FOURTH QUARTER 2021
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #7
NOVEMBER 13, 2021
“LAW AND GRACE” by Patti Guthrie

 

"I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain." Galatians 2:21

 

For those willing to search, this week's lesson contains gems of gospel truth. With our miner's pan in hand, we will sift and search for gold.

 

The first gem: "Grace is an attribute of God shown to undeserving human beings. We did not seek after it, but it was sent in search of us. God rejoices to bestow this grace on everyone who hungers for it, not because we are worthy, but because we are so utterly unworthy."--My Life Today, p. 100.

 

A beautiful gospel truth is that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came to earth to seek and save that which was lost. He did not wait for us to feel our need or for us to initiate a relationship with Him. He went in pursuit of a world lost in rebellion. Grace is the mercy He extends to us even "while we were yet sinners" (Romans 5:8), and while we were His enemies.

 

A second gem: The Israelites were delivered from Egypt by faith. "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned" (Hebrews 11:29). Yes, God parted the waters, but the people passed through by faith. They could not control the water; they could only walk through the sea bed believing that God would save them.

 

When he recounted the ten commandments in Deuteronomy 5, Moses gave a second reason for keeping the Sabbath. It would be a memorial not only of creation but of redemption from bondage to sin, represented as Egypt.

 

The gift of redemption from sin is for all. Jesus illustrated this truth in the story of the unjust steward in Matthew 18:21-35 (cited in the footnote of Wednesday's lesson), "The pardon granted by this king represents a divine forgiveness of all sin."--Christ's Object Lessons, 244. God's free gift of pardon and forgiveness is for all men. There is no reason that any be lost except that they refuse or neglect this wonderful gift.

 

A third gem: "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness" (Romans 4:3).

 

"What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself. When men see their own nothingness, they are prepared to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ."--The Faith I Live By, p. 109.

 

The challenge with this truth is that we do not naturally enjoy seeing our nothingness. The carnal heart we inherited from Adam would rather be exalted than abased.

 

The unrenewed heart palliates the conviction of sin with a round of external forms and ceremonies. Apart from God's renewing grace, man is destined to sink lower and lower in depravity as heathen forms of worship appeal to the senses and blunt the sensibilities of the conscience.

 

Such was the condition of the Hebrews. The years of servitude surrounded by an idolatrous people had left their mark. "The principle that man can save himself by his own works lay at the foundation of every heathen religion."--Desire of Ages, 35. Such was the religion of the Egyptians. By association with them the Hebrews had to a large degree lost the purity of the faith of Abraham. The earrings in their ears epitomized both their servitude to the Egyptians (the ears of slaves were pierced) and the false worship that is characterized by outward show.

 

"And Aaron said to them, 'Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.'

 

"So, all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'" (Exodus 32:3, 4).

 

When Moses returned from the mountain after receiving the first set of commandments, the Israelites were dancing before a golden calf. This demoralizing event was the outgrowth of worship of man's ability, man's wealth, and man's works. Worship of gold had replaced the hidden ornament of a meek and quiet spirit in the soul.

 

As our lesson this week points out, "it's a principle of existence: whatever conceives of and creates something must be greater than and transcend what it conceived of and created" (p. 62). In worshiping the golden calf, the Israelites were really worshiping themselves as creator of this god.

 

"Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man -- and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things" (Romans 1:22, 23).

 

No sooner had the law been given than it was broken. In anger Moses flung the tablets to the ground, signifying God's broken law.

 

As the consequences of their sin began to sink in, the Lord commanded Moses to tell the children of Israel to "take off your ornaments"--a symbol of self-worship. Their glory was slowly but surely being laid in the dust.

 

The first time God gave the ten commandments, He cut the rock into tablets with His hands and inscribed His law with His own finger (Exodus 32:16).

 

The second time God gave the ten commandments, He gave Moses two new instructions. The first was for Moses to "cut two tablets of stone like the first ones," (Exodus 34:1) and the second was to "make yourself an ark of wood. And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark'" (Deuteronomy 10:1,2).

 

A fourth gem: Outside the ark, the breaking of the ten commandments written on stone represents what happens when the law is kept at arm's length. The law outside the heart can reveal sin but cannot work a change in character until placed in the heart where it cannot be broken.

 

It was always God's plan that "these words which I command you today shall be in your heart" (Deuteronomy 6:6). A religion consisting of external forms and ceremonies while devoid of Christ's love in the heart is no better than that of the heathen.

 

The earthly sanctuary, which is a type both of the heavenly sanctuary and our body temples in which Christ dwells, was filled with gold on the inside. The ark and all the furnishings were covered in gold. But these were all hidden from view.

 

The apostle Peter said, "Do not let your adornment be merely outward -- arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel--rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God, For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands" (2 Peter 3:3-5).

 

In His counsel to Laodicea, Jesus pinpoints our need to buy gold tried in the fire. Many people today are buying gold to minimize their risk of financial loss in the event of a stock market crash. But the gold of faith and love which Christ offers us is a reinstatement of His divine law of love in our hearts. Our stock of gold (faith and love) increases in value as it is exercised by faith, a treasure that is secure from loss in heaven's storehouse.

 

~Patti Guthrie