Promises, promises....

It is very easy, when taking a single verse or a portion of a verse from the Bible, to use it out of context and make it seem as though it means something totally different than the original intent.  While justifying your own opinions by cherry picking words, it is very easy to lose the message in its totality, thereby shortchanging yourself from the fullness of God's word.

This is particularly dangerous when examining the Old Testament, filled as it is with rules and regulations and long lists of lineages.  It is tempting to skip through it, selecting only the verses that you want to apply in your life, and playing hopscotch over the inconvenient remainder.  But God gave us these words for a reason, and they are as meaningful today as they were in Old Testament times.

Mosaic Law was handed down from one generation to the next, and contained the basis for living a civilized life.  When you pay close attention, many of the rules were common sense for their time.  There were rules for harvesting the grain, how to cook, how to love, and how to worship.  All of life was strictly proscribed, and the penalty was harsh for those who stepped out of line.

By standing in our place, Jesus released us from the rules of the Old Testament.  Where Mosaic Law is reactive, usually telling us what we shouldn't do, Jesus is proactive, showing us what we must do.  He paid grace forward, suffering the agony of our sinful behavior before we were even born so we would be free to worship God with a pure slate.  No longer must we kill the fatted calf to provide God with a sacrifice vessel for our sins; Jesus is the ultimate vessel, and the bill is already stamped Paid In Full.

In Romans 4:16 we read:

"...the promise may rest on grace."

There is much more to the passage, and much more to the chapter, but in the final analysis, faith really boils down to one simple truth. All of God's promises to us rest on the grace he extended to us when he sent Jesus to die on the cross in our place.  That is true for all time, and in every context, no matter how you try to change it.

Rest on God's loving grace today and every day.