| Old Testament Law and Forgiveness |
For hurting Christians, the Old Testament law may be the last place they’d think to look for healing and comfort.
As I was learning how to forgive someone who had hurt me deeply, the Spirit of God used the painful circumstances in my life to draw me nearer to the heart of God.
He changed my wrestling questioning from, “Where are you, God?” to “Who are you, God?”
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SILENCED
As I saw Him in the Scriptures, the thought of His holiness overwhelmed me, silenced me (Psalm 46:10).
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Especially as I studied the Old Testament law, specifically the Levitical sacrifices, I felt doomed. He actually required a sacrifice for unintentional sin (Leviticus 4:2)??!!
Oh, that made me angry!
I was already struggling with my inability to forgive, and now He confronted me with unintentional sin too??!! Why?
And so I asked, “Lord, have I been unintentionally sinning through these circumstances in which I find myself?”
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”The law silences the heart
(Romans 7:5)
and makes us angry with God. “That anger can lead to
passionate worship.” Bold Love ~~~~~~~~~ Unless otherwise noted,
all further quotes from
Bold Love
Dr. Dan B. Allender
Dr. Tremper Longman III
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”He fails to protect us from the fallenness of the world
or the sin of others,
yet He calls us to live holy
as He is holy? ”This is absurd.”
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Again, I was silenced.
Yes! He spoke inaudibly to my spirit.
And not only had I been sinning through the circumstances, but I had also been sinning in my arrogant thoughts toward God throughout my life.
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HOLINESS
AND
MERCY
I had been a “Let’s Make A Deal” Christian. If I do such-and-such, He will do so-and-so. And I had been doing such-and-such. So why didn’t He respond to my “if-then” formula?
In reality, I was raising my fist at Him and saying, “How dare You?” When I realized this response to my God in the light of His holiness, I trembled with fear. I expected punishment.
To my surprise, I found not punishment but mercy.
Silenced again, I thanked Him in feeble worship for His holiness intertwined with mercy.
Like Job, I could say, “My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I despise myself and repent” (Job 42:5-6).
PRAYER
ANSWERED
UNEXPECTEDLY
”For most, the exacting demands of the law might invoke silence,
but it is similar to the silent withdrawal of a small child who knows another word spoken will bring the slap of an angry parent. “That silence is full of terror
and barely hidden rage. “Clearly, this kind of cowering before the law does not lead to
looking into the eyes of God. “It may spark conformity and better performance, but it will not increase gratitude and passion for the gospel.”
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For a time, I believed God had failed to answer me when I pleaded with Him to learn how to forgive amidst my heartbreaking circumstances.
On the contrary, He had answered me in a way I least expected: through the Old Testament law.
He had turned my heart—for the moment—away from the sin of my offender and to my own sin, sin that had been ruling my life, sin that had contributed to the circumstances in which I found myself, sin that had kept me away from the very One Who gave His life for me.
“Be holy as I am holy” (1 Peter 1:6, 14-16).
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The God Who seemed so distant when beginning the process of the circumcision of my flesh—as I yielded to Him when He revealed to me through the Old Testament law who I am (undone) and Who He is (holy)—is not only unapproachable in His holiness but also merciful in His forgiveness of sin, of my sin.
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His holiness coupled with His mercy then caused me to look beyond the Old Testament law—and my pitiful attempts at conformity and performance—to the depths of my own heart, my own sin. What would be my response to God’s undeserving forgiveness?
Worship!
I am reconciled to God (Romans 5:10)!
I am forgiven (1 John 1:9)!
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”We will not be able to love, truly love, until we are overwhelmed with gratitude and worship for God’s forgiveness of our own sin.”
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WHAT
IS
YOUR
RESPONSE?
When we believe we can’t forgive another, He exposes who we are in the light of His holiness and showers us with mercy until we worship Him as forgiven saints.
Let the painful circumstances of your life
- humble you as you see yourself for who you are
- turn your heart toward the Lover of your soul
- cause you to yield your heart to your God for circumcision of the flesh
- transform you from a demanding, arrogant Christian, dependent on self, to a broken vessel, available for the outpouring of His holiness, mercy, and love
- reconcile you to God
- prepare you for the ministry of reconciliation
- open your heart to Him in worship.
The Old Testament law is a schoolmaster to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24) Who will establish us in His love for us (John 17).
Father-God,
Thank You for the circumstances in this woman’s life that have brought her to the point of desperation. Use those circumstances to lead her to the Old Testament law that will reveal to her who she is and Who You are—both holy and merciful.
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May this dual revelation establish her firmly in Your love for her, as You have made peace through the blood of Christ and broken down every barrier (Ephesians 2:14) that separates her from You.
May she worship You now, even through her trying and painful circumstances.
Prepare her, Lord, through ongoing sanctification, for Your life and love to be poured out through her.
Thank You, Lord!
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”When we are deeply humbled, broken, and then thrilled in the light of God’s perfection and compassion, we are transformed.”
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Continue with the next article in this “How to Forgive” series:
New Testament Love and Forgiveness.
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