Law make me holy?

The w:Nash Papyrus, a collection of four papyrus fragments acquired in Egypt by W. L. Nash and first described by Stanley A. Cook in 1903. The fragments were the oldest Hebrew fragments known at that time which contained a portion of the biblical pre-Masoretic text, specifically the Ten Commandments and the w:Shema Yisrael prayer. The order the commandments listed in the Nash papyrus differs from that of the w:Hebrew Bible and w:Septuagint. See David Noel Freedman, The Nine Commandments (Doubleday, 2000) p.87. Though dated by Cook to the 2nd century, subsequent reappraisals have pushed the date back to the 2nd century BC. In addition to biblical text, it also exhibits a few unique readings. The papyrus was probably copied from a liturgical work. by Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archæology, Volume 25 (January-December 1903), p. 56

Good afternoon, friends,

We are on day 2 here. 🙂 The EEG man is getting to know the machine. He has figured out how when you clench the jaw, make silly noises, move a lot the machine responds.  Ahem. We have played Wii. We have played games. We have enjoyed each other’s company. Yet, I’m crying out to the Lord to help us find answers. To find reasons, to have understanding. He is doing just fine. Me? Everyone is very supportive. Very helpful. I’m grateful.

I see that what will hold me together is time with the Lord. Time in His Word, drawing strength from His Strength. So let’s dive in. Looking at the whole of Scripture, what can it teach us about the Law?

Psalm 19: ⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the [whole] person; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Romans 7:¹² The Law therefore is holy, and [each] commandment is holy and just and good.

1John 3:⁴ Everyone who commits (practices) sin is guilty of lawlessness; for [that is what] sin is, lawlessness (the breaking, violating of God’s law by transgression or neglect—being unrestrained and unregulated by His commands and His will).

James 2:¹⁰ For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it.

Romans 7⁷ What then do we conclude? Is the Law identical with sin? Certainly not! Nevertheless, if it had not been for the Law, I should not have recognized sin or have known its meaning. [For instance] I would not have known about covetousness [would have had no consciousness of sin or sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, You shall not covet and have an evil desire [for one thing and another].

Pulling this altogether…the Law is…

1. Perfect
2. Holy
3. Restorative to the whole person
4. Just
5. Good

Yet, the Law could not do many things, ergo something needed to happen. The blood of rams, goats and other animals spilling could only do so much. So let’s turn to Hebrews 10:

For since the Law has merely a rude outline (foreshadowing) of the good things to come—instead of fully expressing those things—it can never by offering the same sacrifices continually year after year make perfect those who approach [its altars].

² For if it were otherwise, would [these sacrifices] not have stopped being offered? Since the worshipers had once for all been cleansed, they would no longer have any guilt orconsciousness of sin.

³ But [as it is] these sacrifices annually bring a fresh remembrance of sins [to be atoned for],

⁴ Because the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to take sins away.

⁵ Hence, when He [Christ] entered into the world, He said, Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but instead You have made ready a body for Me [to offer];

⁶ In burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no delight.

⁷ Then I said, Behold, here I am, coming to do Your will, O God—[to fulfill] what is written of Me in the volume of the Book.

⁸ When He said just before, You have neither desired, nor have You taken delight in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings—all of which are offered according to the Law—

⁹ He then went on to say, Behold, [here] I am, coming to do Your will. Thus He does away with and annuls the first (former) order [as a means of expiating sin] so that He might inaugurate and establish the second (latter) order.

¹⁰ And in accordance with this will [of God], we have been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One).

The New Covenant of Grace is how we have righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of scribes and Pharisees (SOM, p.72).

The blood of goats and rams could NOT take the sins away. There was no delight for God in the sacrifices, or offerings or any of it. Jesus does away, annuls the first order that expiating sin so that He might establish the second order! We are holy, set apart through the offering made ONCE. Hear that? ONCE! For the entire body of Jesus Christ!!

Hebrews 8:6-13

⁶ But as it now is, He [Christ] has acquired a [priestly] ministry which is as much superiorand more excellent [than the old] as the covenant (the agreement) of which He is the Mediator (the Arbiter, Agent) is superior and more excellent, [because] it is enacted andrests upon more important (sublimer, higher, and nobler) promises.

⁷ For if that first covenant had been without defect, there would have been no room for another one or an attempt to institute another one.

