Last time, we considered an extremely important text in Matthew 5, which I stated, contains the key to unlocking the whole of the Sermon on the Mount. After working through that short (vs. 17-20), but weighty text, I had come to the realization that I probably packed a bit too much into one sermon. So, I wanted to take one additional week to further address, especially some of what I had said in the latter portion of the sermon, concerning the ongoing, present use of the entire Law of Moses, in the life of the true believer. To this end, I want to better explain what I meant when I stated that the "spirit of the Law," is to be given priority over the "letter of the Law," and how, when considering the ceremonial and judicial aspects of the Law of Moses, the people of God have been brought from the holding place of temporal bondage, into a greater freedom and maturity in Christ. In other words, as I stated last time, there were particular aspects of the Mosaic Law, which were put in place, in order to keep the Old Covenant people of God in check, until the coming of Christ, which have since come into their fuller, more substantial and greater reality for the New Covenant people of God. They are not ultimately done away with in this sense, as they have simply come to meet the maturity of the people of God, who now live under the full dispensation of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out at Pentecost. I hope that, by the end of this message, you will have a greater understanding and appreciation for "why" and "how" this is the case. |
