Friday: Further Study: Christ’s Kingdom and the Law
Further Study: Ellen G. White, Without a Wedding Garment, pp. 307-319, in Christ’s Object Lessons.
“Satan had claimed that it was impossible for man to obey God’s commandments; and in our own strength it is true that we cannot obey them. But Christ came in the form of humanity, and by His perfect obedience He proved that humanity and divinity combined can obey every one of God’s precepts. . . .
The life of Christ on earth was a perfect expression of God’s law, and when those who claim to be children of God become Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God’s commandments. Then the Lord can trust them to be of the number who shall compose the family of heaven. Clothed in the glorious apparel of Christ’s righteousness, they have a place at the King’s feast. They have a right to join the blood washed throng. -Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 314, 315.
Discussion Questions:
- Read the Ellen G. White statement in Friday’s further study. In what ways are both law and grace revealed in it? Why is it crucial that we always understand them both together? What happens when these concepts are taught apart from each other?
- The introduction to this week’s lesson talked about the late Steve Jobs and his claim that the specter of death, our own death, should drive us to accomplish all that we can here. Though there’s some truth to that idea, in and of itself it’s not enough. It never solves the problem of death itself and what death does to the meaning of the lives that precede it. In fact, after Jobs’ death, the cover of The New Yorker magazine depicted St. Peter, iPad in hand, checking Steve Jobs in at the pearly gates. Though that might be cute, what lesson can we learn from the fact that there probably won’t be any iPads, or anything that Steve Jobs created here in heaven?
- What things are on the earth now that will last forever? What won’t last past the final destruction of this world? Why is it crucial that we know the difference between them?
(14)
Cherist' life revealed all the imposibilities that satan has been teaching that there is no hope in keeping God' law. Our supreme exame Jesus Christ lived a sinless life. Its posible to keep the whole law and and we can through the power of the Holy Ghost,
The only thing we will take to heaven is our character hence Christ is saying blessed is he that washes his robe that he may have the power to the tree of life. IPads, laptops whatever the world has produced will not be there in heaven. Our character which is explains the keeping of God' law is what we will take. Let's not feel we cat, we can through God's help.
As Christians, we can modify what Steve Jobs said as follows: Death "should drive us to accomplish all that we can here" for the kingdom of God. Hastening the Kingdom of God should have the top priority in our lives. Nothing else merits taking the first place!
Here we are at the end of the study of the law. The ideal relationship with the law is in the Bill Gather song that says,
I'm free from the fear of tomorrow,
I'm free from the guilt of the past;
For I've traded my shakles for a glorious song,
I'm free! Praise the Lord! Free at last!
Why am I free? I have given all of myself to Him. I have saught salvation as though it were the most valuable comodity in the wourld. I have surendered all my bad habits to Christ...
I am so free that I need Him every hour.
Now the law is not gone, rather it sits there as a barometer of my relationship with Christ Jesus.
Amen!
It true that Gods Kingdom must come first in our lives and all the rest will follw. Without doing so we will be nothing at this cruel earth.
It is heart warming to know the law giver is the grace giver.
I thank God that my eyes were opened to His truths about His law more than 8yrs ago. I tell everyone that i am saved by grace through faith and it is by that grace that i have faith enough to obey and keep God's commandments. I pray that people everywhere would open their eyes to the truth as well and stop believing the lies that we have been told all our lives that Jesus did away with the law on the cross. No one can keep the law by themselves but through Christ you can do all things. Love the Sabbath and all His commandments.
Personaly i thank God for sending his son(Jesus christ) only through Him we can live according to his law and grace.we obtain grace wen we humble our selves and obey his commandment through Jesus who strenghen us.
This quarter's lesson on the Christ and the Law has been a real blessing. It is also a confirmation of the Law of God as the only rule of law for obedience to enter God's Kingdom. In Matthew 5:18 "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law". Also in Psalm 119:89 "Forever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in Heaven". So those who have claimed to changed the law, God says it is forever, and it has not changed, because in Psalm 111: 7,8 ..."All His precepts are sure, They stand forever and ever". So here we are in the year of 2014, still keeping the Sabbath and by extension the "Ten Commandments" because those who claim to change the Sabbath to Sunday and is still trying to propagate the error, by bringing about "unity' without the law will eventually fail.
We are saved by the grace of Jesus through faith, not be keeping the law. Keeping the law is the fruit of our salvation, not the root.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2: 8,9