Devotion #3: Rule Maker and Breaker

“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:2-4 

Have you ever found yourself in a position where you have had to create a rule for yourself or others to follow? As a father of two toddler boys, I find myself having to create new rules all the time to keep my two boys safe. To be honest, I do not enjoy creating rules. The reason for this is that every time I create a rule for my boys, I then have to remember the rule, hold my boys accountable to that rule, and try to follow it myself. Every time I create a rule, I find myself questioning if I really need to create it because I know the headache that may come with that rule in the future. If you cannot tell already, I am not a huge “rules” person. 

However, in the Old Testament, God has given the Old Testament Law. This Law is made up of the Ten Commandments and many laws that were written specifically for God’s chosen people, the Israelites. In Romans 8:2, the Old Testament Law is called the “law of sin and death.” The reason for this is that we are imperfect people who are not able to perfectly follow each of the many rules given in the Old Testament Law. Since we and the Israelites are not able to perfectly follow the Old Testament Law, there is a punishment for our sins. That is eternal death. 

In the face of our sin, Romans 8:3 shares how God saved us from the punishment of our sin. Romans 8:3 says, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.” God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die for the sins of the world. Jesus did not stay dead, though; He rose again and, on the third day, made a way for us to go to Heaven. If we declare Jesus to be the Lord of our lives and confess our sins to Him, He is faithful to forgive us. 

Even though I do not like rules, I am thankful for them. Rules like the ones found in the Old Testament Law expose my need for a Savior. They show me that I need help because I am a broken person. 

Today, take a moment to reflect upon a time when you broke a rule. Walk through that situation. What happened? Why did you break the rules? Then meditate and remember that despite our failure, Jesus loves us so much that He died and rose again just for us.