People trained in being saved, whether one is in peril at sea, on the busy highways, or just walking in one’s neighbourhood, are rare indeed, especially when the sun is recently risen to light up the dark places of the human heart.

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Matthew 4:16

When Christ was born sages came from outside of Judea to worship him and God warned them to avoid the local king who wanted to kill the newborn king. They must have wondered how Judeans could have been so disinterested in a person of Christ’s stature. I do.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Matthew 2:12

Ancient spellbinding selftalk

The practices they had followed were obviously focused on human things that did not make a person acceptable to God. Both Jew and Gentile has to jump through hoops to get any where close to the suburbs of fellowship with God. It was all human because if God was in it would it would mean salvation, not the types and symbols of salvation. What one said to oneself in ancient Israel did not change common things into sacred or make the physical things into spiritual ones.

It is common to see law and life connected in what seems to be a causative relationship. The Psalms and the Proverbs seem to make that connection.

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Proverbs 6:23

We know that no such arrangement ever existed. No one ever got saved because they kept the law. The matter is out in the open. It hardly needs interpretation.

The prison is no longer a threat

Let no one bully you about the law. It was written to deal with sin. It is not a tool for righteousness. It does not serve or belong to the faith journey. The righteous need no law.

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Galatians 3:21

We know no law that ever gave life or righteousness.

It is hard to see how faith and law are related, and we can see how faith had nothing to do with Lazarus waking from his sleep, or law with person dead in trespasses coming to life.

If you like prison and juvenile discipline (tutors and nannies) you will be a law lover. Pity!

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Galatians 3:22