Beautiful scenery, wonderful skies and an open road for as far as the eye can see. A perfect day for a drive and not a worry in the world; or is there? Notice that solid double line in the center of the road which means "do not cross". So, I guess there is at least ONE WORRY and that is crossing the line. The Old testament law was like that; there were definite boundaries to what you could do and WHO you could do it with. But the problem was that no one could keep it perfectly so there was a BIG WORRY:sin. I really like this passage in the book of Ephesians because it gives me great hope!Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--
Eph 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Eph 2:11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands--
Eph 2:12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Eph 2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
Eph 2:15 by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
Eph 2:16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
English Standard Version
Hope, because of what The Christ did in abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances for all men; not JUST THE JEWS! The law no longer divided the world between uncircumcised and circumcised, it unified through Jesus. The line of demarcation was abolished and unity with God was achieved. Hope, paid for with suffering and blood and death, transforming the path to God from a regulatory environment to one of grace. Look at the picture once again and imagine the freedom that the removal of that double line would bring; only now, just have to look for the oncoming cars. Drive (and live) circumspectly and be free!