“The former regulation (The Mosaic law) is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope (Jesus’ Grace) is introduced, by which we draw near to God.” Hebrews 7:18-19
My quick run to get something from my truck was impeded when I heard the sound of the riding lawnmower in the next yard. Looking toward the sound, I saw Willy… and he saw me. As I started toward him, he stopped under a shade tree and turned off the engine. I hadn’t spoken with him in a while and it was time to catch up.
Willy cuts lawns in the neighborhood so we don’t talk very long. Quickly sifting through greetings, Jesus stuff and landing at trivial matters, we somehow got to talking about ethanol fuel and just how the corn produced alcohol additive can damage an engine. How did the government come to mandate such a ridiculous idea? A little research revealed that it was politicians, farmers and tree huggers!
In 2001 the EPA and farm lobby concocted the idea mandating ethanol. It satisfied the greed of farmers looking for a way to make more money from forced growing of corn. It gave the EPA and excuse as they pressed to clean up air pollution. Having grown up in Pittsburgh in the 50’s and 60’s, I compared the air to then and in 2001 and concluded that most people had NO idea of what air pollution really was. So for 18 years, Americans have been living with the damage ethanol can do to a weed-eater!
If I made you upset at the former paragraphs… I have your attention. Now I am going to add fuel to the fire. Since the birth of the Church, satan and controlling wackos have been messing with your Christian roots, mixing the Mosaic Law with Grace, FORCING you to gum up your life with legalistic muck. In the effort to sabotage you, they use the Old Commandments to make people feel guilty, pointing to the old system of do’s and don’t s for corrective action. But Jesus tells us to not fall for it!
Telling a legalizer that the Old Testament Law was ‘weak and useless’ is like stabbing at a sleeping, junk-yard dog. In an effort to win an argument they may get loud and vicious… but they will not have any Biblical grounds on which to stand. This verse, and others like it, prove the point.
The Old Law PROVED that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. But that is ALL it did. It had ZERO ability to save me, since it simply proved my failure. Jesus came, fulfilled the requirements of the Law and paid it’s penalty on my behalf. I am SAVED by Grace through Faith… PERIOD. It is a FREE GIFT which I may either receive or reject. It is just that simple!
Over the years I have thrown away weed-eaters and chainsaws because of damage due to Ethanol laced fuel. In the world and the church, FAR too many people have been damaged by the lie that to get to heaven you have to BE GOOD… which is impossible! Jesus came and CLEARLY threw out that old ‘ weak and useless system and now says, “to get to heaven… you simply have to BE MINE!”
What are YOU running on?
