Christ is the End (Rom. 10:4). One of the great mysteries of life is why the Jews did, and continue to, reject Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. The One Person they claim to desire, the Messiah, is rejected because He is not the Messiah of their choosing. But this great mystery can be summed up in two words, sin-nature. That one birth defect that renders its victims incapable of responding to God on God’s terms. And so Paul wrote, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “…my heart’s desire…for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Paul said that Israel is; 1) lost, 2) zealous, 3) ignorant, 4) self-righteous, 5) and rebellious (v1-3). There’s a fine kettle of fish! And where will it end? Paul said it, “For Christ is the end (“termination; that by which a thing is finished”)…” This is the only place in the N.T. that uses this exact term, that Christ is the end, though Christ says He is “the beginning and the end” twice in Revelation. So what does Paul say Christ is the end of? 1) Christ is the end of separation from God (v1). Jew and Gentile can be saved if they will trust in Christ. 2) Christ is the end of zeal and lack of knowledge (v2). What a combination, zeal fueled by lack of knowledge. Think Roman Catholic, Islam, J.W.s, Mormans, Orthodox and any other system you wish to name—zeal without knowledge. 3) Ignorance of God’s righteousness vs. their own righteousness (v3). “Righteousness” is right thinking and right acting according to God’s standard. Where do we find God’s standard? It is partially revealed in nature. It is partially concealed in the human heart. And it is fully revealed in the Word of God. Man is without excuse, but he always prefers his own righteousness. 4) Christ is the end of self-righteousness and the beginning of God’s righteousness. How black is the human heart that prefers the bondage of sin to the freedom of Christ? Black indeed! 5) Christ is the end of rebelliousness (v3). Paul said that they “…had not submitted themselves…” “Themselves,” sounds like a personal problem! In fact this is such a problem that Paul had to tell the Ephesians (5), to submit yourselves to the Holy Spirit, submitting your heart to the Lord, “…submitting yourselves one to another…,” “…wives submit yourselves to your own husbands…,” “…husbands [sacrificially] love (submit to) your wives…” and the church is to submit to Christ. 6) Finally, “…Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness…,” but only for those that “…believe…” Now, fellow-traveler, we can say “amen” to all of this, but aren’t we also guilty of not living in the realty that Christ is the end? And for Christ to be the “end,” we have to end some of our sin. And that’s a Bible Bite.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:07:52 +0000
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