One of the cutest things little kids do is place Band-Aids on their bumps and bruises. Seeing a kid carefully pick between Frozen, Dora, or smiley emoji Band-Aids to put on their knees they bruised with absolutely zero blood and no chance of the skin breaking makes us smile. But we happily oblige because it makes lil’ Jasmine feel better. When Jasmine asks to put it on her stuffed bear, we put up no fight either. We know that the Band-Aids will have zero effect in helping her heal a bloodless bump, and even less so for her teddy. But, when Jasmine grows up and is in her mid-thirties asking for a Band-Aid for her bruised knee, you can expect many perplexed faces and probably some side eye. In the same way a Band-Aid is unable to heal a bruise, the law is unable to heal our brokenness. They might make us feel better, but they lack the power to save.
Can we be fixed?
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.
limited law
The law—the statutes given by God to govern his people—served a beautiful and good purpose. It revealed God’s character, his values, and his standard for just and right living. It also provided regulations and boundaries for God’s people. We celebrate God’s gift of the law, while also recognizing the limitations of it. Though the law helped humans to know the righteous standard, it was powerless toremove the stain of unrighteousness when sins were committed.
It told us how to live but did not empower us to do so. The law, though good and beautiful, only revealed our sin, it did not have the ability to atone for it.
So, while we celebrate that the law is both regulatory (helps regulate our behavior) and revelatory (reveals God character), we must look elsewhere for a savior for our sin problem.
you can't work for it
In God’s gospel, the fact that the law was powerless to save us is in fact good news. If the law could save us, the gospel message would always be: Do better, strive harder, sin less. Instead, we have a more holistic gospel that says something greater than the law came to make a way for us to cease striving, to stop working, to trust that God will free us from sin. In a world of more, bigger, better, louder, we need a gospel message that says be still, rest, trust, and receive. The beautiful law could not save us and thank God for that. Instead, the gospel message is much more beautiful and causes far less striving.
Watch Session Two
Why We're Broken
Daily Question
In what ways have you tried to earn God’s favor? Does the idea of “cease striving” comfort you? Why or why not?
Comments (12)
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pleasing him has always been a goal of mine, simply because i felt like i didn’t measure up to him and i wanted to show him how good i could be, when i had finally learned and understood the idea of ceasing to strive it confused me because i had the mindset of catering to him, so i had to stop and realize that i don’t always need to be at my best to be with him.
i think as humans, and children, we always strive to please our parents/ those above us. We do certain things so they are pleased with us. i tend to try to prove to them that i am worthy to be proud of/acknowledged. I also have tried that logic with God: i do good, and then he is proud of me. But that’s not how God works. the fact that i don’t have to strive to win God’s approval brings me so much peace because i know i am fully loved despite my flaws, and because of his abundant grace, he already sees me as worthy.
The idea that I don’t have to work hard to gain Gods approval because he already loves and accepts me right here where I am is so comforting. I believe that unfailing love and loyalty shouldn’t give me a freebie to do whatever I want and know God will accept me anyway, but that I should instead work to be more like Him everyday.
I am constantly striving for perfection and it is honestly exhausting. I struggle with feeling inadequate. The only place I ever find peace and recognize my worth is in Jesus. Every time I put my worth in things of this world, and let things of this world tell me who I am, I am always let down. But God tells me I am loved regardless, I don’t have to have it all together all the time, for while I we were still sinners, he died for us. There’s such a peace in knowing that he will always be there for you and you can always turn to him for rest.
Striving to do the right thing, and always feeling like I am not doing enough.
Knowing that there are no acts I can do to gain God’s approval is so calming to me. I am a person who strives to not let people down, I try to go above what is expected of me so that I gain favor in the minds of others. But knowing that that will not work on God is freeing! That he is going to love me and never turn his back on me no matter what I do. Yes the law is there for a reason, but to be honest I find comfort in the law also. The law allows us to see how imperfect we are, but it could never save us.
I have tried to make up for my big mouth. For speaking things negatively and not in line with my perception of God’s will.
It does help to cease striving and resting knowing that He doesn’t need me to fix it.
I consistently try and do more in the world: in my job, in my service, in how many volunteer projects and extra helps I sign up for. I enjoy them all, but at times I wonder if I am trying to prove myself more of my good, or prove my value further to God. Knowing that I do not have to strive or fight or do more to be enough in God’s eyes…that is a big eye opener to me.
I’ve bargained with God…"if you do this for me God, I will follow you and do your will", "if you save my son God, I will glorify your name and do what you call me to do.", "if you move this mountain and heal my husband, I will not be scared to share your name." All prayers that I thought were just and right but it was bargaining and not complete surrender. If you do this thing I want, then I will do this for you. Instead I should have been saying "God let your will be done." When I finally realized that God has a plan and it isn’t always what I have planned, I started to feel comfort. I started to understand that God will let me ask "Why?" but he will comfort me and guide me as He shows me the answer, as He shows me his favor. He is a big God & can be asked tough questions but I can’t bargain with him or do enough to ever earn his favor. He freely gives it by completely surrendering to him and confessing our sins. He will lead us when we don’t see where we are going. He will carry us when we can’t walk. He will walk beside us and hold our hand. We just have to admit that we are sinners and that we fall short everyday.
I fall into this trap from time to time. "Look God! My Heart is for you and look how I’m giving this life all I have." I make the mistake of projecting earthly ideals onto God in an effort to please Him. The idea of "cease striving" feels like aloe lotion for a burn on my heart. Instantly soothing. Although I can’t seem to stay in that state for long for I begin to feel stagnant and anxious. I have found that I need to take the thought a step further by way of adding another step of action. Remembering what it is God wants the next action is something to the effect of "rest in His hands". Even though the action is rest I then feel like I have contributed or done my part.
So well said. I agree that my immediate thought is a sigh of relief, a weight lifted, grace gratefully received. But my second reaction is that if I "cease striving" what will follow is a sense of complacency that I certainly don’t desire either and am constantly battling already.
Agreed, well said Michelle and Chris!