God’s creation, (humanity) turned away from God in the original sin and we have been looking away from God ever since (Gen 3). God gave us the way to live together in peace and harmony, the LAW (Ex 20). We have never been able to live up to God’s Law (Rom 3:9-19). Given the opportunity to fix this on our own, which we so badly want to do, yet failing, God acted by sending Jesus Christ into our world (Luke 2:1-20). Jesus was fully human and fully God (John 1:1-3, 14). We don’t understand how.
Jesus Christ was the first and only human able to be fully faithful to God in all ways, unto death (Phil 2:7-8). He lived among us as an example of what faithfulness looks like. He fulfilled the LAW and the Prophets (Matt 5:17). His faithfulness is key, for we are not able under the Law (Gal 3:23-25). In dying on the cross for us and being raised on the third day, Jesus has opened for us the way to everlasting life (Rom 6, 8, 1Cor 6:14, 1 Cor 15, Eph 1).
How does this impact my life?
Christ is the only faith(fulness) able to save us. Faith(fulness) is a gift from God, we have not earned it, we cannot earn it.
God’s Word is a communal Word. God’s love is a communal love. Love seeks to unite in community, sin seeks to divide and separate.
In faith we live and grow our relationship with God. The results of the growth of faith in us are the fruits of the Spirit of God. The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
In Christ, all things old have passed away, all things are being made new, including us.
We are one in Christ. Our division, our labels for each other, is sin playing us. In Christ, there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of us are one in Christ Jesus.
All requirements have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. We have two things to worry about; loving God and loving each other. This is how people will know we are disciples of Christ. As disciples, we are called to GO into our community to live out our love for our neighbor. God’s Holy Spirit will live in the gaps and is responsible for the results.