Grace Remix (9 page)

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish

them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17)

Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law on your behalf. You are not perfect, but you

have a perfect high priest who is

able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to

intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless,

pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (Hebrews 7:25–26)

Why did Jesus preach the law? He did it to prepare our hearts for the good news of God’s grace.

He did it to show us that we can either trust our own law-keeping performance or his. But what

we can’t do is dilute the law to some standard lower than perfection and think that impresses

God.

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Jesus wasn’t foolin’

Jesus was born under the law and fulfilled the law to redeem those under the law so that we

might receive the full rights of sons (Galatians 4:4–5). Because of what Jesus has done we are no

longer under the law but grace (Romans 6:15). The good news is that his righteousness

surpasses that of the Pharisees and he offers his righteousness to you as a free gift (Romans

5:17).

To answer the question at the top of this article—was Jesus serious?—yes, he was deadly

serious! He was so serious that he suffered and died to redeem you from the curse of the law

that he himself preached.

So the next time someone tells you that Jesus was playing with words and that he didn’t

really mean what he said, don’t let them get away with it. Don’t let them water down his words

to suit their own religious performance. Jesus was not exaggerating to make a point. Neither

was he encouraging us to pursue dead works. He was telling us that God expects nothing short

of perfection and that he—Jesus—is the only hope we have.

I said in the article that Jesus never exaggerated. He always said what he meant and meant

what he said. So does that mean he wants us to literally hate our mother and father, as he says

in Luke 14:26?

I don’t think Jesus wants us to hate anybody in the sense that we understand the word. No

doubt there have been some who justified their hatred of others by referring to Christ’s words,

but in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tells us to hate no one (Matthew 5:43).

So why does Jesus use the word hate when talking about parents? It’s such a strong word.

We can get some insight by seeing how Jesus uses the same word elsewhere:

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be

devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew

6:24)

To hate is to disregard. Jesus is not saying, “Hate your parents in the same way that you might

hate the devil.” He’s saying, “If you are torn between them and me, disregard them.”

I have many friends in Asia for whom this is a very real choice. Their parents worship

Buddha but they worship Jesus. Some have been kicked out of their homes because they got

water baptized. Their parents told them, “Get baptized and you’re no longer my son or

daughter.” They were forced to choose. It’s not that they hate their parents, but they had to

disregard their parents’ wishes to follow Christ.

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So Jesus wasn’t exaggerating. There is a cost to this following him and it’s one we all pay:

“Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will

keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). Jesus is not preaching self-hatred. He’s saying, “Have no

regard for your life. Do not worry about it. Give it no thought. Seek first my kingdom and my

righteousness.”

We are kept by that which we cling to, so disregard life, money, and even parents if it comes

to it, and cling to Jesus.

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12. Fear God Who Can Throw You into Hell?

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the

One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

This verse is a puzzle because of what Jesus says next:

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside

your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be

afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29–31)

Be afraid? Don’t be afraid? Which is it? I’m confused. Is Jesus sending a mixed message? Is he

trying to scare us? No, he isn’t, but there is no doubt that Matthew 10:28 has been used to sow

fear and confusion among those whom the Lord loves. This verse has caused anxiety and

thoughts like this: “I know God loves me on account of Jesus, but I still need to perform lest he

destroy me in hell.”

No, no, no! That is not what Jesus is saying. So what’s going on in this passage?

Read Matthew 10:28 out of context and you’ll end up insecure and anxious. But read this

verse in context and you’ll end up encouraged and confident of your Father’s great love.

The “be afraid” speech is recorded in two gospels; (1) Matthew 10:28 and (2) Luke 12:5. In

Matthew’s account Jesus is about to send out the twelve to demonstrate the gospel of the

kingdom. In Luke’s account Jesus has just rebuked the law experts for taking away the key to

knowledge, a reference to the law that reveals sin and our need for Jesus.

So the same speech is recorded twice, in Matthew and Luke, and these two accounts are like

a two-piece jigsaw puzzle. A two-piece puzzle is the easiest puzzle there is. You don’t need a

theology degree to assemble such a simple puzzle. Even a small child can do it, and so can we.

Here’s the context: The disciples are about to go and proclaim the gospel and will likely face

persecution from the religious leaders and law-lovers. This is what Jesus says to encourage

them.

• Go out and reveal the kingdom by healing the sick and driving out demons (Matthew 10:7–

8).

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• But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy (Luke 12:1).

Those guys have the key to knowledge but have not used it to help themselves or others

enter the kingdom.

• Since you’re going to be sheep among wolves, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as

doves (Matthew 10:16).

• Know that you will face opposition. You may even be persecuted and tortured (Matthew

10:17).

• If these men have persecuted the head of the house (i.e., me) how much more will they

persecute the members of his house (Matthew 10:25).

• But don’t be afraid of them because a day is coming when their hypocrisy will be exposed

(Matthew 10:26).

• Ha—you want to know who to be afraid of? It’s not these clowns who can only hurt your

bodies. There is One far scarier than these guys who is able to destroy both body and soul

(Matthew 10:28).

