Working The System - Romans 9:30-33

Without question, many of us understand the idea of obeying the law. In fact, we can argue that all of us have some innate, instinctive concept of morality, of right and wrong, from a very young age.

Case in point; my sons, Hayden & Ephraim, figured out how to lie at around age 2. They didn't need any instruction in it, nor could they have understood seeing an example of it, but they did it nonetheless. Why? Well, each of them demonstrated the ability to lie when they had done wrong and didn't want to admit it or get into trouble (sound familiar?). They already knew the law!

It's quite a bit like Paul's description of Israel here. They failed to get the point of God's law; to drive them to faith in Him! Throughout history we have all failed miserably to live up to the perfect standard of the Law; the question becomes, how do we respond to that reality? Many turn away, insistent that God is sadistic and cruel. Others become deluded, pursuing a variety of 'ways to God', assuming that since perfection is unattainable, there must be another way.

But the amazing and joyous reality is this; the Law was given to demonstrate our desperate need for grace, which is only offered by one person, Jesus Christ. The difference between obeying the Law while being justified by faith and trying to earn justification by our works is not subtle; it merely becomes muddied and blurred when we start looking to our own 'wisdom' for answers.

Perhaps it's best put this way:
'Justified...
Just as if I'd
Never sinned at all'
--Black Eyed Sceva, from 'Way Before The Flood'