Last night we talked about the awesomeness that is Jesus, as described in the beginning of Revelation. We also looked at practical steps defined in the Bible that can help you come closer to Him.

Today we took a peek into God’s plan for peace. We live in an age where peace is an ideal, but no matter the politics, charisma, or close successes, we never seem to get close.

Look at any news site today, you’ll read about gun violence, terrorism, marginalization, crime, a lessening of moral standards, and the list goes on. You do not see much happiness on TV anymore, and whatever is to be found seems to be associated with selfishness, entitlement, and the like. There is not much peace to be found in today’s world.

When you leave your house for vacation, how much time do you diligently spend locking up your house? When you are traveling, do you leave your valuables exposed in the car? In the U.S. we have about 2.3 million prisoners. That is a quarter of the world’s prisoners, and the U.S. doesn’t even have a quarter of the world’s population! We have one of the highest incarceration rates in the world.

Jesus knew this was going to happen, which is why in Matthew 24:12 he said that lawlessness would increase and the love of many would grow cold. Remember, this is the chapter we discussed earlier regarding signs?

God has a plan for peace. It is not just a moniker, but an actual plan. In Psalm 119:165 we read that people who love the law have great peace. Last night we talked about how to come to Jesus, and in John 14:15 we see Jesus saying, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Revelation 14:12 describes a people in the end times that will have the testimony of Jesus and keep the commandments of God.

What are these commandments? You can find them in Exodus 20. Each of these commandments are designed to protect us. They seem limiting with all the things you cannot do, but do you really feel limited when everyone is not stealing, coveting your items, or killing people?

Think of the law this way. The law is like a mirror. It reveals your condition. It cannot change you. It can only point out what is wrong. Paul says in Romans 7:7 that he would not have known coveting is wrong unless there was a law that said, “Do not covet.” The law provides a standard that you cannot argue with. You cannot argue with your mirror if it shows you with messy hair or plaque on your teeth. It reveals the truth. It reveals what is right and what is wrong. That is certainly awesome in a society where people believe there is no real right or wrong.

We could get very philosophical here, but that would take days to cover everything. But think of the laws you live with every day! If everyone follows the law of signal lights, there would be fewer accidents.

Some people argue that Jesus did away with the law. Perhaps knowing that this sentiment would rise, Jesus is pretty straightforward in Matthew 5:18: “Don’t think I came to [get rid of] the law or the prophets. I did not come to [get rid of] them but to fulfill them.”

Some people argue that we are no longer under the law, but under grace. If you were pulled over for speeding, the police officer convicts you because the law says do not go over the speed limit. At that point you are under the law. But what if you acknowledge your mistake and the officer decides to give you another chance? The officer may decide to say, “Ok, I’ll let you off with a warning, and I’ll pay your ticket for you.” At that point, you are under grace, because despite what the law said, you were forgiven of the ticket you had to pay. Now you are under grace, without having to pay a couple hundred dollars. What do you do? Go speeding again? Hopefully you would not. The law has not changed, nor has it disappeared. You are no longer guilty for the law you broke because you have been forgiven. But at that point you would probably drive more cautiously and be grateful for the second chance you were given right? This is how the law and grace work together.

Like the mirror, the law reveals your condition, but it cannot do anything about it. But as we looked at yesterday Jesus can do something about your condition. He can make you a new person. He took your guilt on himself when He died on the cross. He is the one that can save you. The law is awesome in that it tells you what needs to be fixed. Grace is awesome because it gives you a second chance.

Do not get caught up in the legalism and law-based salvation that you may hear from others! Jesus reveals that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22). On those two hang the law and the prophets!

There is so much we can say about the Law, and all of its different facets. But the Bible makes this a little more simple.

In fact, you can summarize the law of God into one word.

Love.

Pretty crazy way to look at the law, right?