⁸ However, He finds fault with them [showing its inadequacy] when He says, Behold, the days will come, says the Lord, when I will make and ratify a new covenant or agreement with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

⁹ It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day when I grasped them by the hand to help and relieve them and to lead them out from the land of Egypt, for they did not abide in My agreement with them, and so I withdrew My favor anddisregarded them, says the Lord.

¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their minds, even upon their innermost thoughts andunderstanding, and engrave them upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

¹¹ And it will nevermore be necessary for each one to teach his neighbor and his fellow citizen or each one his brother, saying, Know (perceive, have knowledge of, and get acquainted by experience with) the Lord, for all will know Me, from the smallest to the greatest of them.

¹² For I will be merciful and gracious toward their sins and I will remember their deeds of unrighteousness no more.

¹³ When God speaks of a new [covenant or agreement], He makes the first one obsolete (out of use). And what is obsolete (out of use and annulled because of age) is ripe for disappearance and to be dispensed with altogether.

I feel so humbled by His love for us. “I will be their God. ” He will be merciful, gracious, He will remember our deeds no more.

Picture the Israelites..and imagine the hand of God grasping them by the hand and helping them, relieving them and leading them. Friends, He does the same for us! He grasps our hand and loves us and relieves and leads us. Do not allow Satan to lie to you and tell you otherwise. His love FOR YOU is infinite!

I have filled our hospital room this time with praise and worship music. This morning God has filled my mind with such beautiful music and reminders of His constancy and His protection and His grace. No matter what a doctor or nurse or fellow or resident or test may say I know that my son is in the arms of Jesus. I know Jesus knows what is happening in Daniel’s brain. God has given me a long view and shown me how at this point each time we’ve come I get weepy, I get very tired, (I had to sleep deprive him last night..)and I need to remember our purpose. I have to hold to  Christ. I stand on the solid rock of Christ. All other ground is sinking sand. (I’m crying now…it’s good. It’s His Spirit pouring forth…Jesus commands Daniel’s destiny.) Nothing can pluck d from Jesus’ hand. Okay, I’ll play that song too..

Hebrews 9:

¹¹ But [that appointed time came] when Christ (the Messiah) appeared as a High Priest of the better things that have come and are to come. [Then] through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with [human] hands, that is, not a part of this material creation,

¹² He went once for all into the [Holy of] Holies [of heaven],not by virtue of the blood of goats and calves [by which to make reconciliation between God and man], but His own blood, having found and secured a complete redemption (an everlasting release for us).

¹³ For if [the mere] sprinkling of unholy and defiled persons with blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the purification of the body,

¹⁴ How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of [His] eternal Spirit [His own preexistent divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the [ever] living God?

¹⁵ [Christ, the Messiah] is therefore the Negotiator and Mediator of an [entirely] new agreement (testament, covenant), so that those who are called and offered it may receive the fulfillment of the promised everlasting inheritance—since a death has taken place which rescues and delivers and redeems them from the transgressions committed under the [old] first agreement.

Here’s the first that popped out to me:

Christ appeared as the High Priest.

The Atacama Dry lake, in Chile. At the horizon, the Licancabur volcano. by Francesco Mocellin

Christ as the Ultimate, final High Priest…here’s the word: archiereus

1) chief priest, high priest

2) the high priests, these comprise in addition to one holding the high priestly office, both those who had previously discharged it and although disposed, continued to have great power in the State, as well as the members of the families from which high priest were created, provided that they had much influence in public affairs.

3) Used of Christ because by undergoing a bloody death he offered himself as an expiatory sacrifice to God, and has entered into the heavenly sanctuary where he continually intercedes on our behalf.

Now the next statement was what first jumps out at me…of the better things that have come and are to come. Now, we’ve looked at this before, remember? In the Sermon , Jesus said,

¹⁷ Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfill them.

¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away and perish, not one smallest letter nor one little hook [identifying certain Hebrew letters] will pass from the Law until all things [it foreshadows] are accomplished. (Matthew 5)

Not only that friends, but check this out! ¹⁵ [Christ, the Messiah] is therefore the Negotiator and Mediator of an [entirely] new agreement (testament, covenant), so that those who are called and offered it may receive the fulfillment of the promised everlasting inheritance—since a death has taken place which rescues and delivers and redeems them from the transgressions committed under the [old] first agreement.

Woohoo! Is your head spinning a bit? Well, I took a bit of a break from my boy while a musician showed him some cool instruments so I need to get back. Pray on, friends. Pray on!!