And how about after salvation? Friends, these are very big questions and although it's impossible, I think, to exhaust in details the answer to these questions. I will, however, try to concentrate our efforts this evening, hopefully bringing clarity to what the purpose and the function of the law is and how it relates to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We'll examine these things this morning, and I pray and trust that the Lord will bless our hearts.

If you remember a few weeks ago, I explained that in verse 18, in the first 18 verses of the fourth gospel, the Old Testament is all over it. I said back then that the Apostle John alludes to and makes comparison to the Old Testament throughout this book. So this needs to be on our minds as we progress through the chapters of the fourth gospel. We've already seen how this plays out when we unpack verse 14 last month. Verse 14 reads, and the word became flesh and dwelt or tabernacled among us.

We spent some time examining in detail the tabernacle in the wilderness and we concluded it's a type or a shadow of Jesus Christ. And when we examined it, we examined the similarities and we saw that Jesus is the fulfillment of the tabernacle. So this morning we'll find that the Old Testament contrast with the new continues, but this time with Moses opposed to Christ. But what light does John place Moses in? Does he have a positive view of the ministry of this great prophet and the law or a negative one?

You see it's important that we understand this point so that we would be or that we would have a healthy biblical view of the law. This verse no doubt has the law on one hand, and grace and truth on the other. But in doing so, is John making an explicit antithetical comparison between Moses and Christ, the old covenant and the new? In other words, is John saying that they are opposites? So as to say, at the risk of sounding very simplistic, is he trying to say that grace and truth are good, but Moses and the law are bad?

Is this the contrast that John is making? Is this what he's saying? Well, some people would suggest that that's the case, but it's not that simple. In one sense, yes, they seem to be opposites, but in another sense, they're on the same team. You see, our obedience to the law is definitely antithetical to the grace we need for salvation.

But we also recognize that the law of God is good and is righteous, and we cannot say it's bad. So the contrast John makes must be handled with extreme care. And I want you to remember this, if nothing else from this evening. The law is not the gospel. And the gospel is not the law.

For us, they must not be mixed. But this is the paradox. In Christ, the two unite because the gospel is the law satisfied. This will make a little bit more sense once we're done this evening by God's grace. Okay, so what's the Apostle John's attitude towards Moses?

Well, it's interesting to note that John makes 12 references to Moses in the fourth gospel, and every single time Moses is portrayed in a positive light. I thought of reading all the passages for you to make my point, but for time's sake, I won't. I'll read a couple and you'll just have to trust me for the rest. In John 3.14, Jesus speaking to Nicodemus, he says, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.

Here Jesus is drawing an affirmative comparison by demonstrating the similarities between the ministry of Moses in the wilderness to bring about physical healing to the people of Israelites, thousands and thousands who are dying, and the ministry of the cross, where Jesus Christ brought about the spiritual healing of his people. He, Moses, is spoken of as a type or a shadow of Christ, not an enemy or one who is opposed to Jesus. And the second passage I want to bring to light is John 5, 46. And this is a fundamental point to what we're speaking about this evening. Speaking to the Jews, Jesus says, For if you believed Moses, you would believe me.

For he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? If John was intending to make a purely antithetical comparison like black is to white, then between the ministry of Moses and Jesus Christ, he could not acknowledge the words of Christ in this verse. Because Jesus is saying that a proper understanding of Moses, not only the law, but his writings as well, would result in believing in his own words. So we must conclude that Moses' words did indeed contain truth.

But according to our Savior, Moses accurately testified to the truth that is personified or embodied in the Messiah to come. So he was on the same side and he was serving the same God, of course. So what does John mean? The law was given through Moses. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

I think the answer is to understand how John writes. If you go back just a few verses in our chapter this morning, if we go back to verses six through eight, John speaking about the baptizer says these words, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. So clearly, we're told John is not the light, but his mission was to bear witness or testify about the light.

Fair enough, we understand that point. But the same author in chapter 5 goes on to say about the same person in verse 35, he, that is John the Baptist, was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. Is John a light? Or is John not a light? Friends, John didn't suffer, the apostle John, did not suffer from amnesia and he hadn't forgotten what he wrote only a few verses or few chapters earlier.

