INTRODUCTION
God created man to show forth the fullness of His glory in them and to make known the beauty of His magnificence through them in the earth. At first, man lived up to the original intent of God- fulfilling His divine Purpose and objective. The devil scripted the fall of man through man's negligence to God's instructions; hence, death reigned from Adam to Moses, the custodian of the law. God introduced the law through Moses with the intent of exposing the enormity of sin and its consequences over human race.
The Law was given to expose the sin nature in man. It was recommended to magnify man's inability to deal with sin by their own moral discipline and will-power; and to dilate man's need for the forgiving power of God and the ultimate sacrifice of the Savior.
Romans 7: 7-11 (KJV)
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
THE DISPENSATION OF LAW
The Old testament was known as the dispensation of Law. The Law was delivered as a testament to Moses for God's covenant people under the covenant, the children of Israel. Under this arrangement, man could receive pardon from their sins but only on a temporary basis. Certain ordinances and rituals were expected for man to carry out in other to be forgiven of all their sins. The temporary provision of the forgiveness of man's sins is known as atonement.
John 1:17 (KJV)
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Exodus 29: 35-38 (KJV)
35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
Atonement simply means covering of sins. The word atonement is translated from the Hebrew word, KAPHAR; which means to cover, to expiate, to appease, and to pacify. In other to sustain the process, that is, the process of God's forgiveness of man's sins , the rituals and sacrifices done by the killing of animals must be constantly observed. Unfortunately, at the end of each year, all the previous sins and transgressions committed by man over the years becomes exposed and valid again, thus, invokes God's wrath and judgement upon man because God's eyes are pure and can not behold iniquity. Therefore, animal sacrifices would always be made to keep receiving God's forgiveness and mercy through the covering of sins. Regrettably, all these scenarios perpetually unfolded as an unending cycle until Christ Jesus was sacrificed.
Hebrews 9:22 (KJV)
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE
The New Testament unwrapped a whole new era called The Dispensation of Grace. Under this new arrangement of Covenant, Christ, the lamb of God was slain. His sacrifice opened up a far-reaching provision of God's love towards mankind. Not only can we now receive forgiveness of all our sins through His ultimate sacrifice carried out once and for all, but the whole system of sin was revoked and completely wiped out; unlike the annual sacrifice needed to be carried out and the daily rituals that had to be observed under the dispensation of the Law. All our sins have been remitted through the sacrifice of Jesus. Remission of our sins means they are completely eradicated from their very root.
Ephesians 1:4-7 (KJV)
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
The word forgiveness in Ephesians 1:7 is translated from the Greek word, APHESIS; which means to remit and eradicate completely. The dispensation of grace is therefore, the actual remedy to the predicament of sin and death. The sin nature can now be totally extracted from our human spirit so that we can be regenerated from within and become God's bonafide Offspring. Amazingly, all that is required of us is to appropriate this new principle and operation of grace by acknowledging that we have been sinners- that we can not by any means rescue ourselves from this dilemma, and then, recognize that Christ Jesus died and was raised on the third day for our justification. Salvation from sin and death comes by grace through faith.
Rom 1:16-17 (KJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Moreover, the new testament provides an entirely new and more sophisticated and far more effective operation of God in His relationship with man. Under this arrangement, all our works; that is, our human ability, our moral soundness, our natural competence, and our personal sacrifice are insufficient to save us from sin and its consequences. In order to keep us in the perfect will of God and sustain the peace and the joy of the Lord in our hearts like a fountain requires the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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