OT and NT redemption are the same…

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. “Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. 
“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right. Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.
“But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.” (Isaiah 43:18–44:5)

One problem with spending much time in the OT is that the rebukes to God’s people back then often distract me from the new thing God has done in redeeming believers by grace through faith. Not that this makes me think that God is still looking for obedience as a means of salvation, or that He ever did, but that if I do not obey, the consequences will make me respond to trials as if God is using them to punish me.

If I slip into that thinking, discouragement sets in. It seems like God is looking for obedience as a means of salvation by faith rather than evidence of it. Of course that appeals to human pride, but then there are days when that mountain I try to climb is way too high. This makes all those ‘therefore’ passages repeated in an era when God was using unpleasant consequences to illustrate that the relationship His people had with Him was missing faith in Him and His power. 

Today, since Jesus came, He uses trials to test and build faith. All the punishment I deserve was taken by Christ. Instead of the ‘therefore’ I need to focus on the “but now” and the “I will make a way” which are both true because of His grace and mercy to me.

Actually, salvation in the OT was like that also. God promised a Redeemer and His people were to live by that promise, believing He would keep it, and waiting for it in godly living rather than giving in to their old fears and doing what was right in their own eyes. Salvation has always been by faith. Right living is the evidence of it.

Since Jesus came, we are saved by faith, not by works but demonstrated by works in obedience. Same as the OT. 

Now I’m realizing how easily others separate the two testaments as they do. These ‘therefore’ passages are false accusations in a sense, yet they make me feel like jumping from Isaiah to Matthew. I need to remember that the OT points to Jesus, even in those ‘therefore’ rebukes.

Jesus, keep Yourself continually in my mind so my thinking is all about grace and not about anything else but You and Your promises. You will pour water into my thirsty life, and streams into my barren life. You will pour Your Spirit upon my children and descendants so they too will confess You as Lord and call on Your Name — even call themselves Your children. Keep me from getting caught up in anything else but You, Your will, and Your power to keep such promises as these and even more.  You say my offspring shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.” That happens because of Your grace and goodness.

Faith says yes to God

 

When Jesus said people must become as little children to enter the kingdom of God, He meant the child who says, “I’m too little to do that” not that child who says, “Let me do it by myself.”

Faith is like that first child, but more. It is also “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.” (Hebrews 11:1–2) These ‘people of old’ did not know what God was going to do, but trusted Him to do right, even when they could not see Him or His plan.

Hebrews 11 points to how OT believers demonstrated faith. It reminds readers that without faith, we cannot please God. Those first readers included first-century Hebrew people who had abandoned true faith in God for a legalistic system of works-righteousness. They had forgotten the importance of faith. This message still applies because faith in Christ often slides into faith in human efforts and becomes a religion of rules called legalism.

This does not mean that people of faith can abandon doing what God asks. This is because faith changes lives. Because I genuinely believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, my life shows it. The writer of Hebrews affirms this:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. (Hebrews 10:24)

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

This means righteous works are the by-product of true salvation, not its means. This is plainly stated in many places such as:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8–10)

While many Christians think that the OT teaches otherwise, we need to realize that OT laws were written to show the people of God how to live in faith, just as the NT tells us what the life of faith looks like. No one is ever saved by their own efforts. These verses show the contrast:  

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— (Philippians 3:8–9)

Again, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.” (Hebrews 11:1–2) This commendation was for believing the unseen God with that faith that ‘just knows’ what God says is right and true. It isn’t about being perfect in godly living, but godly living is evidence that He is in the life of those who truly believe.

PRAY: Jesus, faith is a gift. I remember the day You came into my living room and into my life. Suddenly, I believed — all that You are and had confidence that You were for me, not against me. I read a verse of Scripture and it just happened — You were there, and You have never forsaken me. Such a wonder that You should grant faith to those who so badly need You. My prayers continue for those who struggle to please You by their own efforts. May they realize that the way to Your heart is by faith, by ceasing their own efforts and instead believing You and what You say.

PONDER: How does the definition of faith apply to the challenges of today? Of this week? What do I hope for and what am I trusting God for? What self-effort do I need to confess?