THURSDAY
Yesterday and today we are looking at two alternative ways of dealing with the reality of our violation of the moral law, and therefore our separation from God. The first approach we explored yesterday is hedonism, or the pursuit of pleasure. In essence, “We’ve already messed up, so let’s just go hog wild.”
The next alternative is to become more and more law based. Rules are everything and the assumption is that if we can only be good enough (whatever that means) we can be right with God. This is seen in just about every other religion on the planet. The gods are temperamental and we humans have to follow the rules (offer the sacrifices, do what they say is right, etc.) or else they will make life difficult for us.
To be fair, this is the basis of the covenant that God made with the people of Israel in the Law of Moses. Blessings were contingent upon their obedience to The Law. Punishment, death and expulsion from the land would result if the people were disobedient. But the difference is that God made a covenant and committed to the people of Israel whether they obeyed the law or not. No matter how much he punished them, he remained faithful to them. This is amazing, in and of itself. Long story short, the Old Testament revealed that laws are not enough to curb the sin of humanity. The law was good and revealed sin. It set the standard for holiness. But in doing so, it also revealed that we cannot live up to in our own willpower.
Romans 3:23 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Galatians 2:21 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
This is the entire message of Romans and Galatians. Our righteousness is not through following the Law but through faith in Jesus and his atonement on the cross.
In Jesus’ parable that we looked at yesterday, we see another character who often gets overlooked by us religious folks. This would be the older brother (i.e., the Jews in Jesus’ story) who thought he was justified in the Father’s eyes because of his self-righteousness. This is the other alternative to the grace of God.
Luke 15:25–32 25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ ”
“I have never disobeyed your command,” the son says. Of course, this is not true. He has inflated his own righteousness. His father, equally as gracious to the older son, has accepted his son and blessed him—not because of his righteousness but because he is his son! He missed out on the joy of the Father’s acceptance because he was constantly trying to earn his Father’s approval instead of simply resting in it.
Notice in both of these cases, hedonism and self-righteousness, the focus is on the human. The hedonistic person pursues pleasure and self-gratification. The self-righteous person pursues approval from God based on performance. Neither one is the gospel. Both miss the glorious, irresistible truth found in the grace and mercy of God in Jesus.
Reflection
Rejoice in the gospel, for God has delivered us from self-righteousness and the burden of the law. If you find yourself acting like the older son, confess your tendencies to overvalue your own righteousness and simply rest in the gracious acceptance of the Father who has redeemed you through his love and mercy just like all of God’s people.