He was simply explaining that Jesus is the origin, the substance, the source of true light. and every one of his people, including the baptizer, are but a reflection of that true light. The mirror that reflects the bright light of the sun is not the sun itself, but a representation of the sun. The mirror definitely reflects the light, but the light is not inherent or part of the mirror. I believe that the apostle is doing the same thing here when he speaks about grace and truth.

Certainly God's dealings with his people in the Old Testament and with the Old Testament saints was definitely gracious, even with the giving of the law. But the law itself, with all its regulations, did not inherently have grace or truth built into it that is required for the salvation of sinners. You see we must see in this verse and we must see it saying that the essence of grace and the reality or the substance of truth have always been found in God alone, not in rules, not in regulations, and not in institutions. John goes on and he says further that that grace and that truth is found in their fullness in Jesus Christ. This means that John, my apologies, this means that Moses and the law, which includes the tabernacle, the duties in the temple or the tabernacle, the rituals, the sacrifices, and all of it was types and shadows of something greater, something greater to come, the truth that would follow.

So what does this mean? Well, whatever purpose the Mosaic Law had, one thing is for certain. We need to hear this. It never intended to save sinners from their sins. The Mosaic Law was never intended to save sinners from their sins.

Because according to John, and indeed the rest of scripture, it lacked the substance necessary for salvation. Beloved, the law of Moses is not the gospel, and therefore it was never meant to save. I want you to think of it this way. You've been locked in a room in the middle of a large field. The room is made of solid brick, and it only has one window facing the west.

And looking over and through the window, you see a large gravel field. Right behind you is a very large tree that you've never seen, but you know it's there. You know it's there because when the morning sun rises and the eastern light casts itself over the tree, you see its shadow cast over the room and onto the field. Now the shadow has enough detail to tell you that it represents a tree. You know at least that much.

If it's a bright sunny day, looking through the window you may even be able to see more details in the shadow like leaves rustling or branches swaying or even fruit hanging. But it's only a shadow. What you see is but a representation of reality. It has no substance of its own. The shadow offers no vibrant colors, no rich details.

You can't feel the leaves or grab its fruit, eat of its fruit, or be satisfied. It's not the real thing. It's only empty on its own. The shadow doesn't lie. It's not a lying shadow.

It doesn't mislead anyone. After all, it is a true representation of the tree. It does what it's meant to do. It's not meant to provide you with fruit to be satisfied. The shadow simply is meant to represent reality, but itself is not the reality.

That's it. And it does that well, and it fulfills the purpose. You see, Moses did what he was meant to do. The Mosaic law and all its regulations did what they were meant to do. In and of themselves, they could not offer salvation because that was not what they were made to do.

But now the day comes where you've been released from this locked room and finally you walk outside and you turn around and you look out back and what do you see? You see the fullness of truth. You see the reality. You see that what the shadow was always representing. The tree is true.

It's real. You can now walk over to it, touch it, feel it, see its rich color, and most importantly, now you can pick up its fruit, eat, and truly be satisfied. The tree has substance. The shadow never did. Using the language of the Apostle John in John chapter 6, now that substance of grace and truth has come in Christ, we're able to eat of his body, our bread of life, and eternally be satisfied.

The shadow never was able to dispense the grace and the truth required for salvation of souls, beloved, nor was it meant to. In other words, the law itself was devoid of the substance necessary to save sinners. Okay, so what was the purpose of the law? There are several purposes we're told of in the word of God, but salvation to eternal life certainly is not one. That comes through the gospel of Jesus Christ alone.

So let's look briefly at some of the biblical reasons the law was given. Firstly, the law was given as a reflection of God's character. Leviticus 19 verse two, before God reiterates to Moses, he says of Israel, you shall be holy for I, the Lord, your God am holy. His people are meant to imitate His character and live in righteousness according to His law. And we saw in our study on the tabernacle, God would be pleased to manifest His presence among the people of Israel who were strictly to obey the law in recognition of God's holiness.

Because God is holy, He cannot look upon sin. This was obviously for the common good of the people also, because obedience to God's law would not only guarantee Yahweh's presence among them, but also enable the community of Israel to live in love and harmony with one another. They were to love their neighbor and care for their neighbor. They were to be an example for the onlooking surrounding nations to see in and see that their God is good. The law was to be passed down through the generations in order to set Israel apart from the nations.

