Paul had discarded his Jewish heritage in matters of personal salvation when he asked (Romans 8:34) about the possible sources of condemnation, having declared in the first verse that it does not exist. Christ the justified is not a fly-by-night deliverer. The only satisfaction of being just or of being free from condemnation is the maintenance of faith.

Decide! Sinai or Zion

Paul was familiar with suffering for the gospel, not the gospel of the 21st century, which apparently can be anything anyone says is the gospel, as long as it can be found in the Bible. Paul and many of us who put our necks on the line suffer because we dare to say that Gentiles (or unbelievers) have God’s regard without reference to law or ancestral practice. John, after ripping up the lies of those who are trying to achieve a sinless state (1 John 1:8-10), goes as far as to say that the expiation of sins for believers and the world is the same “Jesus”.

One mediator for humanity

1 John 2:1-2
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

However comfortable or popular it feels, trying to straddle the world of both Jew and Gentile has is an excuse for intelligence   especially to people who should know better than to drift away from the glorious gospel of life. How have we ended up embracing, even chasing (the instruments of) death?

Gentiles do not need the law, neither do Jews.  If Sinai had delivered atonement and cleansing the tabernacle or temple would have long ceased to be needed.  The proof of Zion’s effectiveness was the giving of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.

Christ has no interest in condemning anyone and he would be doing just that if his mission included administering the prohibitions and injunctions of the Sinai covenant and its food, drink and festival regulations. To be sure, if law is in the salvation picture it is a counterfeit salvation. Law does not bring about righteousness and speaks, even when it was in the tabernacle as a witness (Deut. 31:26-29), as silencing every mouth with a guilty verdict. You cant hug law and grace. The way of Balaam, greedily grabbing both sides, is an utter failure.

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Romans 3:19-22