The Mosaic covenant, named after Moses, the leader of God’s people, Israel, was a bilateral, or conditional covenant between God and Israel. Under this covenant, both parties were responsible to fulfil certain duties; whereas the people were required to follow the Law, God would in return, bless and protect Israel. The requirements of the Law were onerous and God warned His people that disobedience would lead to curses. Yet the purpose of the Law was not to punish Israel, but to serve as a schoolmaster to show mankind what sin was, expose the weakness of their flesh and cause them to look for God’s grace provided through Jesus Christ. God knows well our inability and weaknesses, but mankind had to be humbled so that they would turn to Him. Jesus became sin for us, He was judged by the Father on our behalf on the cross, took all the curses upon Himself for our rebellion and gave us His righteousness. He paid for our atonement and redemption and we receive Christ’s imputed righteousness the moment we acknowledge Him as our Savior. We have the robe of Christ’s righteousness that we wear as a breastplate which protects us against the fiery arrow of accusation and condemnation from the evil one. That robe of righteousness is similar to the new robe which the father in the parable taught by Jesus, as recorded in Luke Chapter 15, gave to his prodigal son who repented of his sins. This is Agape love, an unmerited love which God chooses to extend towards us so that He can restore us to Himself, despite our unworthiness and sinfulness. A self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return and does not consider the worth of its object. Nobody can boast about himself for receiving God’s Agape love.
Titus 3:5 (NKJV) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
No one is able to stand before God based upon his own self-righteousness achieved through good works, moral conduct or service to man or to God. If salvation can be achieved through self-effort, then Christ would have died in vain. If we think that we are able to earn God’s love and His acceptance through our own strength, then we are deceived and will never feel that we are fully accepted by God. We will not come to a position of rest in the Lord, but will constantly feel insecure before God, until and unless we recognize the high price He paid to purchase and redeem us and what He has established for us. It is purely by God’s grace that we are saved, sealed with the Holy Spirit and blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ.
Ephesians 1:6-7 (NKJV) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
Sermon Series: Resilience (Part 4)
并非因人所行的义，乃因恩典
以神的子民的领袖摩西命名的“摩西之约”，是神与祂的子民以色列之间双向的、有条件的盟约。根据这个盟约，双方都有责任履行某些义务；虽然人们被要求遵守律法，但作为回报， 神会祝福和保护以色列。律法的要求是繁重的，神警告他的子民，不顺服会导致诅咒。然而，律法的目的不是惩罚以色列人，而是作为教导，向世人展示什么是罪，揭露他们肉体的软弱，通过耶稣基督的恩典使他们寻求神。 神知道我们的无能和软弱，但是同时我们需要谦卑自己回到神的面前。耶稣为我们成为罪身，在十字架上代替我们接受了父的审判,承担了我们因为悖逆神带来的所有 诅咒，也赐给我们祂的公义。祂为我们成为了代赎和罪价的补偿。在我们口称耶稣基督为救主的时候，我们就有了耶稣基督归算的义。我们有耶稣基督的义袍，穿上作为我们的护心胸甲保护我们，对抗恶者邪恶的火箭和指摘。这件义袍与《路加福音》第15章中耶稣教导的浪子回头的比喻中父亲给他的悔罪而迷途知返的浪子披上的新长袍相似。这样的爱叫做“Agape love”，是无条件的爱，而神不计较我们的过犯和不配, 选择赐给我们让我们恢复和祂的关系。 这是一种自给自足的，不求回报的爱，也不考虑被爱的对象是否值得。因为这个原因，没有人可以在神的爱面前自夸。
提多书3:5他便救了我们，并不是因我们自己所行的义，乃是照他的怜悯，藉着重生的洗和圣灵的更新。
以弗所书2:8-9你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。
任何人都无法靠着自己的好行为，做善事，服侍人或神来到神的面前。如果救恩是靠自我努力的话，主耶稣在十字架上就白死了。如果我们认为可以靠着自己的力量赢得神的爱和祂的接纳，那我们是在自欺，而且永远不会相信自己完全被神接纳。我们不会在主里得到安息，而是会在 神面前不断感到不安，直到我们认识到祂为救赎我们所付出的高昂代价，以及祂为我们所建立的一切。我们得救是本乎恩典，被圣灵印上了印记，在基督里面得到天上所有属灵的祝福。
以弗所书1:6-7使他荣耀的恩典得着称赞。这恩典是他在爱子里所赐给我们的。我们藉这爱子的血得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免，乃是照他丰富的恩典。
讲章系列：韧性（反弹/恢复能力)（第四部分)