What is a New Year Resolution? What is a "life value?"
Is it a moral value or principle? Is it a law? Is it a belief? A Plan?
What are the principles that "drive" your life; your lifestyle; your culture?
Most of us would agree that the Ten Commandments are good life values. But do we understand what Jesus said about those commandments? "I come not to destroy, but to fulfill." (Matt. 5) Then He said: "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." (Matt. 5:18).
What? Didn't Jesus give us a "new commandment" and a "new covenant?"
What about when He said, "Whoever breaks one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, except your righteousness shall exceed (surpass) the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5: 19-20)
So, what about the 6th Commandment: Thou shalt not kill (murder). (Deut. 5:17)?
Isn't it true that Christians are no longer "under the Law?" Well, we may not be "under THE LAW" (my emphasis), but that does not mean that we are free from any law(s). Jesus implied that to reject God's Law(s) was to reject Him. Jesus told us and showed us that He has authority apart from and in addition to (in fulfillment of) the Law. He came to bring the Law to fruition. He taught us that not only should we not murder, we should be even "more righteousness" and not harbor anger in our hearts toward another. Because anger is the root of, and murder is the fruit of the breaking of this commandment. The "laws" that Jesus gave us show us that we need to be even more righteousness than the Pharisees. Paul taught us in Phil.3 that "But indeed, I count all things loss...that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." So, it is our faith, that imputes the righteousness of Jesus to us; a gift from God. Our righteousness exceeds the scribes and Pharisees in kind and degree, because it is the righteousness of Jesus living in us.
Once again we see that it is not about us (not about how "good" we can be), it is about God, and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and what He has done for each of us. Our gratitude should overflow in obedience to God's plan for our lives; in obedience to the teachings of Jesus. Love God above all, and love your neighbor as yourself, on these two principles we can build our lifestyle, our culture, ourselves, our families, our New Year Resolutions, etc.
The righteousness of the Pharisees was impressive by human standards, but without the righteousness of Jesus, theirs could not (ours cannot) stand before God. Be thankful that Jesus gives us His righteousness, and resolve to live according to His teachings.
New Year Blessings!
