THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS [Pt 3] - Awe Hilary

 THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS [Pt 3]

- Awe Hilary

Forgiveness of sins cannot be effectively discussed without looking into the Mosaic Law. It's important to note that the Mosaic Law, was the only Law given to Moses and the Jews on the basis of their divine election by God. This implies that God chose the Jews first, and He started His salvific work with them, which would later extend to all Nations of the earth.

Romans 1:16

[16]For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

There is a mind boggling question which is, why did God introduce a Covenant, which would in turn have the Mosaic Law. In order to answer this question, let's rewind the hands of time to the beginning. God created the first Adam in His image, which signifies that God is his source and owner. Also God created him in His likeness, which signifies a functionality in resemblance, that enables him to perform actions like his creator, and in carrying out His purpose. These two qualities sum up to the nature of God in the first Adam. 

Genesis 1:27

[27]So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

After the fall of the first Adam, he took up the nature of sin, which corrupted his image and likeness. This infers that the first Adam became separated from God (Physically and Spiritually). So in essence, while God still remained his creator, He was no longer Lord over him, because he was in submission to another, for sin ruled over him.

Romans 6:14

Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.

However, for God's salvific work to become a reality, He would have to establish a Covenant, which affirms His Lordship, and also a Law, which would re-calibrate or re- align mankind to the likeness of God. So in the Covenant, you have God as Lord, and in the law, you see God trying to fashion His likeness on the Covenanted. If these two conditions were not fulfilled, the salvific plan of God for mankind, cannot be established. 

Genesis 17:7

[7]And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

Leviticus 19:1-2

[1]And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

[2]“Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

Leviticus 20:7-8

[7]Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.

[8]And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the Lord who sanctifies you.

So you have God saying, I would save my people, whom I am God over them, who are fashioned after my likeness. This is why the Jews during the era of the Mosaic Law were different from all other nations, and God made reference to them as His people.

Deuteronomy 7:6

[6]“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

THINGS TO NOTE:

1. The Covenant of God was a declaration of His Lordship.

2. The Law was a declaration of His likeness.

3. The Covenanted who were in the Covenant and under the Law, where being fashioned into the image and likeness of God, to bridge the gap that was created by the nature of sin.

.....TO BE CONTINUED.

Min. Awe Hilary 

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