Daily Bread - MAR/17/07

Acts 15:11 - For we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in the same manner also.

The first definition of "saved" sited in Merriam- Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) is, "delivered from sin." Peter reveals that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile and that if anyone is going to be saved it will be by the same Jesus through the same faith. The Jews who had depended upon the Law for salvation were faced with the crisis of an instantaneous righteousness through the miracle of salvation instead of a righteous status maintained by strict observance of the Law. The transition that they were engaged in was that there was now no more need for the Law and that the Gentiles were being granted equal position with them in God.

The salvation that is in Christ Jesus is so radically different from the Law because the dominance of sin is removed. And even more the redeemed are given a new spirit so that their spirit can be unity to the Holy Spirit to both choose and do that which pleases God (1 Corinthians 6:17; John 3:6; John 14:20; 17:21-23). The revelation of the purity and righteousness that comes by the miracle of faith was also expressed by Paul when he declared that everyone who believes in Jesus Christ "are shown to be righteous" which is something that the Law of Moses was powerless to do (Acts 13:38-39; Galatians 3:21). The Law of Moses was weak in that it depended upon the ability of man who themselves were governed by a disobedient nature and dominated by sin (Romans 8:3; 7:5, 15; Galatians 3:21; Hebrews 7:9). However, through the salvation that is in Christ Jesus everyone who believes has the righteousness of the Law fulfilled in them because they walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:4; 2 Coriinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:24).

Blessings,

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org