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Good Teachers of the Law or Grace
https://graceambassadors.com/tips/good-teachers-of-the-law-or-graceThis originally appeared as an email delivered on
Saturday, February 8th, 2025.
Saturday, February 8th, 2025.
One reason there are so many pulpits preaching the law is that they follow the teaching of Jesus Christ in the red letter books.
Matthew-John record the ministry of Jesus to Israel under the law. Jesus was born under the law, walked sinlessly according to the law, and taught the law perfectly (Matt 5:17).
He brought light to their misunderstandings, exposed their traditions, and identified the most important lessons of the law.
Jesus was the best teacher of the law (Rom 15:8). Christians who follow his ministry to Israel learn to be good teachers of the law. They can expose self-righteous hypocrisy, traditions of men, and preach the need for walking in love, mercy, and faith
Making His ministry to Israel the pattern for the pulpit will create good law teachers, but it will not communicate the gospel of the grace of God.
No one is saved today under the law nor by walking according to a perfect understanding of the law.
Being a good teacher of the law is not communicating the gospel of the grace of God.
A good teacher of the law was not required to understand the cross (Luke 18:31-34). Preaching grace requires understanding the glory of Christ’s cross. This grace from God was not revealed until later after his resurrection.
The law can help men see their need for the Saviour, but it cannot save. The gospel of grace is preaching the cross of Christ unto salvation without the law (1 Cor 1:18).
Salvation by the cross was not revealed in our Lord’s ministry to Israel under the law, but now the simplest message of grace excels the greatest teaching of the law.
If we are to be proper ministers of Christ today, we must beware of “desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (1 Tim 1:6-7).“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” – Galatians 2:21
Christ is now working to create faithful teachers of his grace, not the law. This is not patterned after His ministry to Israel, but after His ministry through Paul, the apostle of grace.
For better understanding,
Justin “grace teacher” Johnson