Why is grace through Jesus emphasized over the law given through Moses? Definitions: Law And Grace The Law (Torah) comprises the commandments given through Moses at Sinai, codifying moral, civil, and ceremonial expectations for Israel (Exodus 20–40; Leviticus 1–27). Grace (charis) is God’s unmerited favor by which He pardons sin and grants righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24). John 1:17 sets the contrast: “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Purpose Of The Mosaic Law 1. Reveal God’s holiness and humanity’s sinfulness (Romans 7:7). 2. Restrain evil in Israel’s theocracy (Deuteronomy 17:8–13). 3. Foreshadow the Messiah through sacrifices and festivals (Hebrews 10:1). Galatians 3:24 : “So the Law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Why Grace Surpasses The Law 1. Fulfillment, not abolition: Matthew 5:17. 2. Perfect, once-for-all sacrifice replaces continual offerings: Hebrews 10:12. 3. Imputed righteousness exceeds external conformity: 2 Corinthians 5:21. 4. Universal scope—Jew and Gentile alike: Ephesians 2:14–15. Covenantal Shift Jeremiah 31:31-34 promised a “new covenant.” Jesus inaugurated it at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20). Hebrews 8 links Jeremiah’s prophecy to Christ, declaring the former covenant “obsolete and aging” (v. 13). Apostolic Teaching • Acts 15—Jerusalem Council rejects imposing Mosaic rites on Gentiles. • Romans 3–8—Paul expounds justification, sanctification, and freedom from the Law’s condemnation. • 1 Peter 1:18-19—Peter grounds redemption in Christ’s blood, not ancestral tradition. Early creedal material (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15:3-5) predates Paul’s writings by mere years, showing the primacy of grace from the church’s inception; papyri P46 and Chester Beatty (𝔓46, c. AD 175) validate these texts. Typology And Prophecy Isaiah 53 (scroll 1QIsaa, Dead Sea Scrolls c. 150 BC) describes the Suffering Servant bearing sins, aligning with substitutionary grace centuries before Christ. Passover lamb (Exodus 12) typifies “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Resurrection As The Divine Seal Romans 4:25: “He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.” Over 500 eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6) corroborate the event. The empty tomb is multiply attested by hostile sources (e.g., Matthew 28:11-15). Archaeological data verify Pilate’s historicity (stone inscription at Caesarea Maritima) and the existence of first-century ossuaries matching names in the Gospel narrative, grounding grace theology in verifiable history. Harmony Of Scripture Paul and James are complementary: faith alone justifies (Romans 3:28); genuine faith produces works (James 2:17). Grace frees believers to obey from the heart (Romans 6:17). Objections Addressed • “Grace promotes antinomianism.” Romans 6:1-2 refutes this: “Shall we continue in sin…? Absolutely not!” • “Law was eternal.” Ceremonial and civil aspects were provisional; moral principles endure, now written on hearts by the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:3). Final Purpose—God’S Glory Ephesians 1:6: believers are “predestined…to the praise of His glorious grace.” Salvation by grace ensures that boasting is excluded (Ephesians 2:8-9), magnifying God alone. Conclusion Grace through Jesus is emphasized over the Law because it fulfills the Law’s intent, offers complete atonement, transforms the inner person, extends to all nations, and glorifies God supremely. The coherent testimony of Scripture, corroborated by manuscript integrity, archaeology, fulfilled prophecy, and the historically substantiated resurrection, establishes grace as the climactic revelation of God’s redemptive plan. |
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