A Shadow of Things to Come

Merely a Good Man

Not too long ago a man who had lived a genuinely good moral life found himself on the brink of death.

As he contemplated his life he pondered on all the good he had done in his life.

A young pastor came in to pray with him. The good moral man recounted all the good he had done. After telling the pastor, he stated “I know there is a God, who loves when we do good. Tell me preacher do you think I did enough good to get into heaven.”

The pastor replied with a question, “Tell me, since you believe in God, did you live your life for principles or did you live your life in pursuit of God’s presence?”

The man now more perplexed asked “I read the Old Testament, and much like Israel I followed all the rules, I did all the rituals, and even prayed at the prescribed times. Please tell me, was it enough to save my soul?”

With a look grief on his face the pastor responded with another question “My good man, did you honestly believe you could buy your way into heaven with all the good you have done? Who taught you to believe you could measure your success based on living a principled life?”

There is a plague that has befallen the church. The church no longer gathers around the presence, instead it gathers around a well written sermon, really gathers around a good moral teaching, motivational guide devoid of the presence of God.

The good man in the story presents a good case. Israel did at one point exemplify the community of believers that lived in the presence of God. However, time and time again we see the people of Israel live more for principles than it did for the presence of God.

More than a Moral Life we must live a life committed to His Presence.

The Covenant with Israel

Exodus 19:4–6 ESV

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Covenant language

If… Then… Promise

They were delivered from Egypt because of the covenant and are given the Law.

The great plan was for them to become a kingdom of priests; a Holy Nation.

Impact of the Sinaitic Covenant

Galatians 2:15–16 ESV

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 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 Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

We know the Pharisees and Sadduccees were often criticized by Christ

Fools believing their many works and adherence to the Law would save them

Not too far removed… today there are many who believe they can conjure up the presence if they pray enough, read enough… as if they could buy the presence of the Lord… We cannot treat the presence like a prostitute… we must dwell in it.

Instead of living in relationship with the Lord the Israelites chose to become a people given over to

self-sufficiency

self-righteousness

this was their measure of salvation

Not our simply a mirror

Our Condition

I once heard it stated this way

“Dead men cannot save themselves… they cannot reach for a life preserver

My Thoughts

someone drowning must choose get on the life preserver.

Though we are dead in our trespasses the promise of the cross is that as many as would believe that many would be saved.

It does not matter how big the preserver is if we do not surrender to the effect of the life preserver it is of no use to us.

The only thing we can do is surrender.

Galatians 5:1 ESV

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

God has counted the cost of our Salvation

We were not placed into the Sinaitic Covenant… Instead we are set free in Christ

Under the Sinaitic Covenant God expresses what He wants to do with this people… You Shall become a royal nation

Today He says to you

1 Peter 2:9 ESV

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

its not a matter of if… Its not a matter of how much you can do… What we see in the Sinaitic Covenant was simply a mirror of the things to come and what He has already completed for us