• That scary One is your Father who loves you and cares for you (Matthew 10:29).

• As you encounter the opposition of wicked men, remember that Almighty God is
for
you

and will vindicate you. So don’t be afraid (Matthew 10:31).

• Indeed, don’t even worry about what you will eat and wear (Luke 12:22). As you seek the

kingdom your loving Father will take care of all your needs (Luke 12:31).

• You who have acknowledged me before men, I will acknowledge before my Father. But

those clowns who think they’re hot stuff—those law-lovers who have taken away the key to

knowledge, have denied me and chosen to remain outside the kingdom—I will deny them

before my Father (Matthew 10:32–33).

• So I say again, do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the

kingdom (Luke 12:32).

See how important it is to read things in context? Jesus isn’t threatening his disciples (or

anyone) with hell. He is encouraging them. Again and again he says, “Do not be afraid.” At first

blush this seems unrealistic. How can we not fear given all the trouble and opposition we face

when preaching the gospel? “The solution,” says Jesus, “is to look at your Father. He’s

awesome! He’ll vindicate you and take care of you.”

The fearless children of a fearsome Father

Jesus is not sending us a mixed message. He is not saying be afraid and don’t be afraid, for there

is no fear in love. Rather, he’s putting persecution into perspective. He’s saying:

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Guys, it’s natural to be scared of persecution and death. But there are scarier things out

there. Your Father for One. He’s the scariest
hombre
there is! And you have nothing to fear

from him. When you understand this—when you know that God is
for
you and not against

you—it will free you from the fear of men. So don’t be afraid and don’t worry. He who cares

for the sparrows cares for you. And don’t think you have to do any of this gospel stuff to

earn your way into my kingdom. No, little flock, your Father is pleased to give you the

kingdom.

Jesus came to free us from every fear. The disciples understood this which is why one of them

later said:

Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. (1

Peter 3:14b–15a)

When you set apart Christ as Lord you are literally saying that Jesus is the ultimate power and

authority. He is the
kurios
, the supreme ruler, and the final word on every subject. When fear

comes to you, perhaps in the form of opposition or a bad doctor’s report, this is the time to set

apart Christ as Lord. This is the time to speak to your fears about the One who is above all and

at whose name every knee will bow.

Be afraid of God? Not us, not his dearly beloved kids. But those enemies of his who hate

Jesus and seek to intimidate and threaten his kids—yes, a little fear of the Lord might yet do

them some good.

A word after

“Paul, I have been attending a revival meeting and the preacher has been talking about

lukewarm, lackadaisical Christians being sent to hell. I felt lukewarm after hearing this and it

left a bad taste in my mouth. But at the meeting I was prayed for and delivered from a serious

health problem. Does this miracle prove that the message is true?”

No, it proves that God is gracious and that he doesn’t wait for us to get our doctrinal ducks

lined up before he blesses us.

It is the way of the world to stir up fear in order to sell you something. “You are lukewarm

and in danger of hell! Repent, come forward, sign up, get busy.” But it’s not the way of heaven.

The kingdom of heaven is marked by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

(Romans 14:17). If the message you are listening to leads you to receive the free gift of Christ’s

righteousness, you can expect to have peace and joy. But if it doesn’t, you won’t.

The gospel of heaven testifies to the goodness of God and his gracious gifts. If the message

you’re hearing leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, you can be sure it is not the gospel

because God’s gifts are flawless and good.

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13. What is the Fear of the Lord?

I’ve had people tell me, “I walk in the love
and
the fear of God,” by which they mean, “God is

scary and will only accept me if I endure and overcome and obey and do all the other things the

Bible says.” Or they say, “God qualifies me, but I can disqualify myself through sin, doubt, or

insufficient repentance. A holy fear of a bookkeeping God keeps me on the straight and

narrow.”

These statements sound pious but they’re faithless. They belie a confidence in the flesh that

is insulting to Jesus.

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with

punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Fear and love don’t mix

If you fear the punishment or chastisement of God, then love has not had its perfect work in

you. Look again to the cross. See the finished work. If God loved you and did all that for you

while you were a sinner, what won’t he do for you now? God is for you, not against you.

What is the fear of the Lord? Perhaps you’ve heard it said, “To fear God is to worship him.”

This interpretation comes from Jesus. Remember how he quoted scripture to silence the devil in

the wilderness? Let’s compare what Jesus said with the actual scripture he quoted:

What Jesus said: “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” (Matthew

4:10b)

The original text: “Fear the Lord your God and serve him only.” (Deuteronomy 6:13a)

See the difference? Moses said, “Fear God,” which Jesus interpreted as, “Worship him.” So

whenever you read an exhortation to fear the Lord in the Bible, you can interpret it as “worship

the Lord.” Jesus gives you permission.

“But Paul, ‘through the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil.’ It’s only the fear of

punishment that stops people from sinning.”

That’s good advice when dealing with two-year olds or stubborn Israelites. Under the old

covenant, the fear of punishment was meant to keep people in line. If you didn’t keep the rules,