God is Love, not Law

God gave us the law through Moses to show us our sin. Then He gave us Jesus' example to show even the ones who thought they had the law down that they were sinners. The law is there because humans insist on their own righteousness apart from God. We want to believe that we are 'a good person'. We want any excuse to not need God. The law and Christ's example shows us how far we fall short.

Our eternity is in the hands of God. It's only by His mercy through faith that we will be saved from destruction. Our sin nature will do anything to keep from trusting in God. Satan has had thousands of years to mold a sin-loving environment around us. Yet God's love still breaks through and gently shows us our need for Him.

Jesus Christ showed the lost sheep that God is love, not law. The Pharisees worshipped law and despised love and crucified Him. Jesus said in Matthew 23 to do as the Pharisees say, not as they do. The Pharisees preached God's law with zeal but they themselves didn't understand it.

When I think of the pages of laws given to Moses I think 'there is no way we could follow that now'. Maybe not, but the law shows us God's character and standard of living. The law is the way God meant it to be for His chosen people Israel. Originally the only law we had was "Thou shalt not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." More laws were added because we strayed further away from knowing Him personally. By the time of the Pharisees, and even now, there is no legal substitute for a relationship with the Living God.