Deuteronomy 31, Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear, learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children who have not known it May hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. Spoken to the people of Israel before they entered the land. Obedience to the law was a condition to retain the blessings of God. But disobedience would mean a removal of God's protection over them and the promised land revoked and then been given over to the enemy. Deuteronomy 5.

33, you shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you that you may live. and that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess. Of course we know the story. We know that Israel disobeyed God's law and God gave them over to judgment into exile into a foreign land. We know the northern kingdom was taken over in 722 BC by the Assyrians and we know that the southern kingdom, the kingdom of Judah, was overtaken by Babylon in 586.

Thousands and thousands lost their lives in the land, which for many defined their very existence. You see, the physical blessings were the reward for obedience to the Mosaic law. And a curse was the result of disobedience. And it wasn't as though partial obedience would do either. It needed to be perfect, complete obedience.

James 3 tells us, for whoever keeps the whole law, but fails in one point has been guilty of all of it. And Paul makes a similar point in his writings. Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law and do them. Loved, this is really bad news for sinners because no mere human has ever been able to obey the law this way. No one.

But in any case, as I said before, obedience to the Mosaic law never had the reward attached to it of eternal life. So this is not grace. When the stipulations say, do this and live, that's not grace, that's works. If you do, you earn the reward to live. You see, remember what Paul says in Romans 4?

Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy, the law is good if one uses it lawfully. If we recognize the intended purpose of the law and don't attempt to extract from it something it was never meant to give, then we can say definitely the law is good. We still will still be incapable of perfect obedience to it, but we must recognize that the law is good because it fulfills what it's meant to do.

And the Bible tells us that the law is meant to apply justice. not forgiveness, justice. I'm going to say that again. The law was meant to apply justice and not forgiveness of sins. The law is not the gospel and the gospel is not the law.

Unlike the gospel, it won't justify sinners because justification and forgiveness for sin, you need grace, not justice. We recognize this, the law has done what it's meant to do. So open with me Romans chapter 3 and we'll be reading 19 verses 19 and 20. Romans chapter 3 verses 19 and 20. Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

For by works of the law, listen to this, by works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. Paul also writes in Galatians, He writes, the law was added because of transgressions. Can you see in these verses what the function of the law is? To have a written code stipulating God's holy and righteous standards to compare our lives with or to make us recognize the depth of our sin and our rebellion against. a holy God.

It makes us aware and accountable to His holy standards. Paul recognizes this effect of the law on his own life when he wrote in Romans chapter 7, he says, Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not know what it is to covet if the law had not said, you shall not covet. Paul's not saying that the law made him sin. It's not what he's saying, but rather the law made him aware of his sin.

That's what the law is meant to do. That's its function. That's its purpose. It makes us take an honest look at ourselves and admit we are corrupt to the bone. Recognizing our depravity, we see ourselves as law breakers deserving judgment.

And the Bible teaches that the soul that sins shall what? Shall die. And 1 John 3 tells us sin is transgression of the law. So if we've all sinned, and we all continue to sin, then our hope cannot be found in our performance or our obedience to the law, because I think we can honestly say none of us has fulfilled perfect obedience to the law. Our hope is not found in trying to clean ourselves up or trying to do better, because the best you and I can do just won't cut it.

God's standards are too high. And if you don't think so, run your eyes over the Sermon of the Mount in Matthew 5 through 7 and listen how Jesus interprets the spirit of the law. You'll quickly realize if you haven't already left to ourselves, we're in a lot of trouble. Bringing things into perspective, we confirm the law is good, but a good law that we're unable to obey becomes, well, the ministry of death. But that's its goal.

The law is meant to condemn. but God's intention behind the law or in the giving of the law, not inherent to the law itself, beloved is gracious. You see, when we identify ourselves as lawbreakers and worthy of the just penalty of the law, only then are we able to appreciate the gospel of grace. Only when the law has done its work in bringing us to our knees before a holy righteous God with hands lifted up in surrender begging for mercy that we don't deserve are we able to cherish the grace and truth in Jesus Christ. friends, for people who understand these things and recognize our helpless state in and of ourselves.

