Christians Are Innocent of the Law

Someone wrote to me:

"...I still don't get your idea that if someone judges us according to the Law's principles we would be found guiltless."

Okay, I'll explain it this way: pick any point of law in Moses' Law - absolutely any point at all - and I can demonstrate how Christians fulfill it simply by walking in love.

I don't mean Christians fulfill it using precisely the same model or mode of expression – that would be inappropriate in some cases, and logistically impossible in others. (For example, it would be inappropriate for us to offer blood sacrifices today; and it would be impossible for us to visit the Temple today, because the Temple no longer exists).

I mean, we fulfill the underlying, intrinsic spiritual principle of any point of Law – not in the form of the model given by the Law – but the real thing.

Therefore someone can open the Law to any page, judge us by its principles, truths & ethics – and find us guiltless.

By saying this, I’m not meaning to condemn any Christian who may have happened to have sinned - my intention is to exult in the wonder of God’s scheme of salvation in that it even includes provision if we sin - if we confess our sins.

God’s grace promises that "...if we sin, if we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Notice it says He is "...faithful AND JUST..." Just – means it is ethical of Him to forgive us. In other words, the promise that God’s grace offers forgiveness and cleansing upon confession of sin, also fulfills the Law (it fulfills a principle which the Law itself illustrated). God doesn't have to ignore the principles and ethics and spiritual truths in the Law in order to forgive us - rather, by forgiving us (on the basis of Christ's sacrifice, and our confession) He fulfills all of those spiritual truths, principles and ethics!

Neither do I say this to give a license to callously go on sinning - because God's grace empowers us and teaches us to do what is right. And we do reap what we sow, except we confess it and repent. God's grace is more effective at making us do right than the Law was able to be.

So, whether we’re doing well (and God’s grace certainly does empower us to do well, and teaches us to do well) or whether we’ve sinned and confessed it and been forgiven and cleansed (and God’s grace certainly makes provision for that as well) – we fulfill and experience the same principles illustrated in the Law. In both scenarios therefore, we are found guiltless, even if judged by the principles of the Law – and all because of the blood of Jesus.

Isn't that a wonderful, effective, gracious plan!