"The Law & the Gospel"
A Handbook for the Royal Priesthood - Episode #5
“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul…”
About This Episode:
In first half of this series, a Handbook for the Royal Priesthood, we’ve been unpacking the story of God revealing Himself to the universe through the history of mankind as told in the Scriptures. This week, we discuss the Law that God gave to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai after they crossed the Red Sea.
Through this Law, God gave to mankind an unbelievable grace: He gloriously revealed Himself, and the gospel, more fully than ever before.
We will trace how God clearly communicated his standard for right and wrong, the standard by which all of mankind is judged, and the standard of which we all fall short. But in the Law, God also revealed that He would take payment for our sin with the blood of a perfect, spotless sacrifice, and restore us to a right relationship with Him. The Royal Priesthood needs to understand that without this Law, there is no gospel. We hope that this episode challenges your previous conceptions of the Law, and gives you an extra measure of gratitude and awe.
This episode is focused on THE LAW. We discuss:
- What is “the Law”?
- Why did God give the Law?
- Why was the giving of the Law at Sinai such a terrifying spectacle?
- Which commandments from the Old Testament are still binding on Christians today?
- If we advocate for obeying God’s commands, is that Legalism?
- Does the Old Testament Law condone slavery?
- Why is there so much blood in the Law?
- The meaning of “an eye for an eye”
- God’s Law as a pattern for human flourishing
- Christians who don’t read the Old Testament may be in danger of distorting the gospel.
- How does the Old Testament Law compare with the commands of Jesus?
- What does it mean that the Law of God is written on our hearts?
- Were the Old Testament saints saved by following the ceremonial law?
“If God had not given us this gift of the Law, we could not understand the cross.”
“The glorious, complex mind of God displayed in the universe, is equally glorious in the Law. If you think about the trillions of galaxies that are out there, what we’re trying to unpack in one episode is that the Law is just as glorious.”
Meditations for the Royal Priesthood:
- What has your attitude been toward the Old Testament Law? Have you avoided the Law in your Bible reading? Do you delight in the Law of the LORD? Consider doing some reading in Leviticus or Deuteronomy and asking the Lord to show you His face in His Law.
- Take some time to reflect upon Hebrews 10:19-22. On what basis can we approach the throne of God? How confident are you in “drawing near” to His throne? Thank God today for His wonderful plan to make a way for us to draw near to Him with confidence.
- 1 John 1:16-17 says,
“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
The grace we have received through Jesus sits upon the grace given to Moses in the Law. What are your favorite ways that the Old Testament Law points to Jesus and the gospel? Share these treasures with someone today!
We hope this podcast will help you to seek the deep riches of the glory of God, and inspire you to discover your role in the Royal Priesthood of Believers.
Scriptures referenced in this podcast:
Exodus 19-21, 1 Peter 2:9, Exodus 31, Genesis 1:28, Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:15, Matthew 5-7, Psalm 19, Psalm 119, Matthew 5:17-18, Galatians 3:24, Romans 7, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:20, Romans 7:13, Hebrews 9:22, Hebrews 10:4, John 1:29, Romans 3:19-20, Hebrews 11, Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10, Romans 8:2-4, Romans 3:25-28, John 15:8-10, 1 Samuel 15:22, James 2:26, 1 Corinthians 8:9, Romans 14:5, Romans 14:23, Leviticus 19:19, Mark 7:19, Acts 10, Genesis 12:3, Hebrews 12:18-24, Hebrews 10:19-23, Hebrews 6:18-20, Matthew 27:51, Psalm 40:8
Links:
The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
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S3Ep8: We Are Kingdom People
This episode of the Deeper Riches Podcast puts the “Royal” in the Royal Priesthood. As adopted sons and daughters of the King of the Universe, we are royalty. But what is this kingdom that we have entered into? What does it mean to do “kingdom work” or be a “kingdom person”? What is the real work of this kingdom of priests? We return to the story of the history of the world and explore what God revealed about His Kingdom through the first three kings of Israel: Saul, David, and Solomon. We also dive into the parables Jesus told about his kingdom and take away some big lessons about the nature of the Kingdom of God.
S3Ep7: What is the Church?
What is the church? Is it a building? A place we go to get some encouragement and fellowship once or twice a week? According to the Scriptures, the church is so much more. It is the Body of Christ on the earth, and the Bride who awaits His return. God’s plan for the Church is one of the great mysteries in all the universe, a thing into which angels long to look! On this latest episode of the Deeper Riches podcast, we explore this beautiful mystery and discover that faith is not a ME thing – it’s a WE thing! Enjoy!
S3E6: We Are Priests Like Living Stones
If you are in Christ, you are a part of the Royal Priesthood. Along with every believer of Jesus, we are being built up, like living stones, into a holy temple where God dwells. We are made to be instruments of reconciliation between God and man. In this episode we explore our Priesthood, and talk about what makes it distinct from the Levitical priesthood established in the Law. We analyze the story of Melchizedek, and gain new insights into our own priestly duties based on the story of this obscure royal priest. If we belong to the Body of Christ, we have already been anointed and ordained and consecrated for this high calling. Isn’t it about time we learn what this Priesthood is all about?
S3Ep5 – The Law and the Gospel
On this episode, we discuss the giving of the Law of Moses. Through this Law, God gave to mankind an unbelievable grace: He revealed the gospel more fully than ever before. We will trace how God clearly communicated his standard for right and wrong, the standard by which all of mankind is judged, and the standard of which we all fall short. But in the Law God also revealed that He would take payment for our sin with the blood of a perfect, spotless sacrifice, and restore us to a right relationship with Him. Without this Law, there is no gospel. We hope that this episode challenges your previous conceptions of the Law, and gives you an extra measure of gratitude and awe.
S3 Ep4: Let My People Go!
On this episode, we discuss God as DELIVERER. We dive into the story of the Exodus, when God delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt. Next to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Exodus is the most miracle-filled story in the Bible. The story is so pivotal, that the Israelites were commanded to remember and reenact it every single year forever. This story is also foundational to the Royal Priesthood today, because before we can serve God in the wilderness, we must actually leave the system of Egypt. This is an application rich episode, worth listening all the way through. It will challenge you, but it is our hope that you, too, will hear the call of God on your behalf, to “Let my people go!”
S3 Ep3: Walk by Faith
On this 3rd episode in the Handbook for the Royal Priesthood series, we examine the life of Father Abraham as a model of walking by faith. God counted Abraham’s faith as righteousness, so what exactly did Abraham believe? And how did he exercise that faith? In an age where it is becoming increasingly more costly to walk by faith and stand for Christ, the Royal Priesthood of believers need to consider what it means to follow in the footsteps of Abraham and walk by faith.
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