The following words in Galatians chapter four, well, they drip with grace. Listen to what, listen to what is written. But when the fullness of time has come, God sent forth his son, born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption. sons. That's sons and daughters.

In his mercy and in his goodness he sent forth his son Jesus Christ born under the law. Why? Brothers and sisters say that he would accomplish the perfect obedience to the law of God in our place. Obedience that you and I could not fulfill. and then bear the just punishment of lawbreakers also in our place.

As our brother said this morning, he became our substitute. Jesus satisfied the demands of the holy law of God and applied the benefits to his people. The gospel is law satisfied. This is the fullness of grace that John speaks about. Beloved, this is great news.

And this is what makes grace so beautiful. The gospel, beloved, is good news because it stands in stark contrast to the bad news. It's the message that the Apostle John is trying to communicate in this verse. The substance of grace is not found in Moses. It's not found in the law.

It's not found in the old covenant or in its stipulations. The substance of grace is found in Jesus Christ alone. Even thousands and thousands of animals sacrificed in human history to Yahweh, to God, and not a single one had the substance to forgive even one sin. Not even one sin. The author of the Hebrews makes this crystal clear in chapter 10.

He writes, it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. These sacrifices were not meant to cleanse the sins of believing Israel, nor was there obedience. You see, the Old Testament saints were saved because they trusted in God who would one day provide the atonement for their own sins. The atonement that was only symbolized in these sacrifices. only a symbol of the shed blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Jesus is the reality. Jesus is the real deal that all the sacrifices pointed towards. And those sins are removed by faith, not obedience. not the law, but the fullness of grace in Jesus Christ. In fact, the original language for verse 17 literally reads like this, grace and truth came into being through Jesus Christ.

In other words, you can say that grace and truth have their origin uniquely in Christ and therefore found nowhere apart from him. This means he's not a source, but the source of grace and truth. And listen to this. This is true both for New Testament Christians and Old Testament believers. The institutions of the Old Testaments were all types and shadows that in and of themselves were devoid of grace but pointed to the gracious one.

Old Testament saints were saved the exact same way we were saved. The only difference is that we're looking forward and we look back to the same Savior in whom all the promises of God are yes and amen. Jesus obeyed the law so that by faith we would be justified in Him and Paul makes this clear in chapter 2 of Galatians where he writes, Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ. So we also have believed in Jesus Christ in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law. Because by works of the law, hear this, no one will be justified.

No one. Beloved it's a fallacy when someone tries to determine whether they'll be saved or make it into heaven based on their own obedience. Even if you believe in Jesus Christ but think somehow his atoning work is not enough or that your performance or that your obedience is required This is the era that the Jerusalem Jews were espousing amongst the Galatians. You remember when Paul opens his letter to the Galatians, he says, that's another gospel. And beloved, another gospel will not save.

So the question is why anyone would look back to the shadow that does not save. Colossians 2 verse 16 and 17. Therefore, let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to the festival or new moon or the Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come. Hear this, but the substance belongs to Christ.

Don't look to Moses. you'll not find grace there. Beloved, too many people throughout the ages have looked to Moses and the law for salvation in human history only to find out the hard way that they're impotent to save. Too many have thought and still think that eternal life is a reward for their own obedience. as though God will bring out a cosmic set of scales and put your good deeds on one and the bad deeds on another, and see whether you'll make it into heaven or not.

It's not the way it works, even though that is a common belief in our contemporary day. Because the Bible is clear, every person will stand either in Christ, forgiven, or bear the penalty as lawbreakers on their own. There's no third option. I hope this evening that I've made it clear that the law is not the gospel, and the gospel is not the law, but the gospel is the law satisfied. And it's not satisfied by you or me, but by the perfect obedience accomplished by the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ.

So we fix our eyes upon Him alone for our salvation, not on Moses, not on law, not on anything else. We fix our eyes on Christ and on Christ alone. So in closing, let's turn our Bibles to a passage that I think makes this point really clear, but it can be easily overlooked also. Turn with me to Mark chapter nine, and we're gonna be reading from verses two through eight. I love this passage.

