AMEN, Pilgrim!

There's a little trick question I used to ask new arrivals to the Reformed faith in the old e-mail loop:

TRUE OR FALSE: Our salvation is based upon perfect obedience to the Ten Commandments.

Lots of people tripped over it, including me the first time I considered it. Mostly, I think, because I was taught that "Law" and "Spirit" (or Law and Grace) are in opposition to one another.

"But we are not under Law, but under grace," I reasoned, and regarded the answer as "False."

The correct answer is "TRUE."

His death would have meant nothing if He had not perfectly obeyed the Law of God in every thought, word, and deed. Indeed, had He sinned even once in any way, the Father would not have raised Him from the dead, and our penalty would not have been paid. He Himself would have faced eternity in the lake of fire, as punishment for His own sin, no matter how small you or I would judge it to be.

The fact that God raised Him from the dead is proof that the Father accepted Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, the Son having perfectly, sinlessly, flawlessly, and whole-heartedly fulfilled the Law of God. On our behalf!

As we approach the season when much of the Church marks the Lord's passion and resurrection, we do well to remember that it was His lifetime of obedience that gave meaning and redemptive value to His death and resurrection.

Robin