God THE Standard

Under ConstructionGod THE StandardExodus 20 - God, after His rescue of His people, gives to them a standard that they are to live by. They are to reflect The One who IS the standard. The law was given to reflect the law giver. When we reject these ways, we not only reject God, we actually deny the way we were made to live. In our “breaking” of the law, we tell the Law-giver that we know better and have another way to live. Everything breaks down as we turn our backs on these words. Relationship with God and with others.In our rejection of God’s law, we have rejected Him. Just like when we reject our laws, and we go before a judge & jury and are found guilty... in the same way, we aren’t just going before someone who defends the laws, WE ARE GOING BEFORE THE LAW GIVER! The One who IS the standard. His Goodness is SO GOOD, evil simply dies in His presence. We learn that sin is a bigger issue in the universe than we think it is. Sin is our belief that we know better than God and that God’s standards are not needed. Sin is arrogance toward the Law Giver. Sin is the heart pride that says we don’t need God. In our arrogance we have offended people and we have offended God.Taking it to Jesus - Because God understood our inability to live this standard apart from Him, He gifted the nation of Israel with sacrifice. Something would die in our place. Sin is no small thing if the penalty is death. Even in this, God extended grace to Israel. For generations, she was being taught the value of the sacrifice that would be offered in place of the person sinning. Along comes Jesus... He not only dies in our place, but He lives the standard God set out for us perfectly. If Jesus’ life had not been lived the way it was, His death would not have mattered. Jesus’ sinless-ness matters just as much as His sacrifice. By faith, we exchange our lawlessness for Christ’s righteousness. It’s a gift.