By What Rules?

By What Rules?

²¹ Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. ²³ But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴ Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
    than those of the one who has a husband.”

²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” ³¹ So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

This text of St. Paul’s outlines for us that great Doctrine of the Bible, the distinction of Law and Gospel.

This was also why Luther was bold to say that Moses could not enter into the Promised Land.

Because Moses was the Law bearer. Moses represented Mount Sinai.

And God says: “…the son of the slave woman shall not inherit”

Now of course it was Moses’ sin that kept him out as it says. But what does it say about the Law? That it was brought in not to do away with sin, but increase it.

That always amazes people. They think God had it all written down and explained to help us keep it. Not so. It was to increase sin–to make sin more sinful…it brings wrath.

And what was Moses? Wrathful. He sinned because he was angry.

In fact, if you remember the story…the only ones from that first group–the ones who came out of Egypt to go into the Promised Land were those who were faithful…believers in God’s promise…despite what was in front of them…despite the odds…

Joshua and Caleb. The rest perished on the way. Because of their wrath. Their anger toward Moses and God.

So, does that mean we abandon the Law? No. Not at all.

We instead do what we are told is right, and look for mercy and trust that Christ will save us in our imperfection as we live our lives the best we can according to His Word…

This is the LAW, but we are no longer under that covenant. Jesus was. For us. And so as long as we remain in Him…under His Covenant of Blood…

That we remain in our Baptism…that we walk in repentance and in His Grace and Forgiveness…

The Bible says we will actually…in Christ…establish the Law.

Now… the LAW says we are to do it or else.

We have to do it to be saved.

We have to do it or die.

Notice who is doing the action and who is dependent?

How are you all doing with that?

The Gospel says that Jesus did it for us. Because we weren’t doing very well with this at all. That is why He came to save sinners…not just those who were sinners, and stopped being, but us…the constant type.

Not that there ARE any other type…

Yet, the Law says that it is in our interest to do it.

But the Gospel…the Law of the Promise…or of Love…says we do it because Jesus did all of it…and we are no longer required to do it for us…

He has…

…so we do it for Him and other people, instead.

We do it as He did it—for others… the way it always was supposed to be done anyway!

All because now… we are free from the Law, to be bond servants to Jesus…and to serve other people.

Isn’t that just trading one task master for another? Yes. But notice the difference?

One pays according to our abilities, the other by the abilities of Jesus. Of God.

One says we get what we deserve. The other says we get what Jesus deserves.

One shows us we will get nothing. The other says we will inherit everything.

If you were that rich, what then would you do?

Because of the thankfulness of our hearts…that He has created in us…we respond differently…because we end up actually wanting to.

Not because we have to. That is the old covenant.

No… rather now it is because it is just GOOD TO DO. And Christians do what is GOOD TO DO. It is what we are. It is what we do…now.

But don’t go looking for this change. Don’t go looking for how well you are responding.

First, everyone is different…and then too…everyone has their own good works to do.

But, also because we won’t and can’t see it–and actually… we don’t need to either.

Anyway, it is Christ Jesus who gives us, by His Holy Spirit, to will to do… all of this.

And never should the left hand be paying attention to what the right hand is doing. Just do.

Focus on Jesus…what He has done for you…and what He promises will be…

On how He was…what He said…how He reacted…

And then do to the best of your ability what is placed in front of you, by God, where God has placed you in this life.

Luther’s table of duties in the catechism are a big help here.

If in Church…do what a priest of God does: offer up your bodies as a living sacrifice…pray, praise and give thanks.

If a student: study.

If a worker: work with all honesty and integrity.

If a husband: love your wife.

If as wife: love your husband.

If a son or daughter: be one– honor your parents and treat your siblings as your would want to be treated.

Yes, we won’t ever be perfect at these things. But, in the end it will amaze us how God worked all of it out for our Good and the Good of those we interacted with.

Luther tells us in this New Covenant– the New Testament…covenant and testament are the same word…

And far better will that be than what we lost here and now.

That is how Jesus was…and is. In fact, He tells us that on the Last Day, He rather that we sit at table and then He says He will come out and wait on us. Imagine that? Well, that is what Jesus is like.

And He will probably have the last argument ever…in heaven, on this day too. Because the whole company of us…all of heaven will be saying…NO, NO…let us wait on you, dear Lord…for all that you have done for us…and we want to wait on the angles too, because of all they did to help.

That is what His kind of perfect Love does. It loves the beloved. It is only interested in the beloved. It never sees itself. And it never needs to. Because there is always someone else looking at us in the same way.

This is the Gospel of the New Covenant…the New Testament. This is the Covenant of the Promise. And we are sons and daughters of it. This because of all that Jesus did—kept the Law for us, His beloved, died to kill our sin and death, and then rose so that we will rise to enter into the Promised Land…and that is… forever.

Amen.