HE COULDN'T DO IT!

“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to to bring us unto Christ...” (from Galatians 3:24)

Over a year ago I was interviewed by Framingham TAB reporter Tyler Reed.  Reed was doing research for a story about local bloggers.  He asked me if my blog was “religious” and I explained that at least 75% of the postings in my blog are not overtly “religious” or “spiritual”, although virtually everything I write has SOME spiritual overtones.  THIS piece is one that Reed could rightfully label as “religious”.

Yesterday, I was fascinated to see Jewish agnostic A.J. Jacobs interviewed on one of the “morning shows”.  (I THINK it was on CNN, but I can’t remember.)  Jacobs was also featured on page 1D of yesterday’s  “USA TODAY”.  A.J.Jacobs has recently come out with a book entitled, “The Year of Living Biblically”.  For 381 days, Mr. Jacobs decided to totally live according to the Ten Commandments AND all of the other rules and regulations of the Old Testament.  (I’ve been told there are over 600 of ‘em...I’ve never actually sat down and counted them!)  Among other things, he did not shave, he wore white, he wore a robe and sandals, he ate crickets, and he became a literal sheep herder. He even stoned an adulterer (with pebbles)!  Jacobs also visited and spend quality time with the Amish, some Jehovah’s Witnesses, some Hasidic Jews, and some evangelical Christians.  He found the year or so that he spend attempting to live totally in line with the Bible to be very inspirational and meaningful.  One new practice that he will keep for the rest of his life is that he will keep the Sabbath as a day of total rest.  I was MOST fascinated that he told the television interviewer that he was unable to spend even ONE twenty-four hour period completely without sin of ANY kind even though he tried his hardest. 

This may sound strange to the masses in our day who reject the concept of sin and whose answer for everything and anything is “I’m a GOOD person!”.  The fact is that God calls each human being to love God with the whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  No matter HOW “good” you are, try doing that for even 24 hours straight.  As  A.J. Jacobs found out, you can’t!  This is a paradox.  God’s Word says we HAVE to fulfill the Old Testament fully and totally every day of our lives to go to Heaven...yet, we can’t.  Jesus said we have to be “perfect” to go to Heaven...yet we just can’t achieve that.  (Check out the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7.)  The fact is, that’s the biggest part of why Jesus came.  He came not to destroy the Old Testament Law but to fulfill it.  Jesus paid the penalty for your sin and my sin because even if each of us tried to totally fulfill the Old Testament Law with all of its rules and regulations, we just can’t do it.  What we need to do is “receive” Jesus Christ (see John 1:12), be “born again” (see John 3:3), and put our trust in Christ (see Romans chapters 1-10).  That’s the meaning of “getting saved”.  The verse above says that the Law was our “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ.  The purpose of the Law is to show us God’s perfect standard, and then to let us know we can’t measure up and THAT’S why we need Jesus Christ to become Lord and Savior of each of our lives.

If what I’m saying sounds crazy, BEFORE you dismiss it, slowly, carefully, and prayerfully, read the New Testament through from Matthew to Revelation.  If you do, I believe that experience will change your life in an even more profound way than A.J. Jacobs’ experience changed his life!