Between the greatest commandment and you.

Believer, consider Matthew 22. The Saduccees (who do not believe in the resurrection of the dead) posed a question about who would be the "ressurection husband" of a woman who married seven brothers successively after each one died without producing children. Christ responded:

31 “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So He is the God of the living, not the dead.”

Verse 33 tells us "When the crowds heard Him, they were astounded at His teaching."

Then the Pharisees decided to do their own testing! See the very next verse:

"34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Believer, don't be fazed by religious people who think they can keep the Law like the Pharisees and try to interpret Jesus' response above to mean that we have to do these things by human effort in order to be godly and heaven-worthy:

The Pharisee tested Jesus with a question about the LAW OF MOSES: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Christ gave them a response based on the LAW OF MOSES that they followed: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

IN CHRIST WE ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE.

Christ's response to the Pharisees above is not to get we who are under Grace to start depending on our ability to keep these two commandments in order to be godly and saved. We've all failed the second one anyway: just think what you would do if two buildings were on fire and the child of your nasty boss was in the one closer to you while your only child is in the one that is further away. Who can die for his nasty neighbour? Only Christ who died for this sinful world. Let's not even begin to talk about the first and greatest commandment. God's word says "The arm of flesh will fail" but many depend on it to keep the law.

Even the Pharisees with all of their knowledge of the Law and their dedication to keeping it (which none of us can match today) failed at keeping the Law. Christ called them "brood of vipers" and "white-washed tombs." Christ Himself said in Matthew 5:20-

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."

Christ isn't saying this to get us scrambling to keep the law in order to enter heaven. No one can top the Pharisees at this yet the law condemned them. The letter kills. Christ says this verse to show His hearers then and us today the futility of trying to keep the Law in order to get right with God as we see in His revelation to Paul in Romans 3:20 - "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the Law commands....". He could not pour out all of His heart at this point because the Holy Spirit had not been given. The Church was still a mystery to even the disciples. Remember Christ said to them in John 16:

12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all Truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring Me glory by telling you whatever He receives from Me."

The church was still a mystery at the time, but Christ gave His hearers glimpses into our salvation in Him through many of His parables, including those of The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and The Lost (Prodigal) Son- all pictures of God's saving Grace aka undeserved, unearned, unmerited favour.

Believer, Christ responded to the Pharisee's question with conditions for righteousness and acceptance by God FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNDER LAW: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

For we who are in Christ, "the Law and the Prophets" attest to His Grace that we are made right with God by faith and not by obeying the Law: Romans 3-

"21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

See the NLT: "21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with Him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins."

Does this mean we can now go on sinning sprees as Pharisee-types who deceive themselves that they are "good" and have some will-power to keep the Law say we want to? Certainly not! Why would anyone want to get cancer just to enjoy the cure? Would you really jump in front of a speeding trailer because your Father is the best orthopaedic surgeon in the world?

No one can keep even a tiny part of the Law by human effort. The reason why we are not committing particular sins is because God did not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear- 1 Cor. 3:12-13. The potential to commit heinous crimes is in everybody. God sees this potential and how favourable circumstances can make some people think that some sins are beneath them or boast about their ability to keep the law. There is something about the arm of flesh (dependence on human effort at obedience) that wants to be relevant in the story of our salvation. That something is Pride. God's word says human effort at keeping the Law (the arm of flesh) will fail, is powerless and cannot: Romans 7:18-

"For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is right are within me, but will-power is not enough to accomplish it."

But Pride in the arm of flesh (human effort at keeping the law) that will fail says: "No, I can. I still have some good in me. I can keep the law and do good all by myself."

God Himself made the Way for us to live free of sin. Titus 2:14 says of Christ: "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds."

Freedom from every kind of sin is through Christ, but false teachers dish out the Law and tell you to free yourself, giving sin dominion!

How can our Saviour who came to free us from our sins use those very sins that He gave His life to free us from as an excuse for not freeing us from the sins He came to free us from? Try to obey the law in order to be godly aka be like God and sin will have dominion:

"For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under Grace." Romans 6:14. But many have this verse backwards.

Only when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we GET TO live in triumph over sin and death:

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17.

Believer, godliness/righteousness before God cannot be bought from the market of the Law using the currency of human effort at obedience:

"For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are." Romans 3:20.

Our best acts of law-keeping/righteousness are like a menstrual rag in God's sight according to Isaiah 64:6- "We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight."

Our godliness/right-standing with God is through God's gift of Grace to us alone- Christ Himself; Isaiah prophesied of His suffering for us and what He would accomplish in Isaiah 53:11-

"After He has suffered, He will see the light of life.

And He will be satisfied.

My godly Servant will make many people godly

because of what He will accomplish.

He will be punished for their sins."

Christ's blood is the only currency that suffices to purchase for us righteousness in the sight of God and make us escape His wrath. Believer, let's take our blessed brains to church. Don't be deceived into trying to be godly aka "be like God" using your knowledge of good and evil (law-keeping) when God has already made you godly! This is the way to get cut off from Jesus Christ the Tree of Life:

"For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace." Galatians 5:4.

The same stumbling block (Christ as our Righteousness) that prevented the law-toting Pharisees from receiving from Jesus is preventing many churchgoers from receiving the fullness of His grace today. By Grace, let's not be found following their example. Law and Grace do not mix. Try to keep the law in order to be godly and sin will multiply. Only when we receive God's abundance of Grace and His gift of righteousness to us in Christ do we get to live in triumph over sin and death:

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ." Romans 5:17.

Right believing always produces right living