The Daily Word of Righteousness

Not Under the Law but Under Grace, #14

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30)

The Lord Jesus always lives in the rest of God.

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)

Paul declared that he was dead and Christ was his life. This is the rest of God. This is how the Sabbath commandment is carried forward under the new covenant.

Worship and holiness. The Jews worshiped God in the service of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and later in the Temple. They offered their sacrifices, gave of their substance, prayed, and obeyed the Lord's commands. The rest of the time was their own.

Worship under the new covenant is vastly more demanding.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

No Jew under the Law of Moses ever at any time was required to offer up his own body each day as a living sacrifice. But to do so is only our reasonable service of worship under the new covenant.

The Lord said, "Take up your cross and follow me. Take up your instrument of execution and faithfully follow me into self-denial, thirst, imprisonment, torture, death."

God's elect, God's true Israel, who include all who are in Christ, belong to God in a special way. God Himself is their inheritance. Therefore, their service of worship demands the adoration and continual worship of their entire personality.

And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. (Numbers 18:20)

The meek shall inherit the earth. The member of the Body of Christ inherits God—all that He is.

Under the Law of Moses, each man was to bring his offering to the Tabernacle or the Temple and there the priest would enable him to worship in the specified manner. But each saint of the new covenant is required to offer to God the spiritual sacrifices coming from the consecration and joy of his or her personality.

Ye also, as lively [living] stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (I Peter 2:5)

It is true that the animal sacrifices have been done away in Christ. But this must not leave the impression that the believer of the new covenant is free to go about his business as he sees fit, to pursue his own desires. Rather, his worship is to be the offering of his entire personality—a much more intense, much more demanding service of worship.

To be continued.