The Angel promised Joseph that Jesus would save His people from their sins. Sure enough, Jesus gave Himself as our offering for sin, our substitute, God's Lamb sacrificed on Calvary's tree. By this sacrifice, Jesus has redeemed everyone who trusts in His blood.
But Christ did not come only to save us from the judgment and consequences of our sins. He came to take away our sins entirely.
Jesus warned the Jews that they were slaves to their sin, but He would set them free by the truth of the Gospel.
By His blood shedding on the cross, Jesus executed the New Covenant, in which God promised not to remember our sins against us anymore. Our sins are blotted out by the Blood, and therefore we can know the Lord, and have His laws written in our hearts.
As long as the law judges us, we cannot be free, and we cannot know the Lord, because the judgment alienates us. But once the law was satisfied by Jesus' sacrifice, God judges us perfect for Jesus' sake, and now we can know the Lord, and and we are drawn into heart-felt obedience to His commandments.
Many reject Jesus' offer of salvation from their sin, because they want only to escape the judgment for sin, not the pleasures of sin. By this they show that God has not forgiven their sin, and therefore they do not know the Lord and His law is not written in their hearts.
Paul expresses horror of such an attitude, that some would seek to turn God's grace into an excuse for sin. Rather, we are exhorted to obedience, because we are dead to sin in the body of Christ, slain and risen unto new life.
We cannot free ourselves from sin by keeping the law, but Praise God, Christ has promised to save us from it Himself! |