It's the transfiguration account where Jesus goes up to the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and on that mountain he transfigures, so he displays his pre-incarnate glory before them. What a wonderful sight to see, but that's not where I want to focus my attention on. I want to focus our attention on what happens after that event. So we'll read from verses 2 through 8. Mark chapter 9, verses 2 through 8.

And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them. And his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah and Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

Now take note what Peter is saying. He's so excited that Moses and Elijah are there, he suggests to erect three tents, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and the other for Christ. What was Peter thinking? Have you ever wondered why Mark and Luke says something similar in his own account, goes on to say in verse six, for he did not know what to say for they were terrified. Why would he add that in there?

What was wrong with Peter's suggestion? We may miss the point when we read hastily through this passage, but we need to pause and ask, who is standing before Peter? We have the prophet Moses. We have another prophet, Elijah. but with them stands the Creator of the heavens and the earth, God Almighty, the One who is from everlasting to everlasting, all-powerful, all-knowing, sovereign of the universe, infinitely righteous, infinitely good, infinitely gracious.

The one who is the embodiment of truth, life, and love stands before Peter and Peter is excited to see his messengers. Peter, you see the tree in full color and in all its beauty and you turn around and get excited at the shadow. Beloved, He did not know what he was saying, not because of the extra work that's needed in pitching three tents, but his lack to comprehend the majesty that stands before him. Oh, but God is so gracious. He teaches these disciples a lesson so graciously that they will never forget.

And it's a lesson that we should never forget also. In his grace, listen to what he says in verse seven. And a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud. This is my beloved son. Listen to him.

No mention of Elijah, no mention of Moses. God removed them, lest the disciples think for even a moment that they're worthy. These men, and they are mere men, great men, yes, but mere men are worthy of the same honor as the unique son of God. And in verse eight, it encapsulates the main point, I think. Verse 8 reads, and suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

What an object lesson. The disciples in fear and trembling, they raise their eyes and they don't see Elijah anymore and they don't see Moses anymore. Jesus Christ stands alone. Christ is infinitely sufficient, beloved. He's sufficient for all our needs.

We look to Him and Him alone. He's the epitome of truth. He is the limitless fountain of grace for forgiveness for sins. The question is, do you believe this? Or do you still look to Moses, trying to show God that you can do it on your own?

Are you still trying to prove that you can obey his law with your own strength? That you can do enough good to earn his favor? Are you still trying to produce your own righteousness to please God? Beloved, I tell you, if this is you, God is not impressed because it's written, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to who? Everyone who believes.

He's done it all. You need only believe in Him and rest in that. Now, with the few moments we have left this evening, let me be clear. God's moral law is good, and it will forever be good. It's a reflection of His holy character, and as I mentioned before, it is written, you shall be holy as I am holy.

Beloved, that is a command given to His people. We are to live in Christ and accordance to his righteous standards. But listen, not as a means to salvation. We've already dismissed that option, but rather because of our salvation. It's because we love him.

because we seek with all our hearts to be holy as he is holy. As Christians, our greatest desire ought to be to be like Jesus Christ in righteousness. So I'm not saying we should do away with the law of God, not at all. God hasn't changed all of a sudden now that we've been justified by Jesus Christ as though God is now okay with us worshipping other gods but Him. As if God is okay for us to commit murder or adultery or steal or to lie or He no longer requires for us to love Him with all our heart, soul and mind and love our neighbors as ourselves.

No, no, no. God forbid that I would speak such foolishness. God's law is good, but we ought not think that we need to obey that law to be saved. God's people obey God's law because we're saved. But what I am saying also is this, that the Mosaic law codes, the tabernacle, the rituals, the sacrifices, they were never the ultimate source of grace and truth.

they never had in them inherent power to save. They were a shadow, just like the tree that we spoke about in that large field. They were always meant to be the representation of the glorious one to come. Their purpose was to turn you around so that you can see the real deal. John calls that the grace and the truth.

And when you see the reality You're meant to enjoy the substance of that reality. But enjoying him doesn't mean that we don't have a law to obey. Because as Christians, we want and we desire to be like Christ in righteousness. And remember, he himself said these words to his disciples. He said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments.

So we need to keep His words treasured in our hearts, beloved, and live by them, because He is good. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.