Saved for What?

Luke 10:25–29 NKJV

And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Many Christians find this passage irrelevant, because it deals with the law, something they reason no longer to be obliged to.

But, our text today is quite relevant and useful to our duty as light bearers, as it points us to the heart of the law and our duty as Christians to it.

But, our text today is quite relevant and useful to our duty as light bearers, as it points us to the heart of the law and our duty as Christians to it.

We need to be clear on this point:

We are not saved by keeping the law.

We are not saved by keeping the law.

We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, that we may live in deference to the law.

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

And yet, you might ask, why do we need to live lawfully?

In fact, in light of this text, why do we need to do anything but love ?

After all, Jesus said to this man, that if he does what it says in this passage from Deut, that he will have the life he’s looking for.

But, the obvious question that arrises is why do we have to live in deference to the law?

So we can conclude that if we love God with our entire being, and our neighbor as our self, we will have eternal life!

Isn’t this what Jesus says?

Yes, it is!

But my question to you is, are we able to do this?

The heart of the law quoted in this passage comes from , the shemar of Israel.

This is what the entire law is about.

But again, are we able to actually do it?

Not in our sinful state.

We need something fixed, because we are broken.

Jesus came to fix us and make us whole!

And when we are whole, then and only then are we capable of loving God and neighbor.

The example and pattern by which God is changing us into, is Jesus!

Seeing as though we are His workmanship, created in christ Jesus for good works () - we need only look to Jesus, whom we are created in as an example.

Romans 7

Romans 7:25 NKJV

I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Why does Paul say this?

We are now being transformed in Christ, and we need only look to Him to see what we should look like.

Because true love is never spoken through words, as much as it is demonstrated in action!

That the law has a more prominent place in the life of a Christian than we teach or think!

Seeing as though we are His workmanship, created in christ Jesus for good works () - we need only look to Jesus, whom we are created in as an example.

So what example did Jesus actually give us?

So let me ask you a question.

How much do you love God?

Why does He choose to answer someone’s question in a particular way?

What is He trying to make this person see?

Or in this case -

What does the law have to do with it?

Let’s break down this passage.

The Lawyer asks the only question that matters.

And Jesus gives the only viable answer.

What must I do to obtain eternal life?

What must I do to obtain eternal life?

Jesus gives the only viable answer.

B. To justify himself.

If we examine the Lawyer’s question again, we find that he wants to know how to obtain eternal life.

This is important, because Jesus’ answer is anything but trivial!

in fact, we would imagine that Jesus would just tell the guy, “you need to believe in me with all your heart”.

And this is our answer because we can explain away why Jesus says something different here, by reasoning that all this was before the cross!

But, is this satisfactory, and is it correct?

I don’t think so!

We can begin to understand the why better by understanding Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth.

I. He came to fulfill the law.

Matthew 5:17–18 NKJV

“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.

Notice Jesus says that nothing will pass from the law til’ all is fulfilled.

I take this not to mean the cross as some have supossed, but the fullness of redemption and judgement on earth.

Yes, Jesus said it is finished on the cross, but I think He was referring to His final sacrifice.

Because He did not at that time:

Rise from the dead giving eternal life.

Give the Holy Spirit who is the comforter.

Dispatch the church into the entire world.

Return bodily in the second coming.

Conquer in the battle of Armageddon.

And judge the earth.

So when He says that He came to fulfill the law, He wasn’t saying it flippantly.

He was expressing a truth that was and still is part of God’s master plan for the ages.

God gave the law because as Paul says in Galatians, the law is good and holy. But the law could not be kept by mortal man, only spiritual man.

You see, God never intended us to live lawless lives, but righteous lawful lives.

This is the very reason He kicked Adam and Eve out of Eden.

If they had put forth their hands and eaten of the tree of life, they would have lived for all eternity in sin and separation from God. (Gen. 3:22-24)

And so, Jesus fulfills the law, and does it by completing what was lacking in us.

He alone lived a sinless life.

He alone could offer what was necessary for our sin debt.

II. He came to pay our debt.

Galatians 3:13 NKJV

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

Gal 3:

Romans 8:3 NKJV

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

What can we possibly say to these things?

The average person in our communities believes they are fine and basically good people.

Why do I need someone to pay for my sins?

Who says I’m that bad?

Aren’t we all God’s children?

Everywhere we find our culture redefining morals, they feel better about themselves and conclude that if there is a God, He will accept me jut the way I am!

But the scriptures are crystal clear on this matter:

We are all sinners and without hope in this world, lost and dead in trespasses and sins, and in need of a savior!

And so -

In steps Jesus, the God man who came to earth offering forgiveness of sins, through His own sacrifice as the perfect lamb of God, rising from the dead to give everlasting life to all who will trust in Him.

He paid the price!

III. He came to make us perfectly fit.

Col. 2:10

Colossians 2:10 NKJV

and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

When He fulfilled the law through His holiness and sacrifice, He also made us part of His body.

It is here in Him, that we are made complete.

But, because we still have this old man, the flesh, which is the sinful consciousness in which we live with daily, we must relinquish our will to Him.

Colossians 3:1 NKJV

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

So He makes us perfect and complete in Him, and commands us to seek those things which are above.

When we look at all that Jesus has done, we can conclude with certainty that, He has done the hard part.

All we have to do is point people to Him.

And this is what He expects from His body, the church!

We are not here to solve the world’s problems, or to change anyone’s political opinions.

We are not here to just love people.

We are here to engage people one on one with the gospel of Jesus Christ, the gospel that saves them, making disciples of all nations.

Conclusion:

And so here in a nutshell is our pattern for living!

We emulate Jesus!

Now you might say -

Well, I can’t fulfill the law, or pay the debt, or make anyone complete for the kingdom of God!

No, but you can point others to the one who did.

And this is where the heart of the law comes into play.

Through faith in Christ, we are able to love God with our entire being, and, through obedience, love our neighbor as ourselves.

And when we love God,we change everything to make it part of who we are -

And when we love our neighbor, we share the gospel and point others to the source, the Lord Jesus Christ!