Jesus is Essential
John 7:18–24: He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”
The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”
Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Here is the hypocrisy of the legalist, the person who says the Sermon on the Mount is his religion or the person who says he lives by the Ten Commandments. The Lord Jesus says, “none of you keeps the law.” The Law is a mirror to let us see that we are lost sinners.
The Law is important—don’t misunderstand me—you don’t kick the Law out the door. It expresses the will of God. But the purpose of the Law is to show us that we are sinners and that we need a Savior. The Law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. 1
Walking with Jesus
How can you keep from seeking your own glory? Which commandment is the hardest one for you to keep? (Why?) Which is the easiest? When did the law fulfill its purpose in your life?
Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24
To judge ourselves, based upon ourselves, is self-serving and corrupt.
Praying
Lord, thank You for being our Sinless Savior and our Righteous Judge.
1. 1McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (John 1-10) (electronic ed., Vol. 38). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
