Online Bible Study - Foundations of Faith

Law and Gospel

CONCLUSION
Don't be fooled! When you hear the Law and learn what God wants you to do or not do, you may think that it is easy to keep the Law. You might even think you could save yourselves by doing good works or living a good life. Even if you try your very best, you still end up falling short. James 2:10 says, "For whoever keeps the whole Law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." As the old saying goes, "It only takes one hole to sink a fine boat."

The Gospel is good news for us "law-breakers." It is the way God repairs all the holes that sin creates in our lives. This Gospel tells us that Jesus Christ kept the whole Law for us during His visible life on earth. Jesus is completely perfect, no sin. The Gospel tells us that His suffering and death paid the price of sin for all the times that we have not kept the Commandments, for all the sins that we have committed, and for all the things that we should or should not have done.

Jesus' resurrection is the proof that God, Jesus' Father and our Father, was pleased with all that Jesus did and accepted Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. If God hadn't been pleased, He would have left Jesus dead. But Jesus is alive. Today He is your Savior from sin.
This good news lifts such a great burden from us that we want to say "Thank You, God" over and over again. We can say "Thank you" by leading a new God-pleasing life and trying to do what our Father wants us to do, while trusting in His promise of forgiveness. Our instruction for this is found in James 2:26, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." You do these works of faith as long as you thankfully remember all that God has done for you by giving you the Savior Jesus Christ. Remember, God's Law is good. Let it speak to you and guide you. God's Gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is salvation itself. Let it save you.

Yin and Yang. Sin and grace. These help us understand the two great teachings of the Bible, Law and Gospel. And these two teachings lead us to Jesus our Savior and our hope of heaven.

If you have any additional questions about this lesson or want other information about the Bible, please visit your nearest Christian church. The pastor will be happy to study the scriptures with you.

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