“When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law.” After hearing Paul tell them the great things that God was doing among the Gentiles, all those present at Jerusalem were overjoyed. They then blessed Paul by telling him that there were now many thousands of Jews who were now believers. And they also blessed him by telling Him that the many believers associated with the Jerusalem Church were “zealous for the law.” Now we notice that this was something held up as praiseworthy and no objection came from Paul. A common modern misconception of The Law is that it is bad, antiquated, or dead. It is not bad, it also is from the Lord. The Old Testament contains The Law, the promises, the prophecies and the history of how God created and dealt with mankind. Oh how sorely lacking would our knowledge of God be without it. The Law reveals the righteousness of God, the love and faithfulness of God, the mercy and grace of God, and the persistent, pressing and untiring Spirit of God that ever calls out to wayward souls and struggling sons and daughters. The Law reveals God. The Law is part of the Word of God. The Law reveals God and His ways to us through words and the culmination of The Law is the bodily presence of God that is Jesus, the Word of God (John 1:1-4). Make no mistake that The Law is still good. Jesus did not come to end the law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17).
It is popular to say that Jesus is love. And it is true (1 John 4:7-8). Yet we must remember that the God is also righteous, a holy God who does not sin (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 3:5) and does not excuse sin. Excusing sin is different than forgiving sin. Jesus died for the forgiveness of sin (1 Timothy 1:15). He did not die to excuse sin. When people try to excuse their sin and then say something like “Well, God knows my heart” in a light and frivolous way, they err. Yes God knows our hearts better than we give Him credit for when we act or speak in such a way. Yes He knows our hearts and He knows when we say such things to excuse the evil we do so that we can keep doing it. God is not a doddering grandfather who dotes over his grandkids while excusing bad behavior as he says “Oh they’re not bad kids. Sure they misbehave, but they have good hearts.” God calls sin, sin. A “good heart” does not excuse sin, the blood of Christ is not even meant to excuse sin. The blood of Christ is for the forgiveness of sin, and that only after one’s heart breaks in repentance and fully yields to Jesus. There is no such thing as a good heart in one who willfully and persistently resists God. Family and Friends, the greatest sin on earth is not murder, or sexual sin, or robbery, or abusing a child. No, they greatest sin is refusing to yield to the Lord. All other sins a person can do and be forgiven by God through Jesus. However to die without Jesus as one’s Savior and Lord is to have walked into eternity based on one’s own goodness. That person struts this life’s last steps with head held high and chest out, and then crosses the threshold from this life into eternity and, in the presence of God, is immediately humbled. Singers may sing that they did life “My Way” but will, if they don’t repent, eternally regret that they did not do it God’s way. God’s way is the only way and God’s way is only coming to Him through Jesus (John 14:6).
Family, we come to Lord because we know that we have sinned. So first we learn The Law which reveals God (who is perfect and sinless) to us and the end of that work is shown in the ministry of the last Old Testament prophet, John the Baptist, whom Jesus said was the greatest man who had ever been born (Matthew 11:11). The theme of John’s ministry, the last Old Testament Prophet, was “Repent!” So the Old Testament teaches us to repent and that we all must do if we are to live forever with God. The Old Testament contains “The Law” in words and foretells of a time when the The Law will not be external words which man vainly strives to live up to, but will be alive in our hearts allowing The Law to be expressed by us by what becomes our very nature.
The Law is good and we have it within us if we love and serve Jesus. So what is said of the Jerusalem disciples is right and proper. Paul, never taught the death of The Law but the love of The Law. This pronouncement of the converts being zealous for the law blessed His heart and soul. Let us be likewise be zealous for the law. The Law that God has placed in our hearts so that we would become transformed to live and love like Jesus did. There is no higher calling than that. Praise God who has enabled us through Jesus! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”