Last Sunday, during our Sunday School Bible lesson, our teacher asked, “What makes the era of the Law different from the era of Grace?” Though I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the responses given, I chose to remain silent and listen, as is my custom. Thank God I did—because in that moment of quietness, I was able to hear the Holy Spirit minister to my spirit:

"Now we know that whatsoever the law says, it says to those who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Romans 3:19-20). The first phase of God revealing Himself to man was through His righteousness and holiness, thereby exposing the sinful nature of man. This necessitated the enactment of the Law—for “where there is no law, there is no transgression” (Romans 4:15), and “sin is not imputed when there is no law” (Romans 5:13).

The Law and The Lamb

The Law and the Lamb stand as two pivotal revelations of God’s redemptive plan—the Law exposes sin, and the Lamb cleanses sin. During the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt, God, willing to restore His heirs to Himself, decides to reveal His person—which is Holy! But no man could behold Him as seen on Mount Sinai (Exo. 33:20). So, as with a high-tension wire, God decides to step down His glory in a transformer—the Law. The Law was given as a mirror, revealing the sinfulness of man and the possibility of righteousness under the Law (2 Corinthians 3:18/Romans 3:20).

Yet, the Law alone could not redeem—it could only reveal, because without shedding of blood is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). Thus, the covenant of the blood of a spotless sacrificial lamb. Once a year, the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place and sprinkle the blood of a spotless lamb on the altar, vessels and the people (Exodus 24:6-8).

“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” – Psalm 19:7. There was nothing wrong with the law, but the flaw was in its subjects. Jesus affirmed, “Think not that I have come to destroy the law, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17). However, because their souls were unspirited and their minds unrenewed, they could not retain the knowledge of God. As a result, they reduced the Law to mere moral and civil regulations, shifting their focus from God-consciousness to sin-consciousness. But Christ is the fulfilment of the law. He did not come merely to wash away our sins; He came to give us the God-kind of life—a life capable of retaining the knowledge of God and walking in His righteousness.

Now, Jesus is the embodiment of the Law, the Lamb of God, and the Chief High Priest—fulfilling every requirement of the Old Covenant and establishing the New: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), “with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:11-12).

In Christ, the demands of the Law were met, the penalty of sin was paid, and access to God was restored—ushering us to the Throne of Grace. "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore, God has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows. Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies Your footstool.” – Hebrews 1:8-9, 13